I got up...

I went for a walk/jog with Ferd.

I survived.

The funky tape is in place of a knee brace, this is because my knee caps move. I also have funky tape over my hip as it helps with my hip bursitis. Sometimes I also have funky tape to help support my ankles and also my feet as I have high arches that have dropped. Sometimes I even sport it on my wrists.

The funky tape is called kinesiology tape, I don't know how it works other than it's magic. It supports while allowing free range of movement and unlike all the various braces I've tried in the past it actually helps rather than hinders.

So yes I am back out trying this jogging thing that I started last year and then stopped due in part to I couldn't be arsed and my medical issues.

So why am I putting myself through it well partly because I realised it actually feels amazing but mainly because of my medical issues.

1) bad back, which resulted in chronic pain and being barely able to walk - yep that's right I was actually struggling to walk, a trip round the supermarket was hell. But I worked hard at building up muscle strength and getting back on my feet. I have learnt I need to keep moving to er keep moving. Now if you had told me a couple of years ago that meant puffing along attempting to run jog I would have laughed. Not only because I was ill but also because over the years I have been given so much conflicting advice about my back, but most did all seem to agree exercise out of water bad, running a big no no, which I have come to learn is all very silly. If done properly (and yes I've have medical support) then it's possible.

2) polycystic ovary syndrome - because of this I have a higher risk of diabetes and stroke. Also weight gain can come into play. Obviously excercise reduces risk so = good keep it up and on a plus side if I get smaller all well and good but I am trying to learn to love myself what ever shape I am. I love my big boobs so that's a start lol

3) chronic headache and migraines - while it's not going to make them go away, I find that if a headache is mild a jog (or walk) will stave off the need for pain meds.

4) various joint issues (hypermobility tendencies) - keep the muscles working to keep them supporting me which goes back to the moving to keep moving.

5) chronic pain - happy endorphins made by my actual body, rather than the ones that come in pill form from opiate based medication. I know I will never be able to give up my opiates years of use means anything less is no longer effective on my body, but if I reduce my need then I can stave off the need for morphine for as long as possible.

But all of this pales to the biggie I have myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E) also sometimes referred to as chronic fatigue syndrome which is wrong but I won't go into a debate. At one point in my life I was almost bed bound, almost house bound. The chronic pain is due to ME, the headaches while I have always been plagued with them got worse with ME, the bad back while the initial injury was years before I had ME the prolonged periods in bed and inactive made the supporting muscles weak. The joint issues have stemmed from injury or just randomly appeared all before ME though we suspect hypermobility tendencies which I have learnt can be a companion to ME. ME means I find it difficult to sustain any strenuous activity while a week, two weeks can go by and I feel fine great even my body will then for want of a better phrase shut down I become sick, very sick.

So it's all a vicious circle, I need to move to keep moving and moving has all these positive effects but too much and it's like hitting a brick wall. I am working hard to find the balance. Last year I made a few mistakes, but that's how we learn.

As to the 'other' thing I am still waiting on the final decision.