Got to do my run/blood test on Tuesday, June 8 with somewhat mixed results. Here’s how it went down…
Knowing how comatose I am after a bad bonk, Jen graciously volunteered to help me out. She’s also pretty familiar with Meriter Hospital – another plus. Interestingly, I was already (and mistakenly) “checked in” when I got there. This caused quite a bit of confusion and delay. Once that was resolved and they were sure I was me, we headed up to the Stress Test area where I was checked into a short term room.
All of the staff were really cool to work with, and there were a lot of them. Michelle, Marin, Dominick, Jo, my doctor, Dr Wubben, her partner (Dr Glynberg), as well as two other unfortunate souls that had to assist in drawing my blood without the courtesy of being properly introduced.
Clear from the outset that this is a rare protocol at this facility – I can’t imagine something like this is done very often any where. Kudos to the staff at Meriter for actively communicating with each other and working out lots of last minute details on the fly throughout the process.
They set me up with an IV port on my right forearm and then did a baseline blood draw from my left arm. We then moved into the stress test room and got started. I told him what speed and incline I wanted and then just ran. At 10 minutes, I stopped and my glucose level was checked. Dr Wubben was as careful as possible in re-creating the test Jen and I had done a few weeks earlier. So they wouldn’t tell me the level unless I needed to stop. I was checking in with what I was feeling throughout the test. At 20 minutes, they tested my glucose again and did a blood draw. Nine vials worth. At that point I was hoping I’d bonk soon. Really didn’t want to pass out from the blood loss if it went on for a while. This process was repeated every ten minutes. I was a sweaty, bleeding mess from all the finger pokes and blood draws. At first, they couldn’t get the tape to stick to hold the gauze and were very careful to try and not hurt me or make me uncomfortable. I just wanted to get back running because I was concerned that the rest delays would alter the test results. I finally just encouraged and helped them to wrap the tape all the way around my arm. Thanks to my buddy Norm, I showed them how to do a courtesy tab on the tape so we could get it off quickly for the next round.
At one point there were six people in the room watching me run on a treadmill – in a fucking hospital gown no less. That’s quite a visual, you’re welcome. Thankfully, I was able to wear running shorts. I was more concerned about tripping on the gown and crashing than I was passing out from the bonk. The one dude ran the treadmill, two people to draw blood samples when needed, another to periodically check my glucose level with a portable meter, my doc and for a while her partner (another doctor).
I found out afterward that portable glucose meters, even the high-tech ones used in the hospital, aren’t reliably accurate under 60. So when my glucose level got that low, they had to run a vial to the lab for immediate testing. The lab then called back to the stress test room with the level. I started with a level of 97 and in the first 20 minutes my glucose fell to somewhere in the mid-to-low 50’s.
After 50 minutes of fun at an easy run pace, I was clearly in a hard-core bonk. Sweating profusely, dizzy, stumbling, slightly incoherent, hungry with obsessive thoughts of food, and deeply fatigued. Felt like I was running in jello. I was concerned (as were most of the attending staff) that passing out was imminent. As we waited for the last round of glucose tests to be phoned in, I got some water and sat down. I was really hoping that I crossed that magical hypoglycemic threshold and this nonsense could be over with. A few minutes later, Dr Wubben put down the phone and asked how I was feeling. I told her I was ready to be done. She asked if I thought I could run any more. I told her I’d do what needed to be done. She said we’re not low enough yet and if I could run, I should run, so I got back on the treadmill and did another 12 minutes. Another blood draw.
At that point I was absolutely spent and didn’t care what my level was or how much more glucose limbo needed to be played. I’d never pushed myself that hard through a bonk. They gave me some juice, a fresh gown and helped me back to the short term room. Jen had been concerned because it was taking so long and was glad to see me. They gave me some peanut butter crackers, more juice, chocolate milk, string cheese, and hot cocoa. As usual after a bonk, I was ravenous. A few minutes later they came back to make sure my glucose level was heading upwards again. It was, to the tune of around 180. Apparently OJ causes quite a spike.
Interestingly, and somewhat disappointingly for me, my glucose level bottomed out at 52. We had been working on the assumption that I was hypoglycemic. But for that to be the case, you need to experience the symptoms (I clearly did) AND glucose should go below 50, they prefer it to be under 45 for that classification. Don’t know for sure what all this means yet. Will need to wait for all the official results to come back and then discuss with Dr Wubben. At least we can cross another thing off the list.
