Jayniana Jones

The weekend had lots of driving and being on my feet. Saturday I went with my dad on a day trip that resulted in about 8 1/2 hours on the road. It was nice to spend time with him. He's healing from the loss of my mom and is doing as well as he can. He's shopping for the perfect Jeep (Rubicon with all the off trail setup) so we did a lot of chatting about Jeeps and the different models. Sunday I worked the coffee bar at church, ran some errands, and, after lunch, I decided to geocache for the afternoon. I haven't geocached for nearly 2 1/2 years because of my crutches and foot paraphernalia (I'm not a fan of park and grabs). It felt good to march through the woods. Although I learned I'm not the person I want watching out for me. I set my timer so that I wouldn't exceed my 40-minute walking limit. It's debatable if I even had that considering my morning on my feet. When the timer when off I reset it because I just wanted to get the cache 300 feet away... I found the cache but hobbled back to the car. That evening we saw fireworks and I walked another 30-minutes. I didn't think much of it until afterward when I couldn't walk all the way to the car. Monday I need to slow down. My foot wasn't happy this morning. I ignored it and did some chores. By mid-afternoon, I iced twice. I planned to do my workout this evening and ended up able to do a 10-minute walk, followed by 20-minuntes of icing, and a floor yoga session. I'm a bit irked with myself because I know my injury isn't something I can ignore or power through. Thankfully, I have nothing left to do today that requires my feet. Comfort Zone Progress: -My "meet with a stranger" date is set for July 13. Gulp. -My families passport applications are filled in and printed (it took me six tries to get all my information correct because I wouldn't see my typos until I opened the PDF). Geesh. I had a good laugh about it once I walked had the final copy. Our lovely portraits will be taken tomorrow because everyone will be around. Then Wednesday (if all goes well) we'll take a field trip to the County Courthouse. Intentional Time: Over the weekend I didn't keep track because most of the time it's about doing fun things with my family members. Today (Monday) I managed 2.5 hours.

Thanks. I went and listened to the song just for good ol' times sake. The way you describe them I'm glad they aren't near me. I'd probably do the same as you and get really creative with why I need just one more bite. Pure culinary works of art are the worst kinds of temptations. I'm a pretty normal person but I swear really good cupcake places have voices beckoning me to come inside. Luckily, my favorite cupcake place is an hour and fifteen-minute drive. Yes, technically it is yay for willpower too. However, my love for a good cupcake runs deep. Thanks for following. Excellent suggestion. I decided after July 4 to set my mornings as my work time and my teens will have to wait until after lunch to disturb me. I might have to issue an "or else" just to make them laugh strike fear into their hearts.

Thanks for the tip. This may be a peek into how far into the boonies I live. I looked into this option. I can print the application from home, but the only place I can process my passport stuff is with the County Clerk (about 30 miles away from here between 8am-2) or in the next city over (a 45-mile drive) at the post office. Our post office and library don't have the resources or manpower to handle passports. Gotta love small town living.

It looks like your challenge will be intense at times but very focuse. I'm following along.

It looks like you have a well thought out plan. Gold stars for leaping in and not procrastinating. You'll only get more encouragement if you post updates before the challenge officially starts.

Thursday: My workout was a 40 minute speed walk with Buddy. I logged about 2.5 hours writing and .5 hours painting. Friday: I took a me day once my hubby got back from his morning radio show. It was nice to be by myself and go at my own pace in stores. The one bummer is I had planned to get myself a cupcake but I listened to a fitness podcast about overeating and lost my desire for one. I went into the shop planning to buy one to take home and walked out with nothing. Yeah for zero calories, but boo for skipping a yummy cupcake. I did a 30 minute walk and a 30 minute Pilates workout. I managed to get 2 hours of writing in as well. I heard back from the stranger I contacted for a meeting. She is excited to meet me. We're coordinating dates. It turns out we live very close to each other. I feel calm at the moment, but I expect to freak out the day we meet.

My plan is to post updates on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I may have to adjust the schedule but consistency could be my friend (do you hear that brain?). Tuesday: I did a 45-minute workout. It included a warm-up, 3-rounds of squats, 3-rounds of lunges (a lot harder than I expected because I hadn't realized how much the ankle and calf muscles are used to hold the leg in place), 3 rounds of balancing on my left foot and then my right foot while looking around the room - 20 seconds each round, 50 bicycle crunches, and a cool down. I also experimented with some relaxation techniques: isometric release, alternate nostril breathing, and compassionate touch (a very simple form of Reiki). I also completed a 40-minute walk with my Australian shepherd. Intentional time: 30 min. Being intentional is going to take practice. I had squeezed in 30 minutes (not counting my workout) before I had to go pick up my teens from work. The rest of the day was eaten up by clients and family. Pushing my comfort zone: I printed out the passport applications to fill out for our family. I'll need posterboard for the passport pictures. Printing the applications was a great stalling technique because it took longer than I thought to read the information. Unfortunately, I can't send the paperwork through the mail. -------------------------------------------------- Today was nuts. I spent most of it as an unpaid taxi driver and waited in the hospital for my grandma's cataract surgery to be complete. There were some minor issues so we were there longer than anticipated. I managed 2-20 minute walks today. It would've been a 40-minute walk the first round if there hadn't been a tornado warning issued. A tornado touched down about 30 miles from us. The storm passed over us with heavy winds but thankfully no twister. This is the third tornado in the last year that has touched down close by. A previous one was 7 miles from our house and did damage for five miles. Luckily no one was injured. Intentional time: 1 1/2 hours (not counting my workout). As a side note, my intentional time includes starting a freelance writing business because I think I can handle a 20-hour part-time job in my messy life. Hopefully, my numbers get closer to this threshold as the challenge continues. Pushing my comfort zone: I contacted a stranger via e-mail with an offer to meet at a local cafe. This is someone a friend told me I'm supposed to meet because she loves to write and loves the outdoors. It felt odd to send an e-mail saying "Hey, you don't know me but do you want to meet in town?"

Thanks. The comfort zone one makes me nervous, which I figure is a good sign. Thanks. Every day I wake up expecting a fluke with my foot and then filled with gratitude that I can move. I know the challenge doesn't start for another week, but I'm already finding it hard to be intentional. I blame it on my teens because I drop everything to help them. Thanks. I wish I had known sooner that I just had to introduce my brain to my leg. It could've saved time and cash.

I like it. I wasn't sure if you had created it or not. Nice work. What paints do you use?

I skipped last round of the challenge because... well, because. The previous challenge I had participated in, I had accepted that I'd be using crutches for at least another year (I already had nearly 9 months under my belt - plus two months from ACL surgery). Then I met a magic chiropractor the same day I had met with a surgeon to schedule foot reconstruction. The chiropractor made some tweaks and adjustments. If my leg hadn't been so atrophied from not being used I think I could've walked out of his office without crutches. However, I walked 2 miles two days later with my crutches slung over my shoulder on the return trip. It has been six weeks and I have very little pain (the pain is from days when I overdo things). My biggest problem now is holding myself back because I'm super excited to return to normal. I'm not exactly sure what happened. What exactly the chiropractor did so that I could walk without pain and swelling? His reply was I had damaged a part of my brain from a climbing accident I had 20 years ago and he was helping my brain remember that I had a left leg. It's a similar rehab used for people who have strokes. So with the second chance, I want to make sure that I live with more intentionality. That is what this round is about. I plan to: - Continue rebuilding my body. I'm currently doing an upper workout with dumbbells, pilates with a lower workout (I'm allowed to do 3 sets of 3-5 squats and lunges), something cardio (I can walk, bike, or run 40 minutes per day), yoga sessions on the floor or in a chair, and chair cardio. I don't have a set schedule but I'm trying to do weights a minimum of two times a week. Right now I base my exercise on how I feel pain-wise. I push my limits. - Remove pounds. Since my visit to the magic chiropractor, I have removed 5 pounds. I have 25 to go to return to my weight before my first ACL surgery. I don't want my weight to be my focus, but I can't ignore that it's a tangible goal I'm working on. I'd like to keep the trend of removing half a pound to one pound per week. My target weight is one that I felt the best at when I was in great shape (about four years ago). The goal for the end of the challenge is to be 2-4 pounds lighter. - Be intentional. My hubby and I had one of those arguments where we weren't fighting about the issue that triggered lost tempers but something deeper. Truth spilled out and I realized that I have to stop putting others' needs before my own. Putting myself last makes me a tough person to live with. With that in mind, mornings are mine to work at my novel or freelance writing projects, to read, to paint, to draw, to workout, to do whatever I want for me. The afternoons are for teaching my teens, working with clients, running family members around, doing errands, catching up with extended family members, preparing meals, etc. My intentional me time needs to happen 4-5 mornings a week. - Push my comfort zone. I got cozy in the life I created. I hadn't realized it until I faced losing another year to eighteen months to recovering from a surgery that didn't have guarantees of fixing the problem. There are so many things I hadn't done yet that I really wanted to do. Yes, they can be done with knee scooters and crutches but it becomes much harder. So with intention, my comfort zone needs to grow. Here are the things I plan to have done by the end of the challenge: Meet a stranger for coffee. Fill out Submit the paperwork for my family to get our passports. Reconnect with a long lost friend. (They aren't really lost, I just haven't spoken to a few of them for a year or more.) Fill out and submit my application for the church band. This one freaks me out because I want to sing for the band and I've haven't sung in front of people since I was 12 years-old. Pay cash for everything. (This will help accelerate the funds we're setting aside for our mega road trip to the Southwesterly states - NB, CO, UT, NV, CA, AZ, NM, and KS.) I haven't decided how frequently I want to post updates on the forum. I'm thinking I should try for at least 3 times a week. I've noticed when I don't check in regularly I feel disconnected from everyone. And, of course, I want to follow everyone more regularly too.

I like the exploring and painting adventures. Maybe doing those two adventures regularly will keep you busy enough that you'll succeed at making steamed fish and broccoli hungry? Do you plan on posting any of your paintings? Just curious because I love admiring artwork.

I personally would love to see you do the twirly thing on the treadmill without falling. Talk about an opportunity to get in touch with your inner child...

Five weeks and I'm still walking with no pain. I just got the clearance to hike 40 minutes a day! I'm still amazed by this whole process. The hardest part is containing my excitement and not overdoing it.

Recap: I fell apart the last week of the challenge. What I didn't do was think about how my workouts, eating, and work needed to be rearranged and tweaked when a week is filled to the brim with driving everyone and doctor appointments. That'll be something I plan for next time. Also, I need to stop overcommitting myself. Every yes to an event means a no to something else. The biggest, most mind-blowing thing that happened last week... Last Thursday (5/18), I met with my surgeon to schedule surgery to repair my foot. The surgery was scheduled for 6/7. That afternoon, under the insistence of my friend, I went to her chiropractor (I had seen a different chiropractor almost 10 months ago so I was skeptical that he could do anything. However, I'm a little desperate to avoid surgery and the one-year recovery that follows. Especially, since there is no guarantee that it would work.). He asked lots of questions and then informed me that the right-side of my brain was damaged and it forgot that I have a left leg. What??? A long time ago (25 years), I was an avid, obsessed rock climber and I fell off a cliff. My head struck the ground multiple times and I bounced into the river. I walked away with stitches in my head, two fractured vertebrae in my neck, four broken ribs, double vision and very sore muscles. I have no memory of the fall or my time in the hospital. Honestly, I thought the guy was crazy because I've been fine except for my leg. He did some adjustments, some deep tissue massage and is having me do rehab exercises that are similar to what someone would do if they had a stroke. That afternoon I had no pain. The next day I walked with no crutches and no pain. One week later, I'm still pain-free. I can walk without any assistive devices. My leg and foot have serious atrophy, but it can be rebuilt. Everything I want to do is back as a possibility!

I have a bit of reading to catch up with your previous adventure before the retreat. So far I'm admiring the glimpses of your adaptability and taking things as they come. The adventure you're on will be full of ups and downs. I hope you have the insights and ideas from the retreat written down so that you can review them in a few months. It's easy to forget how far you've come as time goes by. Enjoy.

Yesterday, I felt disappointed because my hands hurt from using my crutches. The grip is way different from regular crutches. When I looked at my pedometer on my phone this morning I discovered I walked 20 miles last week. I also learned last week not to do the same number single leg squats in place of regular squats. I wasn't sure what I was thinking but my workout left my right leg (the uninjured one) really sore for three days. My writing received 20 hours of attention last week because my son turkey hunted with my dad. My daughter is mostly self-propelled for her school stuff.

The problem with nice weather is a tend to ditch my computer and go outside... Sorry for my delayed responses. Hee hee, it's easy to forget my own advice applies to my own situations. My novel is a romantic comedy. Thanks. Thanks. My super positive took awhile to come back, but I'm glad it's back. The couch potato reference has been filed under "GOOD TO KNOW". I may have to post it on the wall across from my couch so I see it when I'm elevating my leg. An ice cream maker is an awesome gadget. Ice cream making has been a hobby of mine over the last ten years. I have a recipe book with normal and unusual flavors that I've been slowly working through trying each one. Our previous ice cream maker had broken and with my medical bills, it never reached the priority window for purchasing a new one. We've tried some fruit sorbets which are quite yummy. The carrot flavored yogurt I've never heard of and now I'll have to try it. Bean based ice creams black beans are weird, however, red bean is delicious. My least favorite flavors at the moment are blue cheese and sweet pea. The most surprising flavor has been basil. Luckily, whipping cream hasn't been in the house (on purpose) so sorbets and sherbets are getting more attention.

Checking in. My fancy crutches arrived last Wednesday (5/3). The weather has been gorgeous around 65 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny. It's been hard to stay inside so as soon as I've completed my web design work, I head outside. From last Wednesday to today, I've logged 15 miles with my crutches. I'm struggling with pain thanks to gravity and swelling around the ankle tendon, but it feels good to be back on the trails. It's been 1 1/2 years since I've been able to hike. I haven't done any free weights because my arms got quite a workout adapting to the crutches. I'm just about adapted so I think I'll pick them up at the end of the week. It's been hard to get my writing hours in during the week because work is taking longer than expected. Last Saturday I logged the full three hours in the morning. It felt good to meet my goal even though it wasn't spread out over the week. I see the end of the tunnel for my mom's clients. I've got about half of them moved on. The other half is in the works. Eating my fruits and veggies is going well. I plan to catch up with everyone this week. I hope your challenges are going well.

Sorry to hear about not feeling well. However, more time for the other things could definitely help boost morale. Also, gold stars for maintaining some sort of activity. I hope you had a good weekend despite circumstances. Were you still able to go to the star gazing event?

Following along. You're covering a lot of ground on your two week trip. Have fun!

My goodness. I'm like a little kid waiting for Santa to put presents under my tree. Who knew getting custom crutches in the mail could be so exciting. The weather over the weekend has been fabulous and I've found myself wishing the crutches were on their way so I could hike to my favorite spots. I think they'll be shipped by mid-week, so I'm assuming I'll receive them the week of May 1. Update for last week: Eat 5 fruits or veggies per day. Yes. However, I may need to tweak this one a bit because my dad gave me an ice cream maker as a "Thank You" gift and as the temps go up so does the amount of ice cream intake. I did put berries on one round... Embrace being one legged. Yes. I actually attempted a few walks with the old standard crutches in addition to the scooter. I sort of messed up today because I voiced wanting to be normal during a pity party and later realized I forgot to put on my ankle brace. Pain is a great teacher/reminder once I listen. It's pretty swollen at the moment. Workout my uppers and lowers 2 out of 3. My workload got heavier thanks to tech and programming headaches. I should've stopped to workout instead of trying the same things over and over again. Novel and Business Shutdown My novel received 1 hour of attention. The business closing made greater strides and I sent out a few emails to customers letting them know I'm closing. I'm feeling anxious about letting go of my loyal clients and struggling with closing my mom's business at the same time.

Welcome. I'm cheering for you.

Yeah, respawn. It sounds like you have a good set of tasks to keep you moving forward. I'll be cheering for you.

I'm following along for your challenge. You're doing what my husband and I had hoped to do with our teens before my leg started having issues and my mom's cancer reared its head. I'm so excited for you. Our trip is on hold until next year when my foot is put back together. I can totally relate to the anxiety of selling everything. I'm not a fan of people sorting through my things and then bargaining with me for a better price. Even though I decided to sell the item and don't care to keep it I'm always surprised at the emotions that pop up. Imagine the relief that will set in once all of that is behind you.

Wow! You've been busy. The photos of your tough mudder events are fabulous. I'm sending high fives your way for getting out of your comfort zone.