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Finding the Balance

I’m not very good at being sick. I’m a good enough patient, in that I take my meds as directed and mostly do what the doc says. But the mental side of things is rough for me.

Inactivity makes me depressed, it always has. If I go more than 3 days without exercise I start feeling uncomfortable in my skin. And when I’m not moving around I’m more prone to headaches and body aches. So sometimes the bed rest I need when I’m sick makes certain symptoms worse.

Being sick, especially when it’s a lung thing, means I have to walk that fine line between doing too much and not doing enough. If I lay around “healing” then things that didn’t hurt before start to. If I force myself to move around I wear myself out and don’t heal.

As I get older the ratio between how much to move and how much to NOT move is changing. So the answer to this mystery of how much to rest and how much to not rest changes over time. Well, I’m just not smart enough to figure it out…too many variables in this equation for my pea-brain.

The good news, I guess, is that I’m well enough to worry about this. Four days ago I was so sick that going down the stairs to make a cup of tea would leave me dizzy and weak for hours. Now I’m pondering whether to go walk the dog. So I guess that whatever this mysterious ratio of activity and inactivity is I must be mostly getting it right, since I’m mostly feeling better.

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7 Responses to “Finding the Balance”

  1. Jonna
    June 22nd, 2008 16:45
    1

    I’ve been under the weather myself and I am just now catching up so I didn’t see your blog until now. Sorry you have been sick, glad you are getting better and hope that you catch it earlier next time. No messing with the lungs, stay on that one! /mom mode off

  2. RiverGirl
    June 22nd, 2008 16:49
    2

    Jonna – Thanks! I hope your dental problems are over and done!

  3. Susan from UK web developers
    June 23rd, 2008 03:48
    3

    When I’m sick and I should be in the bed, I never do it. I cant. It is very uncomfortable to be in the bed for so long. Once I was in the bed for 3 days, because I had fever and it was very hard for me to stand up or walk. But mostly I cant be in the bed. I usually sit at the pc under a blanket. But it is true, that my most serious illness was, and I hope will be, fever about 102°F or 39°C…
    I’m glad you are feeling better

  4. Michele in Playa
    June 23rd, 2008 10:22
    4

    Stay down!! No excuses!! Nothing is as important as your health. First things first. The more you rest the quicker this all will pass. (getting down off of my soapbox)

  5. Gary Denness
    June 24th, 2008 13:32
    5

    Hey I’ve been a bit lazy lately, but get well soon, and all that!

  6. RiverGirl
    June 24th, 2008 14:55
    6

    Thanks everyone! I’m resting a lot. I’m finding that I feel about 60% ok one day and then am exhausted the next day. I’m getting better, but it’s slow going.

  7. Mimi
    June 25th, 2008 12:08
    7

    Staying down until your 90% or higher is the key sweetie.
    Pain in the tush but a must, don’t over do it on day’s when your feeling better.
    Hugs Mi

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