Living with MCL

I ws going for a 1000 miles this month, but after yesterday’s PV ride, which in my opinion is the toughest club ride (60 miles and 3000 feet of climbing), I decided 965 miles (about 1550 km) was plenty.

If you haven’t guessed by now that I was talking about how many miles I’ve ridden my bike this month, then you obviously have never read my blog before, since that subject typically makes up the greatest proportion of my posts.

So today is a day of rest, but rather than just sit around the house doing absolutely nothing, which is never a good thing, I’m heading out to hit some golf balls at the range.

I might even play a round if I’m feeling up to it. I haven’t done that in a long time, and I’ll ride of course.

NOTE: See My Journal for an update on todays round of golf.

There’s nothing like a high intensity workout (for me it’s a bike ride) to get that horrible feeling out of your body [and mind], after drinking a little too much wine, at a friends house, the night before.

[I really need to do more of that, as having dinner and wine with friends is a great cure all to help you forget all the issues confronting you on a daily basis.  I just have to do a better job of controlling how much I drink.]

Anywaze, I didn’t get a very good nights sleep, and I certainly wasn’t in any mood to go riding this morning. Heck, I didn’t even want to get out of bed, it felt so good just lying there, but I knew I just had to, or I would feel a lot worse later in the day.

So reluctantly I got myself out of bed, and went down stairs to have my tea and hopefully some breakfast.  Of course that was a lot easier said than done, as I plopped myself down in front of the TV (I didn’t even bother turning it on), with my cup of tea close by.

It felt so good, as I watched the clock tick by.  If I didn’t get up out of that recliner soon, I might never get up, I thought to myself.

Again reluctantly, I got myself out of the chair, made myself a half an egg sandwich (at this point I was starting to run late), hurriedly finished the sandwich and my tea, and managed to get out of the house with just enough time to catch the group, provided I took a few shortcuts.

Almost immediately after getting on the bike, I felt better. My only thought at that point was catching the group, which I did without much trouble.  I even got ahead of them (remember, I had to take a couple of shortcuts), and had to slow down and wait for them to catch me.

And then, as we started the hammer zone portion of the ride, whatever lingering after affects remained of my hangover, totally disappeared, and I’m feeling so much better now.

Does it really mean what it sounds like, or is it just a euphemism for “it’s all about me, and to hell with everyone else?”

Today, the senate failed to muster enough votes to overturn a planned 10.6% reduction in medicare reimbursements to healthcare providers, forcing doctors to accept even fewer medicare patients, and ultimately leaving many sick and elderly without access to healthcare.

Of the 48 republicans in the senate, only 7 voted with the democrats in favor of the bill.  John McCain didn’t bother voting.  I’m sure he was more concerned for the welfare of the people of Iraq, and the war, than the poor, sick and elderly citizens of America.

The bill was opposed by many senate Republicans, and President Bush, because it

would partially offset the cost of the bill by cutting some bonus payments to private Medicare Advantage plans

In other words it would cut subsidies to the health insurance industry.

And as if that wasn’t enough, President Bush is proposing even greater cuts than last year, in the growth of Medicare and Medicaid, in his new budget plan.

Thank you President Bush, for not compromising on your principles, by considering raising taxes, or ending the war in Iraq, which would save far more than your proposed budget cuts. Balance the budget on the backs of the poor, the sick and the elderly.  After all, they’re not productive segments of society.  They’re only a drain.

Besides why should you care? You and you’re family are healthy [and wealthy], and should you get sick, you’re guaranteed access to the best medical care available, for the rest of your life, all at taxpayer expense.

Just received the results from my latest blood work today, and while all my counts were stable, i.e. lymphocytes at 100 thou/cumm, hemoglobin 12 g/dl, and platelets 207 thou/mcl, at the bottom of the report was

1% metamyelocytes

Now while most of the information I have been able to glean off the internet, as to the significance of the metamyelocytes, doesn’t appear worrisome, and one test does not a trend make, I never like to see new things on the report.

Fortunately I was able to quickly contact someone who is very knowledgeable in this area, and she indicated the increase in metamyelocytes could have resulted from the relatively intense bike ride I did this morning, as stress can cause a “spilling over” of myelocytes into the blood. Couple this with my MCL, which can also cause an increase in metamyelocytes, I’m hit with a double whammy!

Oh well, such is life, living with MCL. I just hope she’s correct.

One thing for sure, the next time I have my blood checked (in one month) it won’t be after I’ve done a hard bike ride.