January & February

We rang in the New Year with 6 of our boating friends.  We were all so proud that we lasted until midnight!

With good wishes all around we are ready to get this year going.

While I am looking good and sounding good, I still am working on balance and walking.  Many of my joints don't have full range of motion, especially my shoulders and fingers.

I have physical therapy three times a week.  Sometimes in the pool and sometimes at the hospital gym.


On the second of January I went downstairs for the first time.  I was practicing for a visit to friends that would involve stairs.  It was a success!  Our social schedule picked up some.  We were playing cards, going to movies, socializing with the Newcomers group and at the yacht club.  It was all good therapy.

At home we were increasing the walking distance and added some hills in the neighborhood.  David actually walked both neighbor's dogs as I was using my hiking poles for support.  In the beginning of Jan I hiked just under a mile at a 45 min/mi pace.  By the end of Feb I was routinely hiking 1.3 mi at a 29 min/mi pace.  Plus I was walking without my poles.  With the hiking group I did 2.3 miles.  My stamina is improving.

In February I started back at my volunteer job at the Red Door Thrift Shop.  I wasn't as helpful as before Guillian Barre, but it is great fun.

I decided that horseback riding might be good for me.  I was invited to a friend's barn and rode Max.  The hardest part was getting on and off.  That success inspired me to go to Lang's Horse and Pony Farm for a "lesson" with a friend.

To loosen the shoulders we have several "exercises" we do at home.  I have the pulley on the door to pull my arms up.  We also do a long slow stretch with me on the massage table and therabands tied to weights on the floor pulling my arms back.  It seems a bit like being tied to the rack, but it has helped.

Swimming has also been helpful with the shoulders.  Mid-February we added an occupational therapist to work on the fingers specifically.  They are bending more.  She can get the fingers down to the palms.

I won't say I don't have pain when things are pushed, but I don't live in pain and for that I am grateful.

We are off to try some vacationing in March and April.  We are hoping warm weather will loosen those joints even more.