Yesterday morning, I had a routine yearly eye exam. My left eye seemed to be "spotty", like some of the info transfer was missing. The doctor found some macular edema and have referred me to the specialist I'd seen in the past for a retinal bleed. This condition causes swelling in the eye which distorts the images transmitted to the optic nerve. Not a serious condition, but another pain in the butt to contend with. Repairable with laser surgery. The hits just keep coming.
Later in the afternoon, after my eyes un-dilated, I took a nice long bike ride from Carlton to Barnum and back. 37 miles on a beautiful 81 degree day. I took my blood glucose level reading when I got to the parking lot at Carlton. It was 119. A little low for the start of a ride, it should be closer to 150. A pack of Cliff blocks was in order, which I consumed, then got my gear together and set off South on the Munger Trail. About a half hour into the ride, I thought I should have a gel to keep the BG up. I was right to do so, because I was on the rivets and only going 11 mph. Then I realized I couldn't feel my legs, my tounge was numb, and I couldn't decide to stop, though I knew I should.
Well, I finally did stop, has a gel, a Cliff bar, and half of a bottle of Hammer Heed. Ten minutes later, good as new. It was a nice ride otherwise on a perfect day. What was even better was finishing the ride stronger than starting it. I've been mixing in some intervals instead of just riding at a time trial pace or just grinding out the miles. The snap is finally coming back along with the endurance. It's about time.
2 comments:
Boz, you be careful with your blood sugar levels. If I've learned anything from my mother in law (she tells me a lot, I've not leaned a lot) it is to keep things even, don't go into peaks and troughs.
Yes, Tim, that's a dilemma I face. I can keep my BG at a fairly steady level if I'm not very active. But, throw in some hard efforts on the bike, and things can go pear shaped in a hurry. So, I have to risk the highs to avoid the lows. It's an inexact science at best.
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