February 16th – Chronic Illness

by annemariedemyen, posted in Updates - February 2022

Chronic illness is no stranger to me – I have suffered from respiratory issues for the better part of my life. It affects me every day and there are cases of bronchitis and pneumonia that are debilitating. Since early 2020, my respiratory issues have been acute and ongoing. I have gone from asthma to COPD to bronchiectasis as I discussed in this blog post from November of 2020.

https://seclusion101withannemarie.com/2020/11/26/chronic-illness/

As much as my lung issues are frustrating, there are definitely things that I can do to make them less detrimental to my overall wellbeing. Keeping physically active is important, as is managing my weight

Being physically active is pretty doable – especially since I retired and am no longer tied to a desk nine hours a day. It is just a matter of getting up and getting active. It’s not always what I want to do – but it is something I should and can do.

Managing my weight is a different story. I have two basic weights – underweight and overweight. I was my ideal weight for fifteen minutes in 1986. 😉

When I am underweight, I feel terrible and it is a battle to do anything. Taking out a bag of garbage, shoveling snow, or pushing a lawn mower are herculean tasks. When I am underweight, nothing I do, or eat, adds bulk to my scrawny frame.

More often than not, I am OVERWEIGHT. When one is 5′-1″, it takes very little extra weight to make a big difference. Thirty or forty extra pounds makes a huge difference and when I am carrying it around – it is not going anywhere. I walk, I exercise, I live for weeks on lettuce and lean meat and nothing! Well not nothing – the last time I went on a mission to lose weight I gave myself a hernia and gained five pounds. 🙄

Right now, and as has been the case for a number of years, I am overweight. Being a little stubborn and not one to back down from a challenge, I am once again on a mission to rid myself of the extra poundage.

As incentive, I started by purchasing a neoprene work out body suit. I have had it for a couple of days now. If nothing else, I should lose a few pounds getting it on and off. Any other activity I engage in should be a bonus. 👍

This is not me…

As an incentive to eating healthier (ie lettuce and lean meat), I have been washing down my supper with a glass of red wine. For entertainment, I have been using the silicone wine glass that came with this bottle of wine Dan bought. I can’t imagine who would have thought a silicone wine glass would be practical, but it is definitely amusing. (It bounces – much like I would if I fell over in my neoprene body suit).

So, that is my update on my journey with chronic illness. Having recovered from my hernia surgery, I am back on track to do what I can to manage my respiratory issues. 🙂

That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day!💞

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40 thoughts on “February 16th – Chronic Illness”

  6. Great post Anne Marie. A big/huge/gigantic part of a commitment/journey is acknowledging it. You’re putting yourself out there in black & white for all to see. “This is what I’m trying to do.” Kudos to you! (And I think I was my perfect weight for about as long as you. The struggle is real and persistent). Hang in there my friend…

    Liked by 1 person

  9. That is interesting about your weight issues. I think I might have been underweight once in my life for 15 minutes. I know what it is like to be overweight. You also shame me (I hope) into really starting to walk again. Last winter I did so well. Sigh. Take care of yourself!

    Liked by 2 people

  10. I can’t wait until our snow and ice melts so I can get to walking outside. In the meantime I can work to get myself in shape so I am ready to walk when the sidewalks are more inviting. Take care and have a great day. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Wow Anne Marie, don’t give up! I’m so sorry for your pain, and I can relate with the weight. I’m on a mission myself. I lose and then gain it back. But I started walking every day, now 4-5 miles in my neighborhood. It helps! And also clears my mind and reduces stress. I enjoyed reading your post 😊

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Best of luck with trying to eat healthier. I find it’s always harder being active in the winter in general due to the cold and snow. We’re supposed to get a big snowfall this evening, so shovelling will be a good excuse to go outside.

    Liked by 1 person

  39. This is brilliant! 😂 I mean red wine eases inflammation, so that basically means it’s good for us – right?!

    Liked by 1 person

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