I Walked a Mile Last Night

I have always been active, exercising regularly, playing tennis, etc.  Since October of 2012 when I was so sick, I have not been able to exercise.  It has been very humbling, as I could tell that my body literally needed what energy it had to heal.  And...if I used too much energy, I would be set back.  That was even if I stayed up too late or was on my feet all day.  It's so hard to explain, even to my sweet husband, that I just don't have the energy.  I have never been one to not "do it all."  I think I have worked thru so much pain and nausea that I have great determination just to complete whatever it is I am doing.  Humira has changed all that.  It's not something you think about, but rebounding from exercise requires your immune system.  Your immune system is SO important to your daily health and energy.  It has been hard to explain to my husband that I literally cannot stand up a minute longer.  I have to balance my day according to my energy.  That really sucks when you aren't that old!

And, I am taking a drug that totally suppresses my immune system.  ARGH!  In addition to all the weird things that crop up in my body because my immune system isn't strong, I take a LONG time to recover after exercising.  I have been playing tennis on two teams just to get moving.  I play on one less competitive team and I do fine.  But, when I play on my competitive team, it can take up to four days for me to feel like I haven't run a marathon.  My joints ache, my muscles hurt, I am wiped out all day.  The kind of wiped out that feels good on day one.  But doesn't feel so good on days two, three and four!

I determined that I have got to start somewhere so I started with walking a mile last night.  It was just me and my music...my praise and worship music which always cheers me up.  I started strong thinking, "I can do three miles!"  By the time I looped our one mile circle and I was back at my house, my ankle was throbbing and my muscles were sore already.  I truly felt like I had run 5 miles.  It's crazy and humbling.  But I have to start somewhere.  I don't know if I will ever do better until I get to get off the Humira, but I am trying!

So, for me...one mile is a huge success :)