Normally I'd say I'm still alive but it's a little iffy at the moment...

My last post here was April 2 where I had just missed out on the Hop Hop Half and was mostly over the plague I caught right after Shamrock.  I was finally getting back into the swing of things and looking forward to the Fruit Fly's April 14 Vegas wedding where I was to be a bridesmaid.  Had only a touch of a cough when I boarded the plane on Friday for Vegas....

... and promptly got knocked on my ass by first a massive allergy attack brought on by the dry air/smoke/whatever the hell those scents are they pump into the casinos and then by a series of asthma attacks.  Yes, seems I have developed full blown asthma. 

Remember how at Shamrock I had an asthma attack during the race?  About a year or so after I started running I was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma.  It's pretty much just what it sounds like, physical activity triggers asthma.  It tends to be particularly triggered by exercise during cold weather.  I've had an inhaler since I was diagnosed and if it were cold out I would take a hit or two prior to running and be fine.  A few months ago my allergist suggested I add Singulair in there as well, which is an asthma med in a pill form that works not to immediately treat the symptoms of an asthma attack but rather help prevent them from happening in the first place.  It's often used when the sufferer also has allergies; I was prescribed Singulair after my last scratch test. 

Also remember how when I got sick last month I was coughing so hard I would vomit?  And also how I said the cough suppressant meds stopped working on day two of being sick?  Apparently that's a sign it's not really a cough cough, but asthma.  While in Vegas, hacking up my lungs and -- bonus!! -- constantly wetting my pants, not like a little leakage but like I might as well have been on the toilet peeing, I came across this article -- I have everything she talks about in there.  Until I read that I had been thinking that my cough was merely a result of post-nasal drip as a consequence of allergies.  Of course I hadn't brought my asthma inhaler with me to Vegas because I hadn't been planning on running.  Dancing down the aisle, yes; running, no.  It also wasn't going to be anything resembling cold in Vegas either.

So, long story short:  The wedding was absolutely beautiful and a lot of fun.  We danced down the aisle to our places.  The minister said some amazing things.  I started to cough in the middle of it all; thankfully the bride was too busy to notice!  (And the mother of the bride knew that I was worried about coughing during the ceremony and told me that if I had to cough to just let it rip -- I love her!!)  And two of the people I care about most in the world are now married. 

Unfortunately, outside of the actual wedding I had a pretty miserable time of it in Vegas because of the whole coughing and peeing thing.  I finally had to buy some major maxi pads so that I could quit washing out my clothes every evening.  I went through so many cough drops -- which didn't really work, because ASTHMA -- I burnt my tongue and couldn't taste my food.  I went to see Cirque du Soleil's KA and had three massive coughing fits and probably peed through to the seat.  I went back to my hotel room to change into post-wedding festivity clothes and had coughing fits where I couldn't manage to draw in the breath to cough (which is incredibly scary when you're all by yourself in another city, I almost decided to go to the ER) so I couldn't celebrate with my friends.  I've promised RR that I will dance my ass off at the wedding reception next weekend to make up for it. 

I should add that of course there were some fabulous memories despite my lungs.  I learned how to lap dance (hello kitty!) and pole dance.  I learned you shouldn't do either of those barefoot or you will get a gigantic blister on your pinky toe.  I had an amazing lobster dinner while I people-watched in the Caesar's Forum Shops.  Our dance down the aisle, which unbeknownst to anyone I had choreographed my little part complete with props.  The ceremony -- if I ever get married, I totally want that minister.  RR's dress was gorgeous and she was gorgeous in it.  My view of the strip from my hotel room.  KA. 

I checked out of my hotel room on Monday right around noon.  I had about two hours to kill before my airport shuttle so I found a nice comfy chair outside a little food court area where I could read a book and watch TV.  I checked my facebook feed and started seeing people asking about Boston, then the report broke into ESPN on the TV about the bombing.  Unbelievable.  My heart goes out to those involved.  I can just imagine how massive security will now be at MCM this October.  I'm too sick to run for Boston today with everyone else, but I'm with them in spirit.

I'll get some Vegas pics up in the next few days.  I go to the doctor tomorrow to beg for something like Cipro.  Did I mention I have a major sinus infection underneath all of this?

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl

When last we left our heroine...

... she had just run the clusterfuck that was the 2013 Shamrock Run.  Yay!

I got word yesterday that medals are in the mail, hopefully mine will be here today.  They're changing up a few things next year that hopefully will make things run more smoothly.  Because I will be running the 2014 Shamrock.  If you run and you live in Portland, you almost have to do it.   C'mon RR, you know you'll be doing it too!

Anyhow, I pulled 15K out of my ass and was feeling a lot better post-race than I probably deserved.  Race was Sunday, Monday I felt like I'd ran 9.3 miles but nothing unusual except a twinge in my right Achilles that had me worried for that weekend's Hop Hop Half.  By Tuesday though the twinge was nearly gone which would have been fabulous if I hadn't woken up with the fucking plague.

Yep, I caught that particularly nasty crud that has been going around for months.  And that shit lingers.  I dragged myself through work that Tuesday but was out Wednesday and Thursday wishing I were dead.  Friday I had to come in and the ten hour day I put in triggered a relapse.  No Hop Hop Half for me :(  Seriously seriously seriously fucking BUMMED to miss that race.  Well, to miss the medal.  I did get to fondle RR's medal and nearly pulled her into my lap to bring it closer.  My precious!  RR, please leave that medal to me in your will upon your death, pretty please with tots on top?

Anyhow.  Spent the weekend being a lump on the couch and missing Hop Hop.  Monday I bailed on work again because did I mention this shit lingers?  Had to be back in on Tuesday and long story short (too late!) it wasn't until Friday that I was finally feeling better.  Summer briefly visited Portlandia this past weekend with temps in the low 70s; I spent my weekend as a slightly more animated lump on the couch with many less interludes of unconsciousness or of wetting my pants/throwing up because I was coughing so hard.  Now I'm mostly better but there's POLLEN everywhere.  But I will be running again soon.   Rock 'n Roll Half is just not all that far away.

Hope everyone is doing well and plague-free!

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl