Monday, August 15, 2011

Not again! More dehydration...

Uggg...

This past weekend I found myself [again] needing IV rehydration. I got behind and couldn't catch up. Least to say, it threw a wrench into my Sunday.

Now I'm trying to solve the mystery about what it is in specific that puts me behind in such a way that I can't recover. Sometimes, even when I've played by the rules, I still get into trouble.

Starting out dehydrated?
Having a cold or other minor viral infection?
Drinking coffee?

I'm hoping it can solve that mystery before I wind up needing any more time in an ER or urgent care!

Best quote of the weekend from an urgent care nurse (not the brightest crayon) after being told that I had just biked over 50 miles out to the airport and back, and seeing that I had been to the ER for similar dehydration and vomitting a month ago, "Your heart rate is 76, that's normal!" This said while I was laying flat (between vomitting) in a quiet room, and should have been at my resting rate.

"Not for me. That's me compensating. Check out that diastolic blood pressure number again"

My BP was 100/42. Not that the bottom number is sometimes a better reflection of hydration and actual blood volume in a person who is compensating by vasoconstriction and mild elevation in HR.

"What's your normal heart rate?"

"Low-mid 40's"

"oh..."


Hopefully in the future there will be less posting about dehydration and trips for IV rehydration, and more posting about fun stuff. That may require me to get a functional computer!


In other news, I'm planning some bike touring over the next year, with trips ranging from Lake Erie all the way up to Toronto!  I've been doing some weight training with fully loaded panniers on my Volpe and now feel comfortable (as much as one can!) on climbs in the 15% range for over a mile at a time.