Happy New Years!!

It is finally the last day of 2008. It has now been eight full years since the turn of the century, and I STILL find myself trying to start the year with a "19".
Today is the day I find myself thinking about those New Years Resolutions. You notice, I said I THINK about them. I almost never actually get to the stage of vowing on them. I know I will never keep any resolution I make, so in reality, what is the point? Maybe if I make ones like, lets see.... I resolve to gain 15 pounds by spring, or I resolve to try any new fast food product (this also includes new pizza's!). Yeah, I think I can make those ones stick!

Actually, I really, really, REALLY want to loose some weight. My parents and grandparents are (were) very large people. My brother and I have picked up the genetics, too, and we have both passed them on to at least one of our kids. Both Krystle (mine) and Angie (John's daughter) are "big boned" girls. I have been fighting with my weight for all my life... well, since high school which was SOooo many years ago. Right before, during and after my divorce I was in a great exercise schedule and was keeping my weight at a very nice and steady 125-135 range. Then the Rheumatoid Arthritis began setting in and what was once a very fulfilling 30-40 minute 3 mile run became a painful one mile walk. That was 10 years ago. I am now sitting (on my very large butt) at 225! WhooWhee! Yep... 100 pounds in 10 years! I really need to get much of the excess fat off, but whenever I do any type of exercise I end up nearly bed ridden the next day.

Now, before anyone wonders why I am not on a medicinal routine to help the RA, here is my dilemma: I am allergic to all NSAIDS, which includes Aspirin, Naproxin Sodium (Alieve), Toradol, and many more. As of last year, all the RA medicines were based on one or more NSAID medicines. My last regimen was Hydroxichloriquine. It is a quinine based medicine, that did help, but taking quinine for an extended period of time can lead to other problems, most notably blindness (on the plus side... I had no risk of contracting Malaria, should there have been an outbreak here in Montana!!) I had to end that because my doc would not prescribe it unless I showed him proof from my optometrist that I had been examined every three months. That became too expensive to keep up. I haven't been able to really go to the doc in the past two years to check on any newer drugs because I don't have any medical insurance. New drugs mean they are EXPENSIVE! I do listen to the TV ads, though, and many of the new meds state in their small print ( or fast talk disclaimers) that if you have allergies to aspirin not to take so-n-so product. As a result, I am stuck with killing my giblets with Tylenol, or resorting to opiates (Codeine, HydroCodone, etc). I don't like being "Fuzzy" so I usually just try and "Deal with it". Unfortunately, that is how I can get to the point where I find it nearly impossible to get out of bed some days. NOW, back to our regularly scheduled Blog post:

I am going to try to exercise more this coming year. No, I don't mean get out to a gym and work out until I am dog tired. I own an elliptical trainer and have just recently moved it into Joe's house since I am in Great Falls more evenings than I am in Helena. My plan is to use the trainer for 10 minutes before work, then another 10 or 15 after work. If that taxes my body too much, I will cut down until I am at a good starting level. I will work up my time as I feel I am able. Yeah, this may not seem like much, but anything has GOT to be better than doing nothing. My goal in all of this? First off, feel better. Second, be able to hike more in Glacier Park.

I am going to have some help in my efforts, too. Joe is deciding to begin 2009 in a much healthier way. We are going to opt for healthier lunches and dinners, no donuts in the mornings, and NO SOFT DRINKS! I am downing one of my very last Mountain Dew's right at this moment.

SO, Happy New Year to all of my readers, may you have great luck, health, and happiness in the coming year! (Oh Yeah--Wish me luck on my own healthy endeavors.!!)