Muscle Mania

Sometimes I provide what some people (including myself) may consider TMI. But I figure why the heck not?

You may recall that I've had ongoing back issues, brought on by rowing and exacerbated by biking and scoliosis, improved by PT, yoga, foam rollering, chiropractor visits, and sports massage, about half of which I haven't been doing during the pandemic. Only a few people know that I have, well, I'll just say it - - constipation issues - - that become very annoying when, say, doing a 5-day bike ride. Add to the mix some "lady issues" that my last two gynecologists shrugged at. Well, I have a new gynecologist. She said, "yeah, I think you've got some issues related to, but not entirely caused by, the fact that you're starting menopause," and she suggested that I could benefit from pelvic floor PT.

I've gone for a month and it is FASCINATING. It is almost entirely all ab exercises (and anything else really isn't anything more unusual than a pelvic exam that you have with your annual pap) and it is helping all of the above issues. As is my Zoom Pilates class. 

I figure I should say something because talking about vaginas and whatnot is so taboo. We can't even barely talk about menstruation in our culture - - something so basic and fundamental - - so how are we going to get to a place of discussing constipation, sexual health, etc.? Oh, and pelvic floor PT is not just for the ladies, you gents. 

Also fascinating? Learning about the massively intensive training that pelvic floor PT therapists need to have to do their jobs.

We focus so much on quads, hamstrings, biceps, triceps, etc., it makes sense that there are other little, important, more hidden muscles. I guess the point of this post is this: if you think something isn't right, talk to someone else who might have more creative ideas rather than someone who just shrugs, and if the solution involves some crazy-sounding thing like pelvic floor PT, you might give it a shot.

New Year: New and Old Friends

As a chill set in as it tends to do this time of night (except for those few days around Christmas where I was either burning up from digesting massive amounts of sugar or experiencing the first of a series of menopausal hot flashes(?)), I donned my fleece sleeping cap (yes, I do sometimes wear this when I go to bed) and my kerchief (or, rather, my scarf) and started scrolling through my photos. (That was quite the parenthetical-filled sentence.)

It was quit a weekend! We got our new dog, Haley, on Thursday night. She's "closer to one year than two years old," but no one really knows. She was found in an abandoned, foreclosed upon house in Texas. This really breaks my heart. She is such a sweet, sweet snuggly dog; she must have been so confused to be left alone. They aren't sure how long she was there by herself. She was very skinny, but obviously alive. 

I took this just a minute ago. She
had covered her face with her paw,
but then decided to cross her legs
for cozier sleeping.

We decided to keep the name that
the rescue agency gave her. I ordered
an ID tag with our address and
phone numbers, but was happy to
learn that she also has a microchip.

Anyhow, she is trying to get settled in and is trying to be a good girl and learn the house rules. Indoors, the biggest challenge is getting her to walk in the house (including to the kitchen to get water). She is getting better at realizing that the hardwood floors are not going to kill her. This afternoon she walked and ran from room to room. And then she got stuck, frozen, unable to move until we helped escort her to safety. Outside, the biggest challenge is that she jumps up four feet straight in the air and makes sounds like Chewbacca every time she sees a dog. We'll get over these things, with patience and training. It is hard to remember that she is going through a huge adjustment period. She's smart and doesn't want to be a jerk, so I'm optimistic that the two, six-week training classes (Obedience 1 and Socialization) will make a difference. I haven't prioritized in-person contact for a haircut since last February, but have signed up for in-person dog training classes. Seems like I could probably get a haircut sometime - - it isn't like the dentist (who I haven't seen in a year). 

She loves her crate and puts herself in it
when she needs some self-comforting. We've never
had a dog do that before. It is kind of nice
to have her in there for sleeping and to not
worry about her.

In years past, I started the new year off with a fat bike ride. I didn't do that on Jan 1, but did go today on my old familiar route down to Fort Snelling. I don't think I did that route even once last year. I barely rode last winter, if at all. Anyhow, it is a slow 15-mile ride when your bike tires are set for the snow at 3.5-4.5 psi. (Compared to my road bike tires which are usually close to 100 psi.) I got super sweaty and hungry and that was good. I saw a buck and, a little bit later, two juvenile deer. There were a lot of people at the park (walking, skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing), but mostly not by me. It was nice to see so many people enjoying nature and nice to go back to the state park that I can ride to right from my house. 

I like how the whole
route I followed is
coded to show that
 I was slow.

My app showing my heart rate
is not unlike my app showing
the energy generated by
our new solar panels. The
sun fueled me, too!

So, while I know that this is going to be a challenging winter (COVID still exists, I have a new dog that will require a lot of training, I still miss my family), I feel like I kicked it off in a good way to set the tone for a new year.