Long Story Short, I'm Still Alive and Running

Regardless of my test result, regardless of my physical condition. My Neurologist said my condition should not prevent me from doing what I love, including running. So yeah, still breathing and running. Still very much alive and living the life that I love.

Again, I love running, not for the social part. Not for the show-off part. Bur mostly because I enjoy the pain it caused during the run, the alone time and the feeling that I get after a good long run.

Pain?
Not only normal people, insane creatures like runners feel the pain too, you know.
We feel miserable like half of the time during our running sessions. So what's with the adoration to pain and misery? Are runners masochists? Perhaps :D

Non-runners often ask: why do you still run if you feel miserable? It's the result that embracing the challenge of pain and misery that serve as one of the most valuable parts of experience. The feeling that we conquer the pain and misery is unbeatable. Being able to go through pain and misery successfully and alive is a confidence booster.

Sure, we also enjoy the occasional gasp from friends and family.

It's a confidence booster as well, that non-runners think of us as creatures who enjoy and can endure frequent pain and misery. We kinda feel like a: BADASS!

You Can Call Her Queen Bee

Eat or be eaten seem to fit in almost every aspect of our life. Friendship certainly cant avoid this. Girls, hell.. women competing to be the most influential (at least in small groups) is channeling Gossip Girl.

The Queen Bee throne is getting more and more attractive to some. There's always Blair Waldorf and Serena. But there's also a Georgina Sparks and the out of place Jenny Humphrey. It's hard to decide who is the bitchiest of all.

Perhaps we should all take a good look in the mirror.

Trip to The Neurosurgeon Office

What's written in that piece of paper puzzled me. Syringohydromyelia.

I've never even heard of the word. So I did my research. I googled the word and got even more worried than I've ever been my entire life.

So many thoughts crossed my mind at that time. I've read horrible stories of people with the same condition and got terrified by them. One of my main concern was: Will I ever run again?

Imagine that! I have this life threatening condition and all I can think about was Will I ever run again? 

After reading it I went back to the Orthopedist and instead he made a recommendation that I visit his colleague, a senior neurosurgeon who did the separation of the Siamese Twins decades ago. I thought to myself, I'm in a real deep shit!

Syringohydromyelia or Syringomyelia

Syringomyelia is a generic term referring to a disorder in which a cyst or cavity forms within the spinal cord. This cyst, called a syrinx, can expand and elongate over time, destroying the spinal cord. The damage may result in pain, paralysis, weakness, and stiffness in the back, shoulders, and extremities. Syringomyelia may also cause a loss of the ability to feel extremes of hot or cold, especially in the hands. The disorder generally leads to a cape-like loss of pain and temperature sensation along the back and arms. Each patient experiences a different combination of symptoms. These symptoms typically vary depending on the extent and, often more critically, to the location of the syrinx within the spinal cord.

Scary huh?!