catastrophe. doom and gloom. 5 miles.

so things were going so well,  it was time for a catastrophe.

i had an incredibly bad toothache.  it started maybe monday, i ignored it and hoped it would go away.  got worse yesterday, i could only chew food on one side of my mouth.  when my lower teeth touched my upper left molar, its like a bolt of lightening and pain.  last night it ached so bad i couldn't sleep.  this is no way to start my taper and recovery.  it hurts so bad i couldn't concentrate.  sleep loss sucks.  i had intended to run in the afternoon today, but i was up anyways and couldn't sleep, so i ran my 5 miles anyways.  every step sent a jarring through my jaw and made my tooth ache/hurt.  this is so bad.

so i got an appnt with my dentist for 2pm. i explained about the pain.  and the trip.  i leave on tues.  marathon in 10 days.  i need to get this figured out ASAP.  and seriously, it took a lot for me to admit something hurt.  hell, i've been running on what is probably plantar fasciitis, but i won't go to the dr in case he tells me to stop.  endurance training increases your pain threshold because you just live with it.  but this is different.  it hurts a lot.  and doesn't fade or ebb with no load. its constant.

they took an xray,and immediately sent me to a specialist. another xray, and i am scheduled for an emergency root canal tomorrow.  complicated by the fact that it will be drilled through an existing crown. i asked if i could just live with it and address the pain with drugs until after berlin.  he said no, the pressure change of flight would make the fluid in the abcess unbearable.  i also asked if you could just pull the tooth out and be done with it, but he preferred not to. thought i was crazy for even suggesting it.  now i'm worried about recovery, possible complications, the impact this could have on my body and my taper and recovery.  i'm just feeling depressed about the whole situation.

but what can you do?  pick up the pieces and move on.  best case scenario is all i can hope for.  easy procedure tomorrow. quick recovery.  pain free tooth/jaw. finish taper. travel. kick ass.  its all i can do now.

funny aside.  the doctor, looking at my xray, said "wow, that looks pretty bad. i bet that hurts a whole lot, i'm surprised you're up and walking around".  i neglected to tell him about the fact i ran 5 miles at 5am this morning, through the pain and jarring and throbbing. 

10 and a wake-up. 25 miles to the start line.  but its feeling like so many more right now.