Embrace the Journey: Find Your Honeypot, A Curated Blog

 

Pooh and Piglet

Happiness and feeling good are my goals in life. Having MS or any chronic illness is a complicating factor, but it doesn’t rob me of the potential. Life with MS is a journey and it’s full of obstacles. Any one issue can detour or slow down my progress, for a minute. But, then I remember that I’m in charge of me so, I’m responsible for my happiness.

I’m a fan of Winnie the Pooh of the Hundred Acre Woods. Recently, I read The Tao of Pooh, by Benjamin Hoff. There’s a lot of wisdom to be gleaned from this simple minded bear. He views the world as a happy, fun place to be. When things aren’t going quite right, his honey pot solves his problems. I aspire to be more Pooh- like.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family makes me happy

Pooh says what really makes him happy is being with Christopher Robin and having Piglet close by while walking and singing in the woods. Of course, having his full honey pot is a given. His happiness is all about being with friends and doing fun things. I think Pooh has it right.  Doing normal, routine things with friends and accomplishing something as well works for me.

I can deal with a set-back like falling and getting hurt. It’s the little, or big irritations that bother me. Unlike Pooh, I let these aggravations rule my feelings and behavior, sometimes. The internet is a good example. I feel like smashing it sometimes. All those updates on devices and programs that are meant to improve the experience, mostly confuse me. Occasionally, I will discover something I can use. I’m only grateful if, and when I figure out how to do something easier and quicker. Then, I might be thrilled. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walking makes me happy

Walking is my release valve. Pooh gently reminds us to be grateful for little stuff. I practice feeling gratitude a lot. I appreciate friends who let me vent my anger. After a good walk and talk, I always feel better.

Pooh enjoys the process of living. I agree, and I try to trust the process. It’s easy to be positive when there are so many great people encouraging me. Consequently, I enjoy the journey, most of the time.

The Tao of Pooh, says we are continually crafting ourselves like an artist carves a block of wood. What a great idea! It’s liberating to know that it’s okay for me to be me. I’m a work in progress! I do some things very well. For everything else, I have friends and family. My team,  my “People” keep my body running well and take care of all the other things that cause me stress. Please understand, I practice humility all the time. I rarely have to do stuff I don’t like to do. People want to help me and I’m grateful.

 

 

 

 

Hot Yoga with friends

Having MS is not an excuse for not being happy. It’s hard to accept that I can no longer do some things I use to do gracefully. There are physical, mental and emotional things that just cause me too much stress to do. I use to be that person who could pick up the slack and do wonderful things, but not anymore. Some things don’t fit into my happiness quotient. My bucket list for happiness is full of ordinary routine day to day activities.

                                                                             My Honey Pot List

• 

  Grandchildren, priceless!
  

• 
  Walking in my neighborhood 
• Eating lunch in the sunny morning room
• Doing hot yoga with friends at the studio 
• Exercising
• Bathing in my soaking tub
• Recording a video for YouTube
  
• Writing a piece for Memoir Group 
• Talking with the family on What’s App
• Cooking a fun meal 
• Planning for my summer patio garden
• Traveling with Donnie

   Join me, define your honey pot.

Embrace the Journey: Is it MS or Aging?

S

Walking independently - before

I'm frustrated so I call out MS

We seem to have a tit-for-tat relationship. Your main thing is to trip me up. I on the other hand rant, rave and plot to keep you in hiding. Just when I started feeling really good in my gait, sure footed and relaxed, you decided I needed to be given a good dose of humility. I’m just guessing that ’s why you threw me a zinger. On the other hand, maybe I was wrong giving you all the credit. Is aging trying to get in on your action? What do you think?

MS responds 

Calm down. I mean no harm. Do you get hurt when I throw in those zingers? Sure, aging handicaps recovery time, but to give aging credit or blame seems to be a stretch. Age also likes to zap your energy. Right? Do you bounce back with the same zest and confidence you use to? Way back, twenty years ago, aging wasn’t so much an issue. When I first started messing with your psyche, you tried to ignore me. My goodness, we’ve been through a lot together!  

Working on balance and agility

Yes, and it’s not all been good. To this day you are on my mind, sun-up to sun-down. When I’m walking, working around the house, exercising, you are always there. My goal has always been to minimize your effect on me. The first fourteen years, I learned to live with you, but lost ground in terms of your effect on me.  Now, since I know I have the Primary Progressive form of MS, people say,“You’re doing great! You’re suppose to be getting worse, right?” I say, “No, I can do better.”

Lost my grip on a full quart jar

You and aging both seem to enjoy attacking muscle strength slowly,  at a snail’s pace. All of a sudden, a muscle group doesn’t function like it use to. For example,  recently I noticed my grip is too weak to open jars! Handling heavy objects is a big problem. Recently,  I dropped a full quart jar of juice on my foot. That really hurt. Was that you or Aging? I think you also play equal roles in cognitive decline. Losing my mind is the scariest. Anyway, I work hard to minimize both physical and cognitive decline.

I guess you’re right, but I had not thought about us having much in common. As you age you are suppose to have issues with balance  and you are supposed to lose muscle mass. 

Hot Yoga  outing in Laguna Beach, CA

No, MS, you exacerbate everything! I have friends in their nineties who are doing incredible physical things. They still travel the world, ride elephants and skydive. Not me. My goals are basic: keep moving and feel good. 

Just to do that, I need lots of people. 

To your credit, doing that hot  yoga, really slowed me down. I think you might be in a wheel chair or using a walker now if not for that therapy. I lost traction on those physiological issues like frequent headaches and constipation and excess gas. I can see you are happier now. I really hate to give hot yoga so much credit, but they did minimize spasticity and joint stiffness.  I think that was the tipping point allowing your walking to improve. 

You ganged up on me with all those therapy people. One treatment at the time, you cut me out. I had to up my game. All I have left is playing with your walking and messing with your mind. Right?

Incentives! Loleh and little brother 

MS, you are too much! NO, NO, NO! I won't let you mess with my mind! Absolutely, I have ganged up on you. Now, Donnie and I are double teaming you. We have a plan to increase my walking confidence by improving my gait even more. For example, we know that I’m more vulnerable to your evil ways when I’m fatigued, distracted, or going to fast. I’m using all my tools intentionally to regain independent walking. It’s coming back.

I know that my reality is living with Primary Progressive MS. I figure that I am probably more prone to the effects of aging than other people my age. On the other hand, the same therapies and interventions I use to manage MS are reported to also slow down aging. Best I can tell, I’m in a win - win situation. I’ll keep  doing what has been working.

Embrace Your Destiny: The Future is Promising

Mealtime with Loleh 

Being on “hold” is so frustrating. We were “on hold” for two and a half months. The whole family has coped well, rallying around the spirit and joy of baby Loleh. While we enjoyed having time with Liz and family, everybody was ready to move on. Liz and Philippe to France and us right here.

This waiting saga started when Liz’s work Visa didn't come and didn't come. Finally it came after a three month wait. Next task was to get airplane tickets.

Liz said, “We got tickets leaving from Asheville next Thursday. Can you take us to the airport around noon?”

Poirot likes my office chair

Donnie said, “Of course! Are you really leaving from Asheville! That's amazing.” Of course, Liz’s Visa was not the end of challenges and waiting. 

During the three month wait, health papers for Poirot, the cat expired. New crisis! We had to find a USDA qualified veterinarian to do a rush certification for a new customer and turn it around from USDA in Washington almost overnight. It was overwhelming. All of our spirits sank to a new low. Up and down again.

Daily yoga practice rebooted my spirits and my body. I would have been a basket case physically, mentally and psychologically. Every morning we set the alarm early enough to do yoga. It’s that important.

Morning yoga in my space

When I get up in the morning, I check in with my body. “What’s going on shoulder? Did I sleep on you wrong? Hip? What’s your deal today? You’ve been being stiff, but you seem worse today. Let’s hope yoga can fix you up. Self, what’ is going on with your sad mind? Why are you sad today? I’m sorry but that’s unacceptable. Let’s have an attitude adjustment during yoga. It can happen if you are open minded.”

We have a favorite yoga YouTube video for hot yoga. We practice with Ron from a studio in Delray Beach. By the time he finishes the four warm-up postures, my shoulders and hips say, “We are doing better. What issues?We are fine now.”

By the time we are on the floor for the first sevasana, I am mellow.  I let go.

Daily walks with Loleh 

Being "on hold" is a distant memory now. I have pictures to remind me of happy times walking with Loleh, playing with Loleh and watching him change everyday. That was very special. 

We are into a different realm of virtual hugs, quick visits on What'sApp, and text messaging to stay connected. We miss them and that special time. However the future is bright. We have a trip planned to see them next Spring. While Loleh is getting stronger, I will be too. My expectation is that he will have fond memories of his time in the country playing with Grandma and Grandpa. His experience here when he visits will be so different than in Paris. We are hopeful he will pester his parents to come visit often!