LilMogul’s BodyBlog

When I last blogged on the 13th, I had finally returned to the gym after a few weeks of on again off again. I wrote about a strange cramp I got in my foot and calf. I dismissed it, thinking it was because I hadn’t been working out, hadn’t stretch, hadn’t drank enough water or maybe I just needed a banana.

In the week that followed, I continued to have a faint, nagging cramp. I was a little fatigued and I continued to avoid the gym. Finally on Sunday night, I noticed my thigh was tingling on the same right leg. I put down what I was doing and began to massage my toe, calf and leg. It didn’t help. I went to sleep. In the morning, while getting out of bed my foot lightly grazed something and I felt the most intense pain at that specific area of my foot. I turned on the lights and tried to position myself to see. And there they were. Three tiny pinholes atop a small swollen mound where my sister’s cat had bitten my foot in my sleep. I moved and it pounced, perhaps hoping I was a mouse or playtoy. Although it hurt I just kicked the cat (sorry animal lovers) and fell back asleep. That was over 10 days ago. The cat bites me all the time in jest and rough play. I never thought about it again. Until now.

I figured I would call the doctor and some simple oral antibiotics would solve my small problem. I did see the doc, got said antibiotics and proceeded to have a most uncomfortable night of high fever, sweats, muscle/bone/skin pain. The fever broke around 2am. Tuesday afternoon I noticed something new. Pain from my inner knee on up my thigh. A golf ball sized painful lump in my groin area (lymph node) that is indicative of cat scratch fever. I limped home and repeated the fever and sweats which broke around 2am.

When I awoke I was limping more. I called the doctor in the morning and she wanted me to come in right away. She took one look at the streaking and swelling on my foot, felt my golf ball and called an infectious disease doctor who agreed to see me immediately. He took one look at my foot / golf ball and said I am just a step away from being shuffled to the hospital and we have to act fast. I was sent down the road to have a painful picc line inserted into my arm and the next morning (today- 12 hours too late in my opinion) I was back at ID doc for an IV infusion.

Today I was just a sterilized razor away from cutting my foot open myself. My friend stopped me. She works in a home infusion office and said WTF are you doing? and told me horror stories from other people doing the same thing. I put away the alcohol, scissors, gauze, and neosporin. I will be asking the doctor about this and other issues with my condition in the morning when I get my next infusion. Tonight my foot is huge.
I have gotten an Oxygen Mag and a M&F Hers and haven’t cracked them open. The condition leaves me with no appetite.  I eat clean, but not often enough. I get married in a few months and I am getting skinny and losing shape and strength. My wedding shoes arrived today. I can’t try them on. I choke back emotions.
This whole situation is very scary to me. I have read in many articles that the lymph node in my groin could be a present problem for 2-4 months. It could be the least of my problems.

So I got back in tonight. Nothing major: rowing machine and cardio wave machine. Just wanted to get moving again. I haven’t gained any weight during my absence, nor has my diet digressed. But after several weeks of inconsistency my body doesn’t want to give me a pass. Ate clean all day, went food shopping after work so I could have my usual pre/ post workout meals. I had a shot of Extend in hopes of finding my mojo faster and longer. Alas:

Rowing 15 mins 130cal

Cardio Wave lev 5 15 min 101 cal

On the cardio wave my calf began to cramp and when I dismounted I was wheezing a bit and flush. When I got home the bottoms of my feet were cramping and my baby toe! lol. In ways, its like starting over again. I AM EXHAUSTED!!!! I know, what did I think would happen? But its alright. I will get back in there tomorrow. And this weekend i will add weights back into my regime. And gotta get the vitamins and water up to speed again too. Hence, the cramping.
Besides general health, what’s the new goal? Same as the old goals, but now I am getting ready for beachwear and a cute little wedding dress in 3 months. Ladies, if you see anything online, send me a link. Haven’t picked the dress yet! Help a sister out. lol!

What I love about my BB friends is I can’t get anything past you! Thank you for checking on me and being "present" in my sporadic absence.
It’s 2:30 in the morning and my body clock is off. I am still unplugged. Although I have been eating clean, I still have not gotten in the gym. I am not depressed nor have I thrown in the towel. Quite the opposite. I am very happy and really miss working out. Life is happening to me and I have not found my balance with the new conditions. I expect I will get back in the gym soon when the dust settles. As Al says: It’s always something.
What life is happening? Well, I am newly engaged to be married and suddenly planning a move overseas to marry my boo.   I know nothing about moving overseas. So most of my time has been spent researching what to expect with a military wedding, immigration procedures, how to manage our new life together. I lived in St. Croix for 6 mos and from what I have read it seems similar: US territory/ but so NOT; nice people/ corrupt system; beautiful island/ lots of poverty; extreme heat and humidity/ risk of typhoons is high. Great! Add to that military married life can be challenging and there you have it- my life is changing. But I couldn’t be more excited and I know what expect.
The rest of my time has been juggling communication with my boo with the time zone difference. My phone is programmed to tell me what time is in Guam, which is helpful. Basically you add two hours and flip AM/PM. So when I am awake he is sleeping and vice versa. We try to catch eachother just before we are going to sleep/ waking up which is twice a day. When he is on the ship we awkwardly "live chat" by email which is basically he types, I answer, he answers, delay in network, repeat. He finally has a phone today so we talked this morning, at lunchtime and for a little bit after work (between his classes).

The other call I got, quite unexpected, was from my trainer! She wanted to know if I was okay, because I haven’t called for my last session which will include a body fat reading. I broke my news to her and she was excited because the last time we spoke, Justin had just left for Guam and she had sat down next to me on a rower in the gym to ask if I would marry him and move to be with him. I was still up in the air at that point. In my heart I wanted to marry him, but I would see if he held strong with his conviction over time I thought he would need. So I never brought it up. I would let him talk about it. He is not homesick and he loves the Navy, the island and his job. He set the process in motion and discussed his intent with the chaplain and told his family. They are all excited. My family will be more challenging. Stay tuned.

Back to bed.