Keep on Moving Thread: Sept. 2019

[Sunshine]

Today I swam 20.5 minutes: 666 yards.

[Virginia]

Doing good Sunshine!

[Sunshine]

Yesterday I swam 22 minutes 800 yards...

[agate]

Finally, my step count average for August (based on 30 days):

1,349

I'm shouting it because it's the highest average in the last 10 months.

[Howie]

Agate, you did great! You put me to shame!

[agate]

But Howie, you're always making long trips to grocery stores and other places! That takes energy. Driving a car takes energy. (Says the person who doesn't drive. Well, I did drive for a very short time--long enough to take a driving course. I've even driven on freeways. The driving instructor was always right by my side though. I do have an awareness that driving takes energy--and can be nerve-wracking.)

[Howie]

Driving can be nerve wracking even without having MS. What helps me is being so close to the store, and CVS, and the doctor I only see twice a year. I don't think I have 30,000 miles on the car, and it's a 2005.

[agate]

Being close to a store is good. Every time I've moved I've tried to be close to a supermarket, pharmacy, and it was nice if a post office and hardware store were within easy reach as well. A bank branch is also nice.

[Howie]

Yes, my bank is right there too. All within one block of each other. No wonder my car has so few miles on it.

[Virginia]

Well I am doing nothing but reading today. I did change sheets and do two loads of laundry.

However, yesterday I walked to mail box and back, then went to get hair cut and colored. Then drove to grocery store where I spent an hour just trying to find food to eat. Came home and made 3 trips from car carrying groceries, and put everything away. So got in a little walking.

[agate]

I did one load of laundry yesterday. I don't understand how doing two loads of laundry is doing "nothing," Virginia. That sounds like a lot, and you changed sheets too.

Yesterday it sounds as if you had quite a thorough workout.

By contrast, all I did today was to give a grocery list over the phone, get some more DVD movies from the mobile library here in this building, and go to a short meeting for the residents where I just sat and listened.

I also ironed a few tops and two pairs of pants. None of them needed much effort. The one item that is a pain to iron got set aside for another day.

On Sunday evening I actually went over the kitchen floor on my hands and knees with a wet rag and cleaned it. I found several more of the pills I dropped. I've been finding a few every day. They really flew all over the place.

[Virginia]

Agate, doing two loads of laundry for me is not the same as you because my washer and dryer is right here on the same floor I stay on. I just take the sheets off the bed and walk about 20 steps and put them in the washing machine and then dry them. Sometimes I do fold a few towels rather than use them again right away. Making the bed is the hardest because I have a cuddle ewe and I always turn it different ways every time I wash.

If I was going to buy a new bed I would get just a double bed. I don’t need a queen size like I have. I am cold a lot and I have to have a lot of cover so it takes awhile to make it.

[Sunshine]

Agate: You are an inspiration

Virginia, applaud yourself! You are more active than I am, you are less active than you used to be, but you have more disease burden now. You are doing as much as your body will let you do, and you are doing a good job listening to your body.

You guys see my swimming totals, but what you don’t know is that the rest of the day, I do not do much at all. ..and that’s okay, because it’s all my body allows...

Important message is that we try to move as we can, but we also know that we need much more rest than others do without disease, and that’s just reality.

[Virginia]

That was well said Sunshine. There are a couple on here who have pretty good energy and are able to get a lot done, but the rest of us do just require more rest. I am trying to get to a place of acceptance. Not one of giving up, but accepting what is reality for me.

[Sunshine]

Yesterday and today I swam 1/2 mile in 25 minutes. Next week, doc appts will ground me three days...