Well, long story short - I am down to one lung. Hopefully this is temporary, however, with all that I have read - personal accounts and medical accounts - this may perhaps be irreversible.
Four weeks ago, I did a swim practice that not only raised the roof on my training, but helped me realize my full potential when it came being a competitive swimmer - even it's one in his "autumn years". I decided that my goal would be, once per month, a 10,000 yard practice. Of course I wouldn't just wake up one morning and do it (though I did when I was 30 - I am now 38), but I would work my way up to it. I swam 7,200 yards. That week I consistently did 3,000 + yard practices. A week later, due to focusing more on stroke and IM's, I went 5,200. Still pretty sweet. That week was the same - holding 3,000 yarders.
Two weeks ago, pain started hitting me around my neck / shoulder blade area - could be a knot? Swimmers get those - I sure have. Saturday came and I was only able to do 1,200 - all in a series of 100's, 50's and 25's. I felt extremely needy for air and exhausted quickly but decided to use it as a recovery workout. I had been going pretty hard and light yardage would aid me - no harm no foul - I love me some "active recovery days". I focused on stroke work, mainly drills for freestyle, and actually came out of it ok. I decided that my breathing issues could be caused by ..... #1 chemicals were off ...... #2 mojitos from the night before did me in ...... #3 the kids jumping around during rec swim and the overall "crowdedness" of the pool just did me in ...... or #4 ALL OF THE ABOVE.
I tried to swim 2 days later and almost had to be rescued. Ya see, I breathe every stroke to my left (don't hate the player - my breathing has become something to a "rhythm" with my stroke - less breaths, the flatter I swim) and I could not get any air. I tried different rates of exhaling - no luck. I tried open turns - no luck. It got to the point where I could not hold my breath during streamlines. The pressure from the water was greater then my diaphragm could take - it was too weak to expand and contract against the pressure of the water. Something was wrong - very wrong. When I stood up in 4 feet of water I still could not breathe. It took everything I had to get to the side of the pool and get out. The only way I could breath was to walk around outside. VERY SCARY ..... "swimmer / swim coach drowns" was all I could think. Sort of embarassing.
Sleeping had become a chore. Apparently the brain likes to wake the body up every hour since it "thinks" it's suffocating. The pain from my neck didn't help either. Not only was I awake and uncomfortable, but I was jonsing for air. This led to day time dizziness, moodiness, head aches, and general unpleasantness. Just being awake hurt.
From the point on, even breath I took would only fill my right lung. My left lung would not fill with air. No matter how hard I tried, I could not take a deep breath. I thought back to my high school days when I was briefly diagnosed with "athletic induced asthma". This condition lasted about 3 hours - my swim coach cured me of that. Apparently I had come down with something called, "Smitty - stop being a baby". So .... I went to the doctors, explained my symptoms - how it felt when I would try and take a breath (shooting pain the length of my side, pain stemming from my neck ..... suffocation). After numerous tests and X-rays, it seems that my left lung - 90% of it - was not passing air.
I have been diagnosed with a "paralyzed diaphragm" on my left side. Hence - no air. I am seeing a Pulmonary Specialist on March 27. In the mean time the outlook is ..... unsatisfactory. My body will either compensate (meaning the right lung will learn to work harder - can that happen?), or it will not get better. Apparently this may stem from damage to the Phrenic nerve. This nerve controls the diaphragm and breathing. After reading up on this condition, it seems there may be a chance of recovery - possibly through surgery - but it doesn't look promising. People who gent this just seem to cope.
For me, this would mean swimming will be off the table. Same for running, biking, hiking, or anything involved with a hill (and breathing). My diet has also been effected - meats are too uncomfortable to process (3 bites and I want to induce a "do over"). So I am now mostly vegetarian with some fish added in. Ask me about my lentil masala or 2 bean salad! Great stuff!
Well ..... after 2 weeks of this, I decided enough is enough. The relaxed lifestyle is not something I can live with, nor do I want to. No swimming means too much of a lifestyle change for me to deal with. I have devoted my entire life (so far) to the sport of swimming - an activity that I truly love. I have coached most of my life and swam all of it. The people I have met have all been through this sport. The people that I love, admire, and consider friends have all been through this sport. A month ago I was as fast as I was when I was 30 - and to be shut down like this is unacceptable.
This past Saturday a new chapter started. I didn't lay low and relax like prescribed. I went for a 4+ mile hike along the Potomac river. As I was walking, I couldn't believe what had happened - a walk. A WALK! I'm 38. Best shape of my life - and all I can do is WALK! That's it? But I kept going - trying to be positive. I climbed some rocks ..... fell off some rocks ..... got wet ..... and it felt good, yet exhausting. Monday I swam 1,200 yards - all free with some open turns. No intervals, just :15 breaks. Talking to my father later that night, he said not to push it. I told him I wasn't, but then he had me remember that my "not pushing it" could be 90% of others "pushing it". OK - deal. However, this will not stand, dude. So for this week it will be 4 swim workouts - all in the 1,200 yard range. Time it takes to complete said swim will not be an issue. I may be that lap swimmer who comes in and does a mile in an hour, head out of the water breast stroke, but I will do the mile - lung be damned! I will also walk (still can't believe ..... WALKING). Hopefully build up to a jog. And then find me a hill .....
I won't look for any big words, so all I can say is, "THIS SUCKS". I guess this is a test - something I have to overcome. Perhaps be the fastest solo lung swimmer the world has ever seen. This is MY sport. My PASSION. This will be beaten like it owes me money!
Monday 3/12
100 free
75 free
50 free
25 free
(4 x through @ :15 breaks)
4 x 50 free @ :15 break
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