Today started out like any ordinary day. I got up at the same time, did my strength & stretching exercises, took our two schnauzers outside, and started my 3-mile run. It was day 3,671 of my running streak, a ritual that continues to be an important part of my life. Does a mile or more a day keep the doctor away? Well, I guess not.

It was bitter cold for Portland, Oregon this morning with strong winds and spitting snow. Believe me, it was much preferred over the typical light rain at this time of year. I have a 3.1 mile route that I follow religiously every week day. If time is short, I will cut it down to just over one mile, sticking to the minimum daily requirement for membership in the United States Running Streak Association (USRSA). Their website is www.runeveryday.com. It’s the same acronym as the United States Racquet Stringers Association, so you don’t get confused. And no, we don’t run naked – just every day. On weekends, I run with our dogs, sometimes pushing a stroller for aging Tinker, and my wife. We call it our “Schnauzerthon,” for lack of a better word.

I got through the first mile this morning in typical fashion, but shortly after a school bus loading kids slowed me down. While I was waiting for it to pass, I began to feel dizzy and used a mailbox for support. As I attempted to restart, I began to stagger wildly to the right and eventually stumbled. Fortunately, several cars stopped as a crawled to get off to the side of the road. One woman in particular, who I believe was named Amy, was very concerned with my condition and offered to get me to the hospital. There was no sense of numbness or loss of vision and I never lost consciousness. Nonetheless, I had her take me home so my wife could drive me to the Emergency Room.

I’m very appreciative that she stopped, and maybe some follow-up appointments will determine the cause. CT and MRI Scans showed no evidence of a problem, and X-rays proved conclusive that I definitely have a brain and a heart. I spent about 6 hours at the hospital, with my wife faithfully beside. She was much more concerned than me, and was disturbed that I didn’t give her the details of my need to see a doctor until we were in the car. I was pretty nonchalant once Amy got me home – perhaps a bit stunned. My wife was still getting ready for work, so I changed out of my sweaty clothes and waited patiently for her to finish. Once all the doctors, nurses, and technicians converged by my bedside, she was suddenly remorseful that she didn’t react faster. That was my fault, and we learned that you have an hour to get medical attention after a stroke. This was not a stroke!

I was trying to think of things I did differently that might have spurred this attack. Was it the fact that I started drinking tea? Was it because I wore my socks to bed last night for the first time ever? Both are sure signs of old age, but shouldn’t have triggered an ER visit. Maybe it was because I substituted medicinal hot tea for my usual Diet Cokes yesterday and didn’t have enough caffeine or chemical additives? (See Post #806). Could it have been the meatloaf I made for dinner last night? My wife seems to have survived my cooking, and the dogs sure enjoyed it.

The doctor’s solution was to chew a single Baby Aspirin every day. I had already tried switching from Advil to Aspirin, but it led to chills and unstoppable bleeding after a shaving nick. I also couldn’t fulfill my personal pledge to give blood regularly. My personal doctor felt that if I was having the problems with Advil that others were experiencing it wasn’t critical to change. I did not have any Advil or Aspirin as a bedtime snack last night. I did, however, have a headache after the incident this morning, and complained of a sharp pain in my side. A urine test did not reveal signs of several other trips to the Emergency Room – kidney stones. The only other time that I remember was a hard-hit softball to the family jewels. There’s not enough Advil or Aspirin for that!

I will probably run on the treadmill tomorrow morning to relieve any relapse concerns from my wife. It’s always a last resort, but allowed by USRSA rules. At least on Day 3672, I won’t need assistance getting home and no one will have to risk letting a stranger in their car. The question now remains will an Aspirin a day keep the doctor away? When I called my son to give him a final report on my condition he said, “well at least you got your mile in!”