Friday, March 11, 2011

Exercise

    One of my heroes in the HD world is Lavonne Goodman.  She is an internist who has a son and daughter at risk.  Dr Goodman is very good at pushing researchers.  She ran a trial of supplements I was in that kept me stable for five years.  LaVonne gave me an article about one person with HD whose balance improved when she did some stationary bicycling and weight lifting.  I started doing the same thing twice a week.  It feels like it helps, plus I love the endorphins.
    My friend Dick told me about a gay exercise group that stretches and does dynaband work and takes a walk followed by lunch out.  I did that until my walking problems interfered.  I still enjoy meeting them for lunch.
    It is widely known that learning a language helps keep brain cells agile.  Carol gave me a copy of Christina Garcia’s Dreaming in Cuban for Christmas in Spanish, because I told her I wanted to keep up what I learned for my trip to Nicaragua.  I am inching through that, because I have to look up a lot of words.  Great book.
    My computer went belly up, so Carol and I decided to buy a new laptop together.  I’m not feeling confident enough to set it up, because of my thinking problems, so that, as well as establishing wireless and replacing a modem, also on the fritz, has fallen to Carol at the end of her long days.  Fortunately, my friend Oscar has also been helpful doing things like loading Drop Box on my computer so I didn’t lose files.  He is willing to do that again on the new one.  I definitely owe him and Carol dinner to thank them.
    I forgot to mention another thing, last week, that is helpful with cooking.  Pre-minced onions and garlic keep me from having to chop them with my unsteady hands.
    My sister called to say she is basically happy in the nursing home.  The other patients are more disabled than she is, which is not surprising.  There will probably be less of a difference in time.  It is new for her to call.  I’m usually the one who does that with both her and my  brother. Tom has started calling more regularly.  I like that.
    The present moment is greening.

2 comments:

  1. Sounds like a good week, Marian! I might be able to help with some of the computer work, too. Let me know if you'd like me to give it a try.

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  2. You can buy pre-minced onion and garlic?! Very good news. I admire you for exercising, always a chore for me, as are most forms of energy expenditure. I'm saving it all up for the Rapture or something, apparently.

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