Let’s Go Walking! Join me for a virtual walking support group

Posted by Becky, Volunteer Mentor @becsbuddy, Feb 19, 2020

Many of you living with cancer or an autoimmune disease, like me, deal with daily fatigue. You know that exercise is so important to your health, but it’s so hard. There’s always an excuse: it’s too cold or hot, it’s going to rain or it’s raining, or it’s snowy and icy, or I just don’t want to. I, too, have all these excuses, but I have a new rescue dog who wants to go out and who doesn’t care about my excuses! And I’ve got traction devices for my boots.Now I just need a walking group who will keep me accountable. People who say, ‘let’s go for a walk.'

And I thought: What about my virtual friends on MayoClinicConnect?

Mayo Clinic has an easy 12-week walking program to get us started! Here’s the link:
- Get walking with this 12-week walking schedule https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/get-walking-with-this-12-week-walking-schedule/

So let’s form a virtual walking group. We can agree to walk every day and encourage each other through Connect. We can walk outdoors, in a mall, or in the red center, or in the hallways of our apartment building.

Who’s in? Who’s going to join me?

Come on, Let’s Go Walking!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

@fiesty76

@ess77, You are truly a girl after my heart! Whenever I get stressed, disappointed or outraged, I head straight for the yard if weather permits. With the concerns for your son coupled with your own health issues, I am thrilled to hear that you were able to spend 3 hours blowing off debris left by the lawn fellas!

Spending anytime outside is beneficial for my outlook and provides a diversion from whatever seems to be bedeviling me most at the moment. How well I can relate to your arduous after effects concerns following that much time and exercise. Sometimes I come inside after most of a day in my yard thinking I am just too tired to move and wish for someone/anyone lol to just feed me and carry me off to bed.

With less energy and "muscle" now, I've decided that physical effort is like training for a marathon. Each early spring finds me "giving out" before I want to "give up" when clearing leaves and a new crop of weeds from my yard and flower beds. Gradually, more stamina seems to build and I can work for longer periods with fewer breaks. Here's hoping that getting back into the pool will further strengthen you and provide more resilience for work with nature's little growing beauties.

It sounds as though your support system is strong and that your son is beginning to get more of the help he needs. Stress can sometimes seem to freeze my body with the tenseness it engenders "locking" my muscles in place. Great news that you are on a pathway that will lead to more physical mobility and happiness in the sun.

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@fiesty76 You are such a dear person, fiesty! Thanks for the good words, and yes, this has always been one way I deal with my issues in life, be they work/business issues, health findings, family problems, whatever...I've always found I best work them out moving furniture and rearranging rooms or crazy hazy yard work or the flowers and patio or when I was much younger, exercise.

So, makes sense I'd do this but for crying out loud, I haven't been able to sweep or rake or lift at all for several years! This was wonderful for me emotionally.....I did need an outlet or I needed to go to the forest and scream!!!!!! physically, my body is crying out for movement! This was it! Spiritually, my soul needed to be closer to nature, to feel the soil and dirt, be involved with God's creations......and now I enjoy the results of the work I did by not tracking in squigglies and leaves and by enjoying the order, seeing the plants happy, the flowering plants and pots on the patio.....I'm hiring someone to do my son's patio and mine, the clearing and digging and planting etc. I'm doing what I can and will enjoy, but I want some stones installed and other heavier things, and I can't overdo this.
Just called the pool....YMCA not opened it yet, but Brooks Rehab is using it for rehab, so I can get my doc to write another script and get going again. That's next week.

Just got call from Mayo for another endoscopy, to stretch the Schatzi Ring they found. They wanted to wait for path reports re Barrett's Esophogus and polyps and other areas before doing that procedure....so, have to have another one. Concerned about another sedation so soon, especially w/white matter issues.....will ck with docs...and she ordered an abdomen MR, too. So it goes...
Glad you're doing better. Keep it up!
Blessings, elizabeth

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@ess77

@jude07 Yes, it seems we do live on a roller-coaster.
Since getting to Mayo, the consistent care with answers, diagnoses and treatment, my health and life have evened out a bit.....I still have surprises like the silly infected toe and possible bone complication and the shock of an increase in brain white matter revealed on the EEG I had last week - that's a shock. White matter issues are concerning, and who knows where that will lead or the time-frame. This is one reason it's important for Rob and me to get both our lives in order - at age 74, with my health and now this issue, we must get his future resolved best we can. He will be alone, no other family, and we have to get a plan for him.

And, Jude, he lives on a huge, scary roller coaster, at times out of control. I'm hopeful we may be on a road to getting some permanent solutions for him. He can't continue in the pain he's experienced for so long. Can't.

My extreme work-out with the oak leaves/squigglies/etc was quite extreme for me. Haven't done anything like that in years, and had to laugh as I used that blower! Thought even if I dropped in my tracks that moment, I'd have a smile on my face. I do love that gardening, getting hands in dirt, organizing my plants.

Btw: I'm a bit sore and tired today, used MMJ pain lotion last night and slept well, but today know I quite overdid it. So, this is a rest day. Tomorrow is too, but must take Rob to the beach for first counseling visit. This is a good thing. He will finally begin improving, I'll take an easy stroll on the beach if my toe survives, or sit and enjoy the peace.

How about that, I'll get a walk in tomorrow, on the lovely beach with waves and wind and good things all.
P.S. Sue, having fun with friends? more line dancing?
P.S.S. Lioness, so sorry you've had more difficult days....I think a one bedroom sounds wonderful! And, you can have lovely plant friends as much as you can care for...simplified life is a good thing!
P.S.S. Hope fiesty76 is better and her back is better...worried about her!
Blessings. elizabeth

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Good that you both have Mayo to provide some answers. It seems there are multiple concerns, take one at a time and, like you said, tomorrow is not promised so prepare. Life brings challenges and we need to find that one glimmer of a bright spot to carry on.
Sing even if you are sad, and laughs. Give your spirit and soul a little jolt of happiness.

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I just finished a walk in a 50 mph gale force wind! My shoes don't account for that wind..... do any of you have a pair of these shoes that talk to a phone app?

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@jakedduck1

@ess77
Hey Lizzy,
What kind of side effects do you have from an EEG? Maybe a headache by the time they get through rubbing your head really hard trying to get the glue out.
Anyway have fun planting your flowers.
i’d have more fun firing the gardeners for not doing a good job I’m planning flowers but if you live in a condo complex you may not have that option. If not I would give them a piece of my mind next time I saw them.
Happy exercising!!!, I'll let you do my exercises,
Jake

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2jakedduck1 Hello, jake! Well, EEG and I don't like each other. It's primarily the flashing lights with the test. They've always bothered me, with nausea, feeling of fear, high emotion feeling like I'm about to begin sobbing, all mixed up feelings. Also, since these tests began when I was only 11, I may have some unpleasant emotions from those days. Probably do.

Then, the results were on my portal within an hour or so and indicate an increase in white matter in frontal lobes, both sides. That was a shock. I see the neurologist Wed to discuss results and plans. Nothing can be done but maybe we can work to slow down the deteriation???? Hope so...another fun thing to face, deal and move forward!

think it may be caused by seizures for 60+ years and for sure the seizure meds all those years!!!!! Hate those meds, Jake. Had they stopped the seizures and made me and life better, great meds. But, they didn't and the side effects I lived with daily were pretty bad......

Anyway, not having seizures anymore! Not on seizure meds anymore! Working in yard, gardening.....sort'of.... living a better life than in years. Just need to stay alive and know what I'm doing.....and walk and work out in pool and walk....
blessings, elizabeth

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@Erinmfs

I just finished a walk in a 50 mph gale force wind! My shoes don't account for that wind..... do any of you have a pair of these shoes that talk to a phone app?

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@Erinmfs NO! I don't want my shoes talking to me, for crying out loud! Already have a son, cat, his puppy, watch, cell phone, landline, laptop with voice, car, everything talks to me and tells me what to do!!!! I don't like to be told what to do by electronics and surely not shoes.......Actually, think it's a fun idea. Enjoy!
blessings, elizabeth

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@Erinmfs

I just finished a walk in a 50 mph gale force wind! My shoes don't account for that wind..... do any of you have a pair of these shoes that talk to a phone app?

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@Erinmfs
SHOWOFF!!!!

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@ess77

@Erinmfs NO! I don't want my shoes talking to me, for crying out loud! Already have a son, cat, his puppy, watch, cell phone, landline, laptop with voice, car, everything talks to me and tells me what to do!!!! I don't like to be told what to do by electronics and surely not shoes.......Actually, think it's a fun idea. Enjoy!
blessings, elizabeth

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@ess77 you are funny. These shoes are fun to play with, and yes, they6 can make me feel guilty if the number isn't high enough, 3 miles is hard to do sometimes

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@Erinmfs

I just finished a walk in a 50 mph gale force wind! My shoes don't account for that wind..... do any of you have a pair of these shoes that talk to a phone app?

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What kind of shoes are they? Not sure I want any.
They would laugh at me. And probably make snide comments about my speed, distance, we've missed you etc.
I think technology is going a bit far, lol
Take care,
Jake

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@jakedduck1 Leonard, they are Allegria shoes, called Traq. I found them in rochester, but ordered them online. Allegria makes shoes for nurses, so I was looking for a comfortable, on your feet alot kind of shoe. When they arrive new, the instructions say to download the app, and shake the left shoe next to the phone, somehow the shoe starts talking to the phone app, I dunno, I can't hear what they're saying without looking at the app screen, if the shoes are laughing at me, I'm glad, they're fun to use

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@jakedduck1

What kind of shoes are they? Not sure I want any.
They would laugh at me. And probably make snide comments about my speed, distance, we've missed you etc.
I think technology is going a bit far, lol
Take care,
Jake

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