Category: Blog

I type this after pulling a game playing all nighter and suffering from a strained muscle.  I knew as soon as I did it, that I did the wrong move – carrying too heavy of a bag and slinging it across the car seat.  Bad combination.

But right now, I have memberships at a set of Yoga facilities, and two different fitness places plus the city gym.  I may shift back to one, we’ll see.

The goal is to get a least one fitness activity in a day – so far today is Yoga and it looks like that is it.

Gym P is in a nasty parking lot that is shared with a very low end grocery.   You think Walmart shoppers are bad, you haven’t been to a cheap hispanic grocery store Dallas.  It’s not the management of the parking lot OR the grocery store.  They can come in and clean, and 30 minutes later, we’re back to every kind of discarded food you can think of, bags, and yes, the occasionally dirty diaper though they tend to only change those once a day.  I have to walk Dulce through a parking lot with inconsiderate drivers. 

There are several facilities at around the city who have safer, cleaner parking.

They are open 24 hour, but only have cardio and strength but do have massage chairs and beds.  And tanning beds.

Gym L has it’s own parking lot that only its patrons use.  It tends to stay clean, though they don’t clean as often as Gym P.  They have a pool, hot tub and steam room.  Their hours are good during the week but short on the weekend. They do have facilities all over town with extended hours.

Also there is always close parking.

The city pool is very nice, but small and can get over crowded.  Like this week in the afternoons.  Parking is okay most of the time, and if it isn’t, its time to go to a different workout. 

Since I can afford it and it’s at the top of the priority list, yeah, I’m going to keep up with all of them.  I’ll drop Club P first, if money gets tight.  Plus Yoga is paid through the year, and Club L is paid for three (signed up on Friday after another crappy parking lot day at Club P).

Besides Club P is closest and most convenient hours.

If you sit 4’ away from some at a restaurant don’t make nasty comments about service dogs. Especially fake ones.
Apparently they assumed she was a hearing dog.
 
And nope, no apology, just a nasty reply.
 
Sent from my Windows 10 phone
 

Testing a scheduled post

There are two numbers that aren’t budging and they are frustrating me – my weight and my A1C.

One number is getting better – that’s my sleep number.  I’m getting over 7 hours a night lately which is much better than it was in December.  I think I was average about 4 hours, even less some nights, especially when I was dealing with the gas line.

I do know that number has to improve before the other ones will.

I’ve got one more doctor’s appointment next week – primary care.

I’ve got all of my medical supplies ordered, and most of them are here.  The last box was here, but we did the billing wrong, so that box is on it’s way back to Medtronics, and its’ replacement will be here next week.

My prescriptions are on the way, one arrived today.  So yes, life is MUCH better.

Actually it isn’t that hard.  Layers of stress have been rolling off. 

First I got my medical insurance card.  And leave it to Express Scripts to make sure I get my presciption stuff on January 2.   I did get my information from them in advance and had PillPack working on things as soon as they opened after the 1st.

I’ve been getting all the medical appointments done that I’ve put off because of the $3500 deductible.  Well woman last week, endo this week, primary care next week.

Get my CPAP supplies last week, insulin pumps supplies are shipping today.  Have that all on autoship now.  Well, the CPAP stuff I pick up because the office is in Dallas and they are nice.

Nice to know that everything is covered with the reasonable deductible.  Yes, I pay more each month, but its all piece of mine.

Oh, and best yet, I show up in the Texas Teacher Retirement system as retired and I know what my gross pay is.

All good!  Now if I can get my A1C down.  It’s 8.1, was 8.0 and of course during the holidays.

Oh, and I ended up not scheduling a retirement party because the process brought out my social anxiety disorder.

I have been doing yoga since about the time we got back from our cruise.  On January 1, we celebrated my 50th class and celebrated doing their 60 day challenge – doing 5 classes a week for 60 days.

I missed a few days last week, between a dog agiity trial and doctor’s appointments, it just didn’t happen.

It seems to be helping my overall pain level and its definately helping the mood. 

I might have to change my mind about Express Scripts.  They made me absolutely nuts when I had to use them before – between how they shipped insulin, to how they manage some medications.

There are advantages to Express Scripts over UHC Optum RX – they charge by the month, not the dose.

They allow PillPack though I have to pay the monthly cost, not the 90 day.  The nice thing about Pill Pack is that they help manage my medications that take pre-certification.

We’ll see how it goes, but I am going to let PillPack handle things for awhile.

See http://www.lillarose.biz/kweaver  Gorgeous hair jewerly.  Found these at an agility trial – and have loved them ever since.  They are made out flexible wire, look gorgeous, and are easy to use.

My favorite right now is the You-Pins, wrap up your hair, stick two pins in them and you are good to go.  They also have really cute badge clips.  So there is something there for everyone.

More later, but I love these!

I took advantage of a couple of CyberMonday opportunities and the Medtronics Connect device was one of them.

Since I’m an avowed Windows girl, it is a big awkward but works. I do have a iPod Touch, and am using it to upload my data. I can keep it in my bag, attached to a portable charger and use the hotspot on my phone.

I really wish they would create a Windows Phone app – or let me.

I wish they also had more than CGMS data uploading. I’d like to be able to see everything on the Connect app and website that you can see on the pump.

Not bad though, for a release 1.0

Oh, and the diabetes dog still works better – if she is relaxed, my blood sugar is just fine.

As I blogged a few days ago, I've made a major change in my exercise and my life — I'm doing yoga — hot yoga.   And Dulce has been accompanying me.

One thing everyone needs to know about me, is that my feelings are easily hurt, especially when it comes to the dogs.  And, yes, I've questioning the whole hot yoga thing. 

Dulce is in a plastic crate when I go to class, which doesn't absorb the heat like a metal one.  It's also well ventilated and I keep a bowl of cold water in it.  I also keep an eye on her — partly for her sake and partly so I don't miss an alert.

So, Tuesday I go to class, and the manager of the place stops me and wants a letter from the vet that it was okay.  Apparently people have asked them, but neither the questioner or the manager bothered to say anything to me in person. Also I had just been at the vets office picking up meds and it was quite chaotic.  The vet that ended up answering the request has her hands full (Thanks!)

I spent the next few hours questioning my own judgement and even asked a few people as reality checks.  They agreed that the heat shouldn't bother her and I was taking the correct precautions.  One person even pointed out that I should be offended — she thought it was very sweet of people to think of her.

So on Wednesday, I was still very much upset and offended and cancelled my membership which I almost immediately regretted. 

I got the letter AFTER I cancelled, but I sent the letter to the yoga studio and then sheepishly asked if I could come back.

Here's what I am getting out of the yoga:

a) body acceptance

b) ability to stand for longer periods of time — the first half of the class is standing, and that's hard for me.  I did have to quit in the last 10 minutes of the standing portion recently, but that was just one class.

c) it's helping me lose weight — I don't have the urge to stress eat as much and I overall just feel better.

We're not at the pain relieving part yet <smile> but I think we'll get there.  I've been a member since the 9th and have made it to 12 classes.

Once of the things I really like about this is that they using gaming.  The handout rewards and I got my first one on Thursday and they also have a point system so that the more classes you attend the cheaper it is for you.

By the way, they also reward referrals, so if you would like to join, let me know!