The realization that your not young anymore sometimes smacks you in the face when you least expect it.  For me, Tuesday was one of those times.  I had been not feeling well for close to a month.  Nothing serious but it was enough of a pain that I was finally convinced to see the doctor.  I hate going to the doctor.  They never think I’m as sick as I do.  And since I hate going I only go when I feel horrible.  This time it was less about how bad I felt and more about how it was impacting my running.  I was toying with the idea of running a marathon and was tring to buld a good base.  Unfortunately the congestion in my chest was limiting my runs to a max of 4 miles.  A couple of days over the Christmas break I couldn’t even run two. 

This is where 44 comes into play.  I caled the doctor on Tuesday morning and gave the nurse my symptoms:  sinus congestion, chest congestion, tightness in my chest and shortness of breath when I was trying to run.  She told me she would talk to the doctor and see if he could see me.  Within a few minutes ahe called back to say the doctor wanted to see me immediately!  What? Immediately? Yep.

Apperently when you are 44 you should never say tightness in chest and shortness of breath to the doctor.  Within minutes of my arrival I was electroded up for an EKG, a chest xray and blood work were ordered and the doctor came in to say no more running until you go for a stress test. What the hell?  Twenty years ago they would have given me a shot or some pills and sent me on my way.  But no, old guys get the assumed heart attack drill!

Since then, the results of the chest xray revealed bronchitis so it looks like I probably won’t die.  I will be heading for the stress test on Tuesday though, just as a precaution. 

Happy New Year!