Exercise, exercise, exercise . . .

This is me, still exercising. I’m becoming an exercise machine. I feel good and thank God that I can do the exercises. It’s not really how I wanted to spend my retirement, but it’s sure better than spending it doing chemo, freezing with no hair and not getting to see anyone. This is heaven on earth and God is great!

When I first got the sleeve I thought I’d never be able to put it on myself. I learned Sunday morning when I got up to walk by myself that I could do it all by myself. Necessity is the mother of invention, they say. It’s amazing what I can do that I never thought I could do. This sleeve is not such a bad thing. I thought I would hate it, but I don’t hate it. I don’t love it, yet, but I don’t hate it. I think it is going to be a part of me for the rest of my life; likely this lymphedema is a part of me that I will do good to monitor and keep under control with the sleeve and exercises. I will have to have new sleeves from time to time as my swelling goes down and as the sleeve wears. They have ‘diva sleeves’ for fashion statements, but I think I’ll stick with this generic looking one. The only fashion statement I’m interested in making is, “I got it on all by myself!”

I even stood to make burger patties with chia seeds today. I had to sit the last time I did that. I buy meat when they have it on special, then put it into patties in the freezer. I mix chia seeds with it because it’s a good way to get those seeds into our diet. (Chia seeds are the same seeds that make those hairy looking plants, but they are full of nutrients, so I grind them up and use them as much as possible.) Anyway, I made up 22 patties and put them onto a cookie sheet in the freezer, separated by wax paper. Tomorrow I’ll break them apart and put them into a bread sack and keep them in the freezer until we use them one or two at a time. Don eats a hamburger 3 or 4 nights a week, so it’s handy to have them already made. I couldn’t believe I could stand to do those patties! It would have been smart to sit, but I was hurrying and didn’t want to fool with getting all set up at the table.

I made a meatloaf, sliced it, and put it into the freezer for Dorothy and David, too. They liked my last meatloaf, so that’s an easy thing to do for them. They are doing better and better every day. I’m so proud of them!

Life keeps flying and it’s mostly fun! I thank God!