What's happened to me

It's been a while.  Because my news hasn't been "good," I've been reluctant to post.  I kept waiting for a change for the better, but it never came as I thought it would.  So now it's time to face reality and bring you up to date.

The year 2014 was a traumatic one for me.  Nope, I didn't get cancer and I didn't get divorced--nothing quite that horrible. But I did experience a couple events that took their toll on me, emotionally and physically.  I'll tell you about them some time later. I've been on the road to recovery ever since, and it's been a bit bumpy.

I'm not a Size 6 anymore, nor am I a fine specimen of physical fitness and vitality.  I'm now closer to a Size 10, and I hurt all over most of the time.

By early in 2015, I realized something about my health had changed.  I had totally inexplicable aches and pains, fatigue, occasional loss of concentration, and depression.  By June my doctor had ruled out rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid problems, and other likely diseases.  What was left was a diagnosis of fibromyalgia.  I'd never really believed in this "syndrome" before, but all the signs started falling into place as I learned more about it.

Fibromyalgia has changed my life and started me on a whole new journey (adventure?) of learning to cope and learning to accept new limitations.  For those of you who don't fully understand this condition, stay tuned; I'm writing a book about it.  Of course, there are plenty of books on fibromyalgia out there already, but this one will be in my voice, written for my friends and their friends.  It seems to be a "baby boomer" disease--that is, it was given an official name just a few decades ago, even though the symptoms have been around for centuries--so you'll be hearing more about it from all directions in the next 20 years.

Meanwhile, I'm adjusting to a new "normal."  It's more important than ever for me now to get enough sleep, to avoid stress, to keep good nutritional habits, and to respect my physical limits.  Since my diagnosis a year ago, I've had my left knee worked on (it WAS a meniscus tear after all!), had a bizarre and painful infection of my ear cartilage, and had my Achilles tendon sliced to facilitate removal of a bone spur beneath it.  Things are healing, I think, and I remain optimistic that once again I'll be able to feel my age (63 now) instead of feeling like I'm 90.

After being non-weight-bearing on my right foot all winter (due to the Achilles surgery), I'm now getting moderately active again.  I've started back to yoga--in a chair--and I am cautiously and slowly walking about 6-10,000 steps a day according to my Fitbit.  I miss my sports--kayaking, riding, cross-country skiing, hiking, and dog agility--and I continue to work toward that day when I can resume them again. 

As for my diet, I eat well--not too much--and still love my Greek yogurt, brown rice, wine and beer!  The lack of activity helped me pack on about 15 pounds, which I expect will come off in their own good time.  I am SOOOOOOOO GLAD I wrote Bucket List Weight Loss because I can now refer back to the one "method" that worked so miraculously for me...and I know it will work again.

If you're still struggling with weight and self image, I encourage you to get the book or RE-READ the one you already bought.  And stay tuned for more updates on coping with the aging process!
Life is still a beautiful experience if you make it such!

Oh....my book is still available at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Bucket-List-Weight-Loss-Manning/dp/148269414X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399328137&sr=1-1&keywords=bucket+list+weight+loss