Holy setbacks batman!

It's like setback central around here!  Temporary ones, I assure you!  I have been having some crazy health issues!  It started a week ago when I had a sinus infection.  I got some antibiotics and all seemed to be going well.  Then on Thursday I had my first nerve block injection in my face.  Monday I had a second, more in depth nerve block in my face.  I also had a dental appointment on that same Monday.  On Tuesday morning I noticed my arms were itchy, I just figured I had dry skin.  Then Wednesday morning I started a new medication to help with the breakthrough pain in my face.  Wednesday night I found myself in urgent care.  Those itchy arms turned into bright red, burning hot arms.  It was miserable!  It turns out I was having an allergic reaction to the antibiotic I had started a week earlier!  They gave me a mega dose of benedryl and a steroid injection.  They also told me to stop the medication for my face pain, just for a few days until my reaction settled down.  Within a few hours, my arms had calmed down a lot.  I figured the worst was over.  Boy was I wrong!

This morning I woke up with a raging headache.  My face was BRIGHT red and hot, so was the upper part of my chest.  I felt dizzy and queasy and completely horrible.  I decided to go back to urgent care.  I had a sneaking suspicion my blood pressure was high.  I'm not sure why I thought that, it had never been high before.  Let me tell you, I was spot on.  My blood pressure was through the roof, so were my blood sugars! My blood pressure today was 178/99!  HOLY CRAP!  It's usually  120 something over 70 something!  My fasting blood sugar was 192!  It's usually 99!  That stupid steroid injection messed me up!  They told me they felt pretty confident that it was due to the injection, but after a week or two I should go to my regular doc to have my blood pressure checked. I was also told that the dizzy and queasy feeling was likely from stopping that medication for my breakthrough pain.  Apparently it has some hideous side effects. 

 I'm not allowed to work out for a few days.  I was instructed to relax for the rest of the day and just stay on the couch.  Um, yeah, I have a 2 year old!  I tried my best.  My son had a concert tonight so as we were getting ready, my daughter had a MAJOR poopsplosion.  I'm talking major.  So I had to give her a bath.  Then I had to get my son dressed up, to which my daughter decided that SHE needed to dress up too.  After the running around for about 20 minutes, my arms got all red and hot again.  I guess they were not joking about taking it easy for a few days.  It's been hours since I got the kids ready and my arms are still burning hot.

After this ordeal, I have decided that I will not try any new medications for my face pain.  I'll get the nerve blocks every few months but then I'll just suffer in (mostly) silence.  I can't go through with stuff like this.  I can't believe all this stems from a stupid antibiotic! I hate taking medication. 

 I have to go to the store tomorrow so I may just try out the blood pressure thing to see if it's gotten any better.  I'm seriously scared!  I keep wondering what is happening in my body when I run?!  Which brings me to another decision.  I am going to lighten up on the speed I've been trying to maintain.  What is the point?  I'm going to be running for the rest of my life so what is the hurry?  I might as well train a little more in my comfort zone so I can cross the finish line without dropping dead.  The first time I went through the couch to 5k program, my running segments were 3.5.  Yup, 3.5 was my running pace!  It was crazy hard for me!  I mean HARD!  I have to feel blessed with the fact that I no longer perceive 3.5 to be difficult!  I'm going to try a week with my running segments at 4.5.  It's not fast, but it's not turtle pace either!  If I still feel like I'm being challenged but not killing myself, then I'll set that as my pace.  If it is too easy then I'll bump it up a few notches.  I have a feeling 4.5 will be a good pace for me.  

Well, I'm off to dose up on some more benedryl.  I really hope my arms feel better soon.  I just want to get back to the gym and into my routine!   Have a wonderful night and thanks for reading! -Monica