Since I got sick, I have not adhered to a good schedule and have let a ton lapse, but I am slowly working on getting back to a real routine. 

On Monday, my first physical therapy appointment was held. This is to work on the degenerative disks in my neck and lower back. Yea, this body is seriously broken, and I can finally take care of it. 

Why didn’t I take care of this before you ask? I couldn’t. The pain in my body was caused by doing rodeo, skateboarding, and generally having kid fun, all before the age of 18.  

Back then the insurance companies punished you for getting hurt as a kid. These were called “pre-existing conditions”. 

Prior to the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare), everything I had was a pre-existing condition and not covered by ANY insurance company, so I lived with the pain, paying chiropractors out of pocket for decades. Back in the day, you had to be careful what you said to a doctor because if there was even the possibility of a prior condition, you weren’t covered. Due to this, many of my conditions went untreated for years. 

It has made it hard to work out, hard to get old. Just so you know what I have dealt, with from head to toe, since before I was 18 years old:

TMJ

Degenerating neck disks

Torn rotator cuff – right

Damage to left shoulder

Possibly tendonitis right hand – doc’s still trying to figure it out.

Degenerating lower back disks

Numb right kneecap – Horse fell on it

Left knee issues – Haven’t even dealt with this yet

Plus...

A broken right big toe – Never treated, this was due to covid, not childhood fun. 

Yet I still find a way to work out. 

There are some periods of wallowing, my body has severe inflammation, it hurts, but when I exercise, I feel better, most of the time. 

I really try and find video workouts that are easy but push me. And when I get going in a video, like, it starts out great, but then they start doing side planks or lifting the weights in a way I cannot, it makes me want to cry. Then I wallow. It sucks being in a funk like that and they are hard to get out of. I try really hard not to pull the “why me” card. I try and be positive but add the body pain to menopause and life just feels so exhausting. 

Then there is the problem with having a routine. Routines bore me. When I used to drive to a corporate job, the drive itself would bore me because it was the same route every...single...day. I’m sorry to all of you that must still commute. It sucks more than anything. I also hate doing the same workouts every...single...day. They bore me. 

I thought I would find more on YouTube than I am. Whatever I look for in a video, it has to have the word beginner in it. There cannot be a whole lot of jumping or side planks as I am no longer as aerobic as I used to be, and, I don’t have the space to be aerobic without breaking something. 

But the same people keep coming up. There is a whole world out there so why do I see the same stuff day after day? If you have one that I don’t have listed, send me a link, I would be happy to try it. 

Here are the workouts I have done so far this week, you can find them on my YouTube Channel. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lT5Cd4cDTc&t=14s 

and 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP9RghMddXg 

Both are from HASfit and so far, I really do like their workouts. 

I have not used my Bala Bangles this week but I am still keeping up with my protein shakes. 

Lastly, I broke the diet big time when Hubby and I went out to finally celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary. Chocolate Molten Cake with Raspberry Coolii.  

I don’t get another one until our 20th. 

Xoxo everyone.