Thursday, October 31, 2013

When Every Day Seems Like Groundhog Day, Don't Gopher it!

Easier Said than Done


Groundhog Day? If you remember the movie with Bill Murray, it is a day that keeps repeating itself, it is a day that keeps repeating itself, (get the picture) every day when he wakes up. That day is Groundhog Day. 
If you are like me, that is when you wake up and realize that you still have a chronic disease. Not because you have to think about it, with CPPD, moving is difficult in the morning. If the day is worse than expected, even the slightest tasks can seem overwhelming. And if you have a wife/husband/significant other... it is just as challenging and overwhelming to them.

I am thankful for a loving and supportive wife, who picks me up when I am down, or grabs me before I fall into all the "what ifs".

But you have to move.

Normally today I would have worked out with my trainer, but as the morning wore on I realized perhaps skipping today would be best. My Arthritis Doc says you can't exercise you way out of Chondrocalcinosis 


Unfortunately,Exercise is the way I can really move, stretch and do some resistance training. It does so many good things for you that if
you don't spend some time in a gym a good 5 days a week, believe it or not you could feel worse. Trying to maintain a healthy weight through exercise and diet is my main defense against my Arthritis.

So there's the conundrum. My routine needed to change, but not at first. I had not yet found out I had CPPD but was having nagging injuries. The eliptical made my hip stiffer, so I walked on the treadmill on an incline. Then my achilles became swollen. So back to the elipitical!

So I got a city bike and started biking a couple of days a week instead of the gym. Typically I go about 15-20 miles. I will stop and take photos, naturally! Also at the gym, I mix up the time on the eliptical, treadmill and I row 2000 or 5000 meters on a concept rowing machine. 

If you haven't started exercising, you have to start slow. And if you can, working with a trainer gives you things to do at the gym that will help you with your disease. I have been going to my gym for 6 years, so don't think you have to do that much. When I started, I could not to 1 push up. I just kept at it, you can too.

You just have to move, and keep moving.

Now for me I have some mornings like this morning, every breath and step hurts. I have developed a stiff neck problem that has lasted months. Add in the wrist and jaw pain... its Groundhog Day!

For me if I can't get to the gym I feel guilty and that make me anxious. Now picture a mouse in a wheel running. Perhaps that is your mind when you just can't or know what to do. If you are like me, you find this mighty challenging.

I also recommend cognitive behavioral therapy. You need help knowing how to deal with the pain that is making you anxious and guilty. 

Acceptance.

That for me is pretty hard, for you I am sure too. I have not gotten to that because the disease can be different from day to day, or in some cases hours. 
And I don't have to mention the exhaustion. You don't know what to expect, and making plans in the future is a kin to entering a lottery. Because you have no idea how you will feel, or how much energy you will have.  It is hard to get off the guilt and anxiety train.

My therapist says BREATHE!

Get up and move. Take a walk. Get a dog (I have two). 

Exercise is key, for me finding the balance and dealing with the difficult days are my journey to find the trail that leads to acceptance. 

And perhaps the comfort and peace that 
acceptance can reveal to me.

Happy Halloween!

Bart Connors Szcarba








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