Does It All Start With A Common Cold?

Last year, right after Thanksgiving, I got a really bad cold. I didn't suffer long before I visited my doctor who prescribed an antibiotic. Then I got worse. And a new antibiotic. Then Christmas arrived and I wasn't any better. In fact I was even worse. During Christmas week when I'd normally be in seventh heaven because our family was together, I was sick. And went to the doctor again. I think my kidneys were failing or something because the doctor said that the antibiotic that I was on could affect the kidneys.

I don't remember getting completely well after Christmas but in the very early Spring I went ahead with the shoulder surgery that seemed necessary at the time. And oh my, what did I do? It was so much worse than I thought it would be and I thought I'd never regain the mobility that I'd enjoyed or the small pain that I thought needed correcting. After months of physical therapy and then home physical therapy, I've seen steady but slow improvement.

Then I was diagnosed with skin cancer on my nose - not the deadly kind but any kind on the tip of your nose is a challenge. We started with a chemo cream the effects of which are terrible, then a biopsy, more chemo cream, excision of the tumor, a lingering unattractive bump, more chemo cream this coming January and then possibly another surgery to address the bump.

Healthwise it's been a difficult and challenging year. I've exacerbated the problem by gaining 30 pounds and feeling completely unmotivated to do anything about it.

And it all started with a cold after Thanksgiving last year.

Now things are looking up for me. I'm walking about a mile and a third a few times a week - it's not much but I really believe that staying active is the key and I'm increasing the time and effort I expend by just a little every week.

I'm hopeful that I've completed a year-long bad health cycle of some kind and that the coming year and hopefully all those to follow will be better.

But after Thanksgiving this year....... Mr. Right got a cold and a cough that seems to go on and on. He thinks it's a little better and he's somewhat reassured because he got a pneumonia shot last Fall so that's good.

But now he's got a really bad toothache.

Oh no. Does it all start with a common cold?

I Have To Admit I'm Getting Better

I get emails pretty regularly from Firstborn Army Son in Iraq. That helps so much.

I finished my clear liquid diet and the craziest thing is that it worked. I feel a lot better even though my doctor wouldn't prescribe even one single pill no matter how much I thought he should. So that's all good.

And, after being inspired by some of the cast of Shrinking Jeans like Bacardi Mama and by Sharon from Mom Generations (and her 5k runs), I actually got out and walked tonight.

It was cold, and so was I, but I'm so glad I went. There were a couple of really neat things going on. One was a little, busy group of ducks. They swam quickly, bobbing on the waves and zigzagging all over the place. Then I noticed that the size of the group varied constantly and it was because they spent so much time diving underwater. Here is a series of pictures taken within about a ten second span:

They were such a busy, important little group that I decided not to disturb them further.

Next I found the swans' nesting spot.

And I saw this muskrat:

And this sunset:

And then I went home, frozen, but exhilarated that I'd finally felt good enough to get out and start walking.

Can I Have Some Cheese With My Whine?

Oh wait. I can't have cheese...or wine for that matter.

I'm on a clear liquid diet. Have you ever tried one of those? You can have coffee and tea with no cream, jello with no fruit, broth with no substance, juice with no pulp, and water. How can that be a diet you ask? Like this:

Breakfast: One glass fruit juice
One glass water
One cup of broth
One bowl of gelatin

Lunch: Repeat

Dinner: Repeat

Snacks: Coffee or tea - no cream and one bowl of gelatin or a popsicle.

That's it. That's the whole diet. But the good thing (or bad depending on how you look at it) is that you feel so lousy when you have to be put on one of these diets that you really don't want anything else. So it's okay. As long as it has the desired result: It's designed to keep your stomach and intestines clear, limit strain to your digestive system, and keep your body hydrated.

Evidently the doctor thinks my digestive system needs a rest. I agree.

So I bought a book, New Moon, the sequel to Twilight and I watch TV when I can keep my eyes open and I don't do anything else.

But there are signs that I'm recovering - the first of which is that I'm writing this post.

See? I told you I wasn't feeling well.