Walk on the Wild Side
Between our arrival home from Charleston and meeting with our oncologist last week, a new symptom introduced itself. I don’t know what to call it so I’ll describe what happened.
Part of my regimen is exercise. Typically I’ll walk for a half hour: 15 minutes out and 15 minutes back at a comfortable brisk pace. Until recently, I walked alone, but lately Michael has joined me for companionship, conversation and his own exercise. Three weeks ago, Michael was not available, so I set out by myself and completed three quarters of our regular walking route in cheerful sunshine and a mild balmy breeze.
As was my habit, I walked in the middle of the road, atop the crown of the roadbed to avoid the graded slopes to either side of the yellow line. Then, involuntarily, my pace slowed, little by little, like the Energizer bunny finally running out of battery power, and I collapsed slowly to the pavement. I could no longer support my body weight.
I had fallen to my hands and knees. Wanting to get out of the roadway as rapidly as possible for obvious reasons, I crawled to the edge of the road to a driveway entrance marked by two brick pillars. Thinking a crumpled body by the side of the road might be cause for alarm for some unsuspecting passing motorist, I pulled myself to an upright position using a brick pillar for support. For 10 minutes I twiddled my thumbs, gathering strength. Finally I felt strong enough to complete the journey home at a much reduced pace. Fortunately the road is very lightly traveled, runs arrow straight between the corn fields with visibility of a half mile left and right of our lane.
The medical professionals are still scratching their heads about this. In the meantime, we are treating it as an episode of dehydration. And for now and the near future, I won’t be walking alone!
Copyright 2008
http://lindalater.blogspot.com
Posted: February 26, 2008
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