Excess Mucus Anyone?

If you’re an avid skier, you probably know what it means to farmer blow a few times during a race. But when it turns into all the time along with a constant cough and numerous loogies being a-hawked, you might have a problem. Sound disgusting? Well, it is. I’m sure my teammates can attest to that. You see, I’ve been dealing with an obnoxiously annoying chronic cough and excess post-nasal drainage for a year and a half. And is it affecting my ski season? Let’s just say the more proper phrase would be nearly demolished.

The problem with this cough and post-nasal drainage is I have been fighting off chronic episodes of bronchitis and sinus infections due to it for what seems ages now. The sinus infections have been around for years, but now the bronchitis just in the last couple. Last ski season I managed to fend it off and complete a fairly healthy season. This year I battled a severe sinus infection that took two months of antibiotics to clear up, along with the bronchitis that accompanied it. And just when I think I’m on the road to recovery… things flare up again.

You might be thinking why haven’t the doctors figured out what’s causing all this? Good question. It’s rather depressing when you come into a doctor’s office and within 5 minutes of describing your case they stop you short in the middle of a sentence “You’re a doctor stumper aren’t you?” After numerous X-rays, CT scans, blood tests, among a boat load of other tests, one would hope they could figure it out or at least make you feel better!

So as this season has been a really rough one, it’s hard not to let it get to me. I’ve raced three races with the team this year despite getting the “Are you sure you feel healthy enough to race?” look that I’ve become accustomed to. Honestly, I don’t know the answer to that question anymore. I don’t know what “healthy enough” even is. Skiing is my passion, skiing is the thing that gets me excited and keeps me working hard, striving to always improve. Now I’m just striving to get healthy. If there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, I sure can’t see it yet.

These months, and years, have challenged and taught me a lot. Perseverance, hope, and how to know what my body is telling me are some of the big lessons. Patience still needs to be pounded into my head. I’ve been rather frustrated by illness, and I’m stubborn, so when I’m told by coaches, teammates, or my own body that I need to rest, I’m not always wanting to pay attention to it. And I have suffered the consequences. Thanks to some very knowledgeable coaches and lungs that speak for themselves, I know the importance of rest and really taking care of your body. And trust me I still have plenty of occurrences when I tell myself “I feel fine enough to race” when I really should not lie to myself. The saying goes “mind over matter.” Not true if you’re really sick. Your body always wins the battle.

Moral of the story: if you’re sick, short term or long, learn to listen to your body and don’t hesitate to pamper it like it needs to be. Even if it means resting for a day, or even months. Have patience, have hope, ask for a hug when you need one, and don’t settle with being relatively healthy. Look for a solution; I’m still looking for mine.