putting a cramp in my training schedule

No one like to have their fitness (or any) plans sidelined, especially when they’re working towards something specific.

However, I am faced with a big decision that is going to put me on ice for about two weeks, and I’m really not happy about it.

The tonsils have to go.

I went in to the ENT yesterday. I made the appointment when we got home from our trip, and I was lucky to get in pretty quickly. Or “lucky.” Depends on how you look at it.

The doctor was very straightforward. We reviewed my history (1-2 cases of strep per year, some mild, some ending in ER visits), and he told me that he generally tries to talk people out of the procedure. He said that it really just depends on how much the illnesses are interfering in my life.

And, even though I wanted to say “Talk me out of it!”, I was honest right back. I told him that even though I didn’t have mutliple cases per year, the cases I DID have were pretty severe. I admitted that my fear is that, as I am getting older, I am taking longer and longer to recover from bouts of strep and tonsillitis. I also dislike being on antibiotics and I am worried that, over time, they will start losing their effectiveness. And most of all, I voiced concern that I had two flareups within a month of each other and that I am worried this will be the new normal.

He took that in stride and then looked in my throat.

Let’s put it this way. I have been on antibiotics since the weekend, and there is still some inflammation and I can’t open my mouth all the way. In the past, all traces of illness have been gone by day two or three of meds, but that is clearly not the case this time.

He told me that my tonsils are large and have a lot of pockets. Which means lots of nasty things get caught in them which can lead to both infection and also to abcesses. All of which is bad, bad, bad.

It was about this time that he stopped trying to talk me out of it.

So. Here we are.

Of course, my concern is all the things I have coming up in the next few months: little man’s birthday, my birthday, VPK graduation, our first 5K. I can’t be down for all that. The doctor assured me that I could schedule for whenever I was comfortable, and so that helps a lot. I think it’s going to be early June. That will get me clear of all our events and give me a recovery period before we go on our summer vacation.

I was told that the recovery takes about 14 days, which is terrifying, but… he promised that once I get through this, it will be over. No more strep. No more swollen tonsils. No more inability to swallow or breathe. And I guess if I’m going to be laid up for days, I might as well do so with the end benefit of not having additional throat complications down the line.

I’m scared, though. I’m not really looking forward to surgery (I mean, who does look forward to it?), and I’m scared of being out of the game. I feel a little bit betrayed by my body and a lot discouraged that my training is going to be put on hold until I’m well enough to be up and about and running again. It’s almost like I’ll be starting from scratch.

In my heart, I know it’s the right decision, but that doesn’t make it easier. I am planning to just try to take everything in stride and take it one day at a time. I hope that will keep me calm and confident in my decision until the big day.