I Am Mary

(Tracy dictated the following blog for you all).

Blame it on the flu, blame it on my arrogance, but I am Mary. Now I know why her legs got big, protein deficiency. For five days I was unable to eat properly. While other riders sat at tables eating sirloins, pancakes, hash-browns and omelets, I ate 2 eggs and a piece of toast or a plain dish of noodles. I could not tolerate protein. I was nauseated. Because I was nauseated I didn't drink well either. Four snowy passes and 400 miles later I was out of gas. And my legs were as big as Mary's. I stayed the night in a Super 8 hotel in Whitefish. I shivered half the night and was half delirious. In the morning Cindy convinced me to go to urgent care. I was going to get a cortisone shot for my knee but by the time I got there I was also an emotional and mental mess. The doctor looked at my legs and swollen face and said, "you need two to three days off, you are spent." I cried. He did an e.k.g, a chest x-ray and blood work to make sure I had not done any damage and then sent me up stairs to the physical therapist for a tape job. When I walked in John was going to take care of me when Jay jumped up and said "I'll take her, I'll take her." He told me to sit on the table, asked me what my problem was and then started moving my leg around. I yelped. He said, "you're going to need a couple days off". I cried. The thought of staying in a hotel room by myself in this state depressed me to no end. I was afraid of what it might do to me.

I asked him, "where can I stay for two days?" He suggested a few places and I cried again. Then he said "let me make a phone call." When he returned he said, "you're going home with us, my wife will be here to pick you up in 15 minutes." When his wife arrived she walked directly to me (she was petite) and wrapped her big arms around me and said, "I'm sorry, i know just what it is like to train so hard and then have an injury." And.. I.. sobbed. All this energy, all the training, all the good wishes laid there on the table in her arms.

I got in the car and she apologized for having to run some errands before taking me home. One of which was going to the grocery. I was gimping around so I got in one of those motorized carts with the basket on the front and followed her bumping into displays, backing into trash cans but being of some use at least. We brought the groceries home and they made me a big dinner of which I could eat only a bit because I was still nauseated. After dinner I laid on the couch with their dogs and cat. Then I went to bed and laid there with their dogs and cat. In the morning Jay made me a big breakfast which I choked down because I was still nauseated. Then I went back to bed... with their dogs and cat. Midday I finally got up. Jay did some more treatment on my leg, I went to the pharmacy and got some anti-nausea pills, went to the bike shop and got some work done on the bike and began to get my hutzpa back. I gotta do this. But I'm BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN, CHAAARGE! Thanks for your well wishes, your prayers, your hopes. Like I said, we do this together.

Please send Cathy and Jay at c.shaver@bresnan.net a thank you for getting me back on the road.

(And once again the Moots was flawless and I was not.)