Pining from the sideline
I spent my final week of July 2020 in hospital with appendicitis and I started my first week of August 2020 having my appendix removed.
Certainly not how I imagined to be spending these few weeks of what I hoped would be the Olympic year, but has anything in 2020 been how anybody expected? (if yes, then do please get in touch because I would love to hear your reliable predictions for 2021!)
There isn’t much to discuss when it comes to appendicitis, other than it hurts a fair bit, sleep is minimal in hospital especially with an awkwardly placed cannula, hospital toast is nice, staring at the clock doesn’t make time go any faster, a doctor telling you they will be back in the next half an hour means you will see them again within the next 10 hours, and no matter how hard you try you CANNOT stay awake with general anaesthetic.
Although since being in hospital it has really made me appreciate how mega it is to be fit and healthy, and how more often than not the tiniest things are taken for granted...
First up, I miss waking up and deciding what deliciousness I can load my big bowl of porridge up with – my overwhelming choice would be a dollop of my grandmas homemade jam, a banana and topped up with a handful of mixed nuts.
I miss making myself nervous for my efforts, I miss choosing my training playlist/podcast, I miss having to charge my Garmin, I miss the mad rush to find my heart rate strap when I realise I have forgotten to put it on underneath my 100 layers. I miss the last hour of a decent ride or pressing lap for the final time after too many efforts, I miss the ‘file uploaded’ notification when I get in and I miss being able to moan about being too tired!
Maybe by the time I come to write my next column I will have to be sipping my fourth coffee of the day to keep me awake as I will be so tired from a big training block I have struggled through.
Thank you for reading and remember, enjoy the little things! (Apart from your appendix).