Thursday, June 01, 2006

Entry for June 1, 2006

Got the bike all packed up in the Trico Sportcase last night, but still not feeling good about it. Really have to disassemble the thing and even though this I the best carrier on the market, I don’t like the way it bulges over the axles of the $2000 wheels when closed. I really hope it makes it through the journey without any damage. Getting the TT bike into the same small box later this summer is going to be a real hoot.
Got a disturbing call from my dermatologist’s physicians assistant this morning at the airport. Had my six month checkup Tuesday morning and they ordered the routing CBC and liver panel because I’m occasionally taking antibiotics.
Lately my skin has been awful, so I hit the antibiotics for 10 days and stopped just about three days before the appointment. I restarted Monday after the race because my skin still looks like shit, and because I just swam in filthy Town Lake Monday for the triathlon.
The PA tells me that my liver enzymes are elevated and that they are concerned. We discuss that I’m back on the antibiotics, that I had a quite a few beers after the race Monday, and that I’m taking large doses of Advil at the direction of another doctor.
I had been suffering from pain in the top of my right foot when I run, so the orthopedic surgeon’s PA had me on three Advil three times daily for about a week now. That’s a massive dose and likely not helping. She said she’d talk to the doctor and call me back.
We land in Dallas and Darlene’s phone starts ringing. It’s the doctor looking for me. I talk to him and he sounds genuinely concerned. He tells me that my liver enzymes are high and we recap what I’m on. He tells me that I’m also anemic, so he is worried that I might be bleeding in my stomach. He also lists hepatitis as a possible affliction and asks me if I feel OK; any blood in my stool, yellowing of the eyes, etc. I tell him that I feel great.
I’m pretty sure it’s a combination of too much beer Monday after the race and the massive doses of Advil. Also haven’t been abundantly kind to my liver over the last 10 years, but I think this is background.
He instructs me to get off the antibiotics and the Advil and not to drink. I’m supposed to check in with him again when I get back. Nothing to worry about until we confirm. I imagine this entails a retest when I get back and I think things should be back to normal. Anyway, I also take it as a warning to cut way back on the beer. My weakness for Chimay will have to stiffen up some. Interested to see if they say I should stop drinking altogether. I hope not, because I really love a good beer, but we’ll see. If I have to stop entirely, at the very least I’ll be swimming in cash and dinners out will be a lot cheaper…
Anyhow, we sit on the 4-HOUR flight to Oakland. Get to meet the folks there and get ready for the Escape. Should be a good time.

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