My friend SlugMom walks. I've always sort of envied people who exercise everyday and enjoy it. Not just because they enjoy it, but because they can.
I've had a minor disability for most of my adult life that causes me moderate to severe pain when I walk. I've had 13 surgeries to try to correct the issue, and I'm not in any hurry to jump back under the knife again to make it "better" when all the previous attempts have just made it worse. I even had one doctor tell me I had a finite number of "steps" left in each leg. So I have contented myself with doing whatever I could whenever I could and rejoicing in that ability. But part of me has always wanted more.
My disability has waned in these last few months. I've been getting around the house without my cane for the first time in at least 10 years. I've been off the triple-punch meds (NSAID/SSRI/pain med) since December, only taking the pain med when it gets bad.
We cleaned out the garage last week. We gathered up all the moving trash to put in one area for junk pickup. Hubby decided he wanted to junk his recliner because it's broken and getting dangerous to sit on - it tends to fall to pieces when reclined! So we moved that down to the junk pile as well. With the reorganized living room, we decided to bring up the treadmill.
That single action might have saved me from a heart attack.
We've had the treadmill in the garage for a very long time, but I haven't used it. But up here in the air conditioned house right there in front of the TV, it's too convenient to not use! I've walked every day but one in the past week for at least 30 minutes each time. Friday's walk was fast and a good portion was uphill and boy, did my lungs burn!
But, after walking for 30 minutes, I fall asleep for almost an hour. I did some research and discovered that means my heart is not in good shape. Dangerously so. I haven't had a single symptom that there were problems. I have a good resting heart rate, great BP, low cholesterol, all the "numbers" are good. That really lit a match under me.
Of course, knowing that tends to strike fear in my heart, and I certainly don't need that. Because, predictably, last night my legs rebelled against walking. I didn't start hurting until the last three steps, and quit immediately, but within 30 minutes of being done I was in such pain it took two pain pills to get me where I could sit still and relax and not writhe in pain and cry. And the crying was only 75% from the pain, the other 25% was the fear "What if that's it? What if I can't walk anymore? What if I can't exercise anymore and my heart gives out and I die and leave all these little sweeties without a Mom?"
I hate fear.
And I'm NOT going there again. I'm not going to get all hyper-spiritual here, but I believe that God has a purpose for my life and won't call me home until His purpose for me is fulfilled. If my job here is done (even if I think it's not) He will call me home and it will be fine. If He wants me to stay, I'll stay and it will be fine. Either way, I'm going to trust His plan for me and my family and not worry about what I can or cannot do to save my own life. Sure, I'll eat right and exercise when I can, and do what I know to do to take care of this body, but no more fear.
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Us girls gotta watch our figures!
Cavies' physiology is very similar to humans, that's why they are used in medical experimentation. That also means we suffer similar rates and causes of diabetes and heart disease. Part of the puzzle in preventing those illnesses is exercise, and another part diet. Now, my girls eat well. They eat more hay than anything else, which is just what they need. They only drink dechlorinated, flouride-free filtered water. Organic, freshly-washed and rinsed, dark leafy greens are the fresh food in their daily diet, plus treats of low-sugar veggies and very, very, occasionally a nibble of fruit. We even grow a garden for them, with wheatgrass, clover and lemon balm, an herb that helps Ash deal with her grouchies. Because they are caged, I can control their diet.
But, because they are caged, they get less exercise than if they were "free range" cavies. Those little hamster balls are very bad for guinea pigs and can cause permanent spinal injury and death, so that option is most definitely out. I can't force them to exercise, but in an effort to encourage it, I have designed the girls a figure-friendly cage.
The whole thing is made from those snap-together grid and connector things. I used the snap connectors to maintain even distances between the grids, but I also used plastic zip ties from the hardware store because those little connectors can fall off and make the whole thing very unstable.
The first story is three grids wide by four grids long and has lots of hiding places, room to be separate, play or snooze. The front left grid is a "door," attached with zip ties at the bottom and grid connectors at the top. We can swing the door down and invite cavies out for a snuggle if they want. This reduces their anxiety about being chased around and picked up when they don't want to be.
Each ramp was made by bending grid squares in half and attaching them to the sides of the enclosure with zip connectors. The second story is one by three grids and each ramp is two grids long, providing a gentle enough angle for easy climbing.
Now, it's not good for tender little cavy feet to be walking around on cage floors or grids, so inside both stories and the ramps is a piece of folded coroplast. Coroplast is corrugated plastic used for making signs. I bought my coroplast from a sign making shop. But, coroplast is pretty slippery if you have long nails, so I made a little blanket carpet.
I used waterproof mattress pads sewn to leftover pieces of colorful fleece for the "carpet." I left one edge unsewn from each piece so any dust or hay that gets between the layers can be shaken out. The bottom floor will eventually be one large piece and the second story and ramps will be a second piece all sewn together. Since this photo was taken I've already made an improvement: I added ties to the sides of the "carpet" to tie on the outside of the grids, much like a crib bumper would, just to stabilize the flooring a little more even during the girls' most rambunctious run.
As for the exercise encouragement? While the girls' favorite toys, snuggle spots and water bottle are on the bottom floor, the top floor is where the food is! Their hay, daily greens and occasional treats are all served "upstairs." No matter how lazy they are feeling, if they want food, they gotta go up, and if they want water, they gotta go back down.
Twice a day, usually around 7AM and 7PM, the girls zoom up and down the ramps and around the second story so fast they are almost a blur! The hay basket (made from a bent grid square) hangs over their potty corner (yes, one is potty trained, and the other isn't), and since cavies usually poop and pee where they eat, I rarely have to stand on my head to sweep up beans (beans are what we cavy slaves call the poops because they are hard and small, much like dried beans.)
The cavies live in my schoolroom/office, and have a very small space for themselves. Making the most of the available space, simplifying cleaning as much as possible and providing a healthy environment were the motivating factors in my design. It took me a long time to think this through, and I'm very proud of it!
But, because they are caged, they get less exercise than if they were "free range" cavies. Those little hamster balls are very bad for guinea pigs and can cause permanent spinal injury and death, so that option is most definitely out. I can't force them to exercise, but in an effort to encourage it, I have designed the girls a figure-friendly cage.
The whole thing is made from those snap-together grid and connector things. I used the snap connectors to maintain even distances between the grids, but I also used plastic zip ties from the hardware store because those little connectors can fall off and make the whole thing very unstable.
The first story is three grids wide by four grids long and has lots of hiding places, room to be separate, play or snooze. The front left grid is a "door," attached with zip ties at the bottom and grid connectors at the top. We can swing the door down and invite cavies out for a snuggle if they want. This reduces their anxiety about being chased around and picked up when they don't want to be.
Each ramp was made by bending grid squares in half and attaching them to the sides of the enclosure with zip connectors. The second story is one by three grids and each ramp is two grids long, providing a gentle enough angle for easy climbing.
Now, it's not good for tender little cavy feet to be walking around on cage floors or grids, so inside both stories and the ramps is a piece of folded coroplast. Coroplast is corrugated plastic used for making signs. I bought my coroplast from a sign making shop. But, coroplast is pretty slippery if you have long nails, so I made a little blanket carpet.
I used waterproof mattress pads sewn to leftover pieces of colorful fleece for the "carpet." I left one edge unsewn from each piece so any dust or hay that gets between the layers can be shaken out. The bottom floor will eventually be one large piece and the second story and ramps will be a second piece all sewn together. Since this photo was taken I've already made an improvement: I added ties to the sides of the "carpet" to tie on the outside of the grids, much like a crib bumper would, just to stabilize the flooring a little more even during the girls' most rambunctious run.
As for the exercise encouragement? While the girls' favorite toys, snuggle spots and water bottle are on the bottom floor, the top floor is where the food is! Their hay, daily greens and occasional treats are all served "upstairs." No matter how lazy they are feeling, if they want food, they gotta go up, and if they want water, they gotta go back down.
Twice a day, usually around 7AM and 7PM, the girls zoom up and down the ramps and around the second story so fast they are almost a blur! The hay basket (made from a bent grid square) hangs over their potty corner (yes, one is potty trained, and the other isn't), and since cavies usually poop and pee where they eat, I rarely have to stand on my head to sweep up beans (beans are what we cavy slaves call the poops because they are hard and small, much like dried beans.)
The cavies live in my schoolroom/office, and have a very small space for themselves. Making the most of the available space, simplifying cleaning as much as possible and providing a healthy environment were the motivating factors in my design. It took me a long time to think this through, and I'm very proud of it!
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