Keep on Moving Club: August 2017

[Virginia]

BBS, wonderful morning. So happy for you. Try not to think about the losses - you are doing too great to think of anything that is not a positive when it comes to swimming and surfing.

[Virginia]

No exciting exercising for me today. I got some stuff to clean and polish my hardwoods in foyer and hallway when I went to Bed Bath & Beyond yesterday. So I moved the area rugs and pads they were on and I dusted the floors real good and then I used this stuff and I was amazed at how good they look. It is supposed to clean and rejuvenate. I was satisfied. The only thing I had done in the 24 years I have been here is move the rugs and wipe the floors down with clear water. I was not expecting them to come out as well as they did. So I am going to have someone pick these area rugs up and take them to clean them. I might just look for some smaller ones and let the floors show up for a change.

Well anyway I did get that little bit of exercise.

[Sunshine]

Yes, you did!

[Sunshine]

Bbs, how did you get started surfing?

ANN

You might remember that in 2004, I developed lesions on my heart and lungs after injecting eight weeks of recalled batches of Avonex. When I was fighting my way back to health, I started to swim regularly. Within a couple of months I was swimming a mile every day, and I continued to do that until my attack in October of last year.

Anyway, one day on my way home from walking on the beach, I stopped at my favorite produce stand. I knew that the fellow who was waiting on me was an amazing and competitive surfer. So, just to make conversation, I said that the ocean was beautiful that day.

He responded, "do you longboard? ". I said that I did not surf...However, to show that I was not completely out of shape, I added, "but I do swim a mile every day" and he said, "well then you could surf!"

As I was driving home that day, "I said to myself, "I could surf! ". Now mind you, I had had a lifelong fear of the ocean and of sharks. I joke that maybe a lesion developed in my fear center of brain!

When I got home I googled"Surf instructors ", For my area. Six days later, I had my first surf lesson and I was hooked. That was six years ago.

I have been surfing over 400 sessions since then. I gradually put together a crew of middle-aged and senior women who also love surfing. The social aspects of surfing became as much fun as the surfing itself.

[agate]

What an amazing story! I'd have thought you started surfing at about the age of 10.

And I'd forgotten about the very bad Avonex reaction. Lesions on your heart and lungs??? Is that something that has happened to others on Avonex, I wonder? If so, I'm pretty sure I've never heard of it. Is there a fancy medical name for it?

[stillstANNding]

I remember that it was the bad batch of Avonex that was recall long ago. I think the Mayo Clinic dx her as having sarcoidosis and said it could be from that bad batch of Avonex.

ANN

[stillstANNding]

Forgot to mention my exercise done yesterday, Shopping day:

To MIL's and up 2 flights. We had tea and then down two flights and away we went. Then a peek in Homegoods. Not impressed. Quite the opposite.

The the Dollar Tree. The one where everything is a dollar. MIL likes to get cards there. Then next door to a hugh Stop & Shop. Good walking in AC on a very muggy day. ;-)

Then a drive and lunch at Chef Chow's in Brookline. I had hot & sour soup, spring roll, spicy & tangy green beans and brown rice.

Then Trader Joe's. Very busy. All of help seem happy, tho. Then we took MIL home and put her stuff away. (Include steps up and back down).

Next, Peter and I went for a few things at Whole Foods and a few things at a second Stop & Shop near home. Then he brought our purchases in and I put them away. Exhausting day!!

Slept well,
ANN

[agate]

ANN, I'd say you had a day and a half!

You must have had to get in and out of a vehicle 9 times, not counting the first and last times. That alone would be achievement, and you must have wandered around several stores, not to mention the stairs.

I'm exhausted just thinking about doing that much.

[Sunshine]

I agree! Ann, that's amazing :)

Yes, Mayo said it was from the batches of Avonex that had "excess aggregates " (protein in it). Biogen reported the defect to FDA and also told FDA it was harmless, so FDA issued a voluntary recall without doing its own research.

There was another gal on the board September1968 who also developed breathing problems on recalled batches. My guess is there were more patients impacted out there, but that they didn't realize it was from the recalled batches.

Also learned that some interferons do trigger an sarcoidosis attack. . Biogen said that it hadn't been shown in Avonex, so they did not put a warning on the package.

[stillstANNding]

I remember "September 1968." I also remember September, 1968. I was 18, just starting nursing school and my sister got married on the 7th.

ANN

[Sunshine]

Nice memories:)

I swam 25 minutes today.633 yards. Twitching started so I was five minutes short of half mile. Then went for groceries. Came home to a water mess. The A/C pump leaked into downstairs closet. Lucky DH was able to come home and do all the mopping up, drying etc.
it's frustrating not being able to do that. Then the shin and leg muscles stiffened up from the activity and tension. Dang it.

[agate]

BBS, not being able to do things and having to sit by and watch while other people exert themselves is miserable. I have a way of ending up pitching in anyway--and then spilling something disastrously or falling or getting too stupid to follow directions or reply to questions.

[Virginia]

Agate, I do what you do. I think part of this comes from living alone and feeling responsible for every little thing. Because everything is ours and others are doing for "us" we feel we have to do what we can, which in my case is often making things worse.

BBS, you still did really well on the swim time.

[Sunshine]

Thanks. I was rereading my surf blogs I keep, and the first time back to surfing I only could tolerate 4 minutes. Yikes!

[Howie]

Well I live alone, so everything that gets done is up to me. Sam does what she can.

I just finished a dreaded task, I cleaned the microwave oven. It sits on top of the fridge, so I have to stand tall to wipe down the insides. But I'm done, and it's shining like a new penny. I'll get to use it when I make my meal, but for now, I'm working on my third cup of coffee. See how I get so energetic?