Eight weeks ago when I started this spring’s edition of Run for God at my church, I knew I’d be in the walking program. (Last year I started on the 5-K running team and had to drop out halfway thru due to work schedules. And joint pain.) My goal this year: start more realistically and finish. About four weeks into training I hurt my back. Then it became Stroll for God … That was about as fast as I could go. Last Saturday, when I limped into the chiropractor’s office after our practice, he took one look at my gait and told me to lay off the walking for a couple of weeks.
Fortunately, swimming makes me feel like a normal human again and not a hermit crab. So, Swim for God it is until the doc releases me to walk again.
Today I had brunch with a dear friend after a morning of busy activity … Exercise and a chiropractic appointment. She brought me up to speed on all the cool stuff she’s doing, like organizing a retreat next weekend. Then it was off to do errands in a leisurely, no-stress way. … Just the way I’d love to live my life if only I could be one of the ladies who lunch! Working for the man has its perks (hello, generous benefits) but that 9-10 hour block out of the middle of the day can be a little trying. Like my dad always said, the only problem with work is that it’s just so daily. . . .
Crossing items off the to-do list is one of the best feelings in the world! I have a lot more to do but my computer at home has gone iffy, so I’m taking that as a sign I should relax now.
And many other things are going well… A friend who was in ICU was moved to a regular room earlier this week. Today she’s going home! A great praise.
Around here it’s all back treatments, all the time. Today I got the results of my MRI (abnormal disc extrusion between the L4 and L5 veterbrae – but yea, no surgery needed!), had more muscle work at today’s chiro sessions — yes, that’s sessions — got cleared by my doc and chiropractor to start Pilates on Tuesday and went swimming tonight for the first time in months. After my 25-minute swim my back felt fantastic. I actually walked like a normal person out to my car, instead of using the modified Charlie Chaplin impersonation which has been my preferred means of locomotion for the past two weeks.
It’s another go-round of serious back pain for ol’ Aunt Jim. Since March 8 I’ve been seeing my chiropractor for back pain. This is a 10 or 12-year-old injury which flares up from time to time. Usually a few visits to Dr. Jones-McCaw take care of things. But it’s been three weeks, and after making seven chiro visits in seven days, and sleeping in 45-minute stretches last night, both she and I knew it was time for my second MRI.
Today I called in sick and got the works done. First, the appointment with my family practitioner, a great doc who’s seen me through this before. He immediately sent me for x-rays. (Technology has progressed since my last set. Then I had to carry the X-rays from the lab to his office. Today they were digital. He just logged on and checked them.) After he saw them I got the news I expected – degenerated interveterbral disc – and we scheduled an MRI for 2 p.m. It’s still the same sensation of being in a washer during all the cycles … agitation, rinse and spin. I should get some results in about 48 hours.
Being unable to bend means certain lifestyle adjustments. I turned a long box sideways and put the cat’s bowl on the inner bottom side and grasp the top side to lower it to the floor. Getting into my clothes is a form of aerobic exercise and requires extra time. And my house is a mess. If I drop it, I literally can’t bend over to pick it up unless I grab a countertop and execute an Arabesque penchée. Surprisingly, that ballet move adjusts the weight on my lower back (especially my sacrum) so I can bend over. Otherwise, not a chance.
But whenever God shuts a door, he always opens a window. Now I have a great excuse for hiring someone to clean out my gutters!
I’m thrilled that I remembered my blog password. It has been too long since I posted…. my goal is to do a little more posting this last part of the year. Life got a little (read: lot) crazy at work back sometime in March … and I let the stress take over. During the family reunion the first week of September my cousin Tim told me he missed my postings. Thanks, Tim, for the gentle nudge. So, I’m back. More later on why it took me three weeks to post after the reunion.
For now – here’s a blog I want you all to visit. Nina Camic’s pictures of Wisconsin in the fall are beautiful. She came to this country as an 18-year-old au pair from Poland, and made her life here. Her blog “The Other Side of the Ocean” is tranquil and serene – a perfect way to end a Sunday evening.
I’m still not sure whether a Homeowners Association is a blessing or a curse. On the blessing side: our HOA has an all-volunteer board of neighbors who care enough about the neighborhood and keeping it nice to donate their time. On the curse side: I have to go to meetings of the HOA board. And then there are the rules which sometimes seem picayune. Tonight one of the board members was trying to tell everyone that no one should be able to plant flowers by their doors, because that didn’t promote a uniform look. Good grief! One of the board members has a virtual Garden of Eden right outside her door, so that suggestion didn’t go over too well. My next-door neighbor grows irises which shame me daily. She takes such good care of her property while I pat myself on the back for keeping the bushes trimmed down. And she’s 92, which doubles the shame.
But that HOA does manage to keep our fees low – and it made sure all the houses were re-painted five years ago. So, let’s call the HOA gift no. 23.
….somehow that doesn’t sound as romantic as “and all the ships at sea!” That was the phrase radio announcers of yore would use in welcoming the listening audience to their program.
The past week and a half has shown me that if I don’t write down my blessings each day then my attitude takes a plunge. I’ve seen and experienced quite a few blessings over the last few days … but the time to write them down has been elusive. (One more whine, then I’m done kvetching: when I come home from work, the last thing I want to do is sit in front of another keyboard and monitor.)
But there have been many blessings. And it’s time to make lists again….because not doing so has made my last week and a half a grumpy, out-of-sorts experience.
Blessing 17: Stepping outside tonight on my way to run another errand, I stopped and truly saw the gorgeous deep blue sky, half-moon and stars. It looked like Van Gough flung his paintbrush around South Carolina.
Blessing 18: Today was a beautifully warm (79 degrees!) yet breezy day. About 3:30 I was tempted to tell my boss we all needed to shelve work and go outside to fly kites. It was that kind of day.
Blessing 19: Last week I was grateful for my 25-minute commute to work, cause it gives me a chance to sing along to the radio. When the drive is almost all Interstate at 65 mph, and practically no stop and go traffic, then commuting is a pleasure.
Blessing 20: Saturday, Feb. 25, I participated in my first 5K walk of the year. I was expecting to take 75 minutes to finish, since I’ve never been able to sustain 3.0 mph on the treadmill at the gym. But I finished in 55 minutes. Yea me!
Blessing 21: A purring kitty who loves to sit by you when you’re at home.
When I revamped my blog with the theme of consciously looking for and writing down my blessings, my first thought was how am I going to write a post a day about this? I’ve had this blog since July of 2010 and I’d only posted 121 times! I’m slammed for time (activities, activities, activities!) and frankly, I HAD been in a bad place mentally for the past three weeks, ever since I was so sick.
But the more you start counting your blessings and thinking about the gifts – the more you realize you have. Funny how a slight attitude shift changes everything.
Some new readers have stopped by recently – and that’s what I’m grateful for today. It’s so encouraging to know others are reading what you write, no matter how short. Or rushed.
Here’s one new reader’s blog which just makes me smile: 50 Things Before I turn 50. Isn’t that a great title? Her latest post is about Love Lists – making a list of all the things you love about your home. She’s taken pictures and posted them on her blog, along with the stories behind each item.
Everyone: go check out this fantastic blog: Bucket List Publications. Lesley Carter shared an inspiring story of surviving her first day teaching school – the story isn’t what you think it is; it’s not a commentary on disrespectful teens. Go read it! And check out her bucket list giveaway. As soon as she gets $5,000 in donations she’s going to start making bucket list dreams a reality for some lucky readers.
And for lagniappe, one more blessing I just remembered from today. No. 14: “The Big Bang Theory“. I worked out long enough on the treadmill today after work to see an entire 30-minute episode. Love me some Sheldon, Howard, Rajesh and Leonard!
Today’s gift: not having to do laundry tonight! I’m so glad that everything got done this weekend – and I actually have time to think about something besides chores. Between chores, working, club activities and running errands, sometimes I feel like the proverbial hamster on the wheel.
But’s that really another blessing (No. 11) – having so much to keep me busy. As often as I get stressed over my schedule, it’s so much better than not having anything to do at all. Lots of great stuff is happening this week. I’m getting together with the girls tomorrow for Singles Awareness Day (that’s how we’re cheerfully dealing with it.) Dinner and a movie! Wednesday, I’m meeting with representatives from a local college about starting a community Toastmasters club on their campus. When that happens, I’ll get club sponsoring credit. And we’ll be spreading lots of Toastmasters enthusiasm to a whole new group.
It is wonderful to NOT have to go into work today. Quite a few of my coworkers are implementing a major project code release today – and they’re at the office. One woman told me she’d be there from 8 to 4, another said she was supposed to be there from 10 to 6, but it would probably be more like 6 to 10! I’m so grateful I have this Saturday to take care of my stuff. Not that I have an entirely free day to loll around as I wish – not at all! The minute I quit typing and press enter I’ve got to start moving, list in hand. But it’s my stuff getting done and not the man’s – hurrah!
(And one thing on that list is coming back to my blog today and explaining what I mean by my list of gifts in my last post. All will be explained later today!)
Notes from Aunt Gem 