Sunday. I dedicate today’s post to my 8th grade Geometry teacher Mr. Leland. Mr. Leland taught me two very important lessons which I remember (though do not always employ) to this day. First he taught me about compensating errors, the theory of which has saved me in countless computer programming projects and Soduko puzzles. Compensating errors are when you make one or more errors that result in giving you the correct answer. The outcome may seem correct but your logic to get there is flawed. That same flawed logic may come back to bite you in the patootie at a later point. An easy example of this is taking three right turns to go left and still manage to end up at the correct location. (I understand some directionally challenged people experience this often.) Second, his bellowing the phrase “When all else fails, READ THE DIRECTIONS” has long-lived echoing in my memory. And despite Mr. Leland’s wise guidance, here I am near 40 years later, still making compensating errors and still reading directions as the last resort.
Had a strange week. Long weekend in CT got back to the city on Monday. Sick day on Tuesday. Starting to see a pattern there.
I also had a directive from my coach that I had to add some quad work to my daily workouts. So on Wednesday I went to the gym and did 15 minutes on the rowing machine, 30 minutes on the stairmaster and 15 minutes on the eliptical with arms. I thought I might die on the stairmaster for the first five minutes but I kept going and once I found a rhythm I was okay but I was not doing it fast. Much, much work to do.
Wednesday afternoon I went trap shooting. I hope to be able to go shooting one or two days a week during the winter (alternate with some tennis) but by the end of two hours holding the gun up I thought my arms were going to break off. I never should have done the rowing machine before shooting. (Also didn’t help to use the arms on the elliptical).
Thursday I thought I should go for a run figuring I would make my bike up on Friday. I did 5 miles running 3 minutes walking 1 minute. My hamstrings were tight so I kept stopping to stretch. My arms were hurting. But overall nothing bad. This was my first time running 3/1 but I want to work my way up so by January I will be doing 4/1.
Thursday I came home and got on my pilates reformer (I have one in my apartment). I love my reformer and think it is fabulous for stretching. I decided I would do my quad work on the reformer. Then I decided to put in a video called Pilates for Athletes and let them put me through a workout. There were a lot of weird moves in there and I think maybe it was too much with the apparatuses (like the ring and the stick). I was just trying to strengthen my quads and stretch out my hamstrings but this was a little much.
I had an event I had to go to Thursday night. I walked there (1 mile) and walked back (1 mile). No problem.
Friday. I woke up and I couldn’t move. My knees were blown out. The small muscles below, to the side and on the top of both of my knee caps were sore and swollen. I put some Boswellian Cream over them (an Aryuvedic version of Tiger Balm) and I took some Aleve. I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t get up out my chair. And my arms were killing me so they were no help! I’ve never experienced anything like this. Both knees were swollen and in pain. I decided to put ice bags on my knees and that did seem to take some of the swelling down but the little muscles all around the knee were sore to the touch. I rested them all day. It was the most bizarre condition — I just worked from my bed because I could not get up.
I thought for sure on Saturday they would be fine. I didn’t think I would be able to go running but I didn’t think I wouldn’t be able to walk! But I couldn’t. It was better, but I still had a bit of a Frankenstein kind of gait going, stiff legs, stiff arms. I was a fright! But I was better so I wasn’t worried. It would just take one more day. My concern was my legs were still swollen. My knees were puffy, my feet were puffy. As the day went on I was definitely moving better but the puffiness was not going away. I cancelled going out because I would just be too uncomfortable standing around at a party. I took a couple of water pills before I went to bed. One more day and I was sure I would be alright.
I broke down and had a cup of decaf coffee yesterday. I was a little disappointed but I said okay, look you are sore, tired and puffy. One cup of decaf is not going to break all the work you have been doing. I gave myself a dispensation due to crankiness. And it was decaf.
Last night at 1 o’clock in the morning I had my first bout of insomnia I have had in months. Not the toss and turn kind. The eyes-wide-open-might-as-well-get-up-because-I-can’t-sleep. So here I officially apologize to anyone who got a lengthy email from me in the middle of the night. I finished two work projects and watched a movie. I didn’t think anything of it until I saw the clock read 5 a.m. and I was still wide awake. What? Then I realized I had a cup of coffee. Yeah it was decaf. Yeah I read the label that it was 98.9% caffeine free but I must be so “pure and healthy” now that the little bit of caffeine from 8 a.m. in the morning was keeping me awake 16 hours late. That had to be the reason. The good news was my legs were back to normal. No pain anywhere and the puffiness was definitely down. I thought this might be a good time to design a Christmas card, wash my kitchen floor and do the laundry. It would be 6 a.m. soon. I’m feeling a little shaky and something is not right. Maybe it is time to lower my medication dosage? I mean I have lost 10 pounds!
So, as I am cleaning like a demon all of a sudden it occurred to me that maybe it wasn’t the decaf. I went to the bathroom and took a look at the water pills:
“Maximum Relief Diurex Water Caps.” I think I got them for PMS symptoms a long time ago.
“Directions: Read all package directions and warnings before use.” Phht, yeah, right.
“Dosage, Adults One pill every 4 hours.” Whoops I took two. Oh well no worries.
“Warnings, ask Doctor if on other medications.” Oops.
“When using this product limit the use of caffeine.” Huh? Why?
“Active Ingredients: Caffeine 200 mg.” Rut Ro. That means I took 400 mg of caffeine!
Lets see, how many mg in a cup of coffee? Apparently 90-200. Oh geez. So basically I had the equivalent of 2 1/2 -4 cups of coffee before going to bed after being off caffeine since September. Nice….
As I stared at the package and hit myself upside the head, I couldn’t help thinking of Mr. Leland, wagging his finger at me for first coming inaccurate conclusions without analysis and then for NOT READING THE DIRECTIONS!! It just goes to show you how a teacher can impact you for life. (And I know he is smirking down on me from Heaven and wagging his finger.)
I will go to the pool now which will hopefully exhaust me so I can take a nap. Right after I toss these water pills in the trash.
Namaste
OMG, I had 400 mg of caffeine, check out the level of caffeine drink that I reserve taking one for race days only:
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