This Can’t Go On

Posted on by Sarah A. Hoyt

Okay, enough is enough.

I can’t actually do anything about emergencies that cause me to have to make a serious effort while under the weather.

I can theoretically do something about stuff like fallen tree branches, malfunctioning kitchen appliances, basement floods or other household disasters. But dynamiting the house and building another from scratch is likely to be too expensive and the neighbors would likely object, too. Not to mention the coding board, etc.

Well, I can have the house blessed, I suppose, and we’re working on that.

But it seems like the getting stupidly ill every other month should still be the easiest thing to tackle.

“Easiest” meaning in this case not impossible.

It’s going to take a bit of work. Like, now that I’m so very slightly perking up from whatever this latest schrechlichkeit is I’m not going to try to go full tilt on the writing and the unpacking the living room.

Also, I really need to start walking. Yes, outside, as unpleasant as that is. Probably not a lot. Maybe only a mile or so in the early morning “walking to work.”

No, I don’t particularly like this neighborhood for walking in, but I like being sick even less, and it’s become somewhat obvious that I need to have regular exercise in the (eek!) fresh air.

Also I can do something about not eating randomly because I forgot to eat until I was starving, and then I just grab whatever is sitting around, which is usually crackers or milk or something. (I am not a calf. I can’t live on milk. Yes, it could be worse. Sometimes it is. I also can’t live on bananas.)

Look, all of this sounds pretty unpalatable, and honestly, I don’t want to do any of it.

I want to keep living like a teenager, or an obsessed writer. I mean, I no longer have kids in the house, so I don’t need to have regular meals, and I don’t need to go to bed on time and I don’t–

But a wise man — okay, older son — has informed me that how I live affects my health. Or in my case my lack of health more often than not. And that while changing everything all at once is impossible, I should pick an habit and stick to it for two weeks and then pick another habit.

… And I’m over sixty, and apparently my body hates me.

So this week I’m going to start the walking thing. I might only walk like half a mile, because I’m still trying to cough up a lung, but I’m going to attempt the outside, fresh air type of thing.

Who’s with me so I don’t feel so alone?

Okay. Good. Now, let’s give this health thing a try.

182 thoughts on “This Can’t Go On”

  1. I’ve started my 7th decade and “OLD” syndrome is getting more active. A 30 minute walk every day is by far the best thing for you. The next best thing is making sure you get enough vitamin D – either through sunlight or supplements. Skipping meals is actually good for you – I try and fast 3X a week (basically don’t eat from 6PM until 11PM / lunch the next day). I accept that decline is inevitable but try and maintain as much physical mobility as I can!

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  2. I’m younger, so my mix is gonna have a slightly differnet flavor, but at the moment and without thinking much, it feels a bit similar.

    On my side, on its own, one element of the fix is simpler. But is probably still going to be slow and annoying.

    Rolled out of bed, this morning. Maybe enough sleep, but it hurts a bit again.

    (During the day, it can seem like I can fix the pain, and am already okay. Morning evidence is that I have some recovering to do.)

    Which makes sense, the problem developed over time, and was increasingly distruptive until I made myself understand what was happening.

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  3. It is the start of gardening season so that will take care of my fresh air and exercise for the next six months. My challenge is winter. Next year a daily walk, snow and below zero or not.

    A good consistent diet will be more of a challenge.

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    1. Yeah, I not only garden on my family’s 1/2 acre plot, I also do yard and garden work for some of the elderly folks in my neighborhood. Plenty of sunshine and exercise from March-October – and I have martial arts to keep me going through the winter.

      The garden helps with my diet; I’ve tried to plan it so I have more ready-to-eat meals made up by the end of the season. Since my parents have food allergies and dietary restrictions, it’s often easier to make things ourselves.

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  5. And the only way I succeed at this stuff is -habits-. I set alarms to do needful things, and stop and blinking-well do them. Else “I -am- the Chaos!” reigns.

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    1. This. Schedules and alarms to keep you on schedule. Else time goes wonky and suddenly you wake up on the floor because your blood sugar crashed and you passed out.

      Helps if you have to take meds on a regular schedule.

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  6. somebody once said Treat Yourself as Someone You’re in Charge of Caring for.

    Thise regular meals bc kids don’t know when they’re hungry? Yup, that was caring for them. Getting them a regular schedule? Same. Making sure they see the sunshine? Check.

    You need to care for yourself as if you’re the teenager who thinks she doesn’t need any help, but she’s wrong.

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    1. Trying to get enough sleep myself. Getting weird dreams again so that’s better, right? Momma was telling someone (a visitor, perhaps) the other day she wanted to sell the car; she’s been doing crosswords with Daddy in Heaven for nigh on five years now.

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  7. If you’re reading this and you haven’t taken your walk today and it’s not precipitating out, slip on your walking shoes, strap on your ccw, put your coat on and go take a 20-minute stroll to surveille your neighborhood. For extra fun, your phone on voice record, and narrate an adventure through the neighborhood, then run it through Dragon dictate when you get home.

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        3. Now I must say I have the older, non-subscription, version and it does seem to learn if you are persistent. I don’t trust these subscription apps being the old fart that I am, so I keep a computer with OS 9, older versions of 10, Windows 10 available and keep them off line for my wordsmithing and other nefarious endeavors. Screw updates and The Cloud.

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  8. Get a dog. Take for walk. Makes for doing the exercise habit easier to follow. I take mine out for a mile walk, I drove the vehicle around the neighbor hood to see what the distance drive way to drive way was, 3 times a day most days. Early morning before work, Noon walk, Evening walk after work. 3 miles a day spread out. And my knees went from yelling at me all the time to just being cranky at major weather changes.

    And yes, not having kids home to force the meal times are the hardest. I found planning 5 meals for the week before doing the grocery shopping helped, and then leftovers for lunches. Microwaves are the best. Then weekends are the one and done meals, except for the soups. But we are leaving soup weather.

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    1. A well-trained dog that doesn’t pull. Our son’s dog is temporarily living with us and I’m nursing a variety of pains from being dragged around the neighborhood. He’s also the sort of dog that barks and sometimes growls at everybody, though he’s decided I smell like his master so I’m suitable for lying on and giving belly rubs. I mean, what is this? I’m a cat person. And our son has a real gift for bonding with dogs -Ace adores him. When I asked Himself for a pet to love me I was thinking cat, not slightly neurotic 55-pound redheaded bulldog/water dog mix.

      But a daily walk will really help. I try to do at least a mile per day. Earbuds and music (interesting podcast?) might help.

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      1. Earbuds and music are fine, if the area is safe. If there’s any chance it might not be, situational awareness includes sound. And as Mike said earlier, CCW is a good idea; the Calmer Half and I both carry while on neighborhood walks. And Condition Yellow is fairly easy to maintain.

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    3. I’ve honestly considered. Two reasons I haven’t got a dog — and I LOVE dogs — a) I’m too add to house break one. b) cats. It’s not fair to the cats to bring a weird large critter into the house.
      A third one: Younger son who is most likely to visit is HELLISHLY allergic to them.
      So there’s that.

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      1. Some Siamese cats will acept a leash and a walk.

        Then again, they have …. odd personalities, and are very, very vocal.

        Once upon a time I had a white Maine Coon with some Siamese mixed in. Loveable goofy huge furball. Liked to ride shotgun on road trips.

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  9. The guy helping me clean and fix up the house from the fire convincedr last night that despite all the heavy work we are doing he still needs to walk, and last night we did a midnight walk for his/our health. To the convenience store and back so he could get cookies. For his health. Three miles.

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  11. So I’m working within a schedule – I’ll go to bed only after nine PM and I am up at seven AM. The little dog helps a lot with the routine. Any kind of ‘nice’ weather is a demand for at least a couple of neighborhood walks (with Boo the dog in charge of route). I then have scheduled “events” such as coffee with the old farts neighborhood group and the like which again require scheduling. I think the ‘trick’ to it all is developing a pattern and then making modifications as needed. Good luck and enjoy the walks!

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  12. :raises hand, wiggling fingers:

    After a mere 15 years of bad-enough-to-talk-to-a-doctor carpel tunnel, I got surgery on my hand.

    The guy who did the test had his eyes nearly bug out at the results. Summarized as “yes, yes you do have carpel tunnel. Is there any point when you can feel your hand?”

    (It’s going well, the nerves don’t seem to have been damaged.)

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    1. Kinda sounds like the orthopedist when he saws the X-rays of her knee a couple of years ago. “Oh my, we don’t see images of dislocated/broken knee caps very often. That must have been really painful. Do you mind if we use these images for training?”

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        1. Yes, but still has pain quite frequently. The kneecap broke off where a ligament attaches, and I’m not sure it healed exactly right once they got the kneecap back into place.

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        2. Ten minutes into my sleep study they woke me up with, “sir, you definitely have sleep apnea.”

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          1. From what co-worker said, don’t think he made 10 minutes.

            Mine was at home with equipment. Pretty sure stats were corrupted somewhat with the uncomfortable equipment and unhelpful cats. Who am I kidding. Cats played with the wires and attachments. Based on my Fitbit sleep stats from before, the total sleep percentage needle has barely moved since I got the diagnosis and mouth piece (primarily because age and frequent, um, wake up calls). But how that sleep is distributed changed drastically. With deep sleep and REM (was 0%) drastically improved percentages.

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            1. They strapped a CPAP onto me that night, and I hated it so much I had them take it off me 15 minutes later. I got the surgery instead and I haven’t had a problem since.

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              1. Don’t know about co-worker if surgery is an option.

                Me? It is my lower jaw profile that allows tongue to fall back and block breathing. Losing weight would help, but not fix it. Good news for son, part of his orthodontic treatment was “head gear” (quoted, because internal that insured 24/7 wear for 6 months) that forced his lower jaw to move forward as he grew, which should prevent problem as he ages. Not bad overbites, but there. To fix mine at age discovered, it meant breaking my jaw and rewiring it correctly … Um, no thank you.

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                1. In my case, the UPPP surgery was like a facelift for the back of my throat, tightening up the loose membranes, plus removing my absurdly large tonsils and (oddly) my uvula. They also went up the back of my nose and cauterized some of the oversized turbinates (baffles) so I could breathe through my nose for once. I don’t know if I was a textbook case or what, but the surgery went well and I had no complications or side effects.

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                2. They corrected my jaw problem with orthodontic crowns (took two years, and all my teeth are crowned) and a special night-guard that keeps my lower jaw from sliding back. Mine was more for severe TMJD than sleep problems.

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                  1. “special night-guard that keeps my lower jaw from sliding back“

                    –

                    Same. Custom built. I’m on my second one through the dentist. First one parts kept breaking over the first year. Don’t know if I ground my teeth before started using it, but I sure do wearing one. Second one is a lot “sturdier” (yep, that is better than “bulky”) and takes the grinding.

                    Funny story. When I got the second one, the “new dentist”, Dr R, (also know as main dentist’s son) just had gotten his. When doing the final fitting on mine they both cautioned that would take time to get used to it. Dr R said he’d had his 10 days and still was unconsciously taking it out at night. Never had that problem … With either set really. Except when first set would break in the middle of the night. Seemed to “know” the minute it happened, would wake up, and take it out (irritating is insignificant when that happened).

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                    1. First one was through an orthodontist, not dentist. Just two different styles.

                      Also, how I know that orthodontists and dentists insurance clearing process do not do medical at all. How I learned about insurance clearing house process. 😠😠😠😠😠😠

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  13. I’m with you Sarah. I had a bad leg infection (due to an insect bite, but that wasn’t obvious at the time with my whole calf red and swollen) last August and spent a week in the hospital where they discovered I had an irregular heartbeat. After my hospital stay, I spent another week mostly in bed, then another week stumbling around like a drunk after closing hour. The medical establishment then mustered all their energy and technology in the effort to prove I was dying from a heart condition they couldn’t actually detect any more. Finally the cardiologist admitted defeat and said, “Try to exercise and lose weight–slowly.” Obvious advice for an old man who’s spent 40 years sitting on his ass typing. Wise advice nonetheless.

    So, being a contrarian and late anyway, instead of a New Year’s resolution, I decided to make a New Administration resolution on January 20 to eat less and start getting more exercise. I also announced my resolution to a circle of online friends to try to hold myself accountable. I vowed to report on my progress quarterly, and am due to report in a week. My exercise resolution suffered a setback with a cold for a couple of weeks, but I’m recently back on track. So far I’ve lost 8 pounds–small potatoes on a goal of 35 pounds, but making progress at least. On the eating front, my diet has always been fairly healthy, lots of fruits and nuts, but sugar is my downfall, so I’ve skipped desserts, and tried to finish eating by 5pm, so my body has at least 12 hours to decide to switch to burning some fat.

    I’m disappointed with my progress, but at least it’s progress, so I aim to keep going. My health insurance offers a free gym membership, so that’s the next goal to supplement my home exercise routine, which admittedly isn’t very challenging yet.

    So count me as part of your better health, better me circle.

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    1. My beloved has been working on losing the weight he gained after quitting smoking a few decades ago. Mostly retiring from the Clean Plate Club and taking smaller portions to begin with. I wish I could get him walking, but at least when we go out on travel he’ll get more exercise. Hoping he doesn’t instantly overdo it.

      His goal was to lose a pound a week , more or less. He’s dropped a significant amount, just working for a slow and steady drop he can maintain.

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    4. Being sick can cause all kinds of temporary heart and blood pressure problems. Heck, so can sadness and various other strong emotional states. And so can medications, IVs, and the like. And so can infections floating around the body in your bloodstream.

      So it’s very possible that you had a heart problem for a while, and then you didn’t.

      I guess you need to avoid getting infected?

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      1. Indeed! Even my hospital doctor admitted that the irregular heartbeat was probably caused by the infection. Of course they still did X-rays, MRI, ultrasound, and whatever else they could think of. They did find a partial obstruction in my major leg artery, but admitted my circulation was actually fine especially for a 73 year old. She was dubious about letting me go after only a week, but could tell I was getting feisty about being there. The last, lingering effect was a swollen ankle, but I eventually went off the statin they gave me, and it slowly went back to normal.

        Hopefully I can continue to lose weight for the next quarter rather than backslide.

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        1. Both son and I are allergic to bug bites. Small blister at bite site, then oversized swelling, red, and hot. As full grown adults, rarely need antibiotics to deal with the resulting cellulitis. Exception are feet, ankles, lower shin, hands, and wrists. As a child son’s bites all required antibiotics (me as a child probably needed antibiotics too a lot more often than I got them. But difference between mid-1900s and late 1900s.) Only solution is to keep from getting bit. Also the reason why I love Revolution topical pet flea medications that work so well. Strips fleas not only from the animals, but house, and yard. Spiders fewer probably because nothing to eat with the fleas eradicated.

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            2. Nice to know.

              Not a problem since I’m using Revolution on all 6 animals. Topical. Takes care of adults down to larvae, and eggs. Haven’t had a flea problem since. Also kills some variety of ticks, but ticks have to bite the animal to die (not ideal). Fleas just have to have skin contact.

              Dog was on Simparica chewable for awhile because it dealt with more variety of ticks. Since she was traveling with us as my service dog and where we hiked, it was important. Again only killed ticks if she was bit, which meant a lot of reverse brushing before she was loaded up. Avoided letting her wander into brush. But she has seizures so had to take her off of it. She is also no longer traveling with us. Good news, dad no longer has the dog to tattle on me. Bad news, dad no longer has the dog to tattle on me when I’m crashing and don’t know it.

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  14. I’m walking in my neighborhood – about a mile and a half, every day. I ought to work on more body-flexibility, though.

    Does picking up and carrying a 35+ pound wiggling toddler count?

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    1. The Reader thinks that picking up a 35+ pound wiggling toddler is why you need to work on flexibility and strength.

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  15. My home gym is on the back porch so I can get all kinds of fresh air while exercising. Including all the dust and pollen desert winds can provide. With interesting excuses like had to skip yesterday and today as a bee swarm is nesting nearby.

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    1. Same.

      Was doing really good about going to the gym regularly a year or so ago. Took time off because we left town. Haven’t been back again regularly. I keep saying I will start! I go for a day or two, and back to not going. Sigh.

      Ironically I pushed my sister to go to the gym. She finally started and now is going everyday they are home, and by reports, use gym equipment when on their trips they have down time (usually ship, be it ocean or river cruises). Now she is pushing me. One difference is she is more social than I am. Interesting reaction when I have gone in and I, the “stranger” gets pulled into the conversation automatically, then she leaves. Me – “We are sisters.” Blinking on their part. “Really?” Me: “Yes. Really.”

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      1. -Habit-

        When traveling, do some gym time. Up and down the hotel/motel stairs. Hand weight lifting. etc. maybe not the usual, but some sweat.

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        1. We hike so not doing nothing. Which honestly is why I go to the gym.

          Turns out as I get older, not doing anything, then trying to hike at high elevations, is humbling. The other problem is getting up of the ground without furniture (or rock) to help. Is not a quick fix. Who knew?

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          1. The problem is going to the gym specifically to exercise VS exercise because doing something else.

            Getting exercise because I’m weeding, washing the car, vacuuming, cleaning cat boxes (lifting weight), taking dog for walk, hiking, isn’t “exercise”, but it is.

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  17. Add me to that, which is going to be tricky ’cause day job is physically exhausting without being a lot of exercise. (Also getting over crud.) But… yes, exercise is needed even if I have to load up on the antihistamines to go outside.

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    1. I ran into that when I changed careers. Didn’t have to exercise outside of work. My work was exercise. More so when working in the woods, than at the truck ramps or log yards. Mentally exhausting and a lot of walking around and climbing up and down (ladders), just not bushwhacking through brush, and up and down steep slopes. New career was mentally exhausting, but sure wasn’t physically. Never could get into habit of working out before or after work, year after year (would be good for a couple of years, then drop out).

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  18. Good luck.

    My wife apparently has another kidney stone (the CT can was inconclusive, so also on antibiotics) and is taking pain meds again. She jinxed herself by saying last week that she hasn’t had one in about 16 years.

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  19. Does your blood sugar handle Wolf No-Bean chili?

    That’s become my go-to cheap/trivial lunch: 1 16oz can in a 20oz soup mug, with shredded cheese and sour cream on top. Takes 2m in the microwave and a few minutes stirring.

    I’ve also discovered microwaved buttered popcorn does not nuke my blood sugar.

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  20. Walking is good. So is swimming, but if you’re like me you don’t a swimming pool. I guess I could swim in the neighbor’s pond, but the water is too cold, and I don’t want to be mistaken for a large bull frog.

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      1. I once had a run-in with leaches while crossing a fresh water canal. It was a life lesson and disconcerting.

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  21. My company provides a stupid health app so I can do stupid stretching and strength exercises at least five times a week. It texts me and nags me. I also do stupid recumbent biking to a podcast. Because I’m staying healthy. I’m so happy I can’t stand it. BTW pro tip, if you search you can find really good exercise gear at garage sales cheap. The recumbent bike is old but it’s the bomb. All I needed was the correct power cord (Amazon) and it’s great. Twenty five dollars plus that cord.

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  22. Product endorsement follows. Several years ago, I bought a Garmin wristwatch. 4S I think. It does a good job of “gamifying” movement and exercise. I set some reasonable goals and was able to drop 20 pounds in a reasonable amount of time. I’m still well over my ideal weight, but am working on it. As with anything YMMV.

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    1. How is the Garmin on sleep stats?

      I have a Fitbit 6. Heck I got a FitBark (not with GPS) for the dog (she doesn’t wear it anymore, quit holding info for when internet available, and it requires internet). When first got the Fitbit I was good about meeting set goals, including exercise days. Now? That’s laughable.

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      1. The 4S does good, in my opinion. It will track time sleeping, stages (based on movement), and sleeping pulse ox. I compared the pulse ox sensor with one of the fingertip models and they were within a percent or two. It will drain the battery faster, but 20 minutes in the morning on the charger is plenty.

        What I like is the reminder to get up and move around. I’m in a sedentary job and I’d probably never get up without a reminder.

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        1. Okay battery time is a problem. Got mom the Apple watch to detect falling. But she has to charge it every night, or first thing in the morning. The Android watch is the same. Can’t hold a charge longer than about 28 hours. Fitbit at least lasts about 5 or 6 days. But Fitbit brand is on limited time since Google bought it. They will kill it slowly, but they will eventually kill it.

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  23. I’m hooked on Audible and walking isn’t a chore any more because I’m reading. Some say listening to a book isn’t the same as reading one, but people were telling stories to each other around the campfire long before there was paper, so “Some Say” can go pound sand.

    My son got me into bone conducting headphones, so my hearing isn’t blocked. This and a good pew pew for two-legged critters and pepper spray for four-legged ones, and I’m good to go.

    Walking is wonderful, as long as someone is telling you a good story while you’re doing it!

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          1. The time to get the CCW is way before some situation arises where it is needed.

            Best to have an not need, etc. Do so while you can. Etc. Etc. If have CCW, and the sidearm is too large, try the KelTec P-32 in .32ACP. Reliable, accurate, weighs next to nothing, disappears in a pocket. Beats a stick.

            Meanwhile, taking with you on walks a cane or hiking stick. (Brazzos sells -nice- sticks and canes through Bass-Pro/Cabelas, and soemtimes WalMart) Dont lean on it (inless needed), just cary it. Urbanites call it a dogstick.

            If folks want a hardcore “cane”, Cold Steel sells modern fighting sticks that look like canes. (Impact fighting sticks. They sell swordcanes too, but those are prohibited most places)

            Another option – Canemasters. These are classic wooden hook top canes. They can be plain or very, very fight-enhanced. Also quite expensive.

            Amazon has lots of canes, some elcheapo, some decent, and somehigh end. Brazos also found here.

            This turns out to be a handy take-apart 3-piece I use for travel. Fits luggage nicely. When flying commercial, easily stows in my pack when not needed, or the seat pouch in front of me, avoiding the overhead bin. Also, the bottom two sections can serve as a pair of fighting sticks/batons.

            No need to go about unheeled, dogstick, boomstick, whatever.

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            1. One key point with melee weapons, well, all weapons really. You have to have them at ready before the assailant is within reach-out-and-touch distance. Canes aren’t as effective when a doggo has his teeth in your arm or leg already.

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              1. If the dog is closing on you, why is the cane not already out and ready? Folks around here walk with a stick in their hand. The lunge-poke from that is pretty quick. I can stop a dog with a cane when using it as a walking aid.

                “You hit my dog!” “You are next if you don’t leash that animal. Scram.”

                Its in your hand. Its ready. Make sure your mind is also ready.

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                1. The correct response to “you hit my dog” is “Your dog hit my cane.” Followed by “So will you if you don’t leash that dog!” Although dogs have been known to hit my leg instead (as I’ve picked up my small/medium leashed dog the other dog has rushed, while swinging the end of the leash. Not aiming, because that never works.)

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        2. Bear spray works on other 4 legged critters, and 2 legged too. Can always say that didn’t expect to have to use the spray on 2 legged, otherwise would have carried something else too.

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          1. Use people spray on people. The “bear” spray stuff is almost always less potent. Humans are more stubborn and tough than bears. The bear -sprayer- is often larger, but you are not suppressing a riot. Get the human-designed OC spray with dye.

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            1. Is wasp spray an acceptable 2nd choice?

              Asking for a friend who said he definitely wouldn’t use it as a flamethrower… At least if the wasps were on or near his house…

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              1. No.

                Couple of reasons.

                First, not designed for human nervous systems, so not really effective chemically (a face full of spray will have physical effects, of course).

                Second, it’s illegal to use agricultural poisons ‘off label’, and there are penalties; looks like 7 USC 1361 is the applicable bit. I have not heard of that being applied, but there’s some risk.

                As usual, if you are able to prepare for a foreseeable event, get the Right Stuff. If it’s unforeseen, Do what Ya Gotta Do.

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          2. A significant portion of humans are immune to highly resistant to military grade pepper sprays– which are stronger than bear– and you can develop a resistance from regular use.

            It’s common enough that at least one or two new guys a year have the resistance the first time they qualify with military grade sprays.

            (That is, it’s applied to them. So you know exactly how much it sucks.)

            One of the guys my husband qualified with was naturally immune. The process for making sure it’s not an issue with the spray is that they then go get a second one, and spray you in the eyes again.

            It’s about as bad as being sprayed with saline.

            For the developing resistance part– the guys who run the military “confidence chamber” develop it in less than six months. (For those who don’t know, the ‘confidence’ is that you trust your gas mask to work. It’s AKA when the Navy gasses folks. The policy there when someone is naturally immune is that he does something like sing or recite something, to make sure he did actually get a nice deep lung full.)

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            1. Years ago, Oakland CA had a ‘Festival By The Lake’ at Lake Merritt. That’s still not the very best part of Oakland, but in daylight things generally were OK.

              Evenings, however, tended to get rambunctious, and PD had to clear them out. I recall seeing TV video of Oakland PD spraying groups of passers-by to encourage progress, and none of the sprayed seemed to be especially affected.

              Pepper spray and the like, for civilians, is ‘shoot and scoot’; never know how much or little effect it might have, and not wise to hang around to find out.

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              1. For long term offenders, “it won’t even slow them down” is an option– as is rare but not unknown cases of serious injury or death.

                Which is why I stick to stuff that we all recognize as deadly. I just try to make sure folks realize that a bad guy who acts like he’s not going to be impacted by pepper spray? May act that way because he knows he won’t.

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                1. Be guided by that stupid movie trope in which the Frightened Protag finds the Heavy Thing, gets behind the Big Scary, and knocks him out with one (1) Mighty Blow… then wanders away thanking goodness that’s-over.

                  Whatever Defensive Gadget you use, don’t leave the job half done.

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                  1. “He’s down, he’s not a threat!”
                    “He’s literally yelled that he will chase us to the ends of the earth and kill us slowly, destroying all we know and love. And showed a willingness to do so. HE DIES!”

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                    5. And the comics have shown us that even with a body, the villain will return.

                      🙄

                      It gets so absurd. So many of the explanations are bad.

                      The best ones are frankly supernatural. Red Norvell died in the first issue of Journey Into Mystery after it left off being Thor? Fortunately for him, their enemy was a god of the dead, and when the Norse gods busted into the land of the dead, they found him — and dragged him back with them. I don’t think anyone can object to that.

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                    6. Just remembered, there was a Dean Koontz novel titled Whispers.

                      A woman accused a man of stalking her but he was seen elsewhere even he was said to be stalking her.

                      Then he attacked her and in the fight he was badly wounded but got away.

                      Still his body was found and everything was OK? Nope.

                      She reported seeing him again still after her.

                      Well, it turns out that he had an identical twin brother but him & his brother were raised by a nut-case woman who had only claimed to have one boy.

                      The Main Character had killed one of the brothers and the other brother was after her.

                      Like

              2. Pepper spray and the like, for civilians, is ‘shoot and scoot’

                Gotta disagree. Shoot, then give ‘im the boot. Kneecaps are good targets (strike with your foot crosswise to his leg; it’s harder to miss that way. Don’t try to hit it with your toes). Then hit ‘im again. And again. Thumbs in his eyes? Stomp his windpipe? Whatever nasty move presents itself, do it. Assume those “non-lethal” gadgets won’t do more than inconvenience him a little, and piss him off a LOT. “Never do your enemy a small injury.” Solve the problem.

                Liked by 2 people

                1. Well, I prefer 147 grain Golden Sabre to pepper spray, but otherwise my goal is to disengage if possible.

                  Not always possible.

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                  1. Yep. If you live somewhere that “allows” such, 2 in the belly is Universal Language for “leave me alone!”

                    But if you’re stuck with just a spray can, DON’T walk away from a half-finished job.

                    Liked by 1 person

                    1. Saw that in a movie once. Bad Dude with a gun is chasing Heroine through Big Creepy Empty Building. She finds a shovel, waits in ambush at a corner, and whacks Bad Dude in the face. Bad Dude is down, gun goes flying. Yay!

                      THEN: Stupid bimbo drops the shovel and runs away. Bad Dude gets up, picks up the gun, resumes pursuit. I wanted to yell at the screen. “You deserve to die, you idiot!”

                      Would have been a much shorter movie if she had enough functioning brain cells to form a quorum. Stupidity made the plot happen.

                      Liked by 2 people

                    2. For a while it seemed like that scene happened in every movie that could possibly fit it in, rom-coms included.

                      The “Tomorrowland” movie was, as TV Guide used to put it, “flawed but had moments.” The best “moment” was when they nodded to that trope by subverting it: a girl whacks a Baddie with something or other, then spends the next minute beating its head into guava jelly.

                      Liked by 2 people

                    3. “they nodded to that trope by subverting it: a girl whacks a Baddie with something or other, then spends the next minute beating its head into guava jelly.“

                      –

                      “Whack him. He got up. Whack Whack him. Screamed at him to stay down. He got up. Whack Whack Whack him. Screamed at him to stay down. He got up. Whack Whack Whack Whack Whack Whack, until my arms got tired … he didn’t get up.”

                      “What? He’s contradicting?”

                      “Won’t be a camera to contradict either. He is why we were isolated.”

                      Just saying this is how I’d handle the written fiction pages. Research don’t you know. OTOH more likely to research “How to conceal distance deterrence for when character is in sketchy places.”

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            2. US Mil typically uses old fashioned CS, not modern OC.

              Very few folks are immune to the “swelling the eyes shut” effect of OC, even if the pain is tolerable. Also why no one (that I know of) sells CS for bears, vs OC.

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              1. You are quite welcome to fly out to Japan and then Washington State, and inform the security forces training commands that what happens quite regularly is impossible.

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                1. Basic training gas chamber isn’t using the traditional elcheapo cs candles, that maintain that nice steady output for extended periods? odd.

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                  1. Back in the late 70’s it was more of a small white pill. We all crowded into a compartment, they shut the hatch, and we were instructed on Proper Donning Of The Mark 5 Gas Mask. The chief set a pill on a hot plate and it emitted thin white smoke. All good.

                    Then we were ordered to remove the gas masks. Not so good. “Recite your General Orders. Speak up, I can’t hear you! Start over!” Coughing, wheezing, eyes watering, we did.

                    We were in there for a very long couple of minutes before they opened the hatch and let us out. Fresh air is a good thing.

                    I had the Recruit Crud and a congested nose at the time, but that evolution cleaned my sinuses Right Out. No sneezing or sniffling for the rest of the day.

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                  2. A significant portion of humans are immune to highly resistant to military grade pepper sprays– which are stronger than bear– and you can develop a resistance from regular use.

                    It’s common enough that at least one or two new guys a year have the resistance the first time they qualify with military grade sprays.

                    (That is, it’s applied to them. So you know exactly how much it sucks.)

                    One of the guys my husband qualified with was naturally immune. The process for making sure it’s not an issue with the spray is that they then go get a second one, and spray you in the eyes again.

                    It’s about as bad as being sprayed with saline.

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                    2. He was attempting to correct me about what objectively does happen in the force protection training– think military police but not as a secondary duty, it’s training for a specific type of watch; it is not boot camp– and then ran off on a wild angle about the Confidence Chamber, clearly conflating it with the original statement.

                      Which is why I literally cut and pasted the relevant portion, rather than repeating myself in new words.

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            1. Is it a midlife Chrysler car?

              My current daily driver is a 2023 Hyundai Kona. I’m about a year younger than our hostess, so I like to joke that my concession in vehicle choice to a midlife crisis car is that I chose the Limited trim level. That’s one of two Kona trim levels that came with a turbo.

              A 1.6 liter four- cylinder. ;-)

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              1. Turbo is overkill for where we live. OTOH when we take it over the mountains, non-turbo tends to bog down. Turbo OTOH when you ask it to perform at high elevation, it actually does.

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    2. I listen to my very long back catalog of podcast episodes. An hour walk usually knocks one off the list.

      Like

  25. My latest adventure is dealing with radiation induced brachial plexopathy, caused by radiation used for cancer treatment about 12 years ago. I’m losing the use of my right arm and hand.

    Every time I think I’m getting on top of my problems another hits.

    Liked by 1 person

    3. Make sure you have delivered all needed double-tallman salutes.

      Its the way I think about disabilities. If I came down with Rabies, I would make a list of dirtbags to bite.

      Liked by 1 person

  26. Sarah, the bad news is the need for regular habits (eating, exercise, etc.) becomes more important as you get older. The reason why that is bad news is that the hiccups life throws at you are more disruptive to those habits when you get older. The Reader (who has about a decade on you) is just recovering from the respiratory virus from hell (not COVID or any other thing the doctor’s test screened for). The Reader could barely get out of bed for three weeks and still has a lingering cough. He started back to the gym about a week ago and was horrified to discover how much stamina and muscle mass he lost. He still hasn’t gotten back to work on the History of AI course he is working on for the senior learning center he belongs to. Hopefully next week…

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  27. I bought an inexpensive ($200) exercise bike from Amazon before I was going to get arthroscopic knee surgery. Some years ago, I had blown out the same knee and had extensive PT through the medical complex. This was going to be easier, so I did it at home.

    I “ride” a bit over 4 “miles” on the stationary bike several times a week, unless I’m doing major work outdoors. Since I have to deal with three trees that we had taken down (each about 100′ tall) and we had a bunch of really big branches lost in a bad winter storm, I have my exercise plan ready. Whether or not I want to do it.

    Liked by 1 person

  28. As a 52 year old, I walk almost daily. Not far in the winter months, moderately more so the warmer it gets. And I try to have 3 meals a day. Not necessarily healthy meals, mind, but 3 a day, unless my body tells me, for some reason, to skip one.

    And I take my viatmins, and I also like to nap.

    My sympathies, and good luck.

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  29. I feel your pain. I’m struggling with my knees-today I go and find out if injections and/or a brace could delay knee replacement.

    I get a fair amount of exercise, but I should do more. I live in the high latitude Rocky Mountains, so winter is a trial. A treadmill helps, but outside is best.

    My issue is sleep. I have always been a lousy sleeper, awaking at noises, just generally twitchy and hyper reactive. Plus, I hate it-it has always seemed like a dreadful waste of time. I’ve been trying to improve, but it is a struggle getting out of my own way.

    The person who recommended treating yourself like some one you are charged with caring for had a good idea, I’m going to try it.

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    1. Re: knees, the expensive-ish comfy shoes really do help. Hokas and Oofos are like walking on clouds, but not necessarily great on hard concrete, etc.

      I now swear by Brooks Ghost Max (“recovery shoes”) because they help my weird foot -ation, and are good on concrete and hard surfaces.

      Do online research, look at your shoes’ wear patterns, and also have your feet newly measured. Adult feet do grow sometimes, and sometimes that means you are wearing the wrong size/width of shoe.

      If you’ve lost weight, it’s also possible to go down in width or even in length. We finally got my dad to buy new gymshoes, and it turned out that his old ones no longer fit well. So magically he walks better.

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  30. I started walking back in late 2020 when I noticed my isolation-induced waistline expansion. At first I could barely walk half a mile without painful shin splints and ankle pain, but I kept going (just with breaks) and within a year I was briskly walking either four miles or two and a half miles (different courses for variety) about three times a week when it’s not raining sideways.

    About a year ago I started intermittent fasting and quickly lost about 20 lbs. from a high of 210. I seem to have plateaued at 187, and while losing weight isn’t the most important thing (cholesterol and high-ish blood pressure are), I’d really like to be 175 again. Next week after I finish the crash sewing project I’m working on I’m going to go hit up the nearby gym and see about actually lifting heavy things.

    Liked by 1 person

  31. I had one of those “bad circumstances” doctor’s appointments where my blood pressure was in “why aren’t you in an ER?” levels. And that lead me to having to start making serious cuts because my blood pressure and blood sugar levels were far too high for comfort.

    Quit soda. Trim down all my meals. Cut back on almost all of my carbs. No more desserts except on rare occasions.

    Of course, two weeks later, I went back for a checkup and the nurse saw my numbers had dropped massively and she asked a few questions about my previous checkup (drove back from my first day at a gig, just ate lunch, got into the appointment a few minutes before the testing, so no chance to relax, etc, etc, etc…)

    Still, it was a wake-up call, and I’ve decided to make the cuts I need to avoid getting things worse-and hopefully better.

    It’s not going to be fun. Desserts and such are going to have to be treats again, not something to have every day. Less bread. MUCH less fast-food (which is about the only time I can have soda now). More time at the gym. More exercise and walking.

    But it’s time to get my house in order.

    Like

    1. Exactly. Ten years ago I had a checkup with my doctor, who said “hm, your blood pressure is a little on the high end of normal” but since it wasn’t critical and because I was invincible I ignored it. Then 18 months ago I had a kidney stone and my BP at the ER was something like 160/110. Them: “wow, your pressure is really high.” Me [through clenched … everything]: “Well I’m in a lot of pain right now.”

      In any case, I got a cuff and discovered that even when everything is fine I was still around 140/90 most of the time. So I cut down on soda and fast food (and finished my kitchen so I can cook for real again), and now it’s usually around 130/85. Which my doctor says isn’t too bad for 59, but I should keep an eye on it and I might need meds in 10 years. Bah. I’m eating mostly chicken and a lot of salmon plus roasted veggies and a lot less salt than I used to, so hopefully that plus keeping up with the walking and intermittent fasting and starting at the gym will lower the cholesterol and at least keep the BP from getting worse.

      (Also, fyi, the Mediterranean diet is not the same as Mediterranean cuisine. Just eating hummus and pita and eggplant and red wine and what have you isn’t going to reduce your blood pressure. Dammit.)

      Liked by 1 person

  32. I was doing fine on exercise until 1) the [redacted! Family blog, remember] time change so I can’t walk in the evenings (sun is still up), and 2) pre-concert rehearsals and other things ate my afternoons so no gym trips. Mornings are out because of Day Job.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Let me know if you want to start an association of DST haters. ‘The Association for Honest Time’ has a nice ring to it.

      Like

      1. One of the best things* about accepting a job in Arizona is that we don’t mess with Father Time here.

        *The best thing about my job is that I get to train new Soldiers in my vocation (and yes, what I did in the Army [Active Component and National Guard] turned out to be my calling in life). Getting paid quite well for it is an excellent bonus.

        Liked by 1 person

  33. Stairs at work? Going up and down 2-3 floors of stairs, briskly, several times a day does wonders. So do ten ordinary squats, done occasionally as a stretch break. (form is important)

    One can also do a surprising amount of good with a pair of 5 pound hand weights. Presses, curls, lifts, wrist-rolls, etc, etc etc etc. Lots of reps, with some speed once you build up. If 5 is too much, try three. And small handweights are -cheap-.

    Ordinary 1″ thick fold up mat lets one do all sorts of stretches and light calisthenics type stuff. The simple get down on floor, get up off floor, is surprisingly useful. Most especially if you are already dealing with disability.

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  34. I have all sorts of things going wrong, too. You might have noticed that I added a cane between last year’s ConF and this year’s.

    We’re both at the Warranty Expired age. (I think I have three or four years on you.) And I have Projects that I don’t want to start on until my foot heals. (Long story.) Two more weeks? I hope?

    Liked by 1 person

          1. No need for a river of blood. The usual Leftroid riot is usually run by the “medics”, “water bottle providers”, and “press”. They routinely hide their cadre in such “harmless” positions, as camouflage. You can, if the gloves are off in your novel, reasonably interdict the riot organization by a focused effort to remove from the riot every medic, bottle-bearer, and journoFuhrer. Also include anyone shouting orders that are obeyed that do damage. Avoid carefully, removing any idiot making their side a mess, or who does things that enable the good guys to escalate.

            In our own 2020 experience, almost no major riot faced real counter-riot effort, just some half-hearted highly-restricted police efforts. Facing real disciplined forces, fixed bayonets and live ammo, is a whole ‘nuther game. But even bats and shields can be done hard or soft. And so far the hard “Hickory Shampoo” option hasn’t been used. Most of those riotous folks thus confronted are going to run, and early.

            Note real-world examples where the early riot ran into stiff local opposition, and the mob promptly fell apart. For the vast majority of rioters, only “pitching” is fun. “Catching” is so very much not fun. The few who have the willingness to tolerate real hardship and conflict should be separated and prevented from rejoining their lesser fellows. In that novel.

            I really hope things stay peaceful this weekend, etc. The disruption of riot funding seems to have paid off. Calmly folks.

            Liked by 1 person

            1. $SEARCH_ENGINE-ing {BLM Protest Yucaipa California} brings up varying accounts, but they seem to agree that 80-ish “protestors” were met by some 200-ish “counter-protestors”–including local business owners, some reported to have been on rooftops, some with long guns visible–who had heard via Facebook that they were coming. It sounds like there were small fool-on-fool clashes, but nothing too serious, and no real damage done.

              Bristled-up cats; rattling snakes; old men in beach chairs with shotguns leaned near to hand… being overtly Ready To Deal often means you won’t have to.

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                1. I was told, quite a bit was expended over the event.

                  Of course, the Philly PD versus M.O.V.E. fiasco expended over 3000 rounds of belted 7.62NATO from a borrowed civilian-owned M-60 (disputed, but my source was good, so…) Plus thousands of rounds of various PD ammo, and of course the BubbaBomb helicopter-dropped on the bunker on top of the building, that wound up leveling by un-opposed fire the surrounding neighborhood.

                  Details of the fiasco are still argued.

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            3. While surgically targeting the cadre will certainly result in the riot losing effectiveness, one could point out that a well publicized river of blood tends to deter future riots….

              Which is more efficient is best left as an exercise to the student

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              1. LTC Kratman writes in his substack on the advantage of specific terror versus random terror. He is most persuasive. (grin) For that novel folks are writing.

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      2. I thought they were saving that for May 1, the usual day? Or are these two different pushes, the official May Day “Hands Off” protests that are being advertised, and then the Patriot Day … activities. I will say activities.

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  36. Sarah, start off walking easy (and inexpensively) and keep daily track of your walking (a simple pedometer or more modern phone aps are good). In my house, I have an indoor round trip from corner of living room to far corner of bedroom that is 200 feet (useful in winter). I can grab a sip of coffee passing the kitchen and quit whenever I need/want to. Outside, go somewhere interesting like a park or to Walmart to zigzag down the aisles and admire the wildlife. Walking is to be fun looking for interesting things and listening to your own thoughts rather than grimly plodding along unseeing listening to music designed to shut out the outside world.

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    1. We still have one mall where you can walk laps. The other one took that option out by rebuilding the mall. 2020 eliminated any connections between the few stores that had inside connections.

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  37. I keep meaning to go on long walks my own self.

    And your editor wants the next Rhodes book, when you can. They’re short. They’re easy. Walk a few miles and crank it out. ;)

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  38. Got my own This Can’t Go On, just been dizzy and sleeping poorly (which are normal baseline issues of mine) at extreme levels making function like even doing my laundry pretty impossible. The bees were just a convenient excuse, but they’ve moved on and I’m not. Bleh. Then wife wanted to watch a movie but it just brought on bad PTSD stuff. Now I know I won’t sleep. If I could take a walk without falling over I might consider it, but for now will just sit on porch. And rock a little.

    Liked by 1 person

  39. God told me that my life wouldn’t improve until I take better care of myself. Still working on that.

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  40. I got a FitBit6 a few months ago to keep track of my pacing. Our ranch house lends itself to a squashed figure 8 path with two long sides in living room, one long side thru dining room and kitchen, that is about 50 steps (25 paces). Easy to reverse for change of scenery. ;-)

    I set my hourly goal during the day to 250 steps. It works for me because it nags me at 10 minutes before the hour if I haven’t made the goal. The device also counts all the other incidental steps of course. My daily goal is 3500 steps, a bit over a mile. I get rewarded with blue fireworks and all when I make that.

    I’ve been lax the last few weeks, but I will make an effort to hit that goal every day for at least the rest of the month. Even if it means mowing part of the lawn twice a week. ;-)

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  41. I re-started my physical regimen this past week, after a long winter off. It was awful and great. I am coming to terms that my person records from 2015 when I was 41 should not be the benchmark that I judge myself on when I am 51 in 2025. It’s OK if I’m a little slower (or so I’m told). Simply accepting that without negative emotion is my next personal hurdle.

    Liked by 1 person

  43. The beautiful, gaudy flowering trees are beginning to leaf out and now we’re getting the others: Oaks and maples and soon the pines, which all put out tons of pollen and flowers barely worth the name. And I’m allergic to tree pollen. May be a long few weeks.

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    1. Most our desiduous trees are all leafed out, except my 3 dogwoods. Can hardly wait for the evergreens to start pollinating, NOT! We’ll see blanket of yellow pollen all over everything if we do not get any rain. Forecast is dry for at least the next couple of weeks. Which is great, tired of the rain. But too soon for long stretches of not rainy weather and that pollen needs washing away.

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      1. When I was shopping for the current vehicle, I asked the dealer if it was available in Pollen Yellow. (grin)

        “No.”

        Liked by 1 person

  44. Trying to restart.

    Used this thread as a motivator, and I’ve been out walking two days in a row. Helps that it’s pretty out. I walk down for the mail before dinner, and try to stretch it to 30 min.

    Have a nice recumbent bike machine, suitable for reading X in the morning, but otherwise very boring.

    Used to walk a lot, but lost my partner last summer, and everywhere I go I’ve been with her. We made a point of trying to walk the whole town; came pretty close. Memories always get to me. Lots of spots on my glasses.

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    1. That’s hard John.

      Mom lost dad 16 years ago last March. Gets easier overtime. Doesn’t get easier either.

      Aunt* lost her husband this last December. She’s been talking to mom.

      (*) Not my uncle. (Note her husband died due to complications of the clot shot. If there is ever a class action, her name will be mentioned. Not first rodeo with liability lawsuit, which she and uncle won. Won’t file w/o class action on this one.) Technically aunt is dad’s 2nd youngest brother’s ex wife. Was aunt for almost 30 years, mother to cousins, only 20 months older than me (younger than my husband, he gets a kick out of calling her “auntie”, drivers her nuts), and if uncle hadn’t been dad’s little brother …

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