Another Awesome Thursday

Thursday is fast becoming my favourite day of the week. Last Thursday it was the 'Free Scone' incident that made it extra special. Yesterday was great more because of what didn't happen than what did.

Did someone say Thursday? We LOVE Thursdays!

But first I'll back up to 'stupid' o'clock, when my day started. I woke at 4:00am and managed to stay in bed till 4:30. I was a little excited about my run. And I was really excited about being a little excited. It hasn't happened much this year and it means that I'm not expecting it to be a torturous, hard slog.

I was out of the door at 4:45 and already it was light. But there wasn't a soul around and that's just how I like it - me, myself and nature. I headed towards the city and the river. My first kilometre clicked over in 5:22. Talk about confused. I haven't run that sort of pace feeling that easy for such a long time. I actually had to check my Garmin to see if I'd somehow set  up my distance beeps incorrectly. I hadn't.

I kept running and kept feeling good and the kilometres kept beeping off at under 6:00 min pace (except for the one where I forgot to stop my watch when I got a drink). I actually felt a bit more like I used to before the wheels fell off. And it felt REALLY good.

I got home one and a half hours and 16 and a half kilometres later, checked my watch and compared the data with how I've been running. Two minutes faster than I ran the same route two weeks ago. Same speed as I ran a 12k a little while back but this run was at a way lower average heart rate. Yes, it was as good a run as it had felt.

I had an appointment yesterday with a gastroenterologist (who will henceforth be referred to as Dr Fart). It was at 10am and I wasn't sure if I would be able to get my groceries before I went to the appointment. But after the run I felt invincible so I decided to risk it. But leaving the shopping centre, I realised I didn't have quite as much time as I would have liked. After all the appointment was at a hospital and I had to find a park, walk to the medical centre, allow myself time to get lost, allow myself time to find someone who could point me in the right direction and then actually get to Dr Fart's office.


I didn't actually break any road rules getting there but I did say a few unpleasant things about other people's driving abilities. I made it to the parking lot with 10 minutes to spare. No parks until I hit the 6th level. Lots of sweating until I hit the 6th level. More sweating while I tried to find access across to the hospital (it wasn't just nervous tension - it was a hot day). Glorious air-conditioning which snap froze the sweat beads on my upper lip. Easy to follow signs meant that I was in the elevator with two minutes to spare. I hit his office at 10:01. Winning!!

And I didn't even have to wait long. I'd barely settled onto my seat and sent a text before I'd been called in. It was such an enlightening visit.

I learnt - that I am gullible and easily lead by dodgy nutritional fads
           - that you can have too much of a good thing, in my case fibre.
           - that stress will be manifest in the form of explosive gas for some people.
           - that some people think that the amount I run borders on lunacy and that running in the rain
             crosses that border.
           - that if you have worked at a world-renowned hospital, you will want to slip that fact into the
             conversation at least ten times (don't worry, Dr Fart, I was impressed the first time you
             mentioned your ground-breaking study into the comparison of gas production by intestinal
             microbes on both a white rice and baked bean diet at the Mayo Clinic)      
           - that very few WASPs have lactose intolerance.

So the verdict? I am probably not lactose intolerant. I most likely have irritable bowel syndrome (quite possibly going to the psychologist has been the best thing I could do to help my fart situation because it's gotten my anxiety under control ... for the moment.) He wants me to have a blood test to check on the possibility of Coeliacs but he doesn't really think it is - it's more to rule it out. He DIDN'T need me to have a gastroscopy or a colonoscopy. Relief! I really didn't want to have either - yet.

He wants me to make a few dietary changes. Cut down on baked beans (not an issue - I don't eat them). Cut down on cruciferous vegies  (bummer - broccoli is one of my favourite and I like cabbage but I'm indifferent to Brussels sprout so no loss there). Cut down on wheat products (Damn!! I really like a good loaf of bread but have bought some rye bread on his recommendation. My muesli is in the 'can have' group and I've swapped wheat bran for oat bran. At least he didn't say cut wheat out altogether so I'm hoping if I make some modifications I can keep the things that I really LOVE in.)

And I'm allowed to go back on dairy. Yay! I can have cheese again. And a really good ice cream after a race (yes, that's my post-race treat of choice). I can ditch the soy cappuccinos - wasn't a huge fan of soy but any coffee is better than no coffee. My coffees will be cheaper again, another plus.

The appointment took about 30 minutes and when I went to pay I realised why you should encourage your children to do medicine and become a specialist. $250.00 for thirty minutes work is pretty good money. The receptionist offered to put my Medicare card through for my refund and that's when I found out that I'd reached some magic number for the year and that I was getting more back per visit. $225.00 back on a $250.00 visit - winning again!! And because Dr Fart was running on time my parking was only another $8.00.

When I got home I got my first business call of the week from a school wanting over 50 leotards. Another reason to cheer - I have work again!!

I'm starting to really look forward to next Thursday. I wonder just how much greater it can get.