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Lisa Bentley: "Hello from the Hilton at Waikoloa Village!": By Lisa Bentley
www.lisabentley.com

I am home at last from the North Hawaii Community Hospital sitting amongst lovely flowers and fond wishes for a speedy recovery.

I was raised to use my talents, to finish what I start and to be happy in mind, body and spirit. Triathlon has always allowed me to do that, but over the past few weeks, this has been challenged. As you know, I suffered from abdominal pains for about 12 days prior to the Hawaii Ironman. I always had an explanation for the pain and the pain always improved. But if one day stands out in my mind, it was Tuesday prior to race day. I had been in bed most of Monday, but woke up on Tuesday feeling pretty good. I did my pre-race commitments quite contently, but by the afternoon, I was in acute intestinal discomfort. I merely thought that my colon was in spasm. Sure enough, on Wednesday, I was uncomfortable, but better a bit achy. Race events were heating up and I was getting tired - yet another explanation. Dr. Hiller made an appointment for me to see Dr. Park on Thursday. By Thursday, I felt a little bit better again. I visited Dr. Park and despite all his prodding and p!
robing, I didnt exhibit the excruciating grimaces of a ruptured appendix. I postponed his prescribed CAT scan since we believed that there was no immediate danger. In the meantime, I began a course of antibiotics. I then turned my full attention to racing. Remember, this was not just a race it was the Hawaii Ironman World Championships. I had committed my entire year to this race and I was truly in the best shape of my life.

Race day morning, I was excited that I had the opportunity to race. I truly believed that despite being on antibiotics, despite being laid up in bed for the past 10-12 days and despite being slightly unwell, I truly believed that I could win the race. It wasnt an arrogant confidence. It was a belief in my heart that my preparation had been excellent and despite a less than perfect internal something, my spirit would rise above it all. I am an eternal optimist and this optimism, fortunately or unfortunately, allowed me to rise above the discomfort and begin the race.

My swimming had really improved this season thanks to Brian Kelly. But despite the improvements, I exited the swim in a less than stellar 62 minutes. The warning flags did not go up that I was less than 100%. I accepted my swim and figured that I was meant to have an amazing bike ride and run.

Onto the bike, my legs ached from the very beginning and I felt quite lethargic. But I did not feel unwell and so I accepted this as part of my race a race which I refused to abandon because of a less than perfect day. I promised myself that I would abandon if I was unwell, but a poor performance was not a legitimate excuse. I finish what I start because that is the journey called the Hawaii Ironman.

I felt quite positive during the bike. My legs didnt feel great but I felt as if I was riding ok. Again it was a far cry from my training performance indicators, but I was just so happy to be able to race.

I finished the bike ride in about 5 hours and 15 minutes with lots of women ahead to catch.

I started the marathon and this was when I could admit that I was not at 100%. Instead of holding myself back from running 6:20 miles, I was working hard to stay on top of a 6:55 mile. Two weeks prior, I had executed my last long run at my fastest pace ever. I know that if I am healthy, then running is effortless and this definitely was not effortless. I was very sad in my heart. I cannot explain it, but I was absolutely overwhelmed by emotion. I even stopped running up this one hill just so that I could have a cry. Maybe it was the realization that, yes, I was sick, or maybe it was the realization that my mind and heart could not overcome illness. I race happy and I was so unhappy.

Despite being unhappy, I didnt think that this was enough of a reason to stop, so I continued my journey. But, what I didnt realize was what Lance and Dave saw. I was limping and favoring my right side the side of my abdominal discomfort. My mind had risen above the pain, but my body was compensating like crazy.

After crying going up Palani Hill, Lance and Dave made me stop. Of course, I cried. I believe that we have a path. I believe that I am guided and I believe that I will always take the right turn of the road. This was my turn I cried, but I accepted it. But the crying stopped and Dave and I walked contently down Palani back to transition.

On Sunday, at about 10 a.m., I went back to North Hawaii Community Hospital. Dr. Goldberg, the emergency room doctor ran me through a few tests. Although I wasnt showing the acute symptoms for appendicitis, there was still a possibility and it had to be ruled out. By noon, I had had a CAT scan. By 1:00 p.m., Dr. Goldberg was shaking his head in disbelief at the results - my appendix had ruptured. Dr. Park, the surgeon was called to confirm. Dr. Park could not believe that I was even able to walk into the Emergency, never mind make it to mile 9 of the Hawaii Ironman. Indeed, my appendix had to be removed immediately. I laughed in disbelief You have got to be kidding! I wasnt even going to come to get the CAT scan today. I want to go to awards. The laughter changed very quickly. How long would I be in hospital for? Could Dave and I get married on Wednesday? Dr. Park said I would be in hospital for at least two days and he doubted that the wedding would take place o!
n Wednesday. I was in shock. But that didnt last long because before I knew it, the anaesthesiologist had arrived and the party was over. I was wheeled off to surgery at 3 p.m.

It all happened very quickly after that. There was no counting down. The mask went over my face and that is my last memory of life with an appendix.

I woke up in I.C.U. and I was very emotional. Of course, Dave was there. Who ever said that for better or for worse happens after the I dos? Dave has been there through it all Ironman sacrifices, travel, the past 12 days, Ironman day, surgery day, broken ribs, his mothers cancer battle and now recovery from surgery and a postponed wedding. Our friendship and love is epic.

Recovery was slow. Sunday night was a groggy blur. I was on oxygen, I.V. antibiotics and pain killers and I.V. nutrition. I had had an open appendectomy which meant that the wound was not closed. There were layers of internal stitches but the external stitches were left open in order to drain the fluid. In the spirit of Ironman, I essentially had a gel flask draining the fluid.

On Monday, I was allowed to drink water. I was so desperate to drink but my tummy couldnt handle it. I couldnt keep anything down on Monday and Tuesday. That was the worst thing because they wouldnt let me out of the hospital until I could keep clear fluids down and move onto a solid diet. On Tuesday, Dr. Park removed the draining flask and on Wednesday he closed the external stitches.

Our Wednesday wedding day came and went. And while there wasnt a wedding, Dave and I spent much of the day together. I was able to eat soup and I managed to complete two little walks around the nursing station and one big walk outside the hospital with Dave. After all, I had to rehearse just in case the wedding bells rang again soon.

On Thursday morning, Dr. Park said that I could go home. I had kept down my soup and water from Wednesday, my wound was healing well and my vital signs were good. Home to the Hilton!

Within a few hours of arriving home, Dave and I went for a slow walk around the resort. We were both pretty sad about having to postpone our wedding especially since our best friends were here on the Wednesday, Daves best man had flown from New Zealand and our reverend, Daves school chaplain from New Zealand, had flown from Australia. We walked by the Hilton wedding chapel as they prepared for an evening wedding. It was 4:30 p.m. Dave asked me if I thought I was well enough to get married on Friday. I actually cried when Dave asked thinking, Oh my goodness, I just cant do it. I look terrible. I am bloated, sore, tired and I cant even celebrate with food or champagne. But on the other hand, our reverend was here from Australia and that was the most important factor when we decided on celebrating our marriage in Hawaii. It was back to basics sort of like one foot in front of the other in an Ironman marathon. All I had to do was walk up the aisle, enjoy our vows !
and say I do. It was really a small ask. At 4:45 p.m., Heather, the Hilton wedding planner, said we could pull it off the wedding chapel and Hawaiian singers were available, the Hilton could make bouquets and leis and the salon could do our hair at 7 a.m. By 5:30 p.m., Reverend David Williams, best man Blair Martin and maid of honor, Teresa Deveaux confirmed that their flights allowed for a 10 a.m. wedding. Lance changed his flight to later on Friday afternoon. Joe and Sarah changed their flight to Sunday. Teresa would have the big juggling act the wedding was at 10 a.m. and her flight was at noon! It was a production and we dearly missed Gord Brockie, my father of the bride and Nigel and Chantal, our dear friends, who all returned home on Thursday.

And so, at around 10 a.m. on Friday, October 21st, my coach, Lance, walked me down the aisle on my wedding day. And sometime after 10 a.m., I joined hands with Dave Cracknell as his wife. It truly was the most beautiful celebration I have ever been too. I will write more about our wedding day, but for now, I will just say that even though I was not physically 100%, it was the single best day of my life. I felt more love in one day than some people feel in a lifetime. Had our families been there, it would have been a dream come true.

Thank you all so much for your support over the past week. It has been a struggle, but love truly did conquer all! I will be back in 2006 racing with an even fuller, happier heart and a stronger mind, body and spirit. Look out!

: Lance Watson