Thursday, December 20, 2012

Squat Challenge

I learned of a squat challenge on Facebook. You do from 20 to 100 squats a day for one month. I'm on day four. I am looking forward to the rest of the month! I usually only do 45 squats a WEEK. This week I will do a total of 190, Lord willing. The schedule is written for squats without weights but for now I'm doing the squats with weights. Excited!
Dec. 17th: 20 squats Dec. 27th: 65 squats Jan 6th: 60 squats
Dec. 18th:  25 squats Dec. 28th: 70 squats Jan. 7th: 100 squats
Dec. 19th: 30 squats Dec. 29th: 75 squats Jan. 8th: 65 squats
Dec. 20th: 35 squats Dec. 30th: 80 squats Jan. 9th 70 squats
Dec. 21st: 40 squats Dec. 31st: 90 squats Jan. 10th: 100 squats
Dec. 22nd: 45 squats Jan. 1st: 95 squats Jan. 11th: REST
Dec. 23rd: 50 squats Jan. 2nd: 100 squats Jan. 12th: 80 squats
Dec. 24th: 55 squats Jan. 3rd: 100 squats Jan. 13th: 85 squats
Dec. 25th: 60 squats Jan. 4th: 50 squats Jan. 14th: 90 squats
Dec. 26th: REST Jan. 5th: 55 squats Jan. 15: 100 squats

Less fatigue?

This week I developed a schedule in which I’m only doing strength training three days a week. For about eight months I've been working on one body part a day, six days a week. That became too taxing with the medication I’m taking. I love my new gym routine. I think I was burned out from doing strength training six days a week.
I started the full dose of a medication for MS about four weeks ago. Sometimes I feel like I’m on chemotherapy. My hair is more thin and I have flu like symptoms and blah blah blah.
I changed the timing of the medication. I’m taking it before bedtime. If I’m at work on an injection day, I take the medication late at about 0300.
Wednesday I had a great day. I kept waiting for the fatigue to come and IT NEVER CAME. I was ecstatic. I had the opportunity to sort some old clothing that has been in my trunk since September! And I was able to drop it off to two friends. I loved the “Ooooohhhh!” squeal I heard from my friend Tina when her son told her I was at the door. I’m surprised she didn't think I was a ghost. I don’t go out usually any more due to fatigue. I was so happy to be out! I also dropped a second set of clothing to my friend Marie. They both live miles apart and miles from me. It was so good to see my sweet friends.
I think Wednesday was awesome because I had DOUBLE the protein I usually eat. I think I've been shortchanging myself. At some point, some months ago, I couldn't finish the eight egg whites I used to eat. I started eating only four egg whites.
So it may be that some of my fatigue has been due to lack of protein in the morning. So yesterday I had a veggie protein shake with hemp, brown rice, green peas, and chia seeds. Then later in the morning after working out I had four egg whites with green peppers, red onions, and fresh ground black pepper. I felt great the entire day. I had no fatigue until 7:30 PM which is a more reasonable hour to have fatigue.
I was not able to repeat that breakfast plan today because when I got home from the gym the kids made gingerbread houses. What a ridiculous lunch of Hershey Kisses, Life Savers, spice drops, and liquid filled gummy drops. I decided to do a modified fast for a few hours. I worked on finishing my gallon of water for the day. Then for dinner I had a double portion of salmon.
Tomorrow I will try that same breakfast I had yesterday and I will have CLEAN food!

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Changes

So much has changed. I'm on a full dose of disease modifying medication. It's an injection taken every other day. The needle doesn't hurt but the medication burns! The dose was titrated to full strength over time. I've been on the full dose since this past Monday. It makes me feel very tired. I have been experimenting with the best time to take the medication. I used to take it in the mornings and that was a terrible time to take it. The medication gives you flu like symptoms and so I was feeling so poorly for much of the day. I spoke to Titi, a nurse certified in MS and assigned to me by the manufacturer of the medication. One of the options we discussed was taking the medication at my bedtime if I'm off from work. If I'm at work I take it late, a few  hours before I leave at 0730.

I had to eliminate or switch some of the 24 sites for injection. It hurt so much in my abdomen and the top of my thighs. The medication was going in my muscle and not in the fat.  I am now giving the medication on the side of my thighs rather than the top of my thighs. I have a lot more fat on the side of my thighs. I'm going to try giving an injection on the bottom side of my belly rather than the front. The front I can't tolerate at all!

I visited my primary care doctor yesterday to discuss some peculiar lab results with him. I mentioned my fatigue from my medication. He decided to order a B12 injection for me. I think it helped. I feel better than I have been feeling.

So what's changed? A lot has changed. Some things are good and some not good. I'm very sensitive. I dislike a lot of stimulation and noise. I'm more cranky with my husband.  I am more confident about making decisions that protect my energy level even if that disappoints others. I'm reading more. I'm looking for ways to decrease stress. I am watching my favorite NBA team play from the beginning of the season. Go, Miami Heat!!! I'm watching more movies at the cheaper movie theatre where they show newer movies that haven't made it to DVD  yet. It's as if I'm creating a bucket list and actually working thru that list. I'm having to tweak my gym routine every week based on my symptoms. I'm listening to the easy listening station at home. It's calming.

One thing I dislike a lot is that I think I've only been to church about three times in the past seven weeks. I'm hoping my new medication schedule will allow me to attend church more.

What's great about all of this? I'm a better nurse. I'm more compassionate. I'm doing things I love to do that I never made time to do-going to see movies, reading books, and watching the entire basketball season. I'm still a bump off a log and that is great. I got some new gym pants and one shirt for my birthday! Yay! I love gym clothing. It's so comfortable. A lot of my old gym clothing got too baggy. It's fun to have new clothing.

Life is good and God is good.