1. < Just Want to Talk
Mentor

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.

Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Mar 22, 2021
In reply to @ess77 "@sueinmn and everyone else on this site.......Really, Sue? You know we all love you, I surely..." + (show)
@ess77

@sueinmn and everyone else on this site.......Really, Sue? You know we all love you, I surely count you as a friend these days......You are a leader among women, true to your word? ANd so forth, BUT, now Sue. You just drove from MN to Texas for the summer? Arrived, went to town and did your grocery shopping, then LINE DANCING outside.....which I absolutely love to do, and ball dancing for several years, and thought I was Ginger.....But, you travelled all those miles in a car, unpacked, went to town and the grocery store, line dancing, suppose you put up groceries in there somewhere, and...for crying out loud you hosted an outdoor margarita part to celebrate....AND walked 5 miles?????

Sue. Is your bio legitimate? Do you have any health problems? How old are you? What shots do you take? Supplements? New drugs from Mayo research? Time to share with your friends in need indeed.

Congratulations, my friend. Sounds like you may be pleased to be in Texas? It took a bunch of work to close down your mn home, unless someone cks it and stays there some while you're gone.....whatever your do and are doing, I'm truly impressed. What fun! Every bit of it sounds like fun....you know, getting in the car and driving anywhere other than Mayo Clinic or PCP or hospital or drug store sounds like fun. Even going to Walmart sounds like fun.....I will soon be going back to the PT therapy pool, after my next procedure and begin my walking again.

Today, I'm preparing to go to Mayo in the morning to return the Bravo monitor and have a few tests at the lab. The Bravo is a special endoscopy that attaches a sensor to the lower esophogus to test the acid backing into the esophogus from the stomach...the monitor reads and records the readings for 48 hours. Monday, hopefully I'll get the path and lab results, had 6 gastric polyps up to size 20mm, barretts esophogus, schz....ring, etc. So, want to know answers and hate week-ends.

This wasn't pleasant but big deal. So much is much worse.....
Now, brought you down some? so sorry...you be full of energy for me, too, and love your place. I know you'll have a wonderful visit with old friends, dance and walk and keep us all going strong, too.
Keep it up, lady.
Blessings to you and all. elizabeth

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Oh my, no, Elizabeth - everything I did added up to 5 miles - I counted the line dancing as my exercise, but I didn't really take a walk - unless you count accompanying my husband to the dumpster last night to enjoy the warm weather.

Yes, it has been a VERY long year without dancing - we miss not only the music & movement, but our many friends. In addition to line dancing in winter (our "Texas thing") we old-time dance to live bands the rest of the year, sometimes in clubs, often at festivals, where we have made friends from all over the country. Some of the outdoor venues MAY be a possibility this summer, but we are definitely not ready to gather indoors yet.

We have only come down for a month or so to our tiny house - by the first of May we will be back in MN, so there was no involved closing up of the house - just arranging for the neighbor boy to pick up our mail, and our daughter to water the plants & check everything each week.

Today I have a quiet sit-down project to work on and will only stir far enough to walk back and forth to the laundry, or maybe down the road to my friend's house for a cup of coffee. And I can tell from my cough that I did way too much yesterday...so maybe an afternoon nap.
Sue

REPLY
2 replies
artist01 | @artist01 | Mar 22, 2021
In reply to @gingerw "@becsbuddy Topic of walking! Wherever/however/whenever we do it ;)) Like friends tend to do, our conversation..." + (show)
@gingerw

@becsbuddy Topic of walking! Wherever/however/whenever we do it ;)) Like friends tend to do, our conversation sometimes run far afield of exercise and the benefits of walking. Kinda like a syndrome I do myself, the "shiny object syndrome". Oh, look! a squirrel! When you are actively exercising with a friend, time goes quicker and effort seems less as you converse. I "went along" with my galpal yesterday as she rode her bike at the beach, 900 miles south of me!
Ginger

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@becsbuddy Great idea, Ginger, walking with your distant friend as she rode her bike. Isn't technology wonderful?
I'm back walking today, following a short break while I recovered from double laser eye surgery for Glaucoma on March 17th. Glad it's over with. The anticipation is always the worst part of it! Happy trails. Laurie
P.S. It will be a short and gentle walk for now, as per the surgeon's orders!

REPLY
jude07 | @jude07 | Mar 22, 2021
In reply to @sueinmn "Oh my, no, Elizabeth - everything I did added up to 5 miles - I counted..." + (show)
@sueinmn

Oh my, no, Elizabeth - everything I did added up to 5 miles - I counted the line dancing as my exercise, but I didn't really take a walk - unless you count accompanying my husband to the dumpster last night to enjoy the warm weather.

Yes, it has been a VERY long year without dancing - we miss not only the music & movement, but our many friends. In addition to line dancing in winter (our "Texas thing") we old-time dance to live bands the rest of the year, sometimes in clubs, often at festivals, where we have made friends from all over the country. Some of the outdoor venues MAY be a possibility this summer, but we are definitely not ready to gather indoors yet.

We have only come down for a month or so to our tiny house - by the first of May we will be back in MN, so there was no involved closing up of the house - just arranging for the neighbor boy to pick up our mail, and our daughter to water the plants & check everything each week.

Today I have a quiet sit-down project to work on and will only stir far enough to walk back and forth to the laundry, or maybe down the road to my friend's house for a cup of coffee. And I can tell from my cough that I did way too much yesterday...so maybe an afternoon nap.
Sue

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You fully deserve this time to linger in conversation with your Texas friends, take a stroll when you want to and soak in the warmth of the sunshine. Enjoy the riches of this earth, the simplest ways are the best!

REPLY
ess77 - Elizabeth | @ess77 | Mar 22, 2021
In reply to @sueinmn "Oh my, no, Elizabeth - everything I did added up to 5 miles - I counted..." + (show)
@sueinmn

Oh my, no, Elizabeth - everything I did added up to 5 miles - I counted the line dancing as my exercise, but I didn't really take a walk - unless you count accompanying my husband to the dumpster last night to enjoy the warm weather.

Yes, it has been a VERY long year without dancing - we miss not only the music & movement, but our many friends. In addition to line dancing in winter (our "Texas thing") we old-time dance to live bands the rest of the year, sometimes in clubs, often at festivals, where we have made friends from all over the country. Some of the outdoor venues MAY be a possibility this summer, but we are definitely not ready to gather indoors yet.

We have only come down for a month or so to our tiny house - by the first of May we will be back in MN, so there was no involved closing up of the house - just arranging for the neighbor boy to pick up our mail, and our daughter to water the plants & check everything each week.

Today I have a quiet sit-down project to work on and will only stir far enough to walk back and forth to the laundry, or maybe down the road to my friend's house for a cup of coffee. And I can tell from my cough that I did way too much yesterday...so maybe an afternoon nap.
Sue

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@sueinmn, Oh, so much more sense now and my green eyes are still wide open honoring your wonderful days, but I much better understand. And, I have a down day after any day of activity.....it's actually been one of the toughest things to accept, having to have a down day like that. But, they are very real and we benefit so much from the rest we allow ourselves.Then, we can have another line dance.
Sounds like you and your husband truly enjoy life. I love that....now I do envy you and wish you lots of time and health to enjoy together. We had 80+ temps last week. I have the heat on tonight. Wore a warm jacket today to Mayo. Crazy, but i do love this time of year. Enoy your great walking weather......blessings to you and all. elizabeth

REPLY
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Mar 22, 2021

I am thrilled to be able to see my second family and relax a bit. All in all a lazy day with visits to a couple of friends and a short walk. Hoping to see some more friends tomorrow in another town and to visit our little mission church before the end of the week. Unfortunately our usual elaborate Easter procession and other customs are on hold for another year. We'll have to share Cascarones with our newcomers though.

REPLY
migizii | @migizii | Mar 23, 2021
In reply to @jakedduck1 "@migizii A family of Bambi Assassins. I bet you’ve eaten those cute fawns and Flower too...." + (show)
@jakedduck1

@migizii
A family of Bambi Assassins. I bet you’ve eaten those cute fawns and Flower too.
I guess it needs to be done but I couldn’t do it. My Dad went deer hunting but I doubt I ever ate it.
Jake

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We didn’t eat Flower and her fawns because they weren’t allow to hunt on our land and where they hunted, was about 20 miles away. However, somebody probably ate them😔

REPLY
lioness | @lioness | Mar 24, 2021

@migizii Probably Most hunters take them for eating We hated the trophy hunters

REPLY
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Mar 24, 2021

3 walks yesterday - Morning with my usual MN-TX walking buddy, afternoon stroll through the National Wildlife Refuge with friends after lunch at our favorite BBQ joint, and meditative walk through the old mission chapel and grounds on the Rio Grande that is very special to us.
Already took my morning walk through our private bird sanctuary to check out the recovery of native plants from the cold in February. Later I'll head for the butterfly center to check out their recovery - and the damage done by border wall construction.
So grateful to be here listening to the kiskadees, green jays, chachalacas, mockingbirds and thousands of migrating red-winged blackbirds while I answer email messages.
Sue

REPLY
1 reply
jude07 | @jude07 | Mar 24, 2021
In reply to @sueinmn "3 walks yesterday - Morning with my usual MN-TX walking buddy, afternoon stroll through the National..." + (show)
@sueinmn

3 walks yesterday - Morning with my usual MN-TX walking buddy, afternoon stroll through the National Wildlife Refuge with friends after lunch at our favorite BBQ joint, and meditative walk through the old mission chapel and grounds on the Rio Grande that is very special to us.
Already took my morning walk through our private bird sanctuary to check out the recovery of native plants from the cold in February. Later I'll head for the butterfly center to check out their recovery - and the damage done by border wall construction.
So grateful to be here listening to the kiskadees, green jays, chachalacas, mockingbirds and thousands of migrating red-winged blackbirds while I answer email messages.
Sue

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Sounds lovely, each walk brings a special pleasure and adding all of the melodic birds adds music of joy.
It’s been rainy here the last number of days so the earth worms are staring to come out along with the birds. Clearing tomorrow and some sun, we need both.
I decided to do the foot surgery that was recommended two years ago. Now in an ace bandage and hard shoe. I am able to get out and do a short walk, however I hope to be back on my 3 mile walks in a couple of more weeks.
Doing what we can might be all of our mottos!

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Mar 24, 2021
In reply to @jude07 "Sounds lovely, each walk brings a special pleasure and adding all of the melodic birds adds..." + (show)
@jude07

Sounds lovely, each walk brings a special pleasure and adding all of the melodic birds adds music of joy.
It’s been rainy here the last number of days so the earth worms are staring to come out along with the birds. Clearing tomorrow and some sun, we need both.
I decided to do the foot surgery that was recommended two years ago. Now in an ace bandage and hard shoe. I am able to get out and do a short walk, however I hope to be back on my 3 mile walks in a couple of more weeks.
Doing what we can might be all of our mottos!

Jump to this post

Glad you decided to fix the problem with your foot - good luck with healing quickly!
We are in a tiny home with a large covered patio. Friends, the laundry, and the clubhouse are just steps from our door. Making it very difficult to concentrate on some work I know needs to be done, but after a year at home, this is as close to heaven on earth as I can imagine.
Sue

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