Cold, Barium, and Frees

It's cold out today--did you notice?  My iPhone was displaying a whopping 2 degrees this morning.  Well, at least it wasn't windy.

I run twice on Thursdays, usually a total of 11-13 miles.  Today was 7 miles in the am, 4 in the pm.  I had to dress warm for this one.  Fleece-lined tights, running pants, warm running top, and my pink storm shelter jacket.  Ear wrap, hat, and my gloves.  Believe it or not, other than my face, I didn't get cold.  It was hard to blink toward the end, but that wasn't so bad. 

So, as of late, every time I head out the door to run my main thought and concern is "am I going to have that pain?"  I seem to always have it to some degree, but sometimes it's a lot more tolerable than others.  This morning was about as tolerable as it gets.  No left-sided pain, and on the right it wasn't too bad.  Funny thing, though--it moved.  Started in my abdomen and traveled around to my back.  It stayed put there for the duration.  As sad as it may sound, I'd have to say I prefer the back pain over the abdominal pain, though it's still very uncomfortable.

I had a CT scan today.  I went to see a GI specialist (was referred there after tests for my gallbladder showed zilch) earlier this week and he thinks that the pain I'm having may stem from my colon.  Some form of ischemic colon.  I'm not sold on that diagnosis, but I was happy to submit to a CT scan.  I know that there is SOMETHING going on inside of me, particularly on the right, and I really want to know what it is.  So I headed to Bloomington for that.  I had to drink two bottles of Barium prior.  As a nurse, I've administered a lot of Barium to a lot of patients.  Boy, do I feel guilty.  That was THE most disgusting thing I've ever ingested.  I love how the outside of the bottle says "Smooth, vanilla Barium milkshake."  Really?  Vanilla-flavored liquid concrete is more like it.  I felt nauseated immediately after finishing it, and I can tell you I never want to do that again.  The CT itself was quick.  I should have results by Monday, and hopefully by tomorrow.  Honestly, I hope it shows something.  I just need some closure on this.  It's been out of my control for a long time and, as a certified control-freak, I need to know what I'm dealing with.  My personal hell would be a bunch of personally-significant goings on over which I have no control.  Shudder.

I got home and had to quickly get ready to do my second run.  Was only 3.5 miles since I actually went 7.5 this morning.  The pain was much, much, MUCH worse during this run.  It was back to the stabbing, pulling, my-insides-are-being-squeezed pain.  Ugh.  3.5 miles of agony is what it was.  I got home and, to my surprise, the pain kept up that severely even AFTER I stopped running.  I was writhing on the floor, even.  It's better now, but I've never had it stick around beyond residual soreness.  I wonder if the Barium is responsible for that.

A good note about this run (must salvage something)--I wore my new 3.0 Frees for the first time.  I only wear Frees.  And when I say I only wear Frees...I mean I. Only. Wear. Frees.  I will run in nothing else.  Ever.  But, until now, I've never run in the 3.0s, which are the most minimalist Frees.  I haven't been able to find them, but the Indiana Running Company got some in last week, and I snatched a pair.  Well, I'm in love.  Even with stabbing, ripping abdominal pain I was getting a major crush on these shoes.  And over just 3.5 miles!  They are definitely more minimalist than the Free Runs, but they felt great.  I'll be easing them in slowly, though.

And I'm still at war with the IRB.  What else is new?