Attack of the Sugar Monster!

One of my closest friends is getting married next year and she wants me to be a bridesmaid!  I wanted to cry.  I’ve never been to a wedding, let alone being in one.  She’s been such a incredible part of my life for the last 10 years.  And the funny thing?  Being there for her wedding will be the first time we meet.  I’m hoping, since I have so much time, I’ll be able to save up enough to attend.  It’ll be amazing!  And I’m so honored and humbled and filled with love to be part of such a huge day in her life.

On Tuesday I biked three miles.  And did five or six various upper arm exercises for two sets of 10 each with 8lb free weights.  I moved up from the 5lb and it made a huge difference in terms of how much I had to exert myself.  I’m really stunned at how much I’m enjoying exercise.

I honestly thought exercise would always be about shame and failure.  But when I bike for miles or lift weights, I feel strong and brave.  I feel love for my legs that push so much harder than I expected.  I feel love for my arms that lift more than I thought I was capable of.  This is me honoring this body the best I can.  And I feel so fucking powerful while doing so. 

Things are going well with the chiropractors.  I had no idea how bad it was until my first appointment when he touched my lower back and I screamed.  That parts normal.  What isn’t?  He showed me how hard he’d pressed.  He had done nothing more that lay his fingers on it.  Bad sign!  I started out seeing him three times a week.  I was seeing major improvement but my mid-back was still so locked up he couldn’t loosen it at all.  He talked to me and said he’d like me to (if I was okay with it) start working with his partner who’s a little more aggressive than he is.  Which I was totally fine with since I’m a big believer in dealing with excruciating pain for a short period of time if it’s going to make me better afterward.

It took some time and several sessions but he pushed me a little harder pain-wise but I’ve seen drastic improvement working with both of them.  He can actually press down on my lower back and I can handle it now!  He’s worked my hips and that’s also helped a lot.  I can actually stand up straight without pain!  And  based on the fact that I was able to walk a mile without being in complete fucking agony...they’ve helped me immeasurably.

I’m down to going once a week now.  I have some exercises/stretching that I need to be more consistent about.  All this + my pain doctor + exercising = me being so much more able to function.  After seven years of shuffling around, hunched over, in pain and I can walk without desperately needing to sit after a couple of minutes.

I think this is my favorite picture of me EVER.  Crazy Cat Lady since birth.