Ready..VENT! What keeps you from getting to the pool?

Ugh today I experienced what many of you have ranted about on previous threads, and I have complete sympathy for you all now. So i get to the YMCA and im all set to do a 6,400 yard workout that focused on sprint freestyle. I walk into the pool area and don't see too many ppl in the lanes so I'm like "sweet!" so I walk around the pool to notice the one lifeguard fixing a lanes closed sign to 2 of the lanes that were empty. I was like "WHAT?!?!" Turns out, one of the lifeguards didn't show up this morning so they couldn't open the whole pool. So I hoped in with someone...eventually they got out, and I was like "good, just as I'm getting ready to start my main set I'll have my own lane" no sooner had I said that, that someone else got in. So I had to share the lane while I did my whole main set. About 1.5hours after I got in, other guards showed up, so I was like "YAY, now the other lanes will be opened!" and they were...for 4minutes, and then they closed again for swim lessons. Long story short, I wasn't going to stay, or do my whole workout because its annoying sprinting and trying to do a hard set when your having to concentrate on not running into the person your sharing a lane with, and trying to be atleast somewhat polite and not completly drown a slower swimmer that your sharing with. So i completly understand those of you who have previously ranted about sharing lanes. Although, I will also say that I have met some of the nicest people in this past week swimming in the early hours at the YMCA. Haven't really talked with anyone, but people are always nice, and let me join their lane. I wonder if anyone is a masters swimmer. Today one of the women I shared a lane with was doing a lot of 50s on her back with zoomers SDK...and I thought about some of the posters on here who are fans of such activity:-D

Kristina: I've been a runner all my life. I turned to Tri's when I hurt my hip. I just finished a Ironman 70.3 and was training for Chicago Marathon when I was diagnosed with a torn (Multiple) meniscus. So I swim now. I'm slow but trying to improve. You cross from swimming to running; I cross from running to swimming. The athletic universe is in balance.:woot: What keeps me from swimming? Nothing, it keeps me sane. I'm up at 5am, in the water by 5:30. On my way to work by 7am.

:help: What keeps me out of the pool.... I am glad I logged back in after a few months of not reading...I blew myshoulder last weekend in Oct and was told no swimming til MRI, well by the time it got scheduled and was read and the Thanksgiving holiday it was Dec! No tears but start PT in Dec - no swimming til Mid dec, PT seemed to help get me halfway, they rewrote my plan in late Jan to include zoomers, so I order some and while waiting I borrow the Y's scuba fins. First swim I thought I got a blister under my toe. No big deal I read all the time about blister while using fins. I get my zoomers and start new PT plan. Shoulder and arm feeling better but the "blister" is getting big. 9 yr old gets sick - go to MD have him take a look at it - nope - it is a ganglion cyst on the toe tendon...arrgh he advises I take up a new activity. Activity?! This is swimming that I love. So yesterday I see podatrist - she tries to drain the cyst no go. So cortisone shot. No flippers for a week, but I can swim finally...did I mention the 9 yr got sick with fever and then lovingly passed it on to me - no pool time for 2 weeks. No one I know has ever heard of getting a ganglion from flippers. So what keeps me from the pool - should injury, mri, PT, sick kid, me sick and the ganglion. ARGHHHHHH - just give me a simple scheduling problem. Has anyone else had this flipper problem - podiatrist said it was new to her as well... Kristina - do you swim at one pool exclusively, maybe it is their chemicals and/or lack of real cleaniness. Maybe try a new pool. Glad the warm compresses are working. hmmm maybe they work on toe ganglions - I am desperate!

*her tale of woe * The way you wrote that was very funny. Hope your toe heals. I've long been warning of the dangers of fins and paddles and other devices... Glad you're back in the pool.

Kristina: I just went to the eye doctor. He said that my tear ducts were blocked--he could see them as little yellow dots on the inside of my eye lid. He asked if I had dry eyes. I have had dry eyes all my life. My dad did too. He said it is hereditary. That some people just don't produce enough water to keep them clean and open. Basically, each duct had a little waxy plug in it. Dry eyes can lead to eye infections. He asked it artificial tears helped. They never do for very long (as he suspected). So far nothing new to me. Then he asked if I tried putting a warm, moist compress on my eyes to help re-liquify the wax plug. IT WORKED!!! At first, it was 10 minutes once a night for a week. He said to cut back a little each week to see how often my eyes required. He has this condition and does it once a week. He has an associate that has to do it twice a day. I included a link that describes it, but does not mention moist heat as a treatment. Probably because no money can be made that way. health.yahoo.com/.../C1437648-D55B-4D9D-B6D902D1A5378D58 Its a minor in convenience, but may reduce your eye infections and may get you back in the pool! I know my eyes feel great. I can't believe I went this long and no doctor ever offered hope other the tear drops. Good luck SlowSwim: Thank you so much for the article! I have terrible dry eyes, probably exacerbated by age, allergy meds and chlorine. I tried that moist heat compress last night. They felt better, and I also promptly fell fast asleep on my couch. Woke up a few hours later with that thing still on my face. LOL. I'm going to try this method for awhile, especially since it worked for my buddy Poolraat. I'm hopeful!! Kristina: It's fun to do cross over sports. Running is fun too. Now, it may take awhile before you're as fast at running as you are at swimming, but who cares? FlyQueen and I used to be dedicated LSD runners. Even though we were slow as molasses, or at least I am/was, I still loved it. I like being outside. And it's the same sensation of doing something physical with just your body. Races are fun too! Buy good shoes, replace them regularly, run on dirt and grass sometimes! Did I just read that my twin wanted to swim the 200 fly?! Dave: I've never tried those drops. I usually use Systane or Genteel. Where can you find them?

Thanks poolraat! I love your cute little doggie avatar by the way. That is precious. I never even heard of meibomian ducts. I learn something new every day. Thank you so much for the support. Will keep my fingers crossed. Warm compress worked wonders for me yesterday! Who would have thought?! Take care of your meibomian ducts and I'll do the same with my lacrimal ducts! :rofl: I'm glad it helped. Until my eyedoc explained it to me, I was totally unaware of the different glands that contributed to the eye moisture. I just thought there were tears. Oil? But anyway, the warm compress do wonders, don't they? And I don't need the drops he prescribed. The avatar is Charley. She's been my fishing, hiking, and backpacking companion for years. Unfortunately, age has caught up to her and slowed her down considerably.

OK my eye-problem blighted swimchums. An excellent homeopathic/old country treatment to reduce inflammation and draw out infection are chammomile teabags: 1) Brew Tea. 2) Drink or discard. 3) Let Tea bags cool. 4) Place on eyes. 5) Lay on couch moaning and have spouse go fetch and then hand feed grapes NB Step 5 can cause irritation to spouse and lead to side effects. Discontinue step 5 if any new painful symptomns occur. You are way too funny.:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Hey Beth, I miss you too!!! But I feel that through this board we are still close!! I get to read just what you are up to! As I mentioned to another pal on this board, would it be okay to swim vicariously through your achievements?! How fun would that be - at least for me!! Seriously though, my eyes are doing very nicely while out of the water and for that, I could not be more pleased and grateful. A tri would be awesome!! I have a long way to go on my running though. I miss you guys at Swim Atlanta. I'm hoping that in the future, if I can get in even once a week or once every other week or even once a month, that would be fantastic!!! So, I hear you want to swim the 200 fly!! That is excellent in my living vicariously through you! What should you/ we shoot for? Beat Fin Bob? Take care! I love you! Kristina KRISTINA! I'm so happy the warm soaks are helping your eyes! I hope you have found an answer. Maybe you came to the discussion forums for a reason.....to find this answer when you needed it. Hang in there baby and I hope to see you back in the pool soon.:smooch: i'm only considering the 200 fly because I'm doing the "Tour de Pool" and don't want to leave it unchecked!!! I swore I would never ever do a 200 fly again after my AAU coach made our team do a set of 10x200 flys LONG COURSE one year. I hate that race! The only way I'll get to check 200 fly off on my shirt is by doing it SLOWLY and in practice! I don't have any endurance for fly due to not being able to train it much in practice due to shoulder/neck/back weaknesses! Maybe if I keep doing my PT exercises and increase slowly, by late summer I could be up to doing one without hurting myself! We'll see. I miss you! Love, Beth:wave:

Kristina: I've been a runner all my life. I turned to Tri's when I hurt my hip. I just finished a Ironman 70.3 and was training for Chicago Marathon when I was diagnosed with a torn (Multiple) meniscus. So I swim now. I'm slow but trying to improve. You cross from swimming to running; I cross from running to swimming. The athletic universe is in balance.:woot: What keeps me from swimming? Nothing, it keeps me sane. I'm up at 5am, in the water by 5:30. On my way to work by 7am. Great post! The universe is in balance indeed. Still trying to figure out how to achieve and maintain forward momentum on land. It's very hard to do. I think you most likely swim faster than I run, er jog. I don't think I actually qualify to say I run. :) I'm sorry about your injury - but how amazing that you did an Ironman - that is the ultimate achievement in my opinion. This weather has been great here in GA, wouldn't you say?! Aren't we luck to be able to skip along to different sports!

Bill, Wonderful post. I am trying this now! I did this after a VERY WINDY run yesterday afternoon and my eyes went from feeling a bit "sandy" to feeling and looking great into this morning. I will still not be getting into the pool for a bit (per docs orders), but I will continue this treatment and if all stays well w/ the eyes (as it has been), I will be sure to hop back in and give it another try! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! Will keep you posted. Thank you to all the rest for the support, encouragement and goggle tips as well. Cheers, Kristina Kristina: I just went to the eye doctor. He said that my tear ducts were blocked--he could see them as little yellow dots on the inside of my eye lid. He asked if I had dry eyes. I have had dry eyes all my life. My dad did too. He said it is hereditary. That some people just don't produce enough water to keep them clean and open. Basically, each duct had a little waxy plug in it. Dry eyes can lead to eye infections. He asked it artificial tears helped. They never do for very long (as he suspected). So far nothing new to me. Then he asked if I tried putting a warm, moist compress on my eyes to help re-liquify the wax plug. IT WORKED!!! At first, it was 10 minutes once a night for a week. He said to cut back a little each week to see how often my eyes required. He has this condition and does it once a week. He has an associate that has to do it twice a day. I included a link that describes it, but does not mention moist heat as a treatment. Probably because no money can be made that way. health.yahoo.com/.../C1437648-D55B-4D9D-B6D902D1A5378D58 Its a minor in convenience, but may reduce your eye infections and may get you back in the pool! I know my eyes feel great. I can't believe I went this long and no doctor ever offered hope other the tear drops. Good luck