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

Yes, welcome back, ladies. So, after 3 days of wobbling from table to bed, sofa to sewing room, I'm feeling stronger after they took my gall bladder (and bellyache) on Wednesday. I think I'll try a short stroll today, and watch my husband do the fall yard chores.
Sue

@sueinmn, @artist01, @gingerw, and all my Connect Friends...
Good to hear from ya'll. Spell ck always says this isn't correct, but spell ck must be a northern thingy, since there's nothing wrong with 'ya'll'......
Did I tell you my HR was 159 last Sat? I was trying to get to Jacksonville University for a special celebration of 50years of NROTC at school. Dad was president of JU then and responsible for the NROTC, He was an Admiral in the Navy, loved the Navy, and left JU to be UnderSecretary of the Army. He played tennis, albeit doubles by then, until he was 87! Amazing man. I got all the medical goodies in the family. 2 brothers. 1 climbed the Rockies, skied cross country in Rockies and Switzerland, etc. Makes me want to scream! It's not right one person in the family gets all the fun. He's still, at 78!!!! dancing with his younger wife, having international dinners with friends.....round table preparing dinners. I adore this brother, lives in Washington state.....so far away.

Sue, congratulations on getting rid of that gallbladder. You are slow tho, as I got mine out in my 40's. Had pancreatitis with it and was in hospital in horrid pain for a week before surgery. What a time. Sounds like you're doing well and up and about. Goody...do let hubby do the yard for a while, tho, as you can use a bit of rest I bet.

I've had some down days since the sinus surgery, which was supposed to be simple and easy. Ha! Fooled me... A month after surgery, back in the hospital with night bleeding and a high heart rate. This silly HR is giving me a run right now. I got pretty tired of everything a couple of days ago and a bit down, Yesterday I visited my son for the first time in a month, across the street. Fixed his meds for him and enjoyed the visit. Had gone to Mayo for EKG and to p/u heart monitor, so got some good food and gave him dinner. I even ate, too...had intestinal issues since surgery, don't know why. Not c diff so maybe back to IBS, we'll figure it out. You know, some of us are just a fun puzzle the docs have to figure out. Right? We keep them thinking and searching. That's a good thing....

Has anyone had Shingles? Guess I have it now. Have a bright red rash with some infection under my poor ladies lying flat, poor babies, against my torso. Burning, stinging, and other things. I take Valtrex daily all the time, so how can I get Shingles???? Read about it online and saw cannabis can help relieve pain, itching. I used MJ lotion, 1X1, and it stopped totally all burning and discomfort. I slept with no issues last night. Amazing, isn't it? Maybe got it due to my wonky immune system. We'll see...

My birds have had some problems since I've been under the weather. I feel so sorry for them. I got the feeders cleaned last week, one step at a time, which is helping me get stronger. I'm not, really, not overdoing it, but a bit at a time. Now, all feeders are clean and full.....they immediately came back to ck out what goodies I had for them. That made me so happy to see them rushing back and trying each feeder. Put out 2 metal cylinder feeders filled with peanut pieces to feed the squirrels and birds. It's helped keep squirrels from working so hard to steal the seed. It helped keep them happy. funny animals.

My poor patio...needs so much help. I will find someone to help with my patio and Rob's, His is terribly overgrown, so we'll get them cleaned up. I'm still looking for a housekeeper for both of us, still. I have birdseed all over the downstairs, brought in on my feet after working on the feeders, and Samantha, the kitty, suns out there and adds more seeds to the mix. So, I need help. feels weird to live with birdseed all over the place....OH, well, soon...

I'm worn out! Will read and when I can write a note. Blessings to each of you....elizabeth

Had such a good walk today! It was a perfect autumn day; bright sun, clear blue, cloudless sky. Too bad we cant bottle it up and keep it to remind us when winter sets in. Not much color, just the yellow of cottonwood trees. But the blue sky made up for it! My walks have slowed and shortened because i added in weight training at the gym. Osteoporosis, get out of the way!!

All that exercise and walking pay off, Becky! I just had another awesome Dexa scan. I reversed my osteoporosis last year to osteopenia through weightbearing exercise and walking, along with calcium, D3 and magnesium suppliments. It held for another year and even increased bone level in my hips and spine. I was so relieved.

@loribmt

That is so great to hear. I have been doing the same as you….8 years of gym classes with weight bearing as a component and daily walking for the last 3 years plus all the supplements… vit d3 k2, magnesium…..calcium supplements bloat me but I love my dairy .
My diet is rich in B12 , potassium and magnesium and I loves my salmon and sardines and spinach. I am not stopping what I am doing…started a collagen regime daily 2 years ago with shiny hair and nails so strong ….boy do they grow fast. I am 80….feel 60? Maybe. Don’t know what 80 is suppose to feel like. Never felt so good…diet is sooooo important too and all this walking and jiving is keeping me sharp mentally.

Love it when I hear someone is going the natural route and it works…..and don’t forget the daily glass of vino! We are all so different and this is not to diminish what anyone else has to do to maintain dem bones.

Lucky I live in a climate where year round walking is available…although in the hot months it can be a chore which is why I go out at 6am with my flashing wrist bracelet.

FL Mary

@becsbuddy and all....You said your morning was about 30 degrees? my goodness, we're in the 80's during days, 60's at night. Humidity is lower now and feels much more comfy. But, still too warm for me when I can walk, Guess that'll be when it's cooler tho, so look forward to it.
enjoy your walks and i'll join you soon....elizabeth

Hi, @loribmt, @becsbuddy, and all...Congratulations, Lori, on your good bones. Great pay off for the hard work you do to help them out. I take D3, magnesium, B12, B-complex, zinc, CentrunSilver for women, biotin, and a couple of others, plus B12 shots I give myself. I had very bad osteoporosis at age 35, told I'd be in body brace in 2 years, wheelchair in 5 years. I had a young son to raise! Told the doc to stuff it and found another doc, finally as there weren't but a few in Jax then took oyster shell calcium, increased exercise until Fibro hit, and last 20 years eaten yogurt every day for breakfast or a treat later. Now, osteopenia. I'm thrilled!
Visited the integrated medicine doc last week and he referred me to a nutritionist, acupuncture on Monday, and we're working on leaky gut, or the thought my intestines are the cause of my autoimmune diseases and others. Like this fellow and the positive outlook. Will work with him and them and pray a lot. May add some time on this crazy world....blessings to us all. elizabeth

Hi, Mary and @ess77. I’d had a Dexa scan in autumn of 2018 and at 64, there was no sign of osteopenia at all. Then Feb 2019 I was diagnosed with Acute myeloid Leukemia. The heavy chemo, nausea and medications really interrupted my calcium intake. Then toss in the bone marrow transplant it was pretty much a year with a drain on bone health. Autumn 2019, my exit Dexa Scan after transplant showed osteoporosis! I was just gutted with that news!

My transplant doctor and I have a really good rapport. He knows I’m not a dottering old woman and he treats my husband and myself like colleagues. So we discussed the bone loss and agreed with me that I could have one year to turn things around.

I worked with a PT to get some targeted exercises for my hips and spine, then ramped up the calcium intake through foods, dairy, supplements, Vit D3, Mag. I wanted to add strontium but it would interfere with some of my meds at the time so I was limited by what I could take.

We were ALL shocked and pleasantly surprised to see one year later that another Dexa showed a reversal big time of my osteoporosis. Yaaaay!! And that was after spending most of 2020 taking huge doses of steroids which is a real bone robber!
Just had my 4th Dexa last week (Oct 2021) and I’m still holding my own!! Even showed bone density growth in both hips.

Oh, this was cute. My transplant doctor had a Fellow working with him this time. She came in the room first to review my Dexa scan. Told me I have osteopenia and was very frank about putting me on some Fosamax or Prolia. I said no, I prefer to keep working out, I’ll ‘up’ my routine. She was aghast that I wouldn’t take any meds. And then told me, OH you have to be so careful at your age working out and exercising so hard. Snicker snort!! Oh honey…

When my doctor came in, we chatted about my bones after the Fellow left. He said, “I know you and how active you are. Considering all of the work you do to keep healthy there’s no need to have you on any medications as this time. Exercise builds healthy bones and you’re proof of that.” Fist pump!!! Yes!

I know this healthy route may not work for everyone. Sometimes we have no choice but to take a bone strengthening medication. We can’t have a crumbling infrastructure. 😉 But it’s obviously working on your (80 is the new 60) body, Mary, and Elizabeth, you too!! Plus the exercise keeps us younger and healthier all the way around.
The daily vino is out for me yet but i have a daily glass of Welch’s grape juice in a wine glass…does that count? 😂

Today I walked a half-mile plus a bit more, using my hiking sticks. I set my mind to get to a little creek along the road, and did it! Focusing on what was around me, the uneven surface, not thinking about the discomfort of my left foot. We were watching a storm come in, so I wanted to get that walk in. I had so many things to do in the house, but had to get out for fresh air. Definitely not as far as some of you are going, but a milestone for me in the last year!
Ginger

That sounds awesome. I was too wobbly to get beyond the yard Today. Tomorrow I plan to go a little more. And maybe hit the library. I did admire my lovely rainbow colored abdomen today.
Sue