Life goes on
How’s January shaping up for everybody? I have to say, I’m having a considerably better January than most of my friends, but it hasn’t come without drawbacks.
Since I last wrote I’ve had some really good days, and some really bad days. I’ll start with the bad days.
After years of being mildly atypical, and never having the sore throat issues that many ME patients suffer, late last month, I started to notice an unusual stiffness in my throat. I would have chalked it up to a winter bug of some kind, only a month and some later, and it hasn’t actually gone away. I hadn’t actually been planning on quitting smoking this year, but now that I think about it, it seems like it might be wise.
I’ve been getting a lot more exercise, which as we all know is a double-edged sword. I had previously settled into a routine that played to my strengths; if I didn’t do anything at all, I felt (mostly) fine. But I’ve had enough of doing nothing, and I’d rather be in pain because I was, for example, spending the day in bed with a lovely young man, than being in pain because I got out of bed and did the washing up. So I’m trying to do a bit more and have a few more crash days, which I can afford now that Birdie is old enough to take himself to and from school and to the shops every now and then. It’s a delicate balance though, and I’m still trying to work it out. I’m also eating better, and losing some weight, which is always nice, but it’s such a slow process. I’m frustrated with people who seem to think increased activity is just a matter of willpower. I’m equally frustrated with people who think I’m generally eating less for the same reason. Truth is, my IBS symptoms have been raging since Christmas, and half the time, I don’t even want to eat, let alone feel able to. But while it’s all working towards a common goal, I suppose I don’t have much in the way of grounds to complain.
Financially, we’re struggling, and it’s only going to get worse. April looks like it is bringing a great deal of changes, some of which may potentially put my housing in jeopardy, but there really is nothing I can do about it, so I can only wait and hope.
I did say there were good days, didn’t I? Alright, let’s wrap up with those.
Birdie is getting on at school terribly well, and barely a week goes by when I don’t hear from one or more of his teachers praising his work or his attitude. He really is growing into such a wonderful, well-rounded person, despite his occasional hormonal outbursts.
Oh, and did you notice the hypothetical young man I mentioned spending all day in bed with? Well, he’s not hypothetical. Yes folks, the drought is over, and I genuinely couldn’t be more pleased with how it’s all panning out. There’s not a lot to say at this point, but there will hopefully be a great deal more days spent in bed for good reasons rather than because I’m broken.
Overall, an interesting January. Which makes a pleasant change.
Surprising ME 