When I
heard the Singlespeed World Championships were in the US this year I knew I had to go. Being in a not so busy time of year and in a location where a lifelong friend had relocated didn't hurt either.
Although I'd be competing just for fun and the experience, my season had been focused on endurance events in the latter part of the race calendar. I had pretty good form. With The Coney LTD in transit to Bend, I was on Mi Putita Roja for the first time in almost 2 years; a great bike as well but with vastly different geometry than it's successor. All I had to do was stay healthy...
Crashing over the bars was not in the plan.
Crashes-smashes, I'll get over it. I've got a whole week to recover.
The following Tuesday, 2 days before flying to Bend, I wake up with chills. Maybe skipping the morning ride would be wise?
This time of year, I'm usually still in shorts, but instead I'm wearing every layer I can find at work. When I get home, Christine tells me I have a fever, should take some ibuprofen and go to bed.
The next morning is the same. We are driving to Boston that evening to stay at an AirBnB close to the airport and I'm burning up, or so I'm told; I'm freezing!
Ibuprofen keeps it at bay for 6 or 7 hours, but it comes back with a vengeance. On the plane, I'm borrowing layers from Christine to keep the shivers at bay until the next dose kicks in.
The warm high desert of Bend is welcome relief.
After another night of chills/fever/sweats/repeat Christine strongly suggests we stop at the walk in clinic to get me checked out.
Lungs, ears, throat, are clear. Blood pressure normal. The doctor is checking off boxes and is perplexed. "I don't know why you have a fever" she exclaims.
Christine interjects "show her your chest". The doctor examines the wound and thinks it's healing well.
"Show her the picture of when it happened"
"Eww!!" she exclaimed.
I think that's doctor talk.
She begins to probe it again. "Hm, that does feel a little soft, maybe an xray is in order"?
When the xray comes back, she thinks she sees something but wants to hear from radiology first. When they come back with "everything looks normal" she calls them back to ask for a second look as she see something right under where the wound is.
"It doesn't seem to be viral, so go home and when I hear back from radiology, I'll call in an antibiotic for you, but I want to hear from them so I know how aggressive to go".
We go back to Chuck's. I build Christine's bike so she can go for a ride while I rest waiting for the doctor's call. On the way home we bought a thermometer.
After a few hours, I take my temperature; 102F. I call the pharmacy to see if the prescription is ready.
Nope, hasn't been called in.
I call the clinic, radiology hasn't called back. I tell the doctor my temperature, she says "Jesus".
More of that fancy doctor talk.
I build my bike.
At 6:50, 10 minutes before the doctor's shift ends, I call back. They still haven't heard back so they just called something in.
15 hours before the race I take my first dose of antibiotics.
