I'm back...

I apologize for my absence for anyone who has been checking in to see what I've been up to since the MCM.  After completing a marathon, half marathon and 10K in less than 30 days I was really run down.  I thought it was my body recouping from all the physical and mental dress I had put myself through, but it ended up being Epstein-Bar Virus (EBV).

EBV is much like mono - we all come into contact with it at some point in our lives and sometimes you feel its affects and some times you don't.  I happened to get hit with it hard...and it is possible it is chronic. The symptoms consist of extreme/sever fatigue, foggy head/trouble concentrating, sore joints, mood swings, depression, etc.  I know it sounds like every Mom out there.  What got me to go to the doctor to see what was wrong was the day I barely got out of bed after 8 hours of sleep and then could feel my  body falling asleep while I was at my computer at work.  Something just didn't feel right.  This wasn't more normal depression down swing and after three weeks I should have been on an upswing ready to conquer my next goal.

So the  doctor did more blood work than you could think of.  We looked at everything from vitamin deficiencies, to my thyroid, liver and kidneys functions, Lymes, Lupus, arthritis, mono and EBV.  The only thing that came back positive was the EBV.  The good news from the blood work (because I always have to find a bright side) was the rest of my body was in great shape!

There is no treatment or cure for EBV.  Based on my symptoms and the fact we have been treating similar ones for 9 years as depression the EBV my be chronic.  So what did we decide I would do first was:

• 1 week of NO exercising - this was torture when all I wanted to do was run to relieve stress
• Up my anti-depressant to try and get ride of the brain fog
• Lots of IB prophin
• Sleep

Now, my day to day did not stop.  I kept working, did housework and tried to function as normal as possible.  After about a week the brain fog lifted, just in time for Christmas.  After two weeks (this week) I'm starting to feel less tired and actually get busts of energy.  I even started jogging again.  With sore joints running is slow and uncomfortable.  I still love it, don't get me wrong.  I'm just annoyed that I cannot go as fast and as far as I used to.  My longest run this week is 3 miles.

I may have to live with what I will refer to as 'flare ups' for the rest of my life.  That isn't so bad.  I know what to look for and I know to rest/sleep more than I used to. 

Will I still run half and full marathons - you bet.  I'm not giving up on my fourth love (James and the kids take the first three spots).

Keep coming back to check in.  I will have a post up in a few days about our magical Christmas!