Walking, Weigh In & Managing

Friday, March 8

Walked 1:03, 3.20 miles

Walked town, while Jay had tennis practice.  Ended up walking through Airport and climbing a steep incline at the very rear of the development.  I was grateful that I managed to make it to the top. 

Wednesday, March 13

Walked 34:18; 4 laps/2 miles

Difficult walk.  My legs bothered me the entire walk.  Plus, Mother Nature was acting bi-polar.  Snowing to the point of almost white out conditions, followed by bright sun.  Repeat.  Regardless, it was quite cold.

Thursday Weigh In

Considering I only managed to walk 5 miles this week and spent 3 days basically sedentary, I'm quite happy with the scales.  I weighed in at 196.8.  Down .6 pounds.  It's a loss.  I'll take it!

Managing

I am struggling.  I'm hurting and tired.

Last night, my leg muscles felt as if they were solidifying.  It just plain hurt to walk.  My knees and hips, as well as my shoulders, ache. Laying on my side at night, I feel as if my body has no support and I'm folding in half.  The extra pillow gives a small amount of help. 

This morning, I slept in until 11:30.  But, I don't feel rested. 

As a result, today's goal is to vacuum the living room, kitchen/dining room and the stairs.  So far, I've vacuumed & dry mopped the living room, kitchen and dining room.  When I get the stairs done, I'll call it a successful day.

In addition, I'm in the process of washing some laundry.  Mount fold-more is quite considerable. 

Also, I've managed to:

• Make iced tea for Tim
• Wash dishes
• Run the dishwasher
• Empty the dishwasher
• Found the missing bowl--Yay!

So, if I get nothing else accomplished, I'm quite happy with how much I've accomplished today.

Bad Night

Early this morning, my hand was hurting so badly that it woke me up.  It was rather bizarre!  My hand felt numb and swollen, but there was also a terrible pain.  How does something feel numb, but painful?  

It wasn't like pins and needles.  Otherwise, I can't describe the pain.  All I know is this was a completely new experience, which is rather concerning.  Only shows the Fibro could possibly be progressing.  :(

On top of the pain, the itching was escalated during this same time period.  What fun!

Seeing as the problem wasn't letting up any, I took 2 Benadryl to knock myself out.  While it worked, I was still having a difficult time waking up after noon. 

Hoping for a better night, tonight.

Better Day

Woke up feeling much better this morning.  So grateful for that!

Before I left the house, I was able to do a load of laundry and change the sheets on one of the beds.  Also did some dishes and made iced tea for Jay.  Not bad for a short morning.

Came home to make Jay's bed and clean out my closet. 

The closet was due to having taken Jay's Kindle as consequences.  I have a tendency to hide things in places that make sense at the time. (It's genetic.  Thanks, Mommom!)  :)  Those hiding places sure don't make a bit of sense when I'm looking for whatever is hidden. 

I thought I had put it in my closet.  But, I could not find it for anything, which necessitated unloading everything.  Still couldn't find the darned thing! Looked all over the house.  Still nothing! 

The only thing I didn't bother with was the shoe boxes.  There are a bunch of shoe boxes, as I love shoes!

Guess where the Kindle was hidden?  Yep!  Among the shoe boxes.  LOL! 

As I type, it is being charged.  Jay has no idea.  He had tennis practice, right after school.  Then, onto Jazz band practice.  So, he hasn't been home yet.  He will be thrilled to have his Kindle back.

Also, I have a confession to make.  I wasn't quite sure I was ready to put this information out there.  However, owning it will motivate me.  Today was my weigh in.  My weight has ballooned up to 197.4.  *sigh*  That's what happens after I've spent so much time during the last 2 years being a lump. 

I own the fact that I allowed myself to pack on the weight.  While I didn't have any control over my lack of activity (I moved as much as I could, when I could.), I did have control over what I ate.  My food choices left much to be desired.  Sadly, I fell into the trap of eating things that were enjoyable, because that was all I was enjoying at the time. 

So there you have it.  A better day.  Active to my satisfaction and an embarrassing confession. 

Until tomorrow.

Sluggish Day

Today, I have been sluggish.  I'm as pain-free as possible, considering.  My energy level is mediocre. 

After puttering around the house for hours, I decided that I had to accomplish something.  So, I cleaned the shower.  Followed by paying a few bills and balancing accounts.  It's something! 

After Tim came home, he and I went to town to walk.  Due to the snow, finding a place to walk was a chore.  We landed at the high school and walked the parking lot. 

Walked for 1 hour, 9 minutes and travelled 3 1/2+ miles.

Came home to make dinner and take a shower. 

So little. Yet, I'm completely exhausted.

I'm hoping that it's the drastic change in weather.  Rain usually ramps up the pain.  So, whatever weather changes the snow created could possibly be responsible.  I am hoping!

For now, I am trying to stay positive.  After all, I was able to walk and complete a few chores.  It's so much more than before.

Walking and Activity

Friday:  Walked 28:46/1 1/2 miles/3 laps

Saturday:  Walked 35:37/2 miles/4 laps

Sunday:  Nothing, Nada, Zip

Monday:  Walked 1 hour/3+ miles/5 laps alone, creek side with Tim

Tuesday:  Walked 44:09/2+ miles/Town with Tim


Monday's Activity

• Woke at 6:25 am
• Made coffee
• Bread in oven to make bread crumbs
• Saw Jay off to school
• Bread out of oven and onto cooling rack
• Stripped beds
• Made my bed
• Sheets, blanket and quilt to laundry room
• Blanket into wash
• Sheets on Jay's bed
• Rinsed parsley & laid out to dry
• Rinsed basil and laid out to dry
• Bread into bread crumbs
• Cut up parsley
• Shower
• Market for fresh basil and sour cream (Spent $100--LOL!)
• Home and put groceries away
• Rinsed basil and laid out to dry
• Parmesan cheese grated in Vitamix
• Cut up basil, onion, garlic, tomatoes
• Mixed meat, etc for meatballs & formed them, into freezer
• Browned meatballs
• Made spaghetti sauce, added meatballs and simmered
• Made cake batter, into oven to bake
• Cooked spaghetti noodles and assembled meals for Mom and Dad W
• Prepared sauce with meatballs for refrigerator

At this time, I realize that I forgot to eat.  Only had a cup of coffee early this morning.

• Cleaned up kitchen
• Blankets on Jay's bed
• Spaghetti to Mom & Dad's
• To town & walked
• Dinner from Burger King 

All that work to make Spaghetti sauce with meatballs and no time to enjoy it that evening.  :(

• Brought Jay home
• Quilt into dryer
• Off to meeting at high school
• Arrive home, quilt onto Jay's bed
• Shower
• Make icing and frost cake
• Clean up kitchen

I'm forgetting some things.  But, that's good enough!  LOL!

Tuesday's Activity

• Up at 6:25
• Sheets into wash
• Make coffee
• Cake into dish for Mom & Dad W
• Get April calendar ready on refrigerator
• Update tennis schedule on my phone
• Tennis schedule into planner
• Sheets into dryer
• Light grays into wash
• Make beds
• Vacuum upstairs
• Make oatmeal for breakfast and eat
• Trash outdated food from kitchen cabinets
• Cabinet stuff--LOL!
• Dishes and wipe down counters
• Vacuum stairs, family room and laundry room
• Light grays into dryer
• Reds into wash
• Dogs out--Forgot this morning.  Oops! 
• Jay's schedule ready for Dad
• Shower
• Reds into dryer
• Black hoodies (We have that many!) into wash
• Wash/Rinse salad
• Blog  :)
• Town to walk
• Prepared & cleaned up after dinner
• Folded & carried laundry

A Lyrica Miracle?

So much has changed since my last entry.  Apparently, the dosage of my medication has hit the level I need, as life seems to be back to normal. 

Normalcy has slowly progressed since February 12.  I remember because Tim and I travelled to Pittsburgh on our anniversary.  When he told me his plans, I was quite hesitant.  Didn't want to travel all that way only to have the trip cut short due to pain or fatigue. 

Our first stop in Pittsburgh was the Cheesecake Factory, for lunch.  Afterward, we walked around the area to a couple of stores.  Sur la Table for me and REI for him.  Next, it was off to IKEA, where I did a lot of walking.  After a few stops, I walked around a mall, as I was looking for something specific at Pottery Barn. Oh, Pottery Barn!  By the time we left the mall, my legs were feeling tired.  But, over all, I was doing fine.  Then, we stopped for a late dinner at Red Lobster.  Before my salad arrived, the fatigue hit my shoulders and I was hurting.  Had I had any pain meds, I would have taken them. 

All in all, I was very happy with my ability to enjoy Pittsburgh fully.  Amazingly, I was just fine the following day.  I'm so accustomed to a recovery period after doing anything. 

The remainder of the week was nothing special, until Saturday.  I woke up feeling quite well.  As a result, I took advantage by changing the sheets on both beds, dusting my bedroom, vacuuming the kitchen and stairs and doing some laundry, including folding and putting away.  The chore that shocked me most was scrubbing the kitchen floor...on my hands and knees!  Sure I was tired by the end of the day, but I was fine. 

Sunday, I woke up feeling good again.  Unbelievable!  I did more laundry, dusted the family room coffee table and placed the new baskets on the lower shelf.  In addition, I made Tim's vegetarian vegetable soup.

All the following week, I worked at cleaning the house.  By Friday, I had the whole place vacuumed, dusted and scrubbed!

Cleaning and cooking became the name of the game.  My goodness, I have enjoyed every minute of it. 

By Friday, March 1, I was able to walk around the middle school.  It was kind of a fluke.  The boy has joined the high school tennis team and they were practicing on the courts by the middle school.  Tim and I had accomplished our errands and were early for pick up.  I decided that I wanted to push the envelope and try walking.  Saturday morning, Jay had tennis practice.  So, I decided to try walking again.  Did just fine.  In fact, I came home and dusted upstairs and vacuumed the entire house.

Sunday morning, I wasn't doing so well.  My body was completely stiff and sore.  So, I decided to have a lazy day.  Did absolutely nothing.  I figured that it was time for a rest and I would try again the next day.

Well that was yesterday and all was well.  My day was rather busy.  While I was exhausted by the end of the day, it was nothing a good night's sleep couldn't fix. 

Hopefully, it lasts.