Girl's gotta fly: Terry Fox 2009 10K Success! But serious health problems arise.

I finished the 10K and Linda and Cheryl finished the 5K. Thanks to Laura again for the bright shirts we were able to find each other. Here are Cheryl and Linda, as Cheryl finishes her 5K. With Cheryl's ankle, leg, pelvis and back injuries, she was slower but steady and won the race. She dreamed it, and she did it.

I chose to do the 10K because....well, I might not ever be able to do a 10K again. Besides, my shoulder was REALLY hurting and by the time the 4K mark came, I couldn’t feel anything at all, or rather the back, forearm and other pain made the joint pain in the shoulder disappear. So at 5K you can either stop or do another lap for the 10 km. Guess which I picked.

Linda came out to support and jogged with me as I did the uphill to the finish, it was a long but steady uphill. One guy must have thought it was a bike or a Fred Flinstone device as he said to me going by, "You should try just using your arms on this stretch!" Uh, yeah, unlike the rest of the 10K, when I used my levitation device?

Here I am flying. The end is in sight and the sun has come out. Elizabeth does her 10K.
That part was good, the endorphins were good but the rest of the story...not so good. I passed the finish line, then after half exiting my wheelchair, I passed out. I was laid out in and out of consciousness then had a partial seizure followed by a grand mal seizure. I went home and did 26 postcards because I knew I would be useless the next day. And 26 postcards and 3 notes went out. And yes, I am insane and Linda and Cheryl are enablers.

During and just after the race I was able to sweat, something I had not done in 2009. I sweated not just from my groin but also from my armpits (3 of the 5 central nodes). Also, the injuries from badminton started to heal and discarded white blood cells and plasma. That is the good news. The bad news is that ever since then, after extended periods of sleep, the most I am able to be conscious and functional is three hours. Yesterday I was paralyzed, and unable to speak, or form words at all, my head unable to move. I was able to form words after an hour but was functionally paralyzed until Linda came home at 5:30 to put me to bed. I was dizzy the entire time.

Today, the same occurred, dizzy but functional. Fluctuations in blood pressure despite medication, and now erratic heart beats despite medication. Even sitting completely still, I cannot function in eye coordinating, often only one eye can see. The yellow and the red side of my body have switched and we don’t know why. Also I have to be on oxygen almost continuously. After one day, I expected something and was ready to pay the price. Now I am getting concerned. I am also in constant pain.

Also, due to I think paying for the repairs of the wheelchair cycle, we or I have no food, so I have not eaten breakfast or lunch today, a soup yesterday, perhaps some soup tonight. I don’t know if we will have food until payday. But right now I am more concerned with why can I not return to the state before the 10K where I was weak but stable – now I am STRONG, but I fall over, I can’t see, and I feel nausea constantly. Plus I am generating heat and not sweating anymore. I am really sick and worried that if this continues I will have to try the hospital for help, or at least to stabilize my body as I continue to pee more than I drink every day, Sunday, Monday, and today.

Um, I think I meant to just say, I am really really sick and if you don’t hear from me, I am trying to get better. If you did get an email it is because I thought I was better during that hour or two after getting up when I seemed okay, before this slammed my body. Even lying still in bed doesn’t slow the progression of dizzy, respiration problems, nausea, weak, paralysis, confusion and neuro blindness. I am writing this after having a nap, feeling what is already coming on.

Based on the last several hours. The decision was made 45 minutes ago that badminton is a no go for this week. Very disappointing for me, but without being able to control my condition as it is, adding the stress of badminton is a no go. My body is in too fragile a state right now to add stress and possibility of further injury.

I do hope to return to normal. Because hey, I have Hawaii and a 5K a month after that. What, a girl’s gotta fly right?