Hernia? Followup Note

Nah, it wasn't a hernia. I have apparently developed a hydrocele or some similar thing. Whatever it is, it's not harmful or even painful (anymore -- tho it was for a few days). I have been unicycling again since a couple days after my scare, and that's been fine. I'll just have to keep an eye on this lump I have to make sure it doesn't change. Maybe one day I'll have it removed. For now it's not causing a problem.

I Hate Scooter(s)

On the same day that Scooter Libby was convicted of four counts of doing bad things to good people, I rode a scooter for 6 miles and hated every bit of it.

The problem started when my doctor said that there was a chance that I'd developed a small hernia and that yes, I should stay off the unicycle for a few days. He didn't see anything wrong with a scooter, tho -- except that it's a terrible way to travel six miles other than on a gentle downward slope, which sadly is not the case in Manhattan.

True, the scooter was better than having to take the subway. I had to take the subway yesterday because my brain was too slow to think of the scooter until then. Subways are bad enough in NYC, but I make them worse thru my own stupid mistakes, so my 10 minute ride from Port Authority to my mom's turned into a 45 minute odyssey when I hopped on the E train instead of the C and didn't catch my error for 3 stops. That was so typical of me, and part of why I hate traveling underground. At least if I'm unicycling I can tell after a block if I've gone in the wrong direction.

This afternoon, at least I was traveling on the streets -- but that was part of the problem today. The streets were gross. It had just snowed, so everywhere I rode, there was a slushy muck that got all over the scooter. Opening and closing it after my rides was disgusting. This was the least of my quibbles today, however.

I have a student I pick up twice a week from his nearby school. I usually ride my unicycle while he travels the 19 blocks on his scooter. By coincidence, I asked him a few days ago whether he ever switched feet, because in the few times I've traveled by scooter, I noticed that switching is a good way to avoid muscle exhaustion. He said that he had a hard time switching and preferred just using one leg for standing and one for pushing. Of course, he's only 6, so maybe that's part of it.

So how lame did I feel today when I couldn't manage more than 3 blocks without having to switch legs? By the time my ordeal was over, both of my legs were a bit sore. And I still stink at pushing with my left leg.

Hernia?

I've been riding for a long time, and I've been riding this particular unicycle (my muni) for months. So it was a surprise that a few days ago, I noticed that something wasn't feeling right and discovered that this same thing was a bit larger than its brother.

I went to the doctor this morning, and his initial diagnosis was that it wasn't a hernia, leaving open several possibilities. Happily one of those wasn't testicular cancer, but just to check into the others, he sent me across the hall for a sonogram.

To my surprise, a cancellation allowed me to be seen right away. This led to a 'wet read,' which is when the doctor gets back some results and goes over them before you've left the office. So within 90 minutes, I'd been examined by a doctor and a sonographer, had my sonography read by a radiologist, and had those results related back to the doctor who then went over them with me. Only in New Paltz (or less specifically, never in NYC). And my copay for all of this medical care? $5.

As for the wet read, the doctor said that the sonogram had revealed what the radiologist felt might be a small hernia after all. So I'm back at the doctor's office tomorrow morning for a CAT scan.

The bad news is that I had to get around Manhattan on a scooter rather than my unicycle (I hate scooters). The good news is that my groin doesn't hurt anymore. Still, I hope I get some good results from the lab tomorrow.

Finally, Some Updates

OK, it's been MONTHS since my last confession.

In that time, I've hit a few strides (NOT ruts!), so there hasn't been a lot to write about. Then there were a few changes lately that merited some comments.

For the past few months, I've been using my muni for riding in Manhattan. This came about because for a long time, Florian had my guni in Switzerland, so I had to make do with a different unicycle. Then I fell in love with the muni. Its 3-inch-wide tire is perfect for small maneuvering around obstacles on NYC streets. I like riding around lampposts and hydrants, for example, and a smaller and fatter wheel is great for that. It's also a bit easier to take under the bus, but that's not a real factor. Mainly I love the big bouncy wheel.

Then the guni reappeared. Or rather, the hub made it back to New Paltz, but I had to have the wheel rebuilt. As it happens, the bike shop where Mike would be reassembling the wheel was closed for the winter except on Saturdays, when I was, by coincidence, out of town for three straight weekends. Finally I met up with Mike the Bike, and a few weeks later, I had the guni up and running again. Unfortunately, one of the buttons that's used for the gearshift fell out. This wasn't the first time -- in fact, I guess it was the 4th. So I emailed Florian, and he sent me a few replacements. Sure enough, the very next time on it, the replacement button fell out. Now I'm afraid to try the thing again because I'm down to my last replacement.

So I'm back to the muni for Manhattan... except for my possible hernia. More on that in the next blog.