Two practices on the board and in the Daily Tracking Log. The first swim practice lasted an hour and I actually managed to rack up 50 laps. Lots of stops and starts and a break when I knew that my blood sugar was reaching too low a level for me. No, it wasn't pretty. I was in the slowest of six lanes with five other nice men and women pushing as hard as they could to accomplish the goal for the day. It was hard, but I felt an enormous sense of accomplishment when it completed. The last time I swum that much occurred more than 12 years ago. Never thought I would get back to this level. This was my goal: to push past previous limits.
The Saturday practice was over a 9 am. By mid-afternoon, I knew that I had pushed hard. Started to feel the pain (headache) and mental sluggishness that comes with rapidly decreasing/lower blood sugar levels. Pushed back with 8 grams. Tested 30 minutes later and took 8 grams more. A nap followed and then an early dinner.
Woke up in the middle of the night with terrible pain, mostly headache but overall pain as well. Glucose level was 84 (very low for me). Took 12 grams and several Advil. Slept the rest of the night and felt fine in the morning. Put away the holiday decorations all day Saturday and by Sunday afternoon I was crashing hard.
It is thankfully amazing how quickly you can forget the misery of a high level of neuropathy pain — when everything hurts from the top of your head to your toes. Add to that the problems with digestion and blurry vision that accompanies this episodes, at least for me. Oh, what a very unpleasant reminder Sunday afternoon and evening turned out to be.
I watched and worked with my glucose levels all afternoon and evening and went to sleep early. I woke Monday with minimal discomfort and by that afternoon, I seemed fine. I continued to improve rapidly enough so that by Tuesday I felt good enough to tackle swim practice #2 in the evening.
The Tuesday practice came off well (still not an exhibition in good swimming form, but whatever!). About the same distance in the same 60-minute period. Before leaving the locker rooms, I checked the glucose level. Now at 86. 8 grams later and it was heading back up. Arriving at home, I made sure that consumed an ExtendBar (I had forgotten to do so on Saturday evening) before bed.
Wednesday morning was fine though understandably a bit muscle sore. Watched what I ate balancing carbs, proteins and fats and feel fine today, Thursday. Only brief glimpses of pain and the related neuropathy/hypoglycemia symptoms.
Indeed, it's going to be interesting over the next few weeks to watch how my glucose levels trend in response to all of this exercise. For the time being, I am going to stick with a 60-minute swim twice a week. And, do so with a big smile on my face.
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