Achy Breaky Creaky Self

Working From Home I’m alive and well after making much ado over my stint at the keyboard yesterday. But barely. I can honestly say that if I had been writing fiction, then I may have ended the day on a higher note, without the headache and stiff neck. Without barely being able to straighten myself and walk into the next room. I could have been writing a piece of fiction oozing with superfluous adjectives that make one wince in much the same way an extremely sweet piece of candy does. With a feisty character whose name is Alexandra or Fiona. Yes, perhaps something on the steamy side conjuring images of gazelle like bodies cavorting through the surf on a tropical island after an intense session of exertion — you know, at a spa. Uh, you weren’t thinking what I think you were thinking. Were you? Shame.

But still. Entertaining.

And after two very early mornings of strenuous walking — well, for me it’s strenuous — I could barely move after sitting here as long as I did. Tell me. Why is it that I can sit here and do what I want to do, and am not stiff and sore at all? Hmmmm…? Mind over matter, I’m sure. How pathetic. But I’m also exaggerating.

So today, I’m not going to sit here any longer than necessary. I’ll actually get in my car for a reason other than to carpool kids to school. I’m going to Target — the land of uber cool advertising and chic but cheap stuff to purchase that I don’t really need. I wander up and down the aisles with absolutely no purpose on earth other than to look at countless items I won’t buy. Sure, I have a list of the usual “have tos” to purchase, but I wait until the end to pick up those items. After I’ve perused the book section longingly. After I’ve cruised through the plants. After I’ve looked at the cookware, the gadgets, and the stationery. The towels. Candles. Sportswear.

I do need some sports wear. You know, for sports. Okay, so not sports. But exercise.

Yes, I still exercise, but you should see what I exercise in. To convince you, I’d offer to let you smell it, since I wear it more than once a week, but I’m sure you’d politely decline. I need to get back into some kind of a routine. The ocean water was less than lovely when I last swam because of waves, low temperatures, tons of seaweed and tourists who just stand in the water. They do. Plus, we had begun to ramp up the intensity of our swim, so I’d end up with my tongue hanging down to my knees after I got home, already dreading the next time we’d go. Then, the humid weather seriously kicked my butt (I would so not be able to live on the Right Coast or in the South, weakling that I am…) and I’ve had some issues with my joints — especially my wrists. And no, it isn’t because I’m typing. One hurts more than the other, and the last time I checked, my right hand wasn’t hitting more keys than the other. Yes, the keyboard is level with my wrists. Yes, yes, yes. To be honest, the soreness is probably yet another change related to hormones. Do you know how annoying it is to have to say that? I hate saying it. It’s like calling “uncle” or whatever that is when someone has you pinned. I give up, okay? Except I can’t.

I’ve been a bit resistant to finding out exactly why my body is feeling the way it does from one time to the next. I’ve never been one to dwell on aches and pains I may have except in the paragraph above… A headache rarely moves me to take an aspirin. I just grin and bear it, and always have. But I’ve also never had body parts removed, and it gives me the creeps to think about it — still. I’d rather ignore what I notice instead of acknowledging that concern hovers around in my mind with every change I notice. I’d rather not be reminded about how much in my body has been affected by the removal of those organs.

I used to understand when I was exhausted after a long and busy day at work. Even then, I’d deal with it understanding that I could get in bed earlier, or pay attention to my diet, make sure I was exercising, or quit my job! But this is different. I’m exhausted today and I have no reason to explain it. Yes, I got up at 6:30. And I spent some time outside trimming bushes grown over during the summer. But that shouldn’t make me tired. I could take a nap right now, and I’ve never, ever been one who naps. Remember napping in Kindergarten? Sheesh. I could never go to sleep like the other kids. I’d lay there on my towel from home staring at the ceiling tiles and watching the kid next to me drool and twitch until the teacher told me to go to sleep. And then I’d shut my eyes and pretend.

My knees feel better today than they did yesterday– but that’s because we didn’t do “intervals” during our walk yesterday morning, or the walking lunges that I know I will pay dearly for when I do them.  Ten of them.

My VBF is just stronger than I am. Plain and simple. She does it all and just keeps on ticking. I, on the other hand, feel like I’m whining when I say that I’m sore, or that my arm is throbbing as I walk, forcing me to raise it over my head to relieve the pressure. But yesterday was the straw. I vaguely remember my doctor saying something about glucosamine…so I finally decided to see what I could find about why I’m feeling this way, and what I can do about it.

It’s pretty depressing to read:

“You may feel listless, depressed, isolated, indifferent, unenergetic, weak, unable to sleep, or anxious. You may lose emotional stability and contentment, becoming moody, hair-triggered, prone to fits of tears for little obvious reason, irrational, impatient, lacking any self-esteem. You may have trouble breathing, experience irregular heartbeats, or experience anxiety attacks.”

Oh, and here’s a good one with respect to the effect of low estrogen on memory:

” You may know what you want to say, but the specific word just isn’t in your brain even though you know it’s one you know very well. You may forget or lose things, or you may get lost yourself, unable to remember how to travel a route with which you are familiar.”

Hmmm…yes, I’ve noticed this. In fact, it’s a bit scary when I’m driving somewhere and I have to think about where I’m going because I’ll just drive on auto pilot. Yes, I’ve done this before, and do remember doing it when I was in my late teens and early 20’s. But now? Feh. It happens all the time. No, I do not have ADD.

Ah-Ha! Look at this:

“Both physical energy and joint inflamation seem to be related to estrogen levels. When they dip, we may become physically fatigued beyond whatever sleep we’re losing to insomnia. We may also develop creaky, aching joints, stiffness after being still, and actual symptoms or exacerbation of osteoarthritis, especially in the knees.”

Ah, but validation is a double edged sword, isn’t it?

I am seriously going to Target. Either that or bawl my head off. I’m not one to feel sorry for myself — ever. But this is ridiculous. When I find some energy, I’ll figure it all out. In the mean time, I guess I’ll just keep looking for answers, keep exercising, and try to understand it all.

It’s not fair. I know. Life’s not fair. Hahahaha. Whatever.

Comments

6 responses to “Achy Breaky Creaky Self”

  1. That first bit counts as fiction!

    It all has to do with stress levels and related tenseness. [wow I thought for sure spell check would nail me on “tenseness” lol].

    Please tell me the MoH doesn’t find stinky sports bras hanging on the inside door knob of the bathroom… *cough* like I do on occasion… but if he does, ah well, I understand been there. :))

    Best thing for glucose issues = “food combining.” Trust me. Research this. You don’t have to stop eating what you enjoy, but you do need to learn the optimal ways to combine them in your stomach at mealtime so that your body extracts as much of the energy / nutrients as possible. It’s been a huge help in my life.

  2. I hope Target gave you some relief.

    Does wearing hot gloves work?
    I know nothing a bout them but a friend with joint problems always has aching hands and she wears these gloves she warms in the mircrowave and wears they make her hands feel better.

  3. Hey Dave, good to hear from you. I swear I responded to this comment yesterday, and now it’s gone. Go figure! Anyhoo — I’m going to take glucosamine for my joints. As far as I know, that doesn’t have anything to do with glucose levels in my blood….does it? I have read some on food combining. It’s very interesting. I’ll have to take another look.

  4. Hi Cooper. The gloves sound warm and lovely. I’m already wondering if they’re long enough to extend over my shoulders! Could be quite the next new fashion statement…I am curious about the gloves, tho–

  5. Glucosamine replenishes the “bounce” in the connective cartilage between joints, but I can’t help but think that it’s natural production, or availability in our bodies is at least somehow linked to our glucose efficiency, just because glucose is part of the name.

    I do know that your digestive efficiency can have massive influence over your whole body. But I don’t know if it helps with arthritic joints. :-/

    What steered me towards taking a closer look was when I read that digestion is the single most stressful and aging activity that the human body goes through. The less we eat, and the better quality of what we do eat, is directly linked to how long we live.

  6. Well, Dave — I remember in BioChem studying the glucose cycle, and understand the connection between complex carbs, energy, and overall brain maintenance, but am not sure about where glucosamine fits in. I’ll have to look around just out of curiosity since you’ve brought it up.

    Arthritis isn’t the issue from what I can tell, even though my mom has it really, really bad. It’s all connected to the immediate loss of hormones, from what I’ve read. Who knows. But I’ve got my artillery lined up on my bathroom counter and I’m ready for a fight.

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