I just gave my first talk about Long COVID to a couple of physical therapy friends Friday. Indeed, I've been paying the price of doing that as well as drafting letters about the close of my business the same day. This weekend involved lots of sitting with feet up, liquids, salt, and quiet rooms due to the headache and fever that resulted. However, I can unequivocally say it was WORTH IT. To teach other health providers about screening, support, and advocacy for people with Long COVID was fulfilling in a way I have never experienced before. It made me emotional (good tears).
If you know medical providers or are one yourself, do get in touch with me if you'd like a presentation as well. I can swing doing 1-2 a month with recovery time. I do not ask for payment. This blog and my outreach to healthcare providers is a way for me to pay forward all the help I've received from friends and family. Email me at autumn@bonnerphysicaltherapy.com.
Back to the point of this post -- at the end of the presentation I had a little photo collage of how, yes, life is changed. There's no more rock climbing nor hiking. I can barely walk the farmers market. But there are still things I do which bring great joy. "Steeping in my life, like tea leaves," is what I say. Here's some snippets of current home life:
Hanging out with my cats, Maribel and Juniper in a puddle of sun in the mornings. I like to hydrate and listen to birds at this time. Sometimes watch The Price is Right :)
Aqua Flow at the athletic club. A lovely community, and super wonderful to have a pool to support my circulation. I can stand in the pool and do Ai Chi (water Tai Chi) movements for an hour, which I definitely can't do on dry land.
I have a lovely little houseplant collection, patio garden, and we are also right next to Pheasant Branch Preserve. I like to spend a little bit of time every day in nature, whether inside or outside.
I found a really great "Color by Number, Color to Discover" book. It's relaxing for my COVID brain because I don't have to make decisions -- just follow the numbers. And it's fun because you don't really know what you are coloring until you get to a certain point of the task.
Our living room. We have fish tanks which are soothing for me to look at as well as to take care of -- we have plants growing each of our tanks. And I'm getting pretty savvy at what's good on TV! I have recommendations. Hopefully I can read more books soon -- usually reading or writing provokes my symptoms.
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