An Update On The Health Thing

Posted on by Sarah A. Hoyt

This is a brief post, because I don’t want you guys to worry. Real post in an hour or so.

I THINK I’m better. Think? Well, there is a lot less coughing. That can be good or bad, honestly, but the main reason I think I’m better is that I’m thinking of all sorts of inadvisable stuff to do and have trouble keeping myself to a sedate pace of recovery.

Because I want to clean and reorganize closets and cabinets, fix the laundry area, and oh yeah, write a couple of books!

This is usually the signal I’m getting better, combined with actually wanting to eat, and also being very impatient with everything.

So, I’m better. For one, the ear infection is almost gone, the tightness in the chest far less. But it’s very slow, and I’m impatient.

At the same time, I’m aware I’m over sixty. And I swear when I’m over this, I’m going to exercise more regularly and eat better. Because the last few months have been a disaster of sorts, which isn’t helping anything. (I don’t overeat per-se. I’m a grazer. The problem is when I’m stressed, I only eat bland and vaguely sweet, which means a lot of carbs.)

I’m also very aware of what I call the “Don Camillo has a fever” effect. In Giovanni de Guareschi’s books the eponymous priest is often stricken down with a fever when he’s otherwise over-exercised and will do something stupid otherwise.

From The Little World of Don Camillo:
But Don Camillo was beyond recovering his composure and if he hadn’t promptly developed a high temperature, the Lord only knew what he might have done. And the Lord obviously did know, because He sent him to bed for two days with a fever that laid him as low and weak as a half-drowned kitten.

Given my current level of panic over the election and black-pilled-ish state about the fraud (which I think EVERYONE is underestimating the magnitude of) either G-d or my subconscious made sure I was REALLY ill, so that the real world is kind of a distant worry as I try to heal. You pick which one according to your beliefs.

However, I seem to have turned the corner. And if I haven’t, one of my gonzo family, probably younger kid or his wife will drag me to the doctor again.

I’m probably not going to die. In the long range of things to worry about, do not worry about me.

57 thoughts on “An Update On The Health Thing”

  4. You had better not die! I want to see the new book you’ve been dropping hints about.

    Hope you get more better soon!

    Like

    1. And we need to get together in Topeka for the air museum soon-ish. Unless it’s burning.
      Unless you want to meet for cosmosphere in Hutchinson for my bday. (I’m trying to get a group. Weekend after my Bday.) So… 22nd? Food after at Carriage Crossing, maybe?

      Like

  5. ” I want to clean and reorganize closets and cabinets, fix the laundry area, and oh…”

    Good thing you’re over 60 – when my wife had those thoughts some years ago it meant it was almost time to go to the maternity hospital…

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Of COURSE we worry about you! It is ever so much better to worry about someone good and wise and caring than evil callous bastards who only care about power. Yes, concentrate on becoming well, to better survive the coming challenges. As you have been warning us they are coming!

    Like

  7. Glad to hear you’re feeling better. I’m good, but my wife and daughter have sick. My wife about 6 weeks, first sinus infection and then walking pneumonia that she can’t shake. Daughter for about a week and a half with cough and lethargy. She’s negative for whooping cough, so thinking it’s also walking pneumonia

    Liked by 1 person

      1. I woke up with the chills today. Not great as I’m covering for someone out for surgery tonight. Yogi “Cold Season” tea tastes like butt, but gets me feeling better in very short time.

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Sarah, I know you know all this:

    1. God is on His throne regardless of whether he grants us Trump or Harris.
    2. We are to be grateful for all the blessings we receive—which may not always feel like blessings.
    3. Get well soon. Either way, we need you.

    Like

  10. Yep, sounds like you’re on the mend. Now let it finish!

    Don’t think I’ve mentioned this before – but I have not actually been ill since I added quercetin, zinc, and D3 to my supplements about four years ago. Everything that has knocked me for a loop has been allergies, or physically overdoing what I really am capable of.

    OTOH, I’ve hardly been outside the city limits for that time, much less overseas, so YMMV.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Our practitioner told my beloved to take extra D, C and zinc in the time of thr wuflu. He has had a couple of mild colds since then. I take extra D and have had a couple of fever-and-ache things in four years. We intend to keep popping our pills.

      Like

    2. Be careful with the zinc. More than 40 mg can interfere with copper absorption. (And I say this as a person who hunted down appropriate zinc supplements when she had to stop taking her multivitamin before a procedure.)

      Like

  11. Glad to hear you are improving. Keep on keeping on. Steady Freddie and all that.

    Never too late to improve the physical, this side of the box, anyway.

    Back in February, Doc cleared me to start workgng out. Just light gym stuff weights, squats, etc. Not powerlifting just trying to up the weight with plenty of reps. Build strength around the damage to prevent more damage. In betweeen sets of exercises, I go up and down two flights of stairs, just to keep the heart rate more up. Not like a hard run or fast walk cardio, more “burst” around tasks. Basicly, mix up exercise and sweat for 30-45 minutes, five days a week.

    Has paid off hugely. My weight used to rollercoaster + or -20 pounds, and was way high. Now I run + or – 3, around something reasonable. My “constant nibble” also refocused on “better”. Trail mix, Jerky, fruit, versus candy or chips and all the geek treats we stock at work. Liver function huge improved, etc. I just had a very good showing at a big match for Cowboy Action Shooting. A near best-ever finish for such a large event. Nice to be gettign some of my old self back. And at 60+ some of the “yoots” are trying to keep up and annoyed they dont. (grin)

    The trick is -habit-. If you decide 5 days a week, noon, then dont let anything but His Second Visit interrupt.

    Hmm, if one of your characters decided to gym up for story reasons, would you do it to know how write the part better? (sly grin)

    Liked by 2 people

    1. That was Friday and Saturday. Closet rotation (as in “midsummer stuff into storage, wool front and center”) got done on Sat and Sun, mostly Sat.

      Like

      1. NorCal coastalish went from 100+ a couple weeks ago to highs maybe making it up out of the 50s with scattered to broken and a light shot of rain the past week, so I started swapping ready use clothing from shorts and such to long sleeve shirts. So of course offshore winds kicked in today and it’s now severe clear with temps up into the low 70s this afternoon.

        Like

      2. I was thinking along those lines lately: I moved my heavier shirts into the closet in the master bedroom, and my Hawaiian shirts into the closet in the bedroom I use as an office.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. That’s my weekend tasking. Pull the long sleeve shirts and long pants out, put the shorts and short sleeves away. (It’s already chilly, but I hate messing with hangers…)

        Like

    2. “tis the season to rotate the wardrobes (if you’re into that kind of thing).

      And also it’s a nice, doable, task-that’s-within-one’s-control-and-capabilities that will improve one’s immediate environment.

      Which is soothing during trying times when so much else is not.

      Like

  13. I must say that we are emptying cupboards here at Chez Phantom as well. New kitchen cometh. Old kitchen to be razed this week. Upset and baloney!

    Madame Sarah, kindly take it easy and remember that 60 is not 30, or even 50. You’d best believe we Phantom types are taking it slow and easy with the shifting and the moving from one place to another. I would describe our pace as glacial.

    If you are afraid people will think less of you for not going at it like a 30 year old, just give them the finger, either metaphorically or actually, and then go MUCH slower. Many pauses to rest and contemplate. ~:D

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I’m pushing 60 (and HOW did that happen?), and with everything that has happened in the last 2 years, just can not do more than a 14 hour day if I’m lucky. The body/head just shuts down. /whine whine /whine, and never enough cheese.

      My head says it’s ok, my heart is throwing a tantrum, and my kids are just giving me looks that seem to be measuring me for a wrap around jacket.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. I am Trump’s age. I have learned it is vital to know WHAT NOT TO DO. Rest is not sloth.

      My retirement job is working for the Census. They give me addresses, I go to a place I have never been, talk to someone I have never met, get them to give the government personal private information. I need to go when people may be home, evenings, weekends, holidays. I need to show my new Field Supervisor I can still do the work better than a 30 year old, here in Mordor west.

      The hardest thing for me to do is to remember WHAT NOT TO DO. I am an extrovert, like Trump. I am energized by talking to others. The problem is that when I get home, if I tried to do too much, I crash. I need to rest. Doing NOTHING is vital. It is important to know when to do NOTHING. REST.

      So Saturday I tried to work 8 hours, driving walking, talking, watching for watch dogs. I tried to do too much. I was having fun. I did not listen to my body that told me to stop.

      So Sarah, listen to your body. Not your temptation to do too much. Rest.

      Liked by 2 people

  15. That’s reassuring to hear! I am better also, recovering from a very bad cold/sore/throat/gushing sinuses. Still coughing as if I were hacking up a lung, though. But able to get back at work on various projects… like finishing up the YA pioneer trail adventure…

    Like

  16. It does sound like you are on the mend.

    Good!

    There seems to be a bit of unrest in the air in my solid red corner of the forest. I was at 4 different stores in 3 different towns this weekend. Everything was picked over and shelves were as bare as they are before a big blizzard.

    It was quite odd. I’m thinking it’s probably unease about what is going to happen tomorrow and who will win the election. Not sure though.

    Nevertheless, it’s better to be on the mend in times like these.

    Continued prayers for a speedy recovery for you and for the nation!

    Like

  17. Dan, and your boys and their ladies need you. So do your hopefully numerous grandchildren. And while nobody gets out of life alive; it’s up to us to make the Grim Reaper work his mother-loving fingers to the bone, break or at least dull up his scythe, and in general make him wish he never took the job.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Glad to hear you’re feeling better, but don’t try to rush yourself.

    Don’t know if you know this Thomas Jefferson quote, but thought you might like it:

    Letter to John Taylor (June 4, 1798): A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolve, and the people, recovering their true sight, restore their government to its true principles.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Great news but don’t do too much too soon, dammit!!

    And as for “do not worry about me”, fuggeddiboutit. I worry when I want about whatever or whomever I want, so there! 😉

    Like

  22. By the power of the internet, I command you to HEAL!

    (Hey, it’s worth a shot. I’m over 60 now also, and trying to stay healthy…Urk!)

    Like

  23. Glad you are feeling better. Don’t rush the recovery process.

    “problem is when I’m stressed, I only eat bland and vaguely sweet, which means a lot of carbs”

    My problem too. Added with a tendency to spike and crash. Finally there are OTC CGM, in theory to assist non-insulin dependent T2 diabetics. Also benefits those of us not diabetics.

    In my case Hypo Reactive Hypo (HRH), key in on “reactive”. I haven’t gone deadly *hypo (but have dropped low 50’s on meter readings). The reactive spike and resulting crashes, themselves, even not going < 90, are not fun. I’ve now tried two: Stelo, and LinX, there is a third but the name eludes me. LinX is more in line with my glucose blood meter, both in numbers and timing. Stelo, the first senor was way off (they replaced it, but PIA). Second Stelo sensor was a lot better, but was off on lows. Both (while not the same numbers) showed what “reactive” really means. Biggest benefit it is showing what foods I can more or less tolerate, and not make me semi sick.

    Something to think about even if you don’t use them long term. FWIW Stelo is less expensive if on the subscription ($89.99/month – 2 senors) model (easy to quit should you chose), and it is shipped from within the US. LinX is about $10/sensor more if you get 3 month (6 sensors, $332, excluding any tariffs, which is currently $0) at time, not subscription but it ships from Dubai UE (supposedly two other sources, but I have to research that. Had delivery within 10 days of order. No shipping cost because of $ amount ordered. Guarantied delivery – translation, requires in person signature of someone over 18 on delivery.) There are two FB groups (one private, one not) on Stelo to follow for research.

    (* Trained our, then, puppy to alert to < 75 lows. I can drop more even as she’s alerting. Stelo, and it is listed, has no alarms, does not report < 70 in the app, not “for hypo”. LinX has alarms that can be user set. LinX can also be calibrated against blood glucose meter. Can record glucose blood meter reading on Stelo app, but does not calibrate against. So far LinX hasn’t needed additional calibration. Numbers match +- 2 points.)

    Like

    1. FYI, “puppy”, now 8 1/2 years old, is retired from public access, especially travel like we just did. Retired because of her medical issues (seizures and non-cancerous tumors, one of which her harness compresses). Guess who is more likely to have troubles when we road travel.

      Liked by 1 person

  24. I am now over 70 and while I lived a fairly active life I got severely ill with Kidney and heart issues that restricted what I could do activity wise. Now Those issues have been resolved I am trying to get back into some sort of better shape. It is turning out to be a hard and long process so my advice to you is do it now and stay at it. Walking is good especially if you push the miles per hour. When I was younger and lived in NYC I usually walked at a 5 mile and hour pace for at least an hour, (that was just my normal NY walk). Right now I can 3 miles and hour for about 15 minutes and I am tired. What happened? I moved to NJ where everything is by car!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Pardon the obvious spelling and grammar mistakes I really should read over things before hinting submit.

      Like

  25. And please spit out the black pills. Worrying can’t change the vote one way or another, but it won’t help your health. No matter who wins (or “wins”), your family needs a healthy Sarah.

    Liked by 1 person

  26. Dear Mrs. Hoyt

    You are not allowed to die. I am too impatient to wait to read your stories in Heaven.

    Sincerely yours,

    A Reader.

    P.S. I am convinced that one of the books in Heaven will be your collection of “Donna Camilla in Portugal-that-was” stories.

    P.P.S. But that is *not* an excuse to sliver off and start pining for the fjords.

    P.P.P.S. Still praying, of course. Get some sunshine on a chaise longue if you can.

    Liked by 1 person

  27. I have to say, as I get older (and I’m the same age as our hostess) it takes longer and longer to get back in shape if I let things slide. Everything hurts for longer. I think the key is slow and constant, regardless.

    Sarah, pneumonia takes a LONG time to recover from. Give yourself time and take it easy. We are ALL worried about you!

    Liked by 1 person

    2. The only thing that happens faster these days is getting back out of shape. Oh, and gaining weight back. Turn my back half a second … (Slightly older than Sarah.)

      Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.