Carla’s Corner
This post is going to be all over the map as a lot has happened since my last post. There was a lot of laughter and a lot of tears but mainly there was a determination not to let RA beat us and lots of brainstorming about what kind of education/information needs to be made available to those living with RA. Immediately upon my return from Boston, I had my Remicade infusion. After the first two loading doses, my rheumatologist raised the dosage from 6 mg/kg to 7 mg/kg because the lower dosage wasn’t being effective. He agreed with the assessment from my orthopedic surgeon and my neurosurgeon that an injection in the joint would be a logical place to start. If the injection worked for the pain, then the culprit was the SI joint. The procedure is done with a deep joint syringe under a fluoroscope so the doctor can see specifically where to put the medication. This is important not only to ensure the anesthetic and steroids reach the right spot, but because there are a lot of nerves that need to be avoided in that area. As good news as this is, I told a friend that it’s a lot like making a clean spot on a dirty floor. The one spot that doesn’t hurt makes it especially obvious that all my other joints are swollen and in pain from RA. I’m to the point that my hands and ankles wake me up at night. For the SI joint procedure, they put you under light anesthesia and it took two sticks for the IV plus the actual injection sites.
FitTriGuy’s Health & Fitness Blog
Most people don’t realize that there are triathletes of all ages and abilities and not all of us are crazy endurance freaks like you might see on TV. Whether you’re new to the sport, just curious about this crazy three legged race, or you’re a veteran who just can’t seem to recall those pesky miles, I’m going to explain the different distances that triathlon has to offer. There are four classifications of distance in triathlon: Sprint, Olympic, Half, and Full. The top racers in the world will do this race in about 8-9 hours while the rest of us will be in around the 12-14 hour mark. Most people think of the Full distance and of Hawaii because of the Ironman® World Championships that are held there every year. The Half distance race is much more achievable at 6-7 hours for a well trained athlete while the pros will break 4 hours in most races. The top racers in the World are easily breaking 2 hours for this distance while age groupers will be looking at something more like 3 hours. The sprint distance is the only distance that isn’t well defined and tends to vary from venue to venue. The ITU sprint format is half of the Olympic distance or 750m swim, 20km bike, and 5km run. Typically, a new racer will be looking at a 1 to 2 hour race for the Sprint distance. Now, get out there and give one of the distances a tri!!! You can check out my Newb blog series for tips on how to get started and conquer whatever distance race you want.
FitTriGuy’s Health & Fitness Blog
Most people don’t realize that there are triathletes of all ages and abilities and not all of us are crazy endurance freaks like you might see on TV. Whether you’re new to the sport, just curious about this crazy three legged race, or you’re a veteran who just can’t seem to recall those pesky miles, I’m going to explain the different distances that triathlon has to offer. There are four classifications of distance in triathlon: Sprint, Olympic, Half, and Full. The top racers in the world will do this race in about 8-9 hours while the rest of us will be in around the 12-14 hour mark. Most people think of the Full distance and of Hawaii because of the Ironman® World Championships that are held there every year. The Half distance race is much more achievable at 6-7 hours for a well trained athlete while the pros will break 4 hours in most races. The top racers in the World are easily breaking 2 hours for this distance while age groupers will be looking at something more like 3 hours. The sprint distance is the only distance that isn’t well defined and tends to vary from venue to venue. The ITU sprint format is half of the Olympic distance or 750m swim, 20km bike, and 5km run. Typically, a new racer will be looking at a 1 to 2 hour race for the Sprint distance. Now, get out there and give one of the distances a tri!!! You can check out my Newb blog series for tips on how to get started and conquer whatever distance race you want.
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