Where Have I Been???

Blog Post 4/24/2017

WHERE HAVE I BEEN???

It’s been a hectic and confusing six months!  And a series of events kept me from writing.  I did run into a few health issues and a life choice, all of which I had to tackle head-on.

The oddest one had to do with psoriasis.

This is basically a very, very itchy rash that shows up in patches on various places in the body—usually the scalp, around the eyes, elbow and knees, and something I’ve lived with for the past few years. But I was always fortunate. It was pretty much confined to a couple of areas, and didn’t interfere with my daily work or routines.  Until last December. Suddenly, it started showing up with a vengeance on my hands—specifically my fingers. And it was a really, really bad case. Nothing worked to help my itching, cracking skin. Not over the counter creams (and I now have a bin filled with them all!), or the prescription cream from my doctor. And I was miserable! And trying to use my keyboard with bandages wrapped around my fingers.  Which was a very slow slog to get a chapter done. I tried dictating—but you still have to input many corrections, and it’s quite a learning curve. And the fact is, I like to key. I like the clacking sounds, and to watch the progress of the chapter. Now the search was on. I finally did come across a cream, on Amazon that worked great!

So, success!

The next problem was the corporate projects I kept taking on. It had me spending long days working on a job site, and long nights in hotel rooms—usually just watching TV and sleeping. When I was faced with a choice of having to move to do a job I didn’t love, I decided it was time to follow my own passion—and write full time. So that’s what I’m doing now. Right after I solved the psoriasis-in-the-fingers problem. (yah!)

And I’m loving being at my writing desk full time!

The second health issue was a little more common—all those nights sitting around in a hotel, and days spent at a desk job with no breaks, meant a weight gain I should have kept a much closer eye on. So of course, the annual physical in December showed me straying into diabetes territory.  But unlike the psoriasis—which I had absolutely no idea what to do about—this problem had a solution: get healthier. And the formula for that is pretty simple. Like everyone else in this position, I’d love a quick fix or magic pill where I could just wake up thin with great eating habits. But—that wasn’t going to happen.

I had to find a way.

“The way” meant how to eat better and exercise more. Now, we all know how to eat better. That isn’t a big secret: low sugar, low carb.  I love cookies. I love tacos, for that matter. I love a lot of things that put weight on. BUT—sugar makes me feel crappy. It’s true! So, to cut it way, way down all I have to do is remember how bad it makes me feel a few hours later, and I don’t reach for that cookie. Carbs is more a: just keep working at it. And I got some help—I joined Weight Watchers. The meetings aren’t really what I was after.  But I do like the weekly weigh ins—it keeps me accountable, and the on-line app to do my food and activity tracking.

Eating healthier – check

Now the exercise.  I admit. I hate exercise. My favorite past time is to read. But—I’d rather keep living, so I figured it was more a matter of finding exercise I like (or at least am willing to do).  I’ve tried the treadmill/weight thing at the gym—didn’t care for it.  And the currently popular fad of Yoga. Umm.. I found out I wasn’t into the pretzel shape thing or the tree pose. It turns out I make a lousy tree.  But I did try Zumba (beginning—come one, get real), and I loved it! So, I now I go 2x week, and it’s great. I just ignore the younger women in their spandex constantly demonstrating their extra samba moves.  And stare at themselves in the mirror that takes up one, whole wall. But, I did the same thing at their age—you know that one where you look great in a wheat sack. I take comfort in the fact they will all be like me some day. I don’t every say that to my daughter. It scares her.  I also signed up for a Tai Chi class. No pretzel poses, just slow, graceful movements. That happen to also be a lot of work, and really does help me sleep better.  I go to two, half-hour circuit classes—because it’s only 30 minutes. And all those things have me exercising 5 days a week.  Works well. I’ve lost 25 pounds. Even better. All I need to do is keep with it—but since I don’t mind any of it, that’s a lot easier to do.

Perseverance is everything.

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