I left for Portland, OR and the WLSFA annual Meet & Greet on Wednesday, May 17^th.  I was all packed for a weekend of panel discussions, costume changes, seminars and fun.  That’s what I had - a great time!

Sunday afternoon, as we checked out of the downtown Portland Hotel, moved to a hotel by the airport, and picked up a rental car - the scratchy throat began.  Then came the runny nose and the cough.  It stayed at a minimum level as we hiked around Canon Beach, Ecola Park, Timberline Lodge, and of course, the Columbia River Gorge.  The scenery was absolutely beautiful, the weather was better than perfect, and I felt blessed to be able to have this time in and around Portland, to revisit places I had looked at through my car window, or standing next to my car when I weighed over 400 pounds.  Yes, NSV after NSV.  It was grand!  The best part were all of the waterfalls - I couldn’t imagine waterfalls down to the beach, but there they were, right in front of me.  I have an affinity for waterfalls.  They make me feel alive!

We hit the ground in LA at about 11pm on Wednesday 5/24 and I started coughing, then coughing more, etc, etc.  I tried my usual home readies but threw in the towel and went to the doctor the following week.  It’s now a week past that, and I am a tiny little bit better, but still coughing, congested, feeling tired, and miserable.

This has not stopped me from going to the gym daily.  What it has done is changed my routine.  There is NO SWIMMING while my lungs are compromised or I will make things worse.  I learned this a long time ago. 

I don’t have the stamina or lung capacity to do 45 minutes on the elliptical so I have cut my time to 30 minutes.  And I am noticeably slower, although today I was able to do a short interval at 6 miles per hour,  and it was very short.

My body misses swimming.  I have some leg cramps going down because of the daily elliptical runs.

I am still weight training twice a week, but don’t have near the strength I had before I left.

So my fitness activity has been curtailed quite a bit and I don’t like that.

I am also not interested in much experimenting in the kitchen at the moment so our meals are very simple.

It’s taking me twice as long to do simple tasks so I am not feeling very accomplished.

I don’t have the energy to take the mid-week hikes and the weekend bicycle rides that we have been doing for months now.

We cancelled a trip to Montana for a family reunion because I didn’t want to travel while sick.  I need to beat this bronchitis thing.

I hadn’t realized how much a part of my daily life all of this activity had become.  I have been at it long enough that I take my freedom of movement and my energy levels for granted.

All I can say at this point is that I wake up every day, even while I am not feeling my best, and am grateful for the new chance at living a full and active life that I was given when I chose to have weight loss surgery.

This life is a gift and I do receive it with grace and thanks.  Do you?