Neuropathy & Exercise

Loved the coast. But my first love was the Columbia River Gorge. Some of those hiking trails were sweet, my favorite probably being Eagle Creek. Mostly day hikes except once. I loved my 29 years in Oregon. If the virus and the political situation ever get back to what we used to take for granted as normal I'd love to go back to visit (and if Linda is in better health of course, a big if). Hope you have a nice weekend Mr. Jim. Hank

@jesfactsmon My son and I backpacked out of the gorge going south - this was more than 30 years ago and pre-neuropathy. We got rained out. I put as much as I could in the tent with us, only to find that what we left outside was drier than inside. Now he goes camping with their daughter who's about the same age as he was, but they camp in a huge fifth wheel.

I know that everyone says "Exercise", but when every step means more pain, it's hard to get motivated to start jogging. I think that the amount of work I do at home, and the number of steps I take to do the work, probably qualifies as exercise. I still have some painting and gardening and deck staining on my to do list, along with building a railing for the front steps that can be easily removed if need be, getting the tractor running, digging thistle in the pasture, whack back the weeds that are encroaching on the driveway (driveway is a quarter mile long), and, well, you get the picture. Right now I need to sleep so I can get something crossed off the list tomorrow.

Jim

Hank, you've got me giggling ... you have a wife and a girlfriend? And all of you have chronic pain? Peggy

@jesfactsmon My fibro flred up yesterday but I have no one to complain to glad she has you Hank for comfort

Boy you are singing my wife's tune. Whenever I mention that she try to exercise more she often gives me this look of "yeah, easy for you to say". She knows she has to do more and she wants to. She walks a fine line because even during those times when she does feel the energy to exercise (basically only on the rare 3-4 pain level days) she has to be very careful not to overdo it. If she does overdo it her fibromyalgia will often be VERY bad the following day, whereby she can hardly move without serious pain all over the muscles in her body. The helplessness of watching someone you care deeply about going through these bouts of pain and to not have any ability to ease that pain is so so so frustrating. I think this whole pain syndrome of neuropathy, fibro, etc. should be named the Break-Your-Heart-disease, although I guess you could say the same about any debilitating illness with a high suffer-quotient. Here is a shot of my girlfriend from (I think) Feb 2019 at my mom's 97th birthday party in Connecticut. This was before the big downturn 2 months later, I don't know when she will ever make that trip again, lockdown or no lockdown. Best, Hank

Boy you are singing my wife's tune. Whenever I mention that she try to exercise more she often gives me this look of "yeah, easy for you to say". She knows she has to do more and she wants to. She walks a fine line because even during those times when she does feel the energy to exercise (basically only on the rare 3-4 pain level days) she has to be very careful not to overdo it. If she does overdo it her fibromyalgia will often be VERY bad the following day, whereby she can hardly move without serious pain all over the muscles in her body. The helplessness of watching someone you care deeply about going through these bouts of pain and to not have any ability to ease that pain is so so so frustrating. I think this whole pain syndrome of neuropathy, fibro, etc. should be named the Break-Your-Heart-disease, although I guess you could say the same about any debilitating illness with a high suffer-quotient. Here is a shot of my girlfriend from (I think) Feb 2019 at my mom's 97th birthday party in Connecticut. This was before the big downturn 2 months later, I don't know when she will ever make that trip again, lockdown or no lockdown. Best, Hank

@rwinney Thank Rachel Better today . Wish they had something that could prevent these flare ups they sure take everything out of you