Keep on Moving: July 2019

[stillstANNding]

I was just thinking about you and surfing yesterday. So glad to hear that it’s still on the schedule. I look forward to your ocean days.

ANN

[Virginia]

Funny, I was also thinking about the surfing and wondering when you were going to come up with a plan to try it. I felt at sometime you would.

[Sunshine]

Today I swam 800 yards in 22 minutes, then I rested, then an appointment and stop at produce stand and then Home. Then, rested in bed for 2 hours. ...

On Sunday I plan to meet up to surf with 9 crew members plus others, to surf and celebrate so many milestones that occurred in our crew over the past couple of months.

I made my get ready for surfing list. So far, I have accomplished reconfiguring the seat so that my longboard can fit in the car, putting my surfboard bag lying flat the length of the car, Taking out some superfluous space hoggers, take down my plastic saw horses so I can lie the board on them after surfing to hose off the salt really well.

I got down my beach bag and located my water container, zinc, sunscreen, ear drops, jellyfish sting drops, a bit of cash. In a few minutes, hoping to put the towels in the car and find my surfing outfit: rash guard, bikini, neoprene capri pant vs boardshorts, and after surf beach dress.

I already put a towel inside my car cooler for meds ai keep in the car and my take to the beach cooler for ones I keep on the beach. I packed my crew’s flag to attached to the back of R2D2.

Tomorrow I will pack up enough muscle relaxant meds for the day, and emergency spasm rectal Valium gel, where they need to be in the coolers. Set my alarms for Sunday morning wake up. Write out instructions to myself on when to take what.

Its funny, I am dreading this. It is so much effort physically in my crippled condition, and the whole scary thing of being out there in the water and on the beach. DH will be there. I can bail whenever I want.

[Virginia]

Sunshine, it is a lot to getting ready for this. Maybe the next time it will be easier since it will not be the first time this season. You will be fine because DH will be there.

Today I went to Doctor appointment which is almost 15 miles one way, left there and came back over my way and went to grocery store, then to pharmacy to get medicine, then to restaurant to pick up food for tonight and tomorrow night and finally home. I did get in a little walking today, in the grocery store, going in and out of pharmacy and in the restaurant. I then brought 3 loads down my walkway and into the house and put everything away.

[Sunshine]

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What a story of grit and determination by this teen whose limbs were blown off in war and her mental and physical struggle to play Paralympic ping pong. She is an inspiration.

[Sunshine]

Today I swam 825 yards in 23 minutes. Still packing for surfing and am face to face with how ill I am and how awful life has become.

[Sunshine]

I went surfing today! I packed everything up over two days, so the morning of, there was little to secure. I took the Ativan at 6:30am since we were arriving at the beach at around 7:40.

I was pleased that the wheelchair was actually at the beach locked up in time of my arrival, so no wait was necessary. I also reordered how I did Linzess today so as to not have a very uncomfortable and potentially embarrassing time of it. So far so good.

By time DH pulled me to the beach and my crew picked my stuff up including board, two coolers for emergency med, and my surf stuff, it was 8 am when we paddled out. But first we had our celebration moment for one of the crew . It was fun!

Then we paddled out. The water was warm, 82F, air was 79 at first, partly sunny, minimal wind. The water was pretty glassy with waves knee to thigh high— perfect for me!

I lasted 2 hours in the ocean with only a 5 minute break at the end before paddling back out for a few minutes.

I had 4 terrific waves, did a great pop up and felt the floaty feeling as I rode the wave standing for a decent long ride. I love that the locals hoot and holler— they know what’s going on, and have watched my worsening and determination.
And theyre older too, so they get that part of life.

I couldn’t believe how long I could paddle around. Our crew spotted a manatee and an eagle ray cruising along the lineup.

So, all I all, it was a super fun day, one which I hope to do again soon if the waves, friends and DH line up :)

[Howie]

I really admire your effort to do what you love. It sounds like a fun day!

[Virginia]

So glad it turned out just as it did Sunshine. All that worry turned out to be for naught. How often do we do that to ourselves? I know I do it a lot. I am very happy for you.

[stillstANNding]

I am so proud of you for overcoming so much to do this again, Sunshine. I love surfing through your eyes.
ANN

[Sunshine]

Today I swam 800 yards in 22 minutes. Then, a doc visit, a grocery visit, and then cook a Thai Curry meal, and get the weeks pills together.

Bit off a little too much. Tomorrow will be quieter.

I am feeling it in my muscles from the surfing— It’s clear that these muscles became dormant after missing so much surfing. I recall the very first time ever I surfed, back in 2011. I went home and stared at the ceiling all day: was spent in a good way. ANd then muscle ache all week— and at that point, I had been swimming a mile a day. Surfing takes incredible fitness.

[agate]

This is my idea of a big achievement--moving 6 plants and 2 stands about 15 feet across the yard so they'll be out of the way of the painters for the next month or so. I planned this out in advance and decided that the really hard part of the task was lifting the potted plants off the ground, where they would need to be while I moved their stands over to the fence without them on it. There's no place to set them except on the ground. But I brought out the rollator and a stepladder and used them as surfaces to set the pots on while they were waiting to be re-established by the fence.

On Saturday (temperature less than 85' in the shade) I moved all of them over.


I've had to do this before. When they work on the building exterior, everyone has to move things from their patios.

I took the stands across the yard first, It's a short distance but the terrain is uneven with rocks, tree roots, and dips in the ground. Actually I tilted and rotated the bigger stand so as not to have to lift it, then angled it so it would fit behind the tree.

I thought I could trundle each plant over on the rollator but I promptly spilled one onto the ground. I put it back in its pot and the next day I got around to replacing the spilled dirt. It should be all right.

So I carried the plants over, one at a time, and they're doing fine. I might have to move them again if they're in the way of the ladders and the cherrypicker that are going to be here.

Walking on uneven terrain is difficult for me nowadays. I feel as if I'm going to pitch forward at any moment but once again I did this without any major mishaps.

EDITED TO ADD: I had two photos here yesterday but they're gone today. I don't know what happened to them but there must have been some kind of a problem--they might have been oversized. So I edited the post.

[Virginia]

Sunshine u are the person who has the strength, stamina and determination to do this.

[Virginia]

Well Agate, talk about determination and resourcefulness and you certainly have your share. Good job. I can’t walk well on uneven terrain either, so I know this took a lot.

[Sunshine]

Today I swam 1/2 mile 24 minutes, went to Quest, home, and will relax the rest of the day. Finally a day of no appointments other than quest, no shopping for food, no need to cook as it is day two of Thai Curry I made yesterday....