Gemma commits to One Thing

[Gemma]

Namaste, Druids, 

 

I'm Gemma, your basic 53 year old mother of three, grandmother of two, writer, dogmom, and educator. 

I normally challenge with the Warriors, and do I very much love the picking up and setting down of various iron things.  I've been absent from the forums (and the gym) for the past two months because <insert long list of work/life stuff here>. But my physical self needs movement, and my mental self needs accountability partners, so I am making space for this in my life again. 

 

The work/life craziness is not scheduled to abate until the end of February, so I have chosen to not kid myself with unrealistic promises about getting back in the gym. And I am not falling for  the one about working out at home - which I have oft promised and oft failed in times past. It simply does not work for me and I have yet to figure out why. 

 

What I do believe I can realistically be consistent with is yoga, so that is what I am doing. I have a good track record of Sun Salutations in my morning routine, so I know that is possible. I just signed up for Yoga With Adriene's 30 day January program titled "Home," to see if I can realistically do more without dreading it and/or seeking excuses to skip "just this one day." 

 

So that is it. That is the whole of my goal for this challenge. Yoga every day. I may not do the full program every day (they vary from 18 minutes all the way up to 45-ish, some days I will simply not have time for that) but I will show up and do what I can do. 

[Defining]

1 hour ago, Gemma said:

but I will show up and do what I can do

[Mike Wazowski]

Ahh this is where you're at!! Here to root you on, and fingers crossed the work-life craziness stays in the livable range til it abates!

[darkfoxx]

Hello and welcome! Congrats on deciding to show up - that’s a huge first step! 

[Harriet]

We found you! I hope the yoga is enjoyable and helpful. 

[Bob the Bardbarian]

As someone who used to lift heavy things, I have often felt a lot of anxiety moving from guild to guild.  All forms of exercise help me relieve stress, but I found yoga also helps relieve tension, as well as stretch muscles I didn't even know I freakin' had.

I hope the time spent in the druid's camp serves you well.

[Scaly Freak]

GEMMA! You're back!

 

Personally, I've noticed that the yoga becomes more relaxing if I have one or more of my Sidekicks in the room with me. The calming effects the yoga has on me soothes the pet, and they inevitably fall into a relaxed and very contented sleep, and their calm energy seems to feed into mine into this whole relaxed cycle of feeling better. I highly recommend pet yoga, if you have access to a four-legged sidekick who is willing to let you have the yoga mat.

 

 

[Mike Wazowski]

Hey @Gemma! How's this challenge going for you? Hoping the work/life stuff is letting you occasionally catch your breath amidst all the crazy.

[Gemma]

Hey, hi, everyone! 

 

I continue to exist. Yoga is actually going quite well and I am enjoying it. It begins to feel as though even when I can get back to the barbells and such, yoga will likely remain as a regular part of my existence, which I would have never foreseen for myself. I've lived for five decades with a somewhat negative yogattitude, for reasons that I knew to be unfair but which persisted nonetheless. 

 

The major stressor in my life currently is an injured animal friend. The other stuff - pending inspection at work, followed by business travel to the middle of NOWHERE (Twentynine Palms California, specifically), possible pending in-law visit - it's all still there, but the wounded animal is the very very worst of it all just now. 

 

My beloved companion and CBFF, Peace (a.k.a. Princess DivaPants) is a ten year old blue pit bull. Just before Christmas she tore her CCL/ACL on her left hind leg. 

She was scheduled for surgery on January 7. On January 5 she injured the right leg in the same way. New plan, one surgery now, and another in 3-4 months. Nearly a year of rehab. 

 

Again, she is 10 years old. Realistically she will probably be with me with acceptable quality of life for another 3-5 years. So a full year of pain and rehab is not ideal, but it seemed worth it to us. 

 

For reasons that probably are only of interest to medical personnel, she cannot have surgery. So now we are going back next Monday to explore the possibility of leg braces. But in the meantime, she is in pain and having a great deal of difficulty walking. We are assisting her with a hip sling, and the hubs is carrying her up and down the stairs (it would break her heart to be left alone downstairs when we go up to bed!) but just seeing her in pain and distress is breaking me. 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6Vmt38hR1h/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 

 

Medical explanation for no surgery in spoiler:

Spoiler

The pre-surgery bloodwork showed one liver enzyme slightly elevated. This was not unexpected, because she had been taking an anti-inflammatory med for almost two weeks since the initial injury (Rimadyl) and that is one possible side effect. It was not elevated enough to canx the surgery, but when they began to put her under she started having tremors. She has been anesthetized before for dental work, but now between her age and this, we will probably never try to put her under anesthesia again. 

She is now off of Rimadyl and on Gabapentin and something else that I can't remember the name of to reduce liver inflammation. The Gabapentin is not controlling her pain as well as the Rimadyl did, though. 

 

 

[darkfoxx]

Oh, baby - that’s heartbreaking to hear. I lost the furry love of my life a few years ago due to quality of life/mobility issues and it was the single hardest thing I’ve had to deal with - much harder than any human-related medical drama. 
 

Sending you strength vibes - dealing with an animal friend in pain absolutely and completely sucks. 🏩

[Scaly Freak]

31 minutes ago, Gemma said:

Again, she is 10 years old. Realistically she will probably be with me with acceptable quality of life for another 3-5 years. So a full year of pain and rehab is not ideal, but it seemed worth it to us. 

 

Of course it is! Pets are family. That's why it's so heartbreaking to see them in pain, and even more if there is nothing that we can do to make it go away.

 

When our Happy Sidekick had knee surgery and had to rehab for months it seemed to really help her to be very close to one of us at all times, often close enough to touch. An impossible-to-miss reminder that she wasn't alone made a difference to her mental state. I hope your Diva Princess recovers as fast as possible so she can go back to living a happy live with you for as long as possible!

[Harriet]

I'm sorry your pup isn't doing so well. It's hard when we can't help the ones we love and make them better. I'm glad yoga is working out for you, though.

[Mike Wazowski]

Hugs - it's gotta be hard watching an animal friend you love dearly suffer in pain. Wishing you and your furry friend all the best!

 

Also, glad to hear you're finding yoga to be a spot of joy in your days! Always great when we find the right activities for us!

[darkfoxx]

*pOkE* *POKE* How's it going?