A Little Scare & Lifestyle Changes

 Every time I have one of my regular infusions, I have to have a blood draw to test levels of ... whatever in my body. Most times, everything is fine and I sail right from the lab test and into an infusion chair. Every now and then, one of the levels of... whatever is high or low or something, and the nurses will check with my doctor. The doctor will give the go-ahead for my having the infusion. Usually.

The last time I went in for my scheduled infusion, the nurses called the doctor and he did not give the go-ahead. 

What???

Less than 8
bucks for this

The nurse scheduled me for another lab test and an appointment with my doctor for that very next week. I don't do so well when my infusions are not done within every 7 to 8 weeks.

I was a little puzzled but I didn't get too shook up until the nurse mentioned that the problem was with my kidney function.

Oh, please, Lord, not the kidneys.

I went home and stressed myself to prayer, tears, and insomnia. I worried about my weight (I've put on a few pounds lately), and I worried about not drinking quite enough water. I worried about everything. 

I was in a higher than usual state of stress and anxiety all the way up to my appointment with the doctor. I went and had the labs done, then had to wait another hour until time for the appointment with my doctor.

$7.99
on Amazon

When the doctor came in and saw how tense I was, I think he was confused but he's probably used to me being weird. He immediately let me know that my labs looked good and that he would have my infusion re-scheduled quickly. He said that there had been a problem showing up with my liver on the day the nurse had called him from infusion, but it was fine now. He said that I had probably had some kind of viral infection that had cleared itself up in the meantime.

Well. Okay.

Not my kidneys, then. Oh, thank you, Jesus. what a relief. Whew!

Tasty but
so tangy

healthy
but, ugh!

But... my liver? What the heck? That explains why the nurse had casually asked about whether or not I was a drinker. If only she knew the sorrow of having lost an uncle and two exes to alcoholism. I might be many things but a drinker is not one of them...

I was relieved and kind of mad, then just relieved again. But I realize a need to step things up with my health. And, for once, I didn't just think about doing better, I've actually gotten into the game. I am about to turn 60 so if not now, when?

I now have one of those water bottles with the time markings on it. I empty that at minimum twice a day and sometimes more. I started getting out on the days I can and taking short walks - twice a day most days. I have cut back on creamy-sugared coffee I love and am drinking more tea - and not just tea but the healthiest I can find. 

I can always smell leaves
burning when I get to this block 
of homes

 Do I feel better? I don't know. I still struggle with fatigue. Contrary to what I've been told, walking is not helping to alleviate that. I do think that walking helps with my balance. I mean, I don't go walking on days when I feel off-balance, but my good days are better than ever. I've only tripped on the carpet a few times this week and I have not walked into door frames turning the corners. 

This is the shady
stretch & my favorite
part

One of the reasons that walking is such a challenge for me, even when my balance is good, is that I get anxious. I don't like walking through a lot of people or where there is a lot of noise or activity. I don't know why this makes me feel like laying on the ground and curling into a fetal position. It is what it is. Thankfully, I live in such a beautiful little town that there is plenty of space to walk without going near the crowded beach or park.

If I make it to this point,
I'm probably going to finish

I have gotten used to following a couple of different routes that let me get in a good 15- to 20-minute walk. I try to go before it's hot out or when the day has cooled off. Since I am such an insomniac, this works well.

Let's hope this is true!

There are days when I think I am addicted to the morning walk, then there are days when I have to fight my anxiety and depression to get out the door of my apartment.

Hopefully, I can keep this up. Hopefully, it will help with the weight and the moods. I did not walk yesterday. My fatigue kicked in big time. I couldn't sit up without feeling like my body was made of lead. Maybe one day, someone will come up with some cure for fatigue.

I think that maybe we sometimes need a good scare to motivate us. I wish I had had some kind of warning before I got this silly sarcoidosis. For now, though, I want to baby my kidneys. And getting my weight down is a good way to do that. Keep prayers going up for me, people.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Under Armour Shoes

As I have said over and over again, I have bad feet. My problem is that, when I gained all that prednisone weight, my feet went flat. Flat feet + poor balance = calluses. Calluses on the soles of the feet and toes make for very uncomfortable walking.

Because my balance has not improved (and my feet are still flat), getting rid of the calluses is only ever a temporary solution. I have tried every kind of insole that I could find anywhere. Some work better than others, but none really alleviated the pain. I have bought (and received gifts of) shoes that were supposed to be ultra comfortable. Nothing ever worked well enough (or long enough) to help.

When I was getting ready to leave Alaska, one of my "play" nephews wanted to give me an early birthday gift. He ordered shoes and had them delivered to my destination. Let me tell you what... I love these shoes so much that I have since ordered an additional 2 pairs. I am going to throw out/give away every other shoe I own. These are the shoes that I have been using all this first week in my new location:

They are actually a much darker pink & look better than the photo

That's the Women's Charged Bandit 2 Cross-Country Running Shoe by Under Armour.

For the first time in probably 4 years, I have been able to walk comfortably and for long periods without worrying about my feet. And this first week here has been the perfect test. I've been walking a minimum of 5 miles a day - before noon. In 6 days' time, I have been apartment hunting (and just finished the looong process of applying for the one I want), changed over most of my medical arrangements, and opened a local bank account.

My feet have not felt this good since I first got sick. I might not be able to do anything about my general fatigue, brain fog, or other general medical symptoms, but I can now be happy about my feet.

These shoes are so amazing. Just to look at them, you wouldn't think they were any different from most other good brands of shoes. The one thing that tipped me off that they might be something special is this part around the back:

That little rubberized piece of bracing gives great support, but it mostly just looks great. I figure that adding that touch meant the manufacturer cares about details.

The inside of the shoe doesn't look all that special but, boy... when I put it on and took that first step, I thought I might be dreaming. Still, I wasn't convinced. I put on both shoes and went for a walk around the courtyard of my brother's apartment. Now I was convinced.

I don't just like (or even love) these shoes, I need them. The apartment that I am applying to live in is in such a prime location downtown that most of my shopping and other business needs are within a few blocks. The bank that I joined is right across the street; the Woolworth-type mercantile store is a block and a half up the street one way while the library is the same distance in the opposite direction, and part of the lake/park area is about four blocks straight ahead. Oh, and there is even a small neighborhood discount grocery store nearby. Perfect, right? Since I don't have a vehicle yet and don't plan on getting one anytime soon, I want to take advantage of my surroundings.That means walking most places. The walking will also please my doctors.

I've been wanting to get more exercise and walking is the easiest (and cheapest) way. In Anchorage, this was not something that I liked to do - too much anxiety, traffic, crime, and stray animals. Here in my new town, the pace is slower. That apartment building is my dream location because it makes me feel like I can fully enjoy my surroundings.

These shoes... Man. I am so happy with them. I even splurged a little and ordered a second pair of the sneakers and a pair of the slip-ons for getting around the inside of the building.

(Can you tell how excited I am to be here in this place?)

So, yes, I am going to be telling every single person I know about this brand. If you have been trying to use insoles and other temporary measures to get relief, you must try Under Armour. I don't think I want to ever own another brand and I will forever be thankful to Randy for such a lovely gift.

Peace
--Free

New Addictions

Looks like I have traded my smoking addiction for new ones.

My Cessation Nation app tells me that I have been smoke-free for 71 days, 23 hours and 31 minutes. In that time, I have bought and used up about 22 candles. I can count the jars that I save to put my Starburst candy in.

Yep. Not only am I buying candles (they keep the air smelling so vanilla and fresh!), but Starburst "Favoreds" and the hard and chewy Jolly Ranchers have become my crack. Sweet, sweet moments of heaven...

I'm not crazy. Everybody knows Starbursts rock. Heck, they have a wiki page.

In case you are thinking that I only gave up one one bad habit for another, I can tell you not to worry. I have a third new addiction that works in my favor, despite all that sweet, sugary goodness going into my mouth.

Yes. Yes, I do have the best friends & family.

I've told you people before that I have friends and family that Verizon never heard of. Those 3 items up there are the latest gift from the roomie.

Since the 20th of last month, I have been walking every weekday. Not miles and miles, not over the willow and through the woods or however the heck that saying goes, but...

My neck of the woods ain't shabby

... I can get 2 miles if I make a few circuits through the neighborhood. With a view just as pretty as any willow or wood I've ever seen.

And apparently my family and friends are a lot more supportive of my fitness efforts than I imagined.

Yesterday, the roomie gave me a b.s. story about needing to make a run of errands and wanting my company. We hit Burlington's and split up while she looked for "some clothes" and I checked out purses. I lost track of her for about an hour. Then we hit Sears and split again. She was still looking for clothes and I was still checking out purses. I'm kinda into purses...

I should have been suspicious about it all since usually we chicks scrutinize clothing together. We are like a panel off of "Next Top Model" when we hit those fitting rooms. For some reason, she kept ditching me. Then,  when she did want my input, it was about tennis shoes. Wha-?

(I was busy looking at cowboy boots. Always wanted a pair because they make your butt look so tooted up there and cute.)

The cowboy boots were cheaply made & hurt. I got these cute booties for my niece's b-day tho!

Anyway, you probably guessed that this is how she sneaked and got me those workout gifts up there at the top of the page.

So, yeah, I have to leave this posting and get over there, light me an energy candle and learn how to use that Step-"thingie." I even have wrist weights to wear when I workout. How cool is that?

Peace
--Free

In the Homestretch

My 52nd birthday is coming up in about 4 months. I never thought I would be so looking forward to counting off another year, but I am.

My 49th birthday was spent with an abusive husband. I remember pretending I had a cold while I talked with family and friends calling to give their good wishes.

My 50th birthday was spent with people who love me, but this sarcoidosis came to visit a few days later. Sarc is not a nice guy. He likes to push your weakest buttons. The only guys who can beat that bastard up are the same ones who kind of punch you around while they are guarding you.

Birthday 51 saw me just glad to be alive. I found myself thanking God one day and cursing myself the next. I was a swollen, sobbing, neurotic bitchy mess of a woman. Fun times. If you don't believe me, ask my family, friends and doctors.

By the time I turn 52 (God willing), I am going to be a thankful, blessed and hopeful woman. If I keep up this exercising, I'm going to also be in the best shape I've been in since I was 45.

This right here is for my doctors who helped me get to this point.

Quit laughing at my "hat hair"

Because I couldn't get a great pic of what's on my phone, let me tell you: those are the stats from my last walk. Distance: 1.37 miles Time: 0:30:57 Pace: 22:39 And, oh yeah - I wore my ankle weights.

The map of the walk looks crazy because I just go up and down the little culdesac behind our apartment.

This might not seem like a big deal to anyone else, but when the Sarc hit me, I couldn't walk without supervision. I couldn't think straight enough to find my way to the corner of our street. God put in the hands of the best doctors ever. Look at me now. I keep this up, I might be able to wear some heels to my birthday dinner.

Anyway, this is my Thank You to God and to my doctors and to all the other folk who put up with me the past couple of years. I love each and every one of you and I will leave it at that. I get emotional too easily so I might break out into "Wind Beneath My Wings" or something!

Peace
--Free

NOTE: The app I used is Noom Cardio-Trainer