Exercise

Today I went for a walk. The weather was in the 60's and there was a cool wind blowing. The wind did nothing for my hair but it sure felt good.

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Retrospective

Does anyone else ever go back and read their blogs? Today I thought I'd spend a little time going over some of my posts from the past 3 months and just get a glimpse of where I've been and why I started this journey to begin with. I enjoyed the experience. I was reminded that there are reasons why I have chosen to make healthy changes in my life. I was reminded that I feel so much better when I get lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. The last few days I've made some not so healthy choices and my body is rebelling. I feel like a brick is sitting in my stomach and I have no energy.

Thanks for hanging with me as I continue to sort out my choices and keep on trying to make healthy ones.

I'm going home to an upper body workout with 5 lb weights and some yoga. I have a new DVD I've been dying to try.

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October Shape

Yesterday afternoon my copy of the October issue of Shape magazine came. One of the success stories was Tina from Carrots n Cake. Check it out. It's fun to see someone you "know" in a magazine.

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Flu Shot

I got my annual flu shot on Tuesday. Free flu shots are one of the benefits of working at this hospital. Now my arm is red, hot and swollen. Better than having the flu though. We'll also get the H1N1 shot when they come in. Not too many reports of H1N1 in Kansas yet. I hope it stays that way.

I just read an interesting post over at The Fitnessista. It's one of those - I really need to think about what it says - posts. Jump on over and check it out. I don't count calories but I do think in "points" (too much Weight Watchers indoctrination over the years). I find I do better eating more than eating less. I'm actually consuming 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables (usually raw), a serving or two of dairy (mostly yogurt) and a little protein. I have more energy and feel so much lighter. Enjoy Emma G's thoughts.

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Back to work

I ended up in the ED on Tuesday. I'm not sure what I had but it was intense. I will spare the details but the part that scared me enough to go to the ED was that the cramping was so bad I was passing out briefly. They gave me a couple of meds and 2 liters of fluid. I was there about 5 hours and then I took the next two days off. I'm feeling much better today. Finally eating normal foods. I was on the BRAT diet for 72 hours. I just finished a piece of fish and a big salad followed by some fresh pineapple. My stomach is quite full. I should get back to posting regularly next week. No overtime for me this weekend. Relaxation, long walks, and laundry.

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Remembrance

Let's all say a prayer for those who lost loved ones 8 years ago on 9/11. Never forget...

On that date I drove into Kansas City for a court date. My car does not have a working radio so I missed the news. When I got to the courthouse is was locked but a man let me in and asked me what I thought about what was going on. I had no idea. He started telling me a little about what had happened and while we were waiting for the judge we listened to a radio in the office. I heard that the towers fell and I sat there in utter disbelief. We were the only case heard that day. After ours they shut down the building and sent everyone home. I will never forget...

Reflections

As fall closes in I am feeling reflective concerning this blog. I remember why I started it - to journal my journey into wellness. The past couple of weeks I've kind of slacked off and quit posting as often as I did at first. It started as a journal so I could celebrate my successes. I've kept a paper journal for as long as I can remember and I love to write out my thoughts and contemplate my feelings. I need to remember that I am writing for me.

Today started off with an upper body yoga session and a walk around the neighborhood. I didn't get to the library until a little after 8 AM. For the last year I've been coming in at 7 AM to read emails and blogs. I thought that I'd shake up the old status quo and do something different. It was cool and misty and the walk felt so good. For breakfast I had my favorite Bear Naked granola, with sliced almonds, organic blueberries and organic vanilla yogurt.

For lunch I had a piece of salmon with some kind of mustard sauce, a large salad with spinach, carrots, broccoli, chick peas, pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of ranch dressing. It was tasty. I also had a banana that wasn't quite ripe enough. I've been drinking water all afternoon. This morning I had two cans of diet K cola.

When I get home in about half an hour I plan on having a huge green monster. I've been craving one for several days but was waiting for some bananas to ripen enough to freeze.

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Time in the ER...not

Sunday I got attacked by a patient. He grabbed my clothes, hit me in the right temporal area and kneed me in the abdomen. I saw stars for a moment when he hit me in the head. The charge nurse filled out an incident report and wanted me to go to the ER. I chose not to but I did take tylenol (generic) for the instant headache I had. The adrenaline was pumping and it took me awhile to feel normal again. I don't blame the patient. It was hard to go back in the room though. The nurse gave the patient meds for agitation and the rest of the shift was uneventful.

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Changes

I’m trying very hard to not think of foods as bad or good. I’m trying to eat the next right thing. Some days are harder than others. I think of other healthy living bloggers and try to make the choices I think they would make. I use the choices they have blogged about as an inspiration for my own choices of food and exercise. I am learning to like the lighter feelings I have when I eat fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. No more brick in the stomach and discomfort all afternoon and evening. I enjoy moving and stretching while watching my yoga DVDs. I enjoy long walks around the neighborhood and am looking forward to the change of seasons. I take one decision at a time and try to make the best choice I can given the circumstances of my life at that moment. I am growing and that is good.

Sept 1

Today would have been my husband's birthday. Ken, I'm thinking of you. Missing you today.

Last night I fixed the salmon burger with green chilies that I got at Whole Foods on Saturday. I cooked it in a small pan with a little olive oil. The patty got all brown and crispy on the outside and was moist and good in the middle. I ate it with a cold sliced heirloom tomato and some raw baby carrots. For dessert I had a delicious pear. One of those perfectly ripe pears that you find sometimes. Yum.

It was very cool in Topeka this morning. I opened all my windows and let the fresh air blow through. The high today is supposed to be in the mid-70's. Good weather for a long walk.

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