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.

artist01 | @artist01 | Mar 6, 2021

In reply to @jude07 "Ta Da - the smallest things in life can make make us so happy!! Earth warms,..." + (show)

@jude07 Yesss! That poor little earthworm looked so sad lying there on the wet cold sidewalk. I wanted to pick him up and gently put him in the shelter of a grassy knoll or something, but with my vertigo problem, I didn't dare bend down! 😔

artist01 | @artist01 | Mar 6, 2021

In reply to @wisco50 "Not as warm here in WI but it was in 40’s and sunny! Got my walk..." + (show)

@wisco50 I just HAVE to do this. Forgive me: You know this, I'm sure:

Spring has sprung, the grass has riz,
I wonder where the birdies is.
Haven't you heard, the birds is on the wing.
Well, ain't that absurd!
I always thought the wings was on the bird!
🤣 Happy trails, Laurie

lioness | @lioness | Mar 6, 2021

In reply to @becsbuddy "It occurred to me that we started walking a whole year ago. And we’ve been under..." + (show)

@becsbuddy Inside 😂 I don't know if I can walk alot anymore my legs are getting weaker and they hurt more from my back.Had CT scan today so will see what Dr says I am doing tai chi if that counts ???

artist01 | @artist01 | Mar 6, 2021

In reply to @lioness "@becsbuddy Inside 😂 I don't know if I can walk alot anymore my legs are getting..." + (show)

@lioness I hope you get some encouraging news from your CT scan. These must be very difficult times for you. And Tai Chi definitely counts!
Warmest wishes, Laurie

fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Mar 7, 2021

In reply to @becsbuddy "@fiesty76 Here you go! You are just so ambitious! https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/lets-talk-about-gardens/" + (show)

@becsbuddy, Becky, Thanks and Hugs for the help and link! So in future if needed, I can type in the 1st part:" http.......discussion/" and add the specific name of the particular forum to find it? example: "http......discussion/lets-go-walking/" My profile shows I follow 22 discussions but only shows maybe 8 and I don't know how to access the others? Sorry to be so much trouble.

fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Mar 7, 2021

In reply to @ess77 "@fiesty76, @artist01, @sueinmn, @gingerw, and all....I'm catching up some and want to encourage anyone who ever..." + (show)

@ess77

@fiesty76, @artist01, @sueinmn, @gingerw, and all....I'm catching up some and want to encourage anyone who ever has a kitty go exploring. My little adopted Samantha went for an outside walk several years after she'd joined my home (with her 5 new babies, I might add!!!), a few years earlier. My heart was broken at the loss of my 'sweet soul', as she is that. Nothing in her but sweetness and love.

I mourned her so, spent hours outside looking for her, calling her, joined by several of my neighbors who had grown to love her, too, and just love animals. After several months, I was sure I'd lost her forever, tho kept looking for her ...nothing for over 6 months! At that time, we had stray, ferrel cats on our condo property. I was on the condo board at the time, and on a dedicated campaign to find homes for all the strays.

There was a large male black and white 'tuxedo' cat who undoubtedly was fathering many babies. He adopted me. I fed him to keep him near until I could find him a home. One evening, I opened my front door and was met with 2 cats, one male tuxedo and a very skinny, frail, little kitty I barely recognized as my Samantha! Tux, as I called him, had brought her to my door. I was stunned. I truly believe he was protecting her and brought her to me as I was the person helping him. I grabbed her in my arms, took her to my vet where she stayed, on IV fluids and vitamins, for several days until she was ok.

Sounds unbelievable? Yes. But, true. She is much older now, wiser, but still has the roaming heart as she peeks her nose out the front door. She and Tux were fast friends for a year or so as I also invited him to live with me. Sam . spends time outside on my fenced deck/patio, enjoying the weather, the wind, the birds, within my boundaries. Tux is in kitty heaven chasing lots of females.

Well, that's my story. True. After 6 months my kitty was brought home by her kitty friend, to save her.

Our weather is lovely these days, my son got a bump of delaudid in his pain pump today, botox should kick in soon I pray, I rested a day and now began walking outside this afternoon. Yesterday, I walked through the 3 buildings at Mayo while Rob was having tests. Today I took my little fun pink walker for a walk! In the fresh air. Hope to do the same tomorrow...thanks to your encouragement, folks. What a good group, Becky! Don't know how you folks do it in the snow and rain and 7 degree temps, but, admire you so for doing it.

Blessings, elizabeth

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@ess, Elizabeth, Loved your story of Tux leading your long lost Samantha home and back to safety and good health!! Tux Knew he'd found a great home and like tossing a pebble into a stream and not knowing how far the ripples will spread, kindnesses work the same way, yes?

Hoping the meds bring relief and soon for your son and so glad you are both finding wonderful care at Mayo. Just wish we had a site nearer my home. Awesome that you and your trend setting new walker made it through 3 Mayo buildings while getting some fresh air to boot!

fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Mar 7, 2021

In reply to @artist01 "@becsbuddy Great news that you had wonderful weather today for your walk, Becky. That makes a..." + (show)

@artist01, Way to Go !

fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Mar 7, 2021

In reply to @becsbuddy "It occurred to me that we started walking a whole year ago. And we’ve been under..." + (show)

@becsbuddy, A Huge Salute to You, Becky for starting this group. A year later and 215 pages of posts and countless recountings of adventures that kept us all motivated and inspired. Methinks a 1 Yr Anniversary Party is called for. Maybe we could all congregate virtually in our favorite "destination locale" for a celebration????

Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Mar 7, 2021

In reply to @artist01 "@gingerw Ginger, I'm thinking of you as you deal with your diagnosis of multiple myeloma. You've..." + (show)

@artist01 Thank you for your kind words. We all do what we can each day, given our challenges. This Tues will be a "team meeting" as we figure out how we are going to gear up for battle, combining the different issues into a workable plan.

I am getting out to walk each day as I can. Granted it is not as far as my trails used to take me, but seeing the coming Spring entices me. The daffodils are blooming under the mostly-dead silver madrone tree, with additional clumps popping up in unexpected places - middle of a bunch of wild blackberries! I saw the first turkey buzzard of the season, surely Spring is coming. Robins, chickadees, Stellar jays, red-headed woodpeckers, doves and crows all digging around the plants that over-wintered. The mated kestrels are building in the tree just beyond the fence, and I spied a pair of bald eagles casing some trees out for suitable nesting spots, The Canadian geese are setting up to nest in the city's rock and gravel storage area. I hear the creeks that now roar at a very high flow. It's amazing to hear and see all this as I move slowly - why would anyone wear earbuds and miss all of this!? Oh, and let's not forget the deer! Hoping to see the new babies soon!
Ginger