A Bright Spot for the Day

Go to www.fightarthritispain.org or www.arthritis.org for more information about arthritis

Talking to Andrea from AF (Arthritis Foundation) I was able to email a person named Kevin who works out in Arizona with a foundation called Arthritis Introspective. I am hoping that I will be able to become a group facilitator for support groups out here, the same thing they are doing in AZ and some other states. I think it would be something amazing for me to do because I always want to be able to help others who are going through the things that I have been going through, and will be going through. I know what it's like not to have any support, anyone to talk too and I think starting support groups out here would be such a fantastic opportunity. So yay for Andrea!!
The hip was super tight today. It wasn't as hard to get out of bed this morning as yesterday which was somewhat refreshing. It definitely was tight though, felt like all my muscles just clenched up and didn't want to let go. I guess I would rather have that then little pinchy man going to work on my hip! Tomorrow I'm going to hit the elliptical again, but this time try to do the whole 3.1 miles that the AF walk is going to be. It's hard to do this alone, to try to walk and work out without anyone to talk to or do it with. By the time Rob gets home he's too exhausted to do anything, which I completely understand since his job is so labor intensive. Then with me living out in the middle of nowhere no one wants to take the trek up here to walk with me. Gyms are way too expensive, and so is a pool. Hopefully I can land a job soon so I can make one of those happen. I think even if I did have a gym membership it would be a waste of my money because I would still have no one to go with!! Hopefully I can find some free/cheap things to do around town that will let me get acquainted with people and find some new support. I need people to hold me accountable.
I think it may be one of the most frustrating things to deal with when you have OA (osteoarthritis) or any arthritis at all. You gain weight because you are inactive because it hurts. It hurts to walk, to move. Your joints scream at you and your body gets tired so quickly. I used to walk 20 minutes and have to sit down because my hip would tell me "NO MORE WALKING" and if I tried to push through and keep going it would eventually stop working correctly and possibly would have completely given out.  Slowly I packed on pounds, 80 to be exact. I was at the heaviest I had ever been and was completely depressed and unmotivated to do anything. I slowly began to lose weight, not easily I might add. Without the possibility of running, jumping, or anything else that may possibly hurt my hip it was difficult to find exercise that I was capable of doing. I used my elliptical and definitely changed my diet to a lot of healthier choices. I lost 40 lbs, but still am on a journey to lose more. Changing the intensity has proven to be so difficult. I used to be so physically fit, and so active. It kills me to find myself sitting on the couch more than I ever have in my life, the least active I have ever been in my life. I just want to be healthy and happy and it seems like the journey to get to either of these places is taking fucking fooooooooorevvvvvvvverrrrrrrr.... one day I'll get there though. One day I'll wake up with minimal to no pain... I'll be able to work out without having to worry about what I'm going to feel like 30 minutes after I'm done... one day...I can always hope and wish upon a thousand stars right?