The year didn't get off to a good start - iameven.com
I have a fatigue fracture, and I am struggling with that.
January
After completing the half marathon in January, where I reached my goal and felt good enough to attend a party in the evening, things haven’t been great. When I took up running 4 days later I felt some pain in my right butt cheek. I didn’t think too much about it as I completed the run as normal, it was just weird. So I went for another run the next day. The pain was back, but worse, I had to walk back home. Stubborn as I am, I tried again the next day, but this time I didn’t even get 400 meters before the pain was too much to handle. I decided to visit my doctor. Of course, this was on a Friday so I had to wait until the following Monday.
I told my doctor about the pain and how it resembled something I had when I was around 14 years old and got hospitalized for. I also mentioned my recent running as I figured that might have triggered it all somehow. He decided to book me an MRI to check it out. I had to wait until the 1st of February for that scan.
February
The scan happened on a Sunday, I arrived 10 minutes before my time slot and was admitted just before my assigned time. After removing all the metal I had on me in a changing room I was led to the tube where I got some quick instructions about staying completely still[1], got a headset for the noise, and a controller I could squeeze in an emergency. The scan itself was done in under 10 minutes. It was very relaxing to be forced to lie still without a screen to look at.
Then we got some sort of stomach flu[2] at home. Sam and I got it really bad, Mats was not as bad. That was hard being an only parent. All I wanted to do was sleep, while my stomach wanted to turn itself inside out, Sam having the same thing and needing help, or Mats just being in need of a guardian as he was somewhat active.
I then had to wait until the 9th before the results were sent to my doctor and he had time to look at it and get back to me. There were signs of a fatigue fracture, but in a slightly different spot from where they had scanned, so I had to go back in for another one. Also, my D vitamin levels were probably low, so I had to do a blood test for that. I got a blood test the following day and results a few days after. They were indeed low so I bought some supplements. I got a new scan on the 16th.
As before, the session was very efficient, getting the results were not. I contacted my doctors office today, and learned that my doctor is on winter vacation leave. Can’t really complain about that, as I am as well. They sent me a cryptic message containing phrases like “ala sacralis” and “osteitis condensans ilii” from the clinic and with the help of an AI assistant I managed to decipher it and confirm that I indeed have a fatigue fracture. So nothing to do with whatever I had when I was 14 I believe. Just body fatigue from too much running.
Mental health
I haven’t been able to run in over a month now and I believe that is taking its toll. In my mind I managed to keep on top of things thanks to all the exercise I did. I suddenly got really tired all the time. Turns out that might have been the damage to my body and low vitamin levels. But my thoughts keep circling back on all the negatives. Why can’t I be healthy? Can I ever run again? Am I doing good parenting? Why do I eat so much? I’m also constantly hungry and crave comfort food.
Getting on the supplements helps though, and the brighter days can’t hurt either. I’m really hoping to turn this thing around to the good place I was at the start of the year. In my eagerness to continue in January I signed up for another half marathon in Sandnes the 21st of March. Not sure if I should[3] try that, but part of me really wants to.