Really?

Just when I was thinking that I pretty much have met my quota for doctors, now I get to see someone new. Seems that in the middle of having the virus from hell, dealing with the side effects from the medications to combat said virus and coping with the usual fallout of my MS symptoms which show up any time I get sick...
what they thought was a related symptom is...not.  Apparently, I have TMJ (Temporomandibular joint disorder) If you have it, you probably aren't allowed to try and say it. I've been told not to eat anything I have to chew (wow, that sounds...bland) and not to yawn, talk much, or open my mouth wide for any reason. (Shut up, I'm not going there.)  Needless to say, I'm thrilled. Seriously. I really needed something else wrong with me.
Okay, enough whining. Good news, I guess, is maybe I can push myself to drink those diet shakes for lunch, and eat healthy alternatives...maybe. Who knows? Maybe I'll lose a few pounds. It will force me to relax (de-stress) to some extent, like it or not. Not that I have time to, of course, but I'm going to try.  Meanwhile, I did have a fairly active day, working on my garage (AKA The Black Hole) and hopefully I didn't hurt my back doing so.  I have decided to try and write here more often, so I apologize if I'm rambling, I think I just need to get back into the swing of it all.  Thank you for stopping by and wish me well...please.

Caren E. Salas


Photo: tmj-solution.blogspot.com

Starting Again

Well, my sincere apologies for neglecting this blog for so long. April and November tend to be my busiest poetry months, but now the April Poem a Day challenge is over so hopefully I can pay attention to all my blogs.
I continue to struggle with my health, still feeling the residual effects of the 3 different antibiotics I was put on, and the sleep deprivation I had while I was sick.  That said, although I'm not about to jump right in where I left off, I'm not starting over either. I don't want a "do-over". My plan, actually, is to pick myself up, dust off, and continue on. I may have to limp along for a while, but I'm certainly not going back to the starting blocks. This, by the way, is my life: a constant battle of trudging uphill, tripping, falling, sometimes having to rest a bit, and then getting going again...and again....  Still, there are a lot of others with the same condition as me, who are much worse off. If I can walk, talk, see, am not dropping (too many) things, and I'm not carrying a cane or sitting in a wheelchair...I'm having a pretty darn good day.
So here I go again. Wish me luck, friends. Say a prayer. Cross your fingers. Include me in your meditations. Whatever works.  I'm just going to start by trying to walk every day a little bit, and go back to drinking lots of water. (I've never been a big water drinker, so it takes a conscious effort.) I'm just taking one step at a time, trying to be proud of my accomplishments as I go along. Who's coming with me?

Caren E. Salas


(If by any chance, you want to check out my poetry go to   http://carenwrites.blogspot.com/ )

Distractions and Life

Okay, well it's been awhile, and I apologize. Part of it, is that I've been sick, and honestly I'm not 100% quite yet. The other reason I've neglected this blog a bit is that this month is National Poetry Month, and for the past few years I've participated in a "Poem a Day" challenge presented by Robert Lee Brewer on his website "Poetic Asides".  My writing and posting tends to get focused mainly on my poetry and all other writing falls by the wayside.  However, seeing that now, I have to make up for time lost while I was sick, I felt like I should post something here, if for nothing else, to get my bootie up and going again.
Exercising and keeping healthy is difficult for anyone I think. Aside from those people lucky enough to have made it a lifestyle from...birth, most of us have to make a conscience decision to eat right, work out and make other healthy choices. I think the hard thing for me is that I feel like I never get ahead. Just when I get motivated and start some sort of program, something happens to gum it all up. Some event, illness, or unexpected situation seems to derail me. Then I have to brush myself off, and start all over again. Does this mean I should throw in the towel? Nah. You see, one thing I have discovered, is that although sometimes I feel like I'm running in place, at least I'm no longer falling backward.  So there's my inspiration. I'm better off than when I started. So now, after being sick this time, I'm not starting over at the beginning-beginning, but at a new starting point. This works for me. It may take a long time, but eventually, tomorrow will be a much better day.
Until later...


Caren E. Salas

A More Pressing Incentive

Let's talk about "No Brainers" for a moment. I needed incentive to do a little more walking, and really, I didn't have to do anything more than to look out to the street outside my house. There, my gas guzzling SUV sits hungry for another $100.00 fill-up, which by the way, won't even fill it up.  Having four kids, and the fact that we go to Yosemite every other year or so (luggage for six), we can't exactly go out and get a Smart Car. Unfortunately, even though there are grocery stores within walking distance (sort of) I'd have to have a rickshaw or something in order to get all the food back to my house. There are, however a number of errands that I can walk to, and let me tell ya', if gas prices don't improve, I'm going to be walking a LOT more. The problem that arises for me, is the matter of time. It is much faster to jump in the car for that one little item I need at the store, and in some cases I really don't have much choice. I have decided, however, that I am going to make more of an effort, when I do have the time (and reasonable energy), to walk wherever I need to go. It will save us money, and it won't seem so much like "exercise". Sometimes you have to fool yourself. If I tell myself I'm walking to get exercise, it's easier to say that I don't really feel like exercising today. If I tell myself that I'm saving gas money, then I really have no excuse. I'd rather know that this week I can actually pay all the bills. Funny how that works. Hopefully, if some day the gas prices (by some miracle) do go down, I'll be so used to walking places, it will just be a happy habit. One can hope. Until later friends...



Caren E. Salas

photo by William Salas

Incentive

Well, the aforementioned allergy attack from hell ended up giving me laryngitis. That was almost a week ago. I think the last time I wrote, I was feeling the beginnings of it, but passed it off as just being a little hoarse. When "hoarse" turned into squeak, and then squeak into barely a whisper, I knew it wasn't good. I did see a doctor who said it could be a virus, but she didn't really see any other signs that it was, and didn't see any signs of it being anything more serious. Good news, she did give me something for my cough, which is primarily at night, so I can sleep. My body apparently feels the need to do some last ditch drainage about mid morning that throws me into a violent coughing fit, but then I'm pretty much done. I'm still moving slowly, but I'm moving and that is good. The National MS Society's current slogan is simply "Move It". I need to needlepoint that onto a pillow and sleep with it every night. (If I had ANY idea how to do that, or, for that matter, the time...)
So...getting to the point. What made me actually leave my house and take a nice, fairly long walk? Was it that instead of putting jeans on to take my kids to school this morning, I put on sweat pants? Well, that might have helped a little, but that's not it. Was it a deeply rooted NEED to finally do something healthy?? No. What got me going this morning was...free stuff.
My daughter works at the Disney Store, and told me, that in celebration of their 25th anniversary, the store was giving out free mouse ears to the first 250 guests. Who wouldn't want that? So, since I can barely afford to drive my gas guzzling monster of a car down the street, I decided to walk to the mall. Not really far, but farther than my norm. Of course they ran out right before I got there, but I didn't regret going. Hey, I did still get a button.  :) At the very least, it got me moving. I think my dog was a little disappointed that he didn't get to go, but I did go in the backyard to play fetch with him when I got home. He ran after it twice...and figured that was enough exercise for the day. Whatcha' gonna' do? He's an old guy.
Until later...

Caren E. Salas




Photo:  chicagofree.info

Day...oh heck, I don't know anymore.

I've decided to give up on trying to keep track of how many days I've been on my little journey toward a new, healthy me, especially considering I'm hoping it will be a lifelong goal.  Sorry, it's been a few days since I wrote anything, but I haven't been feeling well. It's mostly due from lack of sleep, but also because, for whatever reason, my allergies have decided to attack me with a vengeance normally reserved for serial killers and child molesters, neither of which, you may be relieved to know, I am.  Unfortunately, because I am on so many medications, I tend to avoid any extra meds that might interact or counteract with those. (Speaking of which I also found out this week that  some of my recent health issues were actually being caused by my meds which, thankfully, are being adjusted.)
I've been trying to at least walk a bit, and well, aside from last weekend, stay on my healthy diet.  Today I do plan to take my rugrat for a walk. Poor little guy, he's probably got cabin fever because I haven't taken him out all week. I think it's a fair guess that if I'm feeling cooped up, he must be too. So off I go. Hopefully I can get back in the saddle, and get my exercise "program" back on a regular schedule.  Wish me luck. It's hard to get healthy when you're sick all the time. Dang! I guess I have to just keep trying and believing that (wait for it...)
Tomorrow will be a better day.

Caren E. Salas



Photo:  healthgeeksonline.com

Day 48 - Wish I Could Say...

I wish I could say that I haven't written because I've been busy working out or having some adventure, but no. I know what you all are thinking, and sadly, you are correct. I have totally fallen off the health mobile. It's been a busy and rough last few days. We had a party for St. Patrick's Day which was fun, but messed up my entire schedule and eating plan. If I could count running around to six different stores for various supplies as exercise, then I'd be in business, but somehow, I'm thinking...not.
So here it is Monday, and I'm a little bit down. It's partially because I haven't really gotten enough sleep, or for that matter slept well when I did. It's partially because I ate and drank way too much (but no I wasn't drunk or anything, just not exactly drinking "light" beer.)  And partially, I'm just frustrated with all the stuff I need to do and the lack of time and energy to do it. Same ol', same ol'.  I did take my little dog to "Dog Beach" yesterday, so I got a little bit of a workout getting in and out of there, and playing with him. Today, if I can go for a walk with him I will at least feel like I've accomplished something.  Meanwhile, I have some minor emergencies to deal with and common pains to contend with.  I think I can honestly say, tomorrow will be a better day. It has to be.

Caren E. Salas