I am feeling darn good, which is good, because I'm back to mi vida loca - running a thousand miles an hour keeping house, keeping pets, keeping in shape and sane. Dave has been fighting a terrible cold since before I returned from my trip, and he is beginning to pull out of it, but it frightened me, making me concerned that it could develop into pneumonia and compromise our ability to take this trip to Italy that I spent the weekend working on. We have our airline tickets, but still don't have reservations for a room in Rome. I did get a room near the airport for the last night, and a provisional reservation in Florence for the couple of nights before that, and have been given a couple of quotes on Rome B&Bs that sound fine, but not quite in the neighborhood where I'd like to be. I'm giving it until tomorrow to see what all of the offers will look like, then I have to make a reservation! The trip is coming up soon, April 12th, and I am amazed how much time it takes to research accommodations, not to mention practice the language and plan the things we want to see and learn about. Just being in another culture will be enough to excite and inspire me. Even the altered American experience of West Palm Beach, with its Floridian natives and east coast transplants, not to mention to wide variety of Hispanics and other imports, helped ease the ennui of sameness that sometimes wears me down at home. Nashville has become a much more international place, but it's still not exactly polycultural. Or multilingual, whatever some of the locals may think, at least in comparison to larger, coastal cities.
Regarding my physical status, I was able yesterday to participate in an hour of yoga that required upper body strength that I haven't been capable of since the mastectomies. Longer downward facing dogs and plank poses than I've even attempted in ages. I still am not able to keep up with the entire program, but I made it through an hour. Then later on did a half hour on the elliptical. I'm trying to control my blood sugar, with more commitment now than earlier, as it looks like I will not be able to participate in the Metformin trial, not unless the FDA gets off of their butts and approves the medication. I would have to start within a year of diagnosis, and that will be April 1st. Haha. I really did think my surgeon was joking when he gave me the news...
Anyway, I have had a little bit of swelling in my left arm, but of course know what to do about it now, and I will be thrilled to swap out these Barbie-boobs for my permanent implants when I get the chance to do that, but will probably wait until July to allow me a chance to travel for pleasure and business - an additional 2 days of training in CDT for the head and neck - and to focus on getting the lymphedema clinic running with my hands on it as much as possible. That will also let it happen in the next fiscal year which will be good for the clinic. I'm eager to get these hand-balls out of my chest, but I'm happy to stay out from under the knife, with minimal pain as I have now, for a while longer.
Regarding my physical status, I was able yesterday to participate in an hour of yoga that required upper body strength that I haven't been capable of since the mastectomies. Longer downward facing dogs and plank poses than I've even attempted in ages. I still am not able to keep up with the entire program, but I made it through an hour. Then later on did a half hour on the elliptical. I'm trying to control my blood sugar, with more commitment now than earlier, as it looks like I will not be able to participate in the Metformin trial, not unless the FDA gets off of their butts and approves the medication. I would have to start within a year of diagnosis, and that will be April 1st. Haha. I really did think my surgeon was joking when he gave me the news...
Anyway, I have had a little bit of swelling in my left arm, but of course know what to do about it now, and I will be thrilled to swap out these Barbie-boobs for my permanent implants when I get the chance to do that, but will probably wait until July to allow me a chance to travel for pleasure and business - an additional 2 days of training in CDT for the head and neck - and to focus on getting the lymphedema clinic running with my hands on it as much as possible. That will also let it happen in the next fiscal year which will be good for the clinic. I'm eager to get these hand-balls out of my chest, but I'm happy to stay out from under the knife, with minimal pain as I have now, for a while longer.
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