When we first arrived in Wellington there were lots of people wandering around with paddles in their hands. This was a strange and baffling sight, although we were jetlagged and most things seemed strange and baffling at the time. We soon learned from Brett, the HR guy at work and generous collector us from the airport, that there was an upcoming dragon boat festival and the oar wielders were practicing participants.
Rach commented at the time that she’d like to have a go, I said nothing and thought that all I knew about dragon boating was some footage of a festival in Hong Kong I once saw, featuring men paddling with a fury and pace that was a little (ahem) out of my league.
The festival came and went.
The 2009 festival came and went, and I completely managed to dodge it.
Then, late last year, while I was away, Rach met Hannah, who asked if we wanted to be in a dragon boat team. Obviously, Rach said yes. I surprised myself and also said yes, mostly because I reasoned that anyone who asks folk they’ve only just met to take part in a competitive team sport was clearly desperate, and desperate people tend to judge kindly.
Well, on Wednesday last week the training for this exploit began. A warm overcast, and thankfully, not very windy evening was the setting. Hanging around with the rest of the team, most of whom I had never met, I knew I was nervous because I was especially silent – a fine time to learn to be non-committal.
All kind of fears fluttered around my belly and my head: Am I too weak? I certainly have some of the puniest arms around. What if I have no rhythm? I am an awesome dancer but my experience of synchronised paddling is not good, by which I mean all fail.
The one thing I wasn’t totally petrified about was running out of breath, thanks to my ugly shoes.
Finally we stopped milling around and started shuffling about, having our positions in the boat assigned. Once organised it was time to hop aboard, or teeter precariously in, depending on how truthful you want me to be.
Seated in rows of two we splashed about for ages, getting the neophytes amongst us up to speed with the art of paddling. And it is an art, get the action wrong and you tire easily. I know because I got the action wrong and tired easily. By the end of the session my left arm was so enfeebled that I couldn’t lift the oar out of the water, which causes a lot of trouble, especially for the guy behind.
Docked once more in Wellington’s lagoon my head was light and my whole body wrecked as I teetered once more along the length of the boat to alight. Nearly slipping on the slimy causeway I was highly pleased to discover that you then get to walk past all the members of the team who’ve already left the boat and high five each of them in turn. I liked that so much I said I’d try to get people at work to do it whenever I leave. Luckily for me the high fiving was done with the right, not the left hand.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteTook Onglyza off and on for a year. I have an enlarged adrenal gland. Still I await the outcome of that CT, but I know that much. Will find out more.
I had the CT because of chronic pancreatic pain that started out as "attacks" from a couple of times a month to finally after 3 months of use without interruption, "attacks" 2-3 times a week. My PA put Onglyza on my allergies list.
In the meantime, I lost almost 50 lbs in 5 months due to illness. Loss of appetite, pancreatic pain, chronic diarrhea, then eventually, inability to move my bowels. Severe back pain from the pancreas, and severe chest pain sent me to the ER where I was worked up for cardiac pain. I was cardiac cleared, but told my amylase was very low.
Still seeking a diagnosis, but I lay the blame squarely on Onglyza. I'd had pancreatic issues in the past, and argued with the PA that prescribed it, she was calling me non-compliant, and I feared repercussion from my insurance company.
I even took an article about the dangers of Onglyza, particularly in patients with a history, and she made me feel foolish.
I wish I had listened to my instincts, I fear not only damage to my pancreas that is irreversible, but also severe damage to my left kidney, though I have bilateral kidney pain.
I was off all diabetes meds, and control sugars strictly low to no carb. I can barely eat anymore, I have severe anorexia.
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