Training has started... Let's hope I get in shape in time

So the good news is that my doctors have cleared me to start gradual training for the ride! After what seemed like a million x-rays, gallons of blood and days in the doctors offices, they tell me that I am not completely sick and should be able to tollerate training as long as I ease myself into it. That was the best news that I could have ever gotten from them. I have been kicking myself for the last couple years for not riding, and now I can actually make it happen.
Now the tuff part begins! Should be up for a couple longer training rides later next month... who's in?
Onto some different news. Late last week I put an update on my facebook that may have confused a few people. In it I said that I have had a lot of doctors that have told me a lot of information... but yet it is my newest one that scared me the most with what he had to say. I wanted to take a moment to let you all know what is happening and what it was that scares me.
I went in for a follow up with my GI last week, kind of an intermediate check-up with all the tests that have been happening and all the new medications that I have been on. It turns out that my Crohn's is a lot worse that any of us thought. After doing a Barium follow through and a ton of other x-rays and such, it seems that the disease has progressed into my small bowel much more than anyone had thought. This combined with the inflamation in my colon and the fistulas make things more complicated than he expected from what he thought things were. And that's not even the part that scares me.
During our conversation, he started talking about another doctor that he would like me to go see. This is nothing new to me, as I have been passed around from doctor to doctor before to get opinions or new views on a situation. It is why he is sending me to this person that scares me, and got my mind going a million miles an hour.
For the life of me, I can not remember what the doctor's name is. He is a professor at the UW and a GI that completely specializes in IBD. He is also the head of the research department when it comes to IBD and their clinical and drug trials. He's suppose to be the best in Washington when it comes to IBD and treatment and should know what can be done to help me out and possibly what drugs would work the best.
Why this scares me is more in my head than anything... but then again what's in your head leads a lot to how you feel and how you feel about getting better. Here's why it scares me. This guy is suppose to be the best in the state. My doctor wants to send me to him for care. This makes me think that either 1) my condition has become so advanced that he is the only one that can help me in the area or 2) this has become so complicated that this doctor doesn't think he can handle it. Do I think either is the case.... no, but those of you that have known me for a while know that I can take a situation and think of every possible outcome good or bad within about 30 seconds (that's one of the advantages that I have in my job... not so good for the personal life). So ever since he said that and told me how bad the Crohn's has gotten... my mind has been going a million miles an hour thinking of every possibility and what to do next. I have spent countless hours on the computer researching what all the possible outcomes are and trying to find out anything and everything about the drugs and such that are on the market or are coming up for approval, but nothing calms down my mind this time around. I think that a lot of it is that this time I'm married and have kids to think about now. For the longest time all I really had to think about was myself. I mean I had my family around me, but I wasn't living for someone else. That changes a lot in your mindset when you go from being single to being a family man. Now I can't think and talk about whats gonna get me to the next party... I have to think about what's gonna get me to my kids graduation and beyond. I never believed anyone that told me that marrage and kids change everything. Now I believe them. It's hard to even explain what's happened... but it's definately different.
Now the hard part begins. I am healthy enough to train and ride this year... but the disease is spreading... Hopefully I get some answers soon. If not... I will go into mental meltdown just from the overheating of the circuits. Hopefully that doesn't happen... my wife already has enough to deal with :D
Until next time... I will keep you all informed. Please hit me up if you got questions or just want to chat
-Daniel