Just One More Thing...

By Jtgyk

1 min read

I know better... Really... I do. But I got so much done.

Animals fed, garage/workshop rearranged, bicycles fixed, lumber cart built and loaded...
The lumber cart was almost finished when my body decided I was well past done. Back Spasms! But, of course, one needs to finish, to clean up, in order to be able to close the garage door.

Then, just a short cool-down in the pool (no swimming just a nice, buoyant, luxurious, lol).
"Oh, silly fool!," quoth the universe, "Of course, you'll swim some laps! The water feels great!"
Of course, after a sleepless night, I'm relegated to spending the day recuperating in the recliner, attached to my heating pad, paying...painfully for yesterday's misdeeds.

Gah!

I'm such an idiot.

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Redheadedmum Member
Oh been there done that….and for some reason I continue to do it! You are not alone!
Beth Member
Your first line had me chuckling - because I’ve said that myself a million times. It feels so good to actually achieve what you set out to do. I have a spa pool though - only 2m x 4m so warm water and not tempted to swim - just sit, move gently and lol. It really does help after I’ve attempted to do more housework than my body felt like on any given day, or tried to do some garden. I too occasionally call myself an idiot for doing what I knew would end badly, but I’ve started to add the positive spin of “ever hopeful of a different outcome”. And you know what … after 36 years of living with fibromyalgia and undiagnosed ankylosing spondylitis, my new specialist has started me on my biologic journey and I AM actually seeing improvements to what I can do and for how long I can do it. I’m still feeling out those boundaries (don’t you just hate those two steps forward, one step backwards moments), but I’m trying desperately to hanging onto being ever hopeful of a different outcome. Two months ago I eagerly assembled one outdoor chair from a flat pack. I’m still paying the price for that one, with tennis elbow and de Quervain in both wrists. Tears of frustration over that one. My muscles and enthesis points all over my body are permanently tight, knotted and painful, though I’m trying very hard to be hopeful (admittedly some days the hopeful part disappears into tears of fear) the rheumatologist might work wonders on those areas too in time. Onwards is all we can do, even if it is as “hopeful idiots”. With a big sigh of regret mixed in with that feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment for the task undertaken, and a self promise to try and pace oneself better next time. PS in an attempt to pace myself trimming hedges in the garden, I bought a small hedger that the salesman claimed only had 20 minute battery life. I figured that was perfect as it would stop and I would stop. Well that dammed little hedger had way more battery life than expected and I just kept on going around the whole yard! My body was not very forgiving to me but I did have to laugh at the funny side.
Jtgyk Member
So now, exactly one week later, I'm still dealing with the fallout. This is the first day I haven't needed to use my cane to hobble around the house. I'll be working on pacing myself from now on.
1. Doreen H Community Admin
 Jtgyk, Wow, Superman look out. I'm amazed at what you've accomplished in a short period. It's unfortunate that you are still paying the price today. A lesson we all learn the hard way...pace yourself. I do hope each day gets a bit easier for you. Kindly, Doreen (Team Member) 
2. Jtgyk Member
 <inline-mention username="Doreen" user-id="2383959"/> Yep, I'm Superman and I come with my own industrial-sized crate of Kryptonite! Haha! My usual pacing is to work for 20/30 minutes, take a break, clean up my mess, and assess whether I'm done for the day or can do a little more. (It's just harder to do with larger projects.) I have managed to have a short, easy swim the last few days and (while excruciating for the first 5 minutes or so) am slowly returning to relative normal discomfort levels.