Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Ahoy, ye scurvy curs!

So the other day I'm hanging out, thinking about my diet, and I realize:  I can't think of the last time I had a fruit or a vegetable.  Hmmm.

And then I'm thinking I'm coming down with scurvy.

Is anybody else familiar with scurvy?  Not like up close and personal, but did you learn about it and other wacko diseases in not-college-level-school?  I remember learning all about things like scurvy and rickets, beriberi and pellagra, and cowpox and anthrax -- and let's not forget bubonic plague! -- in as early as junior high.  Why?  I mean, granted, anthrax because extremely relevant in recent years but otherwise?  Was this some kind of a "so you better eat your veggies, kids!" kind of brainwashing?

There were pictures and everything!

I'm guessing that in addition to putting the fear of god into kids to eat healthy and wash their hands on a regular basis -- and what a way to go about it -- that it was also a "look how awesome the human race is!" kind of thing.  We've cured all these things, go us!  But surprisingly no mention of relevant things.  Like cancer.  Emphysema.  Cirrhosis of the liver.  I was well into college before I figured out exactly what cancer was, and it was long after that when I learned that bits of cancer can break off and go to other parts of your body and make more new and different cancers.  Sadly, I learned this in conjunction with the illness and eventual passing of a friend's husband from cancer that at the end had spread everywhere. 

You know, I meant for this to be more amusing.  Boobies!  How's that?

Back to my lack of fruit and veg.  I'm starting to suspect (in addition to catching scurvy) that as a consequence of sinus/allergy problems I've lost my sense of taste to a certain extent.  I just have little interest in eating these days and when I do eat it's not very satisfying.  Even things like ice cream aren't doing it for me.  What's up with my body?

I do know what's up with at least one body part, namely my right lower leg.  I saw the orthopedist yesterday, who really has a good case of the cutes, and I'm still not cleared for running for at least four more weeks.  My leg has not gotten worse and he believes I am healing well.  I am cleared for non-impact activities such as the elliptical and the recumbent bike.  If I feel strong enough I can maybe do some walking in two to three weeks but he advised against it. 

That means that I better get my scurvy ass to the gym tout suite if I want to have a chance of getting back into training at the end of the next four weeks.  I'll be looking at only a 12 week training period for Portland.  That suddenly does not sound like a good idea, and sounds a lot like a second stress fracture waiting to happen.  I may need to rethink my running goals for this year.  I may need to drop to only the half marathon for Portland.  Hmmm.

I'm off to dash out a few more work tasks before heading home to make potato sald.  Pickles are vegetables, right?

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl

2 comments:

  1. Posts like this make me like you even more!
    Cool people are doing the half (*cough*Ronda*cough*).

    If it makes you feel better, the last fruit I had was pineapple ... on a pizza last night. So not really the healthiest form to enjoy healthy food -- but it was tasty!

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  2. I'm going to sit down with Julie soon and see if we can put together a training program that will get me through the marathon without another stress fracture. If I get cleared to run again right after July 4 I think it can be done...

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