Another milestone!

Yesterday, I did something in credible: started from 3pm, I walked over 1.5 mile, then went to boating with a friend, came back almost 9pm. I had minor crash at night, a real "minor" crash. years ago either one of these invents, or even half of it, would knock me down for days, even weeks. So I have reason to believe that my health just made another step forward.

Finally, after 53 days

Today, my back pain finally disappeared. 53 days total. First 20 days pretty much bedridden, after that, even though I could walk and do things, but I couldn't sit. it took another one month for me to be able to sit without feeling the pain.
Interesting thing is, during the recovering, my body seemed to be working on some detoxification, which somehow related to my back pain. The detoxification also led to my weight loss - a totally  unexpected result. Good for my heart.

Back Pain, Not So Soon

another 12 days since last time I wrote about my back pain. It's not gone yet. I was able to stand, walk, but not sit. Today I could sit with difficulty, but still not cured yet.
The previous two times back pain problem, both were much worse, but soon after I was able to stand, pain was gone quickly, as matter of a few days. This time, though condition was not so deadly, recovering is very slow. My "diagnose" is too much toxic element stored inside my body. The vegs diet actually helped. However, I found massage helped the most.

A brief timeline:
09/05, the day the symptom started.
2 weeks later, I was able to got out of bed and walk. After that point, condition has been stayed the same for another 2 weeks, until I found vegs diet helped.

About to End

 25 days,  finally my back pain is about to be gone. I was able to bike to store, with minor difficulty. Also I have been able to walk 40 minutes each day since a few days ago. Still cannot sit.

Back issue

Third time I got into this problem. Less serious than previous 2 times, but SEEMS to be recovering  much slower . Upon today, two weeks past I still couldn't stay out of bed much.

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.

Health is UP!

Finally, my health is up again. For recently a couple of weeks I've not felt overwhelming fatigue and during recently several days I've done the most work for years without a crash!
2015, I had similar good period - it lasted for almost 3 months until final crashing down. This year summer I experienced another up rally but soon back to my "normal" condition which was sick... Hope this time lasts...

Healing effect of gardening

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Haven't post anything for ages. My health has been stable for almost a year. no major relapses but many crashes. My energy level shifted from 50% - 80%. Could be better, but feel lucky that didn't got worse, and to be able to enjoy some life. No complain.

Just discovered that gardening had amazing healing effect on eyesight. My sight declined terribly during recently one year or two. Sometime it's so blurry that I worried that I might lose sight all together sooner or later. A few days ago I did lots of gardening as my physical energy got much better (God bless!), then suddenly, I found my sight got so much clearer than only half hour ago! Later on a friend who worked in medical profession said that staring at green is good for eye. No wonder! She also said the looking far distance was also good. Yes, I know that part. Living in a place that is surrounded with trees, I often feel like I need to look at distant view (I wrote a blog about that a couple of years ago).

So recently, every time my eyes got hurt by staring at computer screen (I should quit using computer!) I go back yard to work with plants. It indeed worked every time! Especially when there were sunshine on green leaves!