Friday 22 October 2010

Back on track

Well apart from a bit of a stiff neck and twinging muscles I think I'm back on track.

Got the urge today to get on with some more web design so am taking loads of breaks but studying the course as I can take it in a lot better without distractions!

Tried out the new Tempur pillow last night and it is really weird but not as uncomfortable as I thought it would be.  I did wake up with a few more muscles aching but think it is because I have been forced to lie in the correct position.  Oh well we will see.

I've also been participating in the trial version of Tell Me More (a Spanish course) which is excellent but does have its niggly bits.  More my computer than the course.  It has voice recognition which I thought would be an excellent way of checking my pronunciation - and it is good - however at times the program cannot pick up my voice properly and it is frustrating!  I have checked and double checked my microphone settings and they all appear to be working correctly.  But when you carefully pronounce a word and then it asks you to repeat it - again and again - I just feel like shouting at it!  Guess that's not good for my blood pressure lol!

The first week I was off sick all I wanted to do was sleep but now my mind is working again and I have to start using it.... not in excess though!

Thursday 21 October 2010

Nice Surprise

I do love nice surprises :-)

Today I received a bouquet of flowers from my friends at work.  It was such a surprise and very kind of them.

Now as far as I know there is only one of my work friends who reads this blog - and you know who you are - so thanks for letting me know that my presence is missed and don't worry I'll be back at work on Monday.  Only I am not playing superwoman anymore!

I must be starting to get back to normal as the laptop is back on and I've started blogging again...


Thanks again x

Tuesday 19 October 2010

Time

Most of the time recently I've always said "I haven't got the time" or "if only I had time".

This second week of being at home I now have the time and boy isn't it great!  I am cherishing the fact that I can get up when I wake up and am not jolted out of sleep by the sound of the alarm.  (Usually no later than 8 am)  I can leisurely get myself showered and dressed and wander about and do what I want to do.

I am limiting the time that I am on the computer because I need to keep moving.  So what have I been doing?

Well apart from taking it easy I have been cycling on my exercise bike; I have been doing neck exercises and I have been playing around with my hair.  With my hair being long I normally just chuck it up into a bun but I have been practising with different styles - a different one each day - because I have the time to experiment.

I have also been looking at different Spanish courses.  Most of the time I listen to Michel Thomas but he does get a bit boring after a while and I need a break from him - but more of that in my next post.

I have been able to do the cooking instead of it being a rush and a matter of who gets in first gets on with it!  So our meals have been a little healthier!


I wondered if I would get bored at home alone and without transport but no I haven't.  If I need anything from the shop then I walk there - great exercise - and because I am not in a hurry I can enjoy just strolling around.


The headaches are starting to subside now and I'm beginning to feel quite chilled.  I wish I could bottle this feeling and take it with me when I go back to work next week :-)


I am still doing some artwork - whether painting or drawing - as I find that relaxing, and being at home, well that's great too!

So Time is great when you have the time to do things at your own pace and time does not really matter at all when you are not rushing around everywhere...

Friday 15 October 2010

Breaking News - I am not Superwoman!

Well got the blood test results today and all is fine and normal :-)

I guess I've got to realise I am not superwoman and I cannot carry on doing the job of 2 people and everything else I do....

So although I've still got headaches I have at least got my blood pressure more or less stable.  The doctor advised all the normal things; don't eat too much fatty food; don't have too much caffeine; don't smoke (like hell I'll stop - my bp only went up 3 points while smoking!); don't do too much; don't lift heavy items; sleep with one pillow; eat a banana a day etc.

On my own I found that by doing aerobic exercise the bp comes down and then today I got out my brushes and paints and just sat down and painted.  Well Goya or Monet I may not be but my bp came down to 129/75!  That's art for you :-)

I've been told to have another week off work and if the headaches continue to go back to her after 4 days so I have decided just to chill out and paint and relax with the bit of aerobic exercise on the side. 

Hopefully that will work!

Wednesday 13 October 2010

Well Done Chile!

Watching the miners coming to the surface today and being greeted by their families has to bring a tear to the eyes of most people.

The fact that they are getting them out much quicker than previously expected is a tribute to the rescuers and their equipment.

Just what long term effect this will have on them has yet to be seen but I can only wish them all a full and speedy recovery.

Tuesday 12 October 2010

Exercise bike has arrived

Woke up this morning with a pounding headache and high bp again.  Now I would have thought that it would have been less in the morning but apparently no.  Your adrenalin rushes through your body when you first get up and with it up goes your blood pressure which should normalise itself a bit later.

But that's not the topic of this post...

I spent a bit of time thinking over the decades of my life and came to the conclusion that in my 20's, 30's and 40's I was very active.  I loved walking and would think nothing of walking for miles but time restraints and getting lazier and older has changed the way I live. 

Whereas the majority of exercise in the earlier years was aerobic exercise with a fair amount of weight training in my 30/40's in the last decade I have tended to do more stretching with yoga and pilates being my favourites.  The most aerobic I have done is belly dancing which is just fun and didn't get me out of breath.

Even up to a year ago I was at least going out for walks at lunchtime - just to get away from the desk.  But this past year I don't move from the office.  If it wasn't for the fact that I smoke and go up and down 2 flights of stairs everytime I go for a ciggie then I wouldn't get any aerobic exercise at all!

The coach I commute on picks me up 5 minutes from my house and the walk from the coach stop to work only takes about 10 minutes.

So after Friday's shock I have purchased an exercise bike.  Instead of spending 30 minutes in the morning doing other less strenuous exercises I will bike around in my conservatory while watching the morning news.

Well I've given it a go.  All I managed was 4 kilometers!  After I rested I decided that I should post my certificate off to work so I walked to the post office and back which took 25 minutes (and tired me out).

Boy, am I out of shape!

But there is no need to rush this.  Little by little.  Until I have the results from the blood tests - which should be Thursday or Friday - I won't know what I'm dealing with but in the meantime I have to do something to try and get fitter.

A lottery win and retirement wouldn't be a bad start :-)

Friday 8 October 2010

Hypertension - what is that?

Well the outcome of my visit to see the doc was a blood pressure of 160/100 (taken twice with a rest in between) and a diagnosis of hypertension!

Oh add to that a week off work and a request to pop along and queue up at the local hospital for a blood test - that should relax me!

While they are at it they are going to test for thyroid; cholesterol; kidneys; liver; diabetes and anything else that I've forgotten.  Crikes I'm having an MOT!

Now my blood pressure on routine examinations has never risen above 140/80 which I think is pretty normal so I guess my body is telling me to SLOW DOWN!

Mmm well exercise is supposed to be good for high blood pressure (aerobic) so I've dragged out the little trampoline and will have a go at exercising myself by bouncing around in the conservatory.  That should amuse the cat...

Time For a Check Up?

Now anyone that knows me will know that I avoid doctors, hospitals etc like the plague!  I prefer to self treat myself using natural remedies/exercise whenever possible.

However this morning I awoke with the pain in the back of my head - something that I've been putting up with for about the last fortnight - so I've decided enough is enough!

I know I have a problem with arthritis in my neck but the last couple of weeks I haven't been able to shift the burning in my neck and the continuous headaches.  The only thing that seemed to ease it was a good night's sleep and laying down.  But this morning I awoke with it!  Now that's not fair for if I start with it what will it be like by the end of the working day.


So today I'm taking a day off sick and am going to try and get an appointment at the doctor just to get my blood pressure checked.  I've ignored the dodgy eyesight, the dizziness, ringing in my ears but a headache in the morning and a nose bleed (I never get them!) I think is a sign that something needs to be checked.


The problem is that I got up ready to go to work and took a couple of 500 mg painkillers (only strength that will touch it) so by the time I get to the doctor it probably will have eased.


Wish me luck and I must remember that when the doctor says "how are you" I must not answer "I'm fine"....

Sunday 3 October 2010

Nostalgia

Well I've been downloading some old 60's tracks today - just for the hell of it.

The teenage grandchildren have been putting lots of comments on Facebook recently about being 'bored'.  Crikey I can't remember the last time I had time to be bored!

But it lead me to thinking about my schooldays (yes I can remember back that far) and how it is that while you are going through your school years all you want to do is to grow up and be earning a living. 

Now in my latter years I realise why everyone used to say that your schooldays were the best days of your life!  Well I can't actually say I totally agree with that - suffice to say that there is only one person from my school days that I am still in contact with - but what is true is that while you are at school you do not have the stresses and strains that you have as an adult.  Add to that the fact that your body is in its prime with no aches and pains - well you have to admit to them being 'good old days'.

Now I'm not taking away the  problems of being a teenager but you can get a bit nostalgic when you think back to those days.

As I played back some of the music and I danced around in my kitchen (alone of course!) I was transported in my mind back to the teen age and early 20's.  My how time goes by so fast...

However, I don't remember getting out of breath so quick!

My mum still insists that she feels like a teenager inside and that it is just the body that is falling apart - and I go along with that. 

Some times you just want to feel like a child and dance and sing and be silly because most of the time life is just too darned serious.

So enjoy your youth, while you can, for soon you will be my age dancing in the kitchen remembering what it was like to be young...