This is how we felt when we walked out of the emergency room...
My first week of #ROW80 was a mixed bag.
On the plus side I posted five blogs (rather than four) and focused on writing in a very communal way. I was excited all week by my Team #Row80 pals who were working toward goals of their own. It made it much more exciting. On the extreme negative side, I only made about 600 of my 2,500 word goal on my pregnancy memoir.
Oh, I had big writing plans for my weekend, I swear I did. But about Friday, I started experiencing a complete health meltdown. I spent that morning under an ice pack with a migraine and nursed along a leg that was killing me. Regular readers of this blog know that I have a history of blood clots that makes ANY leg pain something to take seriously.
About mid-day on Friday I crawled out from under the ice pack and read Kristen Lamb’s amazing post with Tips for Being a Healthy Writer. I knew right away that it was my moment to have a decent discussion with God about the state of my work-life balance (which was in the toilet last week).
My conversation with The Big Guy (or Gal) went something like this:
“OK! I got the memo and I’m listening. I’ll go for a walk as soon as this leg feels better.
“Yes, really. I’m not just saying it to ease the raging guilt brought on by The Lambo’s damn post.
“But, see? Right now I’m getting up from my chair to pour an extra glass of water instead of another cup of coffee. Are you SEEING this glorious, healthful behavior? Do I at least get a few extra ‘good health’ points for that? What about that peanut butter toast I ate this morning? Does that go on the Happy Health side of the menu?”
Obviously, discussions like the one above shouldn’t be needed but I often fall into the group of writers who are over-zealous, over-focused agoraphobics during our project deadlines. The tunnel vision of word count and work and long To Do lists is hard to see past some days.
You’d think that I’d make sure that I stretch, walk, drank enough water, put my feet up and took my baby aspirin EVERY day. I’d remember to do these things as a big fat “thank you.” If you read the ‘Bucket List’ post I linked to earlier in this blog, you’d know that if God didn’t want me to be here, I wouldn’t be.
However, just in case I hadn’t REALLY read the “You Suck” health memo (i.e. raging headache and Kristen’s blog), the pain in my leg got so bad that I took a trip to the emergency room Saturday morning. Hugging my daughter and thinking about permanent goodbyes…THAT brought the memo all the way home.
God was saying, “Listen up, missy! Don’t make me come down there…”
I did take my Alphasmart to the ER with us, under the misguided notion that I’d get some #Row80 writing in. My very mild-mannered husband gave me stink eye when I started to pull it out of my bag. He only said two words – “Relax, Honey” – but they had that edge to them that said, “I will kick your a$$ all the way up and down the hall if you start typing right now!”
So I visited with him instead (and all the health professionals that came in to poke and prod). I focused on my breathing and my heart rate and not flashing my “cash and prizes” through the openings in that stupid hospital gown whenever I went to the potty.
The truth is, we’re always kind of popular when we go to our local hospital. Not just because we’ve been often enough that we usually know a few of the ER team members. We’re also popular because I have a disorder that they find interesting. (And we usually bring them chocolate.)
Generally, we ‘Rock the Row’ in the emergency room. (It was nice to know I was Rockin’ the Row SOMEWHERE!) We came, we saw, we left…blood clot free. Happy Monday! I hope you take a moment to appreciate your life today.
What about you? Are you taking care of yourself these days? Living the healthy lifestyle Kristen outlined? What are some things that you recommend for quick health tips and pick-me-ups? Any great hydration secrets you’d like to share? How are things going with the rest of Team #Row80?
Jenny
Jenny Hansen's Blog 
Glad you returned from the ER visit without incident!
I’ve been historically bad about taking care of myself – although the moment I got pregnant I suddenly changed. I ate great, took my vitamins, drank lots of water, exercised. Not because I felt wonderful or anything like that. I could ignore taking care of myself, but not the little person I was growing.
I’m a bit better now, almost 2 years after pregnancy, about caring for me too. But it is difficult to strike that balance at time.
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It’s amazing how well you take care of everything when you’re pregnant, huh? Then, when you see this sweet little person running around, you want to keep up the good health for them too. Your little angel is about 10 months older than my little angel. 🙂
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Glad you’re all right! I used to be terrible about taking care of myself. Was overweight and drank WAY too much pop. I’m talking a full two-liter a day. I committed to a weight loss plan on Dec. 31 and really had to stick to it to reach my goals. I’ve been able to keep up with it, and it’s amazing how different it feels. I can actually get more done when I eat better, drink more water, and don’t stay up until all hours of the night.
Who knew?
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I’m happy to hear you are ok. And blogging counts as writing in my books so you probably wrote more words than you quoted above.
I know that I drink A LOT of water during the day. I’m not doing it consiously either. I just pur a 2 litre bottle of water at my desk at the beginning of the day. I fill up a glass everytime I finish one and by the end of the work day I’ve downed the whole bottle…….and had about 6 bathroom breaks.
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I’m very impressed with that 2 ltr bottle trick! My tough time with water started when I was a 5 day a week stand-up instructor – you’re too busy teaching to drink and you can’t just pee whenever you want to, so you learn to not drink much. I’m not doing that every day anymore so i need to up my fluid intake!
Blogs definitely count, but I set two separate goals – one was for my book and the other was for blogs. I rocked the blog goal and tanked the book goal. There’s always next week…and if I think I can’t do it, I’ll revise my goal. (That’s the beauty of #ROW80!)
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Phew on the emergency room, Jenny.
Balance has become an item on the goals me and my 2 goal-setting partners share each week. Time with family and friends, doing homebody stuff, pursuing other interests and exercise all go on the report. Makes you realize how balanced (or usually, imbalanced) our weeks are when we have to look back and see if we had lunch with a friend, sat outside sipping iced tea–ONLY sipping iced tea, or fit in enough exercise and healthy meals. Our writing goals have become healthy writer living goals.
Hm. Seems I have my next blog post topic…
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Sherry,
You and your goal-setting team are three smart peeps. I do fine on eating. I fall down hard on exercise. And about balance? I should pretty much be booted off the ball field for trying to play every position.
Send us a link to your blog when you do this topic, OK??
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I have no rooom to talk – I HAVE to do back excercises to keep the space between vertebrae (missing disc-surgery 7 hrs ago.) I also have to get up and walk once an hour. Huh? Yeah, well, that was back then – I’m doing great now. Besides, doesn’t being busy and writing a lot count? Come on, some of the bike riding should make up for it, right?
Not. On nerve meds and Vicodin.
People, learn from the walking wounded – TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!
No one has time for this shit.
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JEEZ…seeing “nerve meds and Vicodin” in print up there gave me the creeps. It sounds much worse than you just telling me your back was fried. That’s just terrible to be down with a bad back. If Amy Shojai comes on here today, she’ll be heaping you with sympathy (her back’s been out)!
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Jenny, you are one amazing gal. First bringing your AlphaSmart with you in a token gesture to writerliness (my hubby is good at giving the “stink eye” too, do you think that’s a universal thing?), then helping ME on Sunday afternoon, with Baby Girl squalling in the background. Hope you got to relax the rest of Sunday.
Thanks so much again, and YOU ROCK!!!
Kathy
P.S. – when I’m sick of drinking plain water, I like to put a splash of lemon juice in it. More palatable that way. Works with my kids, too.
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LOL…thanks, Kathy. I’ve been thinking I’d make some citrus water to help me slug the stuff down. I hate to resort the Crystal Light since it’s almost as bad as soda.
What IS it with those hubbies and the stink eye?? You think they take lessons for that?
p.s. I was fine by Sunday, just tired from all the brou-ha-ha the day before. It was fun to find some happy additions to your beautiful site (everyone go click on Kathy’s name and check out her Mystery writing site!).
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Thank the Lord you are OK! I could not stand having another family member in the hospital. Please, for all who love you take care of your pretty self!
God has a way of making us move along the path he has set for us. Sometimes with us kicking and screaming all the way until we arrive at our next rest stop and go “Oh, this is what you were talking about… Gotcha’.” Then we follow along happily for a while until we start to think we know more again and start the battle once more (remember what a crappy teenager I was?)
I’ll admit I too have fallen off my ‘walking and eating right’ wagon into the mud hole of laziness and marshmallows (yes, one of my weaknesses, but they are fat free.) Then, recently, I was inspired by a close friend who is battling cancer and still gets up and goes for a 2-3 mile walk several times a week. I had to look myself in the eye and say “What is your excuse Missy?!” I had none, but I still didn’t quite get the motivation I needed to get my butt moving, until my water pump in the car went out… then I had no choice. My work is 1.5 miles away, a lovely half hour walk, and no one else was going to get me there so I had to start moving. I’ve actually enjoyed it, but shsss… don’t tell anyone. I know that I will have walked at least 3 miles each day simply getting to and from work and I didn’t have to make extra time out of my busy schedule to make it to the gym or out to the trail head. My endorphin levels are up, my heart is pumping and I can just feel God smiling at me through the morning sun as He says “See, now that wasn’t so bad was it.”
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First of all, it sounds like you need to call me and let me know who else is in the hospital! Second of all, I’m fine…just had a bit of a heart-pounding weekend. However, I got lots of sleep and put everything on hold except the necessities. I’ll add things back in as I can do it with balance. 🙂
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Jenny. You and my daughter. I swear. You do better than my chick; at least you take your baby aspirin. Holly is hit and miss. She’s worried me to death for eight years then has the nerve to get prickly when I ask about it. I tell her as her mama it’s my job to worry so get used to the questions. Lol.
Sodas are hard on the body plus they are addictive. I stopped drinking them years ago. I went from the dark sodas to the light sodas then switched to fruit juices. I’ve always loved water so I drank more of it. Now I’m all about lemonade, oj, herbal teas and of course water. My husband has this awful concoction of vinegar and water he loves to drink. Whatever! It’s gross but better than soda.
Take care of yourself because you’re the only one who can in the end. I’m glad everything was ok.
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I’m sorry your daughter is driving you batty. It’s hard to deal with us cavalier blood clot people.
I can assure you I’m taking my cranky leg out from under the desk for a stroll every hour today. Plus I didn’t do the two hour round trip drive to work today – first time I’ve not done that on a Monday or Tuesday for ages.
I think the real culprit here is baby weight and not enough water. You’ll be happy to know I’ve never drank soda with the exception of a periodic Fresca. Soda isn’t good for headaches.
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Whoa…go away for a couple of days and all H breaks loose! Glad you’re doing better and at least out of the ER. Oh, and my God-Says-Stop-It-Already moment came with the back sprain.
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LOL…Yeah, but you got to go to Thrillerfest!! David Morrell, Ken Follett…*swoon, swoon*
A trip to the ER is required because of my history and I know I shouldn’t minimize it…but I’m in there about once a year, whether I did anything or not. It just so happens that this time I was doing a craptastic job of taking care of myself.
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Well, thank goodness you’re okay. Sheesh. I was gearing up to whine about my weekend, but, now I’m thinkin’ it was pretty darn good.
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LOL, Amy…you come back and whine all you want. That’s allowed in here. 🙂
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So glad you’re okay! I get migraines and they suuuuuck. Kristen’s post did kick me in the butt about my health. I’m trying to get more healthy-type stuff in there. I guess I’ll have to put them on my Life List Club goals. Sigh. 😀
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Yep, leave it to Kristen to KICK OUR KEISTERS! At any rate, the best thing I’ve found for migraines is a steady blood sugar. And, yes, you need to add this to your wonderful Life List!!
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What a week for you! Goodness! I have a friend who has had blood clots, and that can be very scary. It sounds like any word count was an accomplishment. And if you looked as good as Sandra Dee coming out of the ER, all the better for you! You do rock! Hope this coming week is more productive for you on the writing end. Best wishes for a great ROW80!
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Thanks, Julie! I’ll confess that on my best day, I don’t hold a candle to Olivia Newton-John. 🙂
I’m planning on Rocking the CORRECT Row (Row80) this coming week…stay tuned…
Are you doing it? How is your progress coming?
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Yikes! I’m so glad you’re okay, Jenny.
Do you have a treadmill? I work on mine, with the speed down around 1.0. It’s a great way to keep moving rather than sit for hours and hours at my computer. That plus a good workout in the morning and smaller ten-minute bursts throughout the day really keeps the creativity flowing, too. 🙂
And plain coconut water is a great hydrator!
Sharon
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I can’t imagine working on a treadmill, only cause I can’t figure out where I’d put the laptop but where do you find coconut water? Do you literally tap the coconut? I’ll tell you, you Spy Babes KNOW things!
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The treadmill works if you put together something that sits across the treadmill’s arm rails in a way that gives you a level surface for your computer. 🙂
Coconut water, however, is much easier. Do you have a Whole Foods near you? They likely carry it. I prefer the kind that is unsweetened (some are flavored and sweetened with cane juice) and natural rather than from concentrate.
I’m so glad you are okay!
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Doing my best to be healthy. However, I had been working out for a while now. Last week, I did exercise around midnight. It works quite well. 🙂
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In a perfect world (and with no kids) my favorite time to work out is 9-10 pm at night. When you’ve got babies sleeping, that doesn’t work so well. So, we’re trying to figure out what the new schedule on it is going to be.
I’m glad you’re getting your workout on though!
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I’ve started back to the gym. I need to do cardio to knock down my high cholesterol (thanks female White family members). I have also started taking my multivitamins again – chewable, like a child. 🙂
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My mother’s side has high cholesterol too…they’re at like 300 without even trying! (And they all live into their 80’s and 90’s.) I’m with you though, i’d rather just not have it. My honey and I are working out the gym schedule right now. You go, girl! And on the vitamin front, I’m thinking of doing the liquids because I HATE taking pills. It’s so funny how many commonalities we always find, isn’t it??
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