Big Fat Zero

or

How I Scored Zero on a Test (and loved it)

Sunday, after my run, I went back to the house and relaxed for a bit. First order of business was to feed my tummy! I thought I would be starving, but my diet has been good. I ate one sandwich, some chips, and some pickles. Rather healthy, I say. The rest of the afternoon was spent catching up on some house work and fixing a nice family dinner. My daughter and her beau came over. It was nice for all of us to get to sit around and enjoy each others company.

I thought I'd get to bed at a decent hour. I was pretty tired, to be expected, but not overly sore from my workouts. Dee Dee opted to stay up and watch the Women's Triathlon. I slept good until she joined me. Then the fun started. One of my furry children was having bowel issues. Dee Dee blamed it on me, as I was the one feeding the hounds table scraps after dinner. Feeling guilty, which I wasn't, I was up on the hour every hour all night long letting the critter out the back door. Needless to say, my sleep sucked.

The alarm clock went off early, and before 6:15 AM, I was in the car heading to downtown Atlanta. I had made my appointment to have my heart scanned. This was the final installment of my pre-Ironman promises to Dee Dee. I arrived at Crawford Long - Emory Hospital a bit early for my 7:30 appointment. I was the first one there.

Around 7:30 the staff arrived. I filled out my paperwork, and by quarter to eight they were taking me back. I changed my shirt for a hospital gown and had blood drawn. They then took me into the scanning room. I laid down nice and comfy on a bed. The attendant gave me instructions and pressed the button.

All of sudden, I felt like I was in a Star Trek movie. The bed began to rise up off the floor and slide between the big circle. Laser lights made lines on my body and worked their way up my legs and chest. I smiled and relaxed.

"Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Hold it!", the voice said.

I did this two more times, and just like that, it was over. The attendant had told me fifteen minutes. It was more like five. Either that, or I fell asleep, but I don't think so. A few minutes later, the attendant came in the room and handed me my results. She said I got a zero. The range is zero to two hundred, and I had a zero. No blockage for me.

Deal.

Ironman, here I come...

Wes