I’ve become very aware over the last few days that I’m in the habit of reaching for the Aleve & Advil wa-a-ay to quickly!  In the past, whenever I’d start to have severe pain I’d pop some of these OTC meds to help me function.  Trouble is, the pain would always come back when the pills wore off.   < Doh!! (head-slap) >  But I just figured I couldn’t do much about the pain right then so I’d continue to run in coping mode instead of health mode.  This has become an unconscious, knee-jerk response for me over the years & now I must work hard to break this pattern & re-train my brain!

So now I’ve been really careful with any medications while I’m doing this cleansing diet Dr. Hedayat has me on to rest several of my organs & body systems (liver, pancreas, gall bladder, endocrine system).  I figure any medications I use now are inhibiting my healing process, since over-use of medications is a major cause of many of my current health problems, Dr. Hedayat tells me.  So I’ve decided to be very aware of every pill I take & carefully weigh if I truly need it.  Instead of pills, I’ve been trying to put to use all the great things I’m learning at Renew.  EEK!  Must . . . learn . . . new . . . coping skills . . .

I will say that my experiment in pain management has been about 80% successful–80% realization of my habits & the remaining 20%  just plain old hard work on my part to break them.  The exercises I’ve been given have been my mainstay right now. Every time the pain begins to hit the point where before I wouldn’t have been able to relieve it except through pills, now I do some specialized crunches, stretch hamstrings, psoas, & hips, & do some upper-back & neck exercises.  Wow!  I won’t say the pain is gone, but it does ebb back below the critical level–Wahoo!!

It’s so exciting to find I can get actual, meaningful results when using new methods to reduce & manage my pain! I honestly felt I’d be able to reduce my pain somewhat, but the results I’m seeing now are, frankly, about where I thought I’d be in 3 or 4 months–not after 3 weeks on the whole program!!  I’m so astounded I can’t express the full depth of amazement that I feel.  My pain is there, sure.  But it’s less severe on an every day, ongoing basis, & I’m able to manage it more easily.

I guess it’s all starting to gel a little bit: I feel more energy on this cleansing diet & herbal supplements prescribed by Dr. Hedayat; After an acupuncture session with Jonathon I feel more calm, ‘whole’, & healed (for lack of a better description) & I know from past experience this will continue to build over time; The chiropractic adjustments from Dr. Buechel (& Dr. Hummel) are helping to straighten my rotated pelvis & all the other stuff that’s out of alignment in my spine & body; Dr. Vanessa, Adam, & Dr. Kevin are hitting me with awesome exercises, specialized massage to unlock spasmed muscles, lots of joint manipulation & stretching, taping me up like a mummy, & (the best part) teaching me ways of doing the same types of body work at home!!

I’m actually starting to believe that my goals I originally wrote out will all be achieved! I admit it. When I wrote about the restoration of health that I wanted in my life, that I honestly believed was possible for me, I wrote about my absolute, best-case, dream scenario.  (I’ve found throughout my life that if I set my goals high, but not so high as to be completely unrealistic, I can achieve results far beyond the expectations of my pragmatic side.)

But, now that I feel I’m making significant headway towards my goal of health, although I’m just starting on the path, I actually believe it in my very soul that I will achieve all my goals! I have the will, I’m acquiring the tools, and I have a fantastic team that I believe will give me healing.  This is the solid foundation for the permanent life changes I so devoutly want, & desperately need.  And each of these changes takes me closer to my new self, & my new life!!

I’ve had so many changes going on with my body over the past week it’s been hard to take time to post an update!!  (Or to sit for very long–my lower back has had me in knots at times.  Fortunately I feel much better now!)  So, where to begin?  I’ve had a very busy six days at Renew Integrative Health Center . . .

First, I had recommendations last week from Jonathon Dodds, L.Ac on eating lots of red foods to boost my intake of fresh antioxidants and other natural nutritional factors, along with changing my iron supplement.  I immediately did both that afternoon and this week I’ve already felt some difference in my energy level and was able to reduce both the allergy and antacid medications I’m taking. Yay!!  Thanks Jonathan!

I also had a meeting last Saturday with Tina Mears, MFT on the obstacles standing in my way of meeting my goals & how to overcome them.  She helped me strengthen my resolve to put time for myself at the top of my daily to-do list. As a wife, mother, educator, and back-up for my husband’s business I end up at the bottom of my list unless I hold my ground and insist on time to do my exercises & prepare healthy meals (sometimes two–one for me & one for them), as well as time for my various treatments at Renew.  I had already begun to carve time for myself but Tina really reinforced how necessary this is for my health–and the health of my family.

Then on Monday and Tuesday I attended two seminars at Renew: One given by Dr. Kamyar M. Hedayat, M.D. on the biological (endocrine) interactions between my mood, the foods I eat, and how these profoundly effect my overall health; The other, given by  Dr. Robert Buchel, D.C. was on the importance of ridding my body of accumulated toxins from my years of over-the-counter pain medications (which I take in high doses), various prescription drugs, and (like Dr. Hedayat’s lecture) the constant cravings for sugar and simple carbs (read: pastry, cakes, bread, chocolate).

These seminars really helped me understand the chains of  biological reactions that are happening within my body and gave me tremendous encouragement! Now I understand why I’ve been feeling such profound exhaustion, light-headedness, fuzzy thinking, and muscle/joint pain.  But even more importantly, this knowledge has expanded my understanding of the interactions between my liver, pancreas, gall bladder, digestive system, brain/mood, hormonal/chemical reactions that drive and serve these structures & their individual processes, & much more.   And this knowledge is extremely helpful in my understanding the approach of the doctors here at Renew.   (I guess I need to understand the scientific basis for everything–even treatments like acupuncture have scientific language that can be accurately applied.)

So, I began my physical therapy Wednesday with Dr. Vanessa Jackson, D.P.T and Adam in the PT suite & boy, did they get my body moving!  Not to say I was running & sweating–they were working hard to unlock my stiff muscles & joints, work on my posture, & go through a stretching & limbering routine for me to do daily at home.  I’m sure glad they have this awesome whirlpool table (trough-shaped table filled with a warm ‘waterbed’ that has whirlpool jets pulsing underneath)–aahh!  Pure heaven for the stiff body!  All this helped me tremendously.

Wednesday I also had my second chiropractic adjustment with Dr. Buchel and he really worked, adjusting my joints from the base of my skull all the way down to my feet!  My spine, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands, pelvis, hips, knees, & ankles were checked & adjusted if needed.  Now I was walking much better, although my body wasn’t quite sure what to do!  I actually had to be conscious of my movements as my normal pattern of walking had changed & if I wasn’t careful I felt I might stagger sideways.  Fortunately, my body acclimated quickly & the awkwardness passed in a few minutes.

Finally on Wednesday, I had a full history & examination with Dr. Hedayat. When finished I was so gratified & relieved when he explained that many of the destructive cycles he had spoken of (in his seminar on Monday) were ongoing in my body & causing much of my ill-health.  After being told my HMO they couldn’t find what was wrong with me & I would ‘just have to live with it’, I was excited to have an actual diagnosis & to start a course of action to begin healing!  The most important thing Dr. Hedayat told me was I need to rest my liver, gall bladder, & pancreas right now.

So for the next month or so I will avoid all starchy carbs like pastry, bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, & sugar.  (Waa!  Bye-bye chocolate!)  Along with the dietary changes recommended by Jonathan & a few detoxifying supplements, I will eat animal protein with each meal, have lots of vegetables, & before I eat any fruit I will eat 3-4 almonds or walnuts to aid the digestive process.  I will also snack on whole eggs (I like hard-boiled) & of course, drink plenty of water.  I will miss my bread & rice especially but I can do this for a month, or even two if needed.  I understand why I need to do this so I’m not seriously tempted cheat. (But I’ll be glad when I can have some Arroz con Pollo or fresh, whole-grain bread again!)

Then on Thursday I was able to get up in the morning and actually stand up straight & walk without shuffling about!  I look in the mirrior–GASP! My shoulders are back, my pelvis tilted correctly–I look like I just lost 10 pounds overnight!  Thanks Dr. Vanessa, Adam, & Dr. B!!

I’m so grateful–and motivated!!  I’ve never before had all these issues brought together by one person, or group of people working together. Now, having concrete knowledge and a plan for action is the key to my new-found determination.  Before, I was always aware that each practitioner was separate and many times their individual recommendations were incompatible in varying degrees.  The lack of coordination between each modality left me with many doubts.  I would have difficulty trying to pick and choose what parts of which programs to do, and my guesswork was never very useful or satisfying.  Now I have a terrific group of people who are extremely well-trained, have a wealth of experience in their fields, and truly want me to succeed.  Their good humor & grace has already shone through & I know they will be of tremendous help when I hit those stumbling blocks, as surely I will.

Unfortunately, on Thursday I was exhausted all day after my action-packed Wednesday (including 1-1/2 hour traffic each way!).  Then, as I was feeling better, I  had some sort of stomach/digestive crisis that night.  Whether it was food poisoning, a 6 hour flu, or the grocery store rotisserie chicken was too greasy, I don’t know.  But I ended up on the floor for 3-4 hours with pains in my right side like I’ve never felt before.  After ridding myself of that which offended my body, the pain slowly subsided & I was finally able to go to bed about 3 am.

Friday I had to cancel teaching workshops after being up all night but I finally felt well enough to head down to Renew again where Jonathan gave me acupuncture which really helped soothe & calm the last feelings of pain & nausea.  Then Dr. Buchel gave me another comprehensive chiropractic adjustment after a soothing heat treatment.  Then, some gentle stretching on the traction table & I felt pretty good!  (I did cancel my Physical Therapy session though.)  But I headed over to The Broken Yolk & had a terrific 4-egg omelet with tons of veggies & herbal tea (no honey!).  I did look wistfully at the yummy blueberry muffin, but I was good & took it home for my son.  Then I came home & slept like the proverbial log all afternoon, night,  & late this morning (Saturday, I’m just up really late–yikes! It’s 12:59 am on Sunday morning!)

But I do feel much better today.  My muscles are a bit sore but nothing major.  My right side is still tender inside, but I’m fine with eating from my approved list.  I’m standing straighter & I did some stretches; tomorrow I’ll do my full PT routine of assigned stretches & limbering exercises.   Boy, it feels great to start feeling good again!!  Thanks everyone at Renew!

Well, the more I blog the more I’m realizing how I’m going to have to get back to a very firm grasp on my time management.  There’s no way I’m going to be able to make the changes I have to if  I can’t seem to figure out what it my problem is!  What’s up with me anyway?!   I’ve run my own profitable business from age 14, successfully attended college & university, had numerous jobs where I’ve worked very  & traveled solo more than half the year while completing my various duties, & I’ve been assigned many times to design or streamline department procedures.  Then WHY oh why is it so hard for me to juggle my life now?! The wife & mom thing has such an emotional component for me that I seem to not consider my own needs during my waking hours.  (That’s so hard for me to type, & to face–I feel like such a wimp!  But if I’m not truly honest with myself there’s no way I can make true changes in my life.)

And yes, I really do believe that making changes in your life starts with an awareness of the thing(s) you want to change.  Then you have to work very hard putting the change(s) you want to see in yourself into practice. Personally, I find it can be very helpful to understand why I do some of the things I do as it can help weaken my desire to do the thing I want to stop.  But the hardest part for all of us in making changes in our lives is to actually put the new behaviors or attitudes into constant practice! And we have to keep on doing them until they become second nature and actually become part of us!  (Oh, if it was only as easy to do as it is to write.)

Today (I’m writing late Friday night)  I feel like I do much of my time–as though I’m always exhausted, hiking up a hill with the top just a short distance ahead on the trail & all I have to do is to keep putting one foot in front of the other until I reach it–then everything will get easier.  As soon as I finish  <<insert chore/job description here>>,  then I’ll have time to spend on myself & exercise & address my health.  Then I’ll have time again to read books for pleasure, watch a movie or a few TV shows of my own, or to ride horses.  Then I’ll have time to do anything else I’d like to do because I have leisure time.  (Oooo, it sounds so decadent & sensual when I say it–leisure time.  The last time I had any was when I was pregnant, & before that almost 20 years ago!)

I guess that’s the big thing I’ll be so grateful for when our business is generating more income because I see money as something that can help to ease some of the stresses we have in life–it can buy leisure time.  Right now, lack of spendable income is a major motivator for so much of what hubby & I do–we do whatever ‘it’ is ourselves to save money.  I believe that’s basically a good thing but we’ve had to carry it to extremes for way to long.  I mean, I’d dearly love to have someone help me with the heavy cleaning  again, or assist me in re-organizing the garage, my office, & homeschool supplies.  I just become so physically exhausted when doing the same stuff millions of other people seem to do with no problem, that it’s  very discouraging to me.

Well I just went back & read what I wrote–Yikes!!   I’m not trying to be a downer (or whiner!) but I feel I’ve succeeded admirably.     I guess I’ve just felt like the mountain of work around here is endless!  I got that cold last Friday & went to sleep, then woke up & it was Tuesday!!  Poor hubby’s working such long hours he drags himself home, has a shower & dinner, then hits the sack.  He’s been great vacuuming & mowing the lawns for me though, even when he’s so whacked he’s walking around in a stupor as he knows how those chores really kill my back.  And like every mom, I had to plow through mountains of cleaning, dishes, grocery shopping,  & laundry while sick (& before myhome was ready for my friends & I to teach classes here this morning).   And now I have to be up at 6:00 am again, even though it’s almost midnight now.  Boy!!  Am I ever ready for a shower & beddie-bye!  For a week!!!

Now hold on a minute!  Now I’m going to stop this & focus on the positive things I’ve been doing!!  (Notice the behavior you want to change, then make the change.) I am proud of myself that I’ve been stretching every morning when I get up, & this definitely helps my mobility.  Instead of shuffling about for 10-15 minutes it’s only about 5 or so that it’s really bad.

And, since I found out I’d been chosen to participate in Ch10′s  Half-Year Challenge, I’ve really motivated to eat even healthier than usual!!  Don’t get me wrong, I still grab a salad or grilled chicken sandwich at the local drive-through with my 8 year old son, but I do eat 1-5 pieces of fruit per day, lots of veggies, whole-grain/ sprouted wheat  bread & bagels, lots of rice, beans & lentils, much more chicken & fish & little red meat (although I  love BBQ & carne asada), I drink lotsof water every day, & about 1-3 glasses of wine or beer a week.  Usually when I feel so bad physically, I over-indulge in chocolate (isn’t that one of the four major food groups?) and pastries.  Not now though!  I still have a few bites of chocolate or pastry, but I’m not eating gobs of this to give me the energy I need to get though the day like I was before.  Now when I get that totally exhausted, light-headed feeling & begin to get dizzy & have difficulty staying awake I have a small glass of juice, followed by a balanced mix of protein & ‘healthy’ carbs (whole grain, low-glycemic), then some coffee & an apple for dessert.  I’ve always felt better when I eat foods that minimize swings in blood sugar, even though I’ve never tested positive for any sort of diabetic- or pre-diabetic condition.  So I will be proud of myself for choosing to eat what is good for me & for actually being comfortable with the reduction of my emotional comfort foods.  Making good choices in my life feels good!

So I’ll pat myself on the back for choosing not to dwell on my sense of futility & to focus instead on my sense of optimism about my future health, & for my small steps toward my healthier self. I’ll keep remembering that I must cut my goals into manageable pieces, & even smaller pieces if I need to, but the important thing is to take those first baby steps & keep on going.

And I’ll remind myself that as my cold goes away I’ll get a better attitude back.  It’s so hard to feel like I’m ready to get up & go when all I want to do is to lay down & sleep!

Boy, it’s sure hard for me to stick with a plan some days!   Yesterday I’d planned on a yoga class with my 8 year old son but now he was the one with the bad cold so I ended up staying home and catching up on the piles of housework and chores that were neglected while I was sick over the weekend.   Between tending a sick kid, laundry, and urgent phone calls/emails it was almost 8:00 pm before I even realized it!!

But I was stopped in my tracks by a good call–Lauren from Renew Integrative Health Center.  She’s been assigned as my patient advocate & will be working with me to coordinate Renew’s services & practitioners.  Whew!   I have appointments scheduled next week to see the Physical Therapist, Chiropractor, Accupuncturist, & MFT (Marriage & Family Therapist), and will have an appointment in the next week or so with the MD to do blood tests and other lab work.   Together we’ll map out a treatment plan to address all my medical issues, from strengthening and mobilizing my spine to stress-reducing excercise & meditation.  (And numerous other modalities, I’m sure!)  ;-D

So on one hand, I’m bummed that all I got in was a quick stretch yesterday & I’m very stiff this morning, but then I did reduce my stress by knocking off a lot of things on my must-do list.   ( rationalize, rationalize )   And of course I was excited to be able to get things rolling with the folks at Renew!!  Now I really feel there’s a plan taking shape, & that’s a great stress-reducer too!   (Can you tell I crave order?   <grin>    Probably because our life has been very fluid for years while we’ve done the research & development for our start-up, & then worked to get it off the ground.)

So, instead of being down on myself, I’ll decide to learn from yesterday:

-  Get that timer for the office to make myself get up & stretch !!!!  (Didn’t I say that before?  Oops, I’ve got to get to the store so add that to my list . . . )

-  Completing tasks is good–it reduces stress–but it’s bad when that’s all I’m      doing.  ( . . . must . . . take . . . breaks . . . )

-  I can’t make time for myself if I don’t notice time is passing until I’m too tired to do anything so,  I guess I’ll have to get into a new routine of self-care early in the morning before everyone is up.

(Hmmm, now I wonder how I’ll do that last one??   Hubby’s up early, works a 10+ hour day & comes home late every night,  so we all stay up to see each other.    Well, this is definitely something we’ll have to work out . . . )

Oh sleep is a wonderful thing!  Went to bed with a rotten cold on Friday night & slept 18 hours a day on the weekend. (Rah.   Super-exciting 4th, oh yeah.   Rah.)   I missed all the fun, BBQ, &  fireworks but it was worth it to feel almost human again.  In my opinion, the only good thing about getting sick is that great ‘rebound’ feeling you get a day or two afterward where you feel really great, like you can do anything!  I’m definately looking forward to that!  (But I’ll really have to watch myself like a hawk so I don’t overdo–that’s a major problem of mine at times! )    ;-D

So I got in a good 20 min stretch this morning & baked my stealth-healthy banana bread for my 8 year-old son (max protein, low-fat, tons of omega-3s  etc & yes! I did have a piece, but he licked the bowl).  Then I got busy & worked on my neglected financials, class curriculum, scheduling, & emails.  Ouch!  Sitting at the computer for more than 1/2 hour at a time makes me walk like I’m 110 years old!  Yikes!  I guess I better get a timer to set while I’m working as I tend to get lost in what I’m doing for hours at a time.

Starting tomorrow morning, my son has a yoga class which is taught by a friend of ours so I’m going to sit in the back & stretch & follow along with the kids as much as feels good.  After 8 rounds of  various physical therapies over the years I’m pretty good at knowing what’s a ‘good’ kind of pain & a ‘bad’ kind so I’ll just continue to work on my flexibility while being extra careful, since my body’s so badly out of whack.

I received my 1st contact from Lauren at Renew Integrative Health Center on Friday & the group will be contacting me this week.  Kate has been assigned as my patient advocate, which I think is very nice.  After looking over their website & seeing the array of services offered–& knowing that a big issue in improving my health has been a lack of communication & respect between my previous doctors/practitioners–I feel comforted to know that my health issues will be coordinated & if something isn’t working out, all my providers will know of it immediately.

So, since I can’t wait to get started, I sent Lauren a brief summary of my health issues, supplements, medication, etc to answer some of their basic questions, & help them in their planning.  Yuck!  It’s really discouraging to write it all down & see all the junk that I’m dealing with right now, although I can see how so much of it is inter-related.  Pain, stress, sleep & energy issues–obviously they are an integrated part of my ‘circle of inertia’.   Double-yuck!!

I remind myself  this is just another reason to be happy that I was chosen to participate in this Challenge–the direction of my inertia has the force of habit driving it & I need a force greater than my intertia to knock me into a new direction! Well, I can’t think of a better slap to the backside than having great support (Renew; Trudi, Patti, & David at Ch10) coupled with public accountability (egad!  whatever shall I say in my blog–or what might get caught on tape– if I don’t stay on my path!)  It’s soooo embarrassing that I need such a drastic push right now, but the groove of putting my family & our finances first & myself at the bottom of my to-do list is deep and well-worn.  So I’m hugely greatful to get such a terriffic boost & I know I’ll be making all the progress I possibly can over the next six months.  More than enough enough progress to get new habits firmly & deeply entrenched!  (I think I can, I think I can . . . )

One thing I know will be on the top of my list is to regain my flexibility, muscle strength, physical endurance, & aerobic endurance.  So I guess I’ve got lots of swimming, walking, hiking, weight-lifting, & yoga or other flexibility & posture training in my future.  Hey!  Writing that down suddenly makes me say, “Let’s Go, I’m READY!!” I love to hike & walk!  Mind/body work is very relaxing and energizing!  And although boring, I can find swimming & weightlifitng almost zen-like if I put myself in the proper, positive frame of mind.  (Plus, I can always listen to an audio book!)

If I close my eyes & really think back, my body remembers how good I feel when it’s fit–my pain is dramatically less & I have lots of energy & enthusiasm for life!    It’s been way too long since I felt good & my hubby & son are really missing that side of me (they tell me constantly).  No to mention our huge, goofy, lab-mix misses going on walks & hikes with me too– he brings his leash with soulful eyes whenever he sees me put on walking shoes!

So, I resolve that wheneverI get discouraged, I will keep reminding myself that regaining my health will not only be to my ultimate benefit, but to my family’s harmony & well-being as well.  I will deeply imagine how I will feel once again when I’m more flexible & fit, using my body’s memory of the past as my guide & inspiration.  I will put the time for myself  on my schedule as top priority (my friend reminds me that I’ve got to put my oxygen mask on first–trite but true).  And I will hold myself to a steady pace, one day at a time, so I don’t blow it & overdo when I begin to feel better, like I’ve done too often in the past.

OK.  I’m ready, I think I’m set, I’ve started, can I GO now?   ;-D

Well, I made it through today–Yay!          Yesterday I was really dragging & had such a difficult time with fatigue & joint pain, & then a head cold on top of it all.  But today I was able to get up at 4:30, finish preparing to teach workshops at my home this morning, & then GO SWIMMING!!   Oh man, did that feel good!!

I was actually very tired after classes today but a nice lunch at the kitchen table with a dear friend really helped me recharge. I ended taking her son & mine to the pool so they could test my son’s ‘boat’ he & hubby built (out of an old (clean) cooler, 2×4 ‘outriggers’, & pool noodle /  juice jug pontoons–hee hee!).  While the two of them had a blast paddling about & cavorting like seals, I slowly warmed up my joints & stretched & stretched & stretched.  Then I was able to do do some swimming, play games diving for the boat plug (a large bolt), & swim a few laps doing the crawl.

I swam about simply enjoying myself when it suddenly hit me: I haven’t been in the pool for over a year! As I sat in the hot tub after my swim I asked myself, Why have I kept making excuses not to get in the water? (Excluding the times when the pool &/or weather’s just too darn cold, or I just feel too darn fat!)  My logical mind tells me to do just what I did today: Get in, warm up & move, but not so much as to make myself overly sore or stiff.  Or, just get in the hot tub, darnit, & loosen up my joints & muscles that way!  But I’ve been so physically & emotionally exhausted from the stresses of our start-up business, trying to keep grown-up worries from pressing down on our 8 year old son, & all the everyday financial & personal anxieties so many of us are facing right now that I kept saying to myself, Later.  I’ll do it tomorrow.  I know I have to get back into shape to reduce my back pain, but I just don’t have a enough energy right now to blow out a candle, let alone go for a swim.  Tomorrow.  I’ll do it tomorrow.

I feel bad because my poor hubby has been begging my to take walks with him & my son keeps saying he wants to  “Spend some fun time with you Mom, not just sit around the house with you, or when you’re teaching classes!”   They both want to get up & go with me but my feet, ankles, knees, hips & back all hurt so much I can only be on my feet for 15 or 20 minutes max before I have such severe pain I have to sit & rest/nap.  I think I need some kind of arch supports &/or walking shoes but I’ve put that off too.  Not only do I feel guilty spending money but I just don’t have the energy most days.   (Boy, it’s easy to fall into the trap of feeling exhausted & powerless.)

But, (I remind myself) swimming is an excellent start!!  It’s low-impact & aerobic so I’m resolved to feel good about what I accomplished today–not to dwell on how far I still need to go.  I don’t remember who said this but my hubby is always telling me, “The only way to eat an  elephant is one bite at a time!” Disgusting metaphor, I know, but still very wise.

So, I will pat myself on the back for not falling into my habit of sitting on the sidelines. I will replay many times in my mind how good I felt in the water, how relaxing just swimming some gentle strokes felt to my mind & body, & how totally peaceful and zen-like it felt to simply float in the hot tub.  I feel so happy & relaxed now–a feeling & haven’t felt in much, MUCH too long a time!   

LATE UPDATE!  I got my 1st email from Renew Integrative Health & they will be scheduling my 1st meeting with them for next week–I can’t wait to get their perspective on what’s up with me!

Now, hubby & DS (dear son) have gone for a long bike ride so I’m taking a nice shower & hitting the hay.   Ah, a quiet house–bliss!!

Hi, I’m Dawn! If you’ve checked out my Bio you know I’m a busy mom & wife who is struggling with stress, & pain from fibromyalgia & old back & knee injuries. I’m used to being physically active & having lots of energy so this is quite difficult for me. Between teaching science & math workshops, homeschooling our 8 year old son, helping my hubby with his start-up engineering business, & all the day-to-day, time-consuming tasks that go with runnning a household, I’ve got plenty to keep me running!  I really struggle to get through the day much of the time so I’m SO  ready to work hard & get my life back!!

Yesterday morning I had a great meeting with Trudi, Patti, & David at Ch 10, & even got to meet fellow contestant Connie!  (She’s such a crack-up!)   What a great bunch of people–I can tell that working with them over the next six months is going to make this experience a lot of fun (to go along with all the hard work).  My meeting today really brought it home to me all the support I have behind me–what a gift this Challenge is for me right now!  I still can’t believe I’m a part of this & I’m grateful for the chance not only to make these essential changes in my life, but to share my journey with others who may face similar challenges. I’ve been antsy to have my 1st meeting with my sponsor, Renew Integrative Health Center, & now  Ijust can’t wait to get going on my plan of action!

Yesterday was a full day for me (5 am to 10 pm) starting with my meeting in the morning & by the time I got home & everyone was in bed I was completely wiped out.   :-P     So, no blogging yesterday, even though mentally I was super-energized & ready to get started.  Then today I had another one of my ‘bad’ mornings & couldn’t wake up (I’m not sure, but I think this is part of the fibromyalgia) & I slept intil 12:15!  The cold I’ve been fighting decided to settle in too while I prepared to teach workshops tomorrow out of my home. (I’m teaching science over the summer & two friends are teaching music & Spanish, so I have a full house here for 3+ hours on Fridays).  I’m so disgusted with myself!  Can’t I even have a long day without it totally knocking me on my butt??   :-(

I’m happy though that I did manage to get some quick thoughts down today, & I’ve been even more careful than usual to eat a healthy diet now that I’m part of the Challenge, so I do feel I’m making positive steps even if I’m not working out.  I figure that right now the most important things I can do until I work with Renew on mapping out my health strategy is to rest, eat well, stretch out, & above all, keep my ‘eye on the prize’–the prize being my health!!