My first corneal ulcer

Approximately six weeks ago I started feeling symptoms of iritis in my right eye. I assumed it was iritis and used my Voltaran eye drops previously prescribed at my first diagnosis. I noticed that many symptoms were different than previous flares of iritis. Photophobia and blurred vision were intermittent this time; my daily symptoms consisted of watery eyes, eye pain, redness, and burning. Sometimes the Voltaran would alleviate the symptoms, but not always. Weeks elapsed, and I finally went into the emergency department at Women's College Hospital in Toronto for an investigation.


I was triaged quickly and spent from 12:35 until 4pm in the Emergency Department. I waited in the ER's ophthalomogy room after the nurse performed a visual acuity test. My vision was very blurry in both eyes. I didn't see the doctor until 3:35pm. I explained my history of ankylosing spondylitis and prior episodes of iritis originating back to September 2006. He appeared familiar with AS, but didn't know what Enbrel was. He assessed my eyes, performed a fluorescein stain of my cornea (to differentiate from a simple abrasion), and diagnosed me with a right corneal ulcer, which he impressed upon me was an ocular emergency requiring an emergency referral to an ophthalmologist. His medical notes indicated a white patch on my upper cornea. He said that he did not think corneal ulcers were associated with AS or Enbrel, and got me an appointment for June 1st (tomorrow) with an ophthalmologist at Sunnybrook for 9am.


Of course, once I got home, I did my own research on corneal ulcers. The literature states that corneal ulcers are most commonly caused by an infection with bacteria, viruses, fungi or amoebae. However, other causes are abrasions (scratches) or foreign bodies, inadequate eyelid closure, severely dry eyes, severe allergic eye disease, and various inflammatory disorders. This means that there is a possibility that my AS may have contributed to my corneal ulcer. Risk factors are dry eyes, severe allergies, history of inflammatory disorders, contact lens wear, immunosuppression, trauma, and generalized infection. Treatment is an emergency referral to an ophthalmologist. Untreated, a corneal ulcer or infection can permanently damage the cornea. Untreated corneal ulcers may also perforate the eye (cause holes), resulting in spread of the infection inside, increasing the risk of permanent visual problems.

Yoga

Every Monday, at 7pm, I do yoga to encourage a good stretch of my muscles after my Sunday endurance runs. Outside India, Yoga has become primarily associated with the practice of asanas (postures) of Hatha Yoga, although it has influenced the entire dharmic religions family and other spiritual practices throughout the world. The Zen Buddhist school of meditation has its roots in yogic practices. Certain essential elements of Yoga are important both for Buddhism in general and for Zen in particular.

Eight Limbs of yoga practice are:
(1) Yama (The five "abstentions"): violence, lying, theft, (illicit) sex, and possessions
(2) Niyama (The five "observances"): purity, contentment, austerities, study, and surrender to god
(3) Asana: Literally means "seat", and in Patanjali's Sutras refers to seated positions used for meditation. Later, with the rise of Hatha yoga, asana came to refer to all the "postures"
(4) Pranayama ("Life Force Control"): Control of prāna, life force, or vital energy
(5) Pratyahara ("Abstraction"): Reversal of the sense organs
(6) Dharana ("Concentration"): Fixing the attention on a single object
(7) Dhyana ("Meditation"): Intense contemplation of the true nature of reality
(8) Samadhi ("Liberation"): Super-conscious state of enlightenment

While Yoga evolved as a spiritual practice, in the West it has grown popular as a form of purely physical exercise. Some Western practice has little or nothing to do with Hinduism or spirituality, but is simply a way of keeping fit and healthy. This differs from the traditional Eastern view of yoga. For people with back problems, studies have shown yoga helps physically with strength, flexibility and endurance. Yoga also helps create relaxation through the breathing and meditation techniques employed, which has been shown to help people better proactively manage a chronic pain problem like back pain. There is much debate whether the term Hatha Yoga properly describes yoga as exercise, since the traditional Hatha Yoga system originated as, and still is, a spiritual path in its own right.

Run with Spirit offers Yoga classes tailored to runners. Sheree Nicholson is a Certified/ Registered Yoga Teacher (R.Y.T. 200) she is currently studying towards her R.Y.T. 500. She has been practicing yoga for 10 years and brings this experience to her teaching. She uses humor blended with spirituality to make her classes enjoyable and to make students feel comfortable on their mats. She has been running for 10 years and has been an instructor at the Running Room in Pickering.

Let the training commence!

May 27th was the start of my intensive training for the Wineglass Marathon in Corning, New York on Sept 30th, 2007. In the morning, I ate my usual Sunday breakfast comprised of two whole eggs and 1/3 cup of oatmeal. I checked the weather: rain was scheduled, but not for a few more hours. Perfect. Iniko and I ran 11km with Steve and Chris following on their MTBs. I would not say it was an enjoyable run...I could not find a comfortable candence until 9km. I could not establish a rhythm. Iniko was a marvelous running companion, and remained at heel despite tantalizing visual distractions beckoning a curious puppy.

It was a good first day. I was pleased with getting out there and enjoying the fresh--albeit humid--air. Later Sunday evening, around 9pm, Shaneel and I rode our MTBs around the Nottingham neighbourhood for an hour with Chris and Steve on their rollarblades. I had not been on my MTB in a long time, and I look forward to cross-training with the bike more this summer.

The Wineglass Marathon will be my second full marathon. The point-to-point Wineglass Marathon course starts at Philips Lighting, just north of Bath, NY. If your adrenaline and an 40 ft. drop over the first mile doesn't get me started on the right foot, then the cheering crowds in downtown Bath will push me through those first few miles.

Miles 2-4 are absolutely flat, and will give each runner a chance to get into a rhythm. At about 4.75 miles there is a 40 ft. uphill that finishes at mile 5. For the next 4 miles, the course passes through the countryside, with two more smaller hills, but an overall elevation drop of 90 ft. until you reach Savona (the first Team Relay exchange zone). Savona is an excellent viewing opportunity as it is conveniently located just off Rt. which parallels much of the marathon course, and offers easy access from start to finish.

Out of Savona, runners continue through the countryside while continuing on a slightly downhill trend 40 ft. over the next 4 miles). The halfway point is in Campbell (home of Polly-O String Cheese), where again the crowds turn out to cheer runners ahead… back into the country again. Runners ascend about 30 ft. just beyond mile 14, before gradually losing 80 ft. in elevation as they reach Coopers Plains (Mile 18.2). Team Relay exchange #2 is in Coopers Plains, so again, the activity and spectator level is high, just as the runners need an additional moral boost.
From Coopers Plains to Painted Post is only a couple miles. There runners enter a park (after the last, brief climb of 25 ft.), and tour a residential neighborhood. They then exit onto a bike path, that takes them through the village of Riverside and into Corning. Once the runners enter the bike path (mile 22.5), it is a flat trek to the finish. In Corning, runners are greeted by many spectators as they proceed through several neighborhoods, before hitting the downtown area.

All runners in the marathon and relay will receive a Wineglass Marathon long sleeve shirt, a commemorative glass finishers medal, PLEASANT VALLEY NYS Brut Champagne with a commemorative silk-screen Wineglass Marathon logo and race date, and a finisher certificate in the mail.

Training update

Marathon training officially commences May 27th, 2007, followed by 16 weeks of intensive running and cross-training. My destination is the Wineglass Marathon in Corning, New York on September 30th, 2007.

Yesterday I took my four-legged canine companion for her first off-leash run. She ran 11km perfectly at heel (beside my left leg). She stopped appropriately at traffic lights before crossing the street, and she did not alter her course in the presence of distractions i.e cyclists, other runners, children, or other animals. She has developed into a true running partner.

15K along the Ajax Waterfront

Congrats to all of my friends who raced in the Mississauga Marathon this past Sunday. I thought of them fondly during my 15K run along Ajax's beautiful waterfront. Cardinals, Canadian geese, rabbits, dogs leashed to their owners, cyclists, and other runners were plentiful along my route from north Ajax to the wind turbine at Pickering's Nuclear Plant. A persistant head wind challenged my endurance, but a raspberry HammerGel helped me achieve the upperhand.

SportingLife 10K Personal Best

A glorious personal best of 56:52.9! What can I say? I am thrilled!

The morning started off chilly at approximately 7 degrees with a gentle breeze. The sun was brilliant and I anticipated a good run. I ate oatmeal with brown sugar and peanut butter for breakfast an hour before the race started. I'm lucky...I can eat anything prior to a run without it affecting my stomach. The starting line presented approximately 9000 smiling faces eager to achieve their personal goals set for that race. I confidently positioned myself in the first third of the pack. I had been running enough over the last few weeks to accurately assess my pace. My previous 10K PB was 58 minutes during a training run. I wanted to try to achieve that in a race. I kept a steady pace along the rolling hills of Yonge Street, trying not to twist an ankle in the potholes or on the uneven road surface. I did not stop for water--that's my time to overtake my competition. I had to stop and walk three times when my heart rate ran over 180bpm...which makes me that much more proud of my finishing time. I think of what could have been had I not walked. Ah well...I am very happy.

What's interesting is that as soon as I stopped running, I started sneezing and have not stopped all day. I am hoping this Neo-Citrin I am sipping will help. To top the rest of the day off, I went for an amazing group ride on my motorcycle to Port Perry, followed by a savoury BBQ get-together with friends where my 11-month old pup got to romp with a 14 week old black lab.

It's been a marvelous weekend.