A quick trip to Asheville

 It was a quick in-an-out trip down the mountain.

I didn't even go to my favorite grocery (Aldy's) or stop for lunch anywhere (and there are soooo many wonderful places to eat!)

I just went to the doctor, came on home. Perhaps feeling under the weather, as they say.

And as I walked into the Asheville Pulmonary offices, this greeted me. I pulled out the handy dandy phone to capture this luxurious dogwood.

Since Asheville is a couple hundred feet lower in elevation, they actually are a few days advanced from Black Mountain's spring blooms.

And stopped at a light I had the opportunity to capture these wonderful tile roofs of The Cathedral of All Souls. One of these day's I'll try looking inside these unique buildings.

My pulmonologist visit was a normal 6 month check in about COPD and bronchiectasis. I've been doing fine using the two machines that help...one to help me cough up stuff using a saline nebulizer treatment, and a C-PAP to help me breathe from sleep apnea. I did say I was feeling really lethargic, taking more naps, and just feeling low energy. Dr. Stashinko listened to my lungs and heard congestion, so is trying me on an antibiotic for 10 days. I've sure taken a lot of them in the last few years, and wish that I hadn't needed them so often. But I do have a bit more energy now after the first few days!

I've been in Physical Therapy to hope to improve or at least retain posture where my head is not bent so far forward (the good old sign of aging, or something to do with vertebrae.) So far I've improved my range of motion of my arms, which still do not go straight over my head. But yesterday I was on that huge ball sitting and doing some motion from my hips. I'd already done some sit/squats to the chair. But when I got up from the ball I felt like I had sea legs...seriously, remember when you get off a boat and dry land seems to heave around you? I clumped into the chair nearby and that was the end of that session. Even resting didn't cure it though. I kind of loose-jointed-walked to elevator, car, then home. Eating a banana and sitting with a cup of coffee did help.

And sitting here I just checked, yes, I can walk around now a bit more securely. Perhaps a bit of low blood-sugar also I'm thinking. Isn't it fun being old and thinking about all this? About 50 years ago, I was more concerned about the clothes I wore and my hair and makeup!

Today's quote:

Taught from their infancy that beauty is woman's sceptre, the mind shapes itself to the body, and roaming round its gilt cage, only seeks to adorn its prison. 

-Mary Wollstonecraft, reformer and writer (1759-1797)

Using the tools in my toolbox

 

Thank you dear blog friends for your supportive comments yesterday. It means a lot to me to have a virtual team here rooting for me...as I feel the same toward all of you.

So I went to physical therapy today, and realized as I left home, that I was supposed to be there at that time, rather than leaving at that time. I rushed as much as I could but still was about 10 minutes late.

I usually give myself mental cues, and if I'm busy on the computer, I even set alarms to let me know I need to get ready, or leave.

But not today. I was late for the first time to PT and I felt really bad. 

But somehow I had confused the time of 10:20 to 10:40 that the appointment was. Now this was after I'd already known I had arrived late.

So my dear defense system said, well we thought we were not supposed to be here till 10:40.

Steve (the PT) said we never meet at 10:40, he does appointments only at 10:20.

I just shook my head.

As I walked to the car I thought, I'm not using the tools in my own toolbox. I know how to live a better life than I currently am. It's not just physical debilitation from breath problems...it's emotionally not getting better than I am at my worst.

So...that's the therapist Bingo above. And all the little tricks I can come up with...to get myself out of the slump. I often say, "this is the COPD/bronchiectasis causing this." But hey, I'm a whole being, put together of all these pieces and my emotional life is kind of still in a slump.

Helping others more and more. Telling them I'm not making much progress. Knowing the PT won't cure the curve of my back, but at least I can learn some core muscles to help, and can stretch my arms over my head again. So I have the pros helping me. Time to help meself.

Now I need to kick ass to this person Barbara!

Oh oh, I just remembered something from long ago body work, deep tissue work, Rolfing...my emotions are also carried in my body. So this work on posture may well be releasing these feelings. 

Whoo hoo. An ah-ha moment.

Ah the pain in my neck

I just started physical therapy. I asked my primary doc if it might help with pain in my lower neck and shoulders...and he said yes, probably.

When I filled out the "diagnosis" questions I came into the moderate level of neck pain, I think.Without going into details, I've felt uncomfortable just sitting and working on computer at my desk, or at a table...sitting erect, not leaning on the back of a chair.

So off I went to a newly named Physical Therapist office, but the same good therapist I've seen for years, for various problems. He's helped me with my knee, my hands, my feet, and just about everything.

We set 4 goals...and he gave me some simple exercises to do at home...and an appointment twice a week for the next two weeks.

I'm really looking forward to this!

Clean aquariums

Started yesterday with the battle of the green algae, which had overtaken both my tanks.  The 30 gallon came first, with my trusty siphon hose and bucket (which is a bit over 3 gallons I think) and walking back and forth to kitchen sink to first remove all the fluorescent green water.

Gourami at top, Neon Tetras to bottom

Oh, I put the 5 big fish into one side of the 10 gallon tank and put a divider so the big guys couldn't eat all the little guppies on the other side.  They stayed in green water overnight, while the new set-up became aclimated for them.

It's so pristine now I'm so proud of my muscles and my arms working so well.  Thanks to Cliff Schulman and the Black Mountain Physical Therapists...I've got arms that work without pain again.

Adult guppies (maybe 14, if they'd only stand still!)

Gourami at top, Tiger Barb at bottom, Neon Tetras mid range

Angel fish is shy, and maybe blind in the eye on this side

The guppy tank got cleaned today, and they didn't get 24 hours either after I'd bleached all their plastic plants and rocks, then rinsed them and declorinated the fresh water for them.  They sat in a big stainless bowl in clean water for a few hours, then I noticed it was getting colder than the new water in their tank.  So I transferred them by net and had a major accident.

One of the guppies landed on the floor, about 2 feet down onto carpet.  The main problem was that I was sitting enjoying all the beautiful views for about 10 minutes before I noticed her limp form.  I picked her up, put her in the stainless bowl and she started breathing, and swimming kind of erratically.  I thought she wouldn't make it, but threw some flakes of food in with her, just in case she needed incentive.  But 5 minutes later she looked healthy.  So I netted her and added her to the tank.  Now I can't tell which one she is.

Again I've set up the tank so I can have baby guppies on one side safe from the appetites of their parents.  There were 2 that I found in the green water and managed to rescue.  We shall see if this setup works like it has in the past, where newborn babies just escape right under the screen onto the "nursery" side. Yes they give live birth, which is why I enjoy them.  I'll let you know.  I probably won't be able to take photos, as you see, these are pretty lame already.  But I'm thrilled to be able to see the sparkle on everything today!

Now if we just have sun continuing to move further north (as equinox is in a couple of weeks) and less comes into the living room windows to strike the aquariums and create that algae again.  Now I'm going to run around setting all my clocks to daylight savings time, ugh.  What would I have done with that extra hour that I'll lose tonight?  Probably invented the greatest thing imaginable, or made the most beautiful pot.  I will be dreaming about it, but have just an hour less than can bring it to fruition.  I don't know a soul who likes DST.