My year in review

Another year has gone by since I last blogged here.  Same as before, I just don't feel the need.  I love my home at the resort and it's a beautiful life, peaceful and calm.  I can do "calm".  I traveled a bit with Mom & little sis, Mexico was a highlight end of last October. I couldn't even swim 2 strokes in the pool there without much arm pain however, reasons described below.

I'm still recovering from a mystery illness.  Last summer I overstrained somehow.  My muscles and tendons were badly strained all over my body, mainly arms and legs.  I refused to take medication because the doctor & specialist didn't know what the prob was.  My doctor of several years retired in July so I'm with a new doctor after that time.  He's thorough and good but the diagnosis is undetermined.  It could be fibramialgia (sp) or even Lyme disease they thought, but I refused to believe it was anything more than muscle and tendon strain. 

September was the worst when I couldn't sit down on a chair without bracing myself with my arms for leverage.  After Mexico, at home in November, my Mom fell at her place and broke her femur.  A neighbor saw & helped her.

Mom took awhile to recover and was at a care home til the new year.  She's doing great for 87 years old - at her home now & mainly independent, driving again!  I put on many miles during the winter, back and forth to help her - now we're back to a more normal routine of weekly visits and daily phone calls:)  She's a great Mom!

I could finally sit on the livingroom floor and do my yoga from a sitting position in late February. Before that time I continued with a daily physiotherapy regime of my own, standing, twisting, bending.  I stretched my muscles at least a half hour each day to lengthen them, make my body stronger and to avoid muscle atrophy.  I feel about 85% recovered now.

My Spring planting is done in my flowerbeds and the garden out back:)  I'm working on my book series and a publisher is reviewing the first installment - let's see if it leads to a contract.

I have new friends here and old friends visit, too!  Everything is good.  I'm thankful and grateful for all I have and I'm glad I can still do things physically.  I'll never take those abilities for granted again.  In winter I had a drastic fear of falling on the ice because a fall would have been brutal on my muscles, unable to take the impact.  I now understand the fear people have when they have mobility problems and the lesson learned, bright side of this experience is to have more empathy and to continue to take good care of my health.  My physical body and mental wellness go hand in hand.  Thank you, God and angels.