I am heading into the hospital this morning for nose surgery. I am scared to death. I have only had surgery once, and that was years ago. But I have decided to bite the bullet and go through with this procedure. Why? Because some people will do anything to gain an advantage in racing and I am now joining their ranks! If I am going to run a high altitude race in the Italian Alps this September, I am going to need every ounce of spare oxygen I can get!
For as long as I can remember I have not been able to breathe through my nose. When I race I am always breathing through my mouth. I have never felt that I was getting enough oxygen into my system when I tried to breathe through my nose...it has felt like I was trying to draw up air through a tiny straw.
This has made it difficult to sleep at night as well. I have to breathe through my mouth, which causes me to snore sometimes. It gets really bad when I am stage racing. When you sleep for a week out in the desert with lots of other runners...people are getting up all night long to pee. To get some shuteye, which is essential to having a good race, I have resorted to taking sleeping pills. When I take the medication, then I really snore up a storm! My tentmates are ready to pitch me out at times. Although I have to say even in this area, I have competition! You can hear people snoring all around the campsite.
I booked an appointment with a nose specialist about a month ago. I had an MRI done and the results have confirmed that I have a deviated septum. The cartilage that runs down the center of my nose is crooked. I remember I was hit in the face with a ball when I was very young and I think this was when my nose was affected. I also have soft tissue blocking my nasal airway. This has all combined to prevent me from breathing properly.
So in about 2 hours I will be going under the knife! I am very nervous. I don't know why, but I am. I don't like the idea of being put under. I guess you hear so many stories about people going into surgery for simple procedures, and something going terribly wrong. But for the last week I have been working myself into a tizzy, thinking this may be the last time I do this...or the last time I am doing that! For the last two days I have been eating my favorite foods, and drinking my favorite drinks!
And if I do make it through this procedure unscathed, I am dreading the pain. I have a high pain threshold, but this is not going to be fun. But I do like my Doctor...Dr. Morse...and he has been very good explaining how this is going to improve my running. Hey, I'm in! He is going to have his team get some pictures while I am in the operating room, so I will post them for you.
They are going to put me out, and then the Doctor is going to cut out some cartilate and soft tissue. Apparently it is quite gory. Maybe they can get some good close up shots...I'll see what I can do! So they are doing two procedures...a Septoplasty and a Coblation Turbinate Reduction.
I won't be able to work out for a few days, but the Dr. says I should be able to start training again next week. So I will have this weekend off, but Coach Cal has me doing a 6 hour run next weekend up at Sugarloaf Mountain again. I wonder if I will notice any change in my breathing by then? I need results!!!
By the way, do you want to know what the worst part has been so far? I have not been able to eat or drink since midnight. In the morning I usually have three expressos, and so this morning I am really hurting without my usual hit of caffeine. I love my coffee in the morning! I admit it, I am a caffeine addict and I am going through withdrawal right now!
So, wish me luck. I will let you know how it all goes, and will hopefully have some good photos to show you.
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