A Slow Start

Well, I don't know about you, but my 2014 has gotten off to a slow start.  Not terrible, just slow.

For one thing, we are just this weekend finishing putting away the Christmas decorations.  Since The Tim works two evenings and week, and one weekend day,
it takes us longer both to put up the decorations and take them down than it used to.  It's not a big deal/problem, but it just means we move a little more slowly into the new year activities than we used to.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, I was completely unable to do much of anything for a whole weekend.  I had what my doctor called "an acute cardiopulmonary episode brought on by inflammation."  What happened was that on Saturday night before I went to bed, my right shoulder started hurting -  not soreness, more like stiffness.  Then I woke up in the middle of the night feeling the same kind of incredible pain in my whole body.  I also could not take a deep breath without pain.  For about 36 hours, I just literally had to sit in a chair, breathe slowly, and move very little.  Then as quickly as it arrived, it departed.  It was scary and disconcerting.  And I lost a whole weekend, for most intents and purposes.

But of course, it's only January.  And it's not like I'm in a contest, it's just that I like to feel like I get going quickly at the beginning of the year.

Every day is a new day though, so here's to a better one today.

Enjoy your weekend!

Sick Sucks

I realized the other day that I haven't done too well with my fitness goals for this year.  I was blaming it on laziness and no motivation (which is part, but not all of it), and then I realized that a lot of what it was, was just that I'd been sick a lot.  Not a cold or sore throat, since a regular run-of-the-mill one of those doesn't necessarily knock me out, but being I'm-staying-in-bed-sick, which often takes longer to recover from than it lasts in the first place.

Last January, I got really sick for several weeks, and for an entire week was not able to get out of bed and get around at all.  Pneumonia.  And then for a month or so afterwards, my doctor wanted me to take it easy, and even if he didn't, it took a really long time for me to get any of my energy back.

My motivation suffers greatly in the summer when it's hot, and so I seldom did anything.  This is the laziness factor, because the heat takes a lot out of me in the first place, and once I get home from work, the idea of doing anything else at all seems draining.

Then this past September into October, I had shingles.  Extremely painful, and the doctor told me to stay as still as possible.  The initial rash/sores/whatever you want to call them went away after a couple of weeks, but I still had a lot of pain for a month or so after, and was advised to take it easy.

As a result, my fitness has suffered, and my endurance is pretty low (not that it was ever that high).  Today I woke up and it was hard to breathe, and as the day went on, I felt worse.  I am hoping that over-the-counter drugs will help nip things in the bud, because the ultimate insult is to be sick at holiday time.

Reason #97766219899 that being sick sucks.  Wish me luck in my attempt to prevail!

Still Here

I really don't know why I haven't posted for so long, probably because things were absolutely ridiculous at work - this past Friday was Members' Night, which happens once a year, and it's a BIG DEAL.  So besides just the usual craziness and having too much to do, there was prep to be done for that. I'd get home and be exhausted.  It all ended with the actual event, which starts at 5 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m.  

Can you say LONG WEEK??

The Tim picked me up after it was over on Friday evening, and we headed directly to Rehoboth Beach, where one of my nieces and her husband had a beach house for the weekend.  It was the perfect way to forget about everything before, and we had a wonderful time.  The weather was fall-ish, but incredibly sunny and it just made you want to be outside.  Dug went with us, and let me tell you, he was one happy Doodle Dog!

The last couple of days though?  Not so great.  Last week, I noticed that the skin on the outside of my left leg really hurt.  Yes, you read that right - my skin hurt!  Then on Sunday morning, I had a few red spots.  Yesterday, even more.  Fortunately, I was able to get a squeeze-in appointment with my dermatologist this morning, and the diagnosis?

Yep, Shingles. Unfortunately, not like the ones above.  The Stay-Home-and-Rest kind, where you have to use your sick time at work and then some of your small amount of vacation time.  

Crap.

No More Slogging

I managed to get through February without getting sick.  Granted, I spent the month still dealing with respiratory and energy issues from being so sick in January, but at least none of it got worse.  I did lose my two pounds - though again, not from any real effort on my part, but because I didn't feel that great most of the time to want to eat.  I got a few small things accomplished, so even though the progress is painfully slow, it's still there.

March offers new opportunities, as well as being the month when winter becomes springtime - at least according to the calendar.  Personally, I love March because besides my own birthday, there's a lot of other fun stuff that happens.  And this year, on the very last day, we even have Easter!

So, what am I hoping March will be for me?  Well, I really hope I can feel better enough to stop slogging through my life for one thing.  I plan to try really hard to get back to physical activity, even if at first my respiratory issues can make my endurance low.  But since in theory the weather will be improving, even just something like a walk or bicycle ride can happen, and I know myself well enough to know that I shouldn't overdo it when I have the chance to start again.

I'm still hoping to lose another two pounds, and now I have extra motivation, since one of my nieces is getting married in June, and I'd like to show up looking healthy.  I also want to continue on some organization projects around the house.  If/when the weather starts to cooperate, I also want to clean up outside in our garden.  I'd love it if I could plant some flowers and get it looking nice again, so we could sit outside as much as we used to.

Of course, in a perfect world, I could accomplish everything and then more, but I'm perfectly content to do what I can and keep going.  It's not a race, and as long as I remember that, I'll be just fine.

Happy March!

Ugh. Sick.

Exactly one week ago, late in the afternoon, a colleague asked if she could borrow my office to have a private conversation with a person she supervises.  They were in there for approximately 1/2 hour, and when I came back in, the cigarette aroma was overwhelming (the person being "talked to" had just returned from a smoking break).  My throat immediately closed up, and it was difficult to breathe.  Fortunately, it was time to get my stuff and go home.  That evening, I kept feeling worse as time went on.

My usual routine on a work day is to get up, feed the starving cats, and take Dug for his walk before showering, dressing, and eating breakfast.  About 2 minutes into my walk with Dug, I realized when we got home, I would feed him, and then make a cup of tea and sit for a while before going further.  Which then made me realize I just had to call out sick.  I did so, and went back to bed.  Got up around 10 am and sent an e-mail to my doctor's office, and went back to bed.

Thursday and Friday were a kinda blur; I was exhausted, but would only be able to sleep for an hour or so, due to coughing, blowing my nose, and trying to breathe.  The meds the doctor gave me were making absolutely no difference, which didn't surprise me, because they never seem to.  But he always prescribes them first.

On the weekend, I called the doctor's office, and got the person on call, who was sympathetic, but suggested only adding some OTC things to the mix.

Yesterday, I was still miserable, and fearful that I had pneumonia, so I called the doctor's office again, and asked if I could please come in and have someone listen to my lungs.  Fortunately, one of the nurse practitioners had an opening, and as it was my husband's day off, he took me over.

What a difference.  She listened to my lungs, and said no pneumonia (Thank God!), rather I was having a severe asthma attack exacerbated by a bad cold, and then asked about the meds I had been prescribed.  I told her the long story, and mentioned that if I could have some cough syrup with codeine, I thought I could get a decent night's sleep, which would make me start feeling better far more than taking a longer course of pills, etc.  She prescribed that and a rescue inhaler.  I started as soon as I got home.

And guess what?  Last night I slept ALL NIGHT.  And today, I do feel better.  The nurse practitioner told me to stay put until Monday, so though I am not happy to be using sick days at work right off the bat, I feel like I'm moving towards being better.

I realize that codeine is a controlled substance.  But for me, it is *always* the only thing that works to allow me to sleep all night, rather than cough all night.  Every time, that has been the case.  But my doctor always waits until a week or more has gone by to prescribe it.  Which is so frustrating.

Although I still don't feel great, I do feel more rested, and like I'm on my way to feeling better.  Onward!