Milestone

I really don't remember how many "milestones" I made during my Chronic illness history since over a decade ago. Every time after I wrote done the improvement I made, I almost unexceptionally fell into another pit of symptom attack, sometime a relapse. But clearly, again, recently I am experiencing the physical energy that I had not enjoyed for longtime.

Not only I can have more physical activities, I am also able to talk more without suffering much shortness of breath, which was the main symptom I had for the past decade (forever!).

While my physical energy increased, my mental energy started going toward the opposite direction. I often feel "brain fog", memory lost, and difficult to think, to read and even to write. I quit writing (even in Chinese) anything serious over two years ago. I only hope, just like my physical energy, my mental energy would recover in near future so I could enjoy my intellectual life as I did before.

Nonetheless, I learned to accept. I try my best to feel content with whatever I have so far. "As good as it gets".

Consequence

Well, it turned out I spoke too soon in my previous post. I said I was fine, but fact is, for 5 days after biking, I've been suffering from extremely muscle sore and weakness, feeling debilitated most of time. Today I realized this fatigue came from my weakened muscles.

For years my focus was on my heart, and I did mostly cardio exercises. After this "test" - the bike tour I mentioned in previous post, I found that my heart was certainly improved, but my muscle seemed much weaker than before. Of course I always knew I needed some muscle exercises but my heart problem always always seemed more urgent. It's good that I finally improved my heart, and now it's time to improve muscles!

A Milestone

Haven't updated this blog forever. Because, mainly, I was tired of repeating. Not that I had no progress, but all I had been through during these couple of years were quite the same as before: symptoms, crashes, taking care of myself, diet, etc., all the same. I know I can be well again, it's just matter of time.

Today I did something worth to write down. I biked 4 miles, and more importantly, I came home feeling totally fine! During past 10 years I only dared to try this (biking 4 miles) twice, and both with dreadful consequences - the second time I literally crashed down in front of my door (I had to lied down on my front lawn otherwise I would have heart attack!), and followed by days or even weeks of being seriously ill. But today, I AM FINE!

I first biked to Food Lion, which is 2 miles from my house, bought a little grocery, then biked back along different route, which is also 2 miles. I had to walk on several sections of the roads because of up hills, but overall, it wasn't too hard for me.

So now I am positive to say that I am in the best physical condition during recent 10 years. However, I know that in order to prevent health going down again I must keep good life habits, include lots of physical activities, good diet, and sleep well.

My "dark age" of chronic illness officially started in 2008, though I was already very ill before that point. Now I still cannot say that I am cured. But I have no doubt that if I can keep my good life style I certainly will be.