Conversation at the pool today

[Peggy]

I came out of the pool today and a lady asks me, how far are you swimming these days, a mile? In my head I laugh. Really? A year ago I could barely get out of the house. Christmas shopping was done mostly on-line. I said that I swim for 50 minutes, but I do about 48 laps, or maybe a km. She said 48 is just over one km. Yea! This was a good conversation. I have never swam this much before. When I was 18 and was taking swimming lessons I thought 12 laps was a lot.

 

[Forest]

Bravo! When I try to swim, I'm all skin and bones, so I sink like a rock and am out of breath in no time. 12 laps sounds like an an awful lot to me.

 

[Peggy]

Ha, ha, I am sure you are good at many other things. One thing I noticed while swimming is that I am not as afraid of doing the front crawl, more specifically I am not as afraid breathing under water, like I used to be. It comes a lot more effortlessly. It could be because I swim 5 days a week, but I really think it is because I have lost some of my fears along the way. I used to swim in the deep end, but I was afraid, and sort of freaked out in my head, but that is just gone. I have worked on many fears, but not this one specifically, and yet it seems to have vanished. An unexpected positive side effect of processing one's emotions.

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Hi, Fish Peggy. You're doing great! I've never been a good swimmer. I always had trouble coordinating
breath with arm and leg movement. But I love the water and playing Frisbee in Lake Michigan.

I envy anyone who swims. But even if I was a great swimmer, I'd look awful in Speedos.

 

[Peggy]

Hi, Fish Peggy. You're doing great! I've never been a good swimmer. I always had trouble coordinating
breath with arm and leg movement. But I love the water and playing Frisbee in Lake Michigan.

I envy anyone who swims. But even if I was a great swimmer, I'd look awful in Speedos.

Thanks for the support, and by the way, most men don't look so good in Speedos.

 

[blake]

Hi Peggy,
I really enjoyed your post. Glad you're doing so well!
You are the second person on this forum in the past two days who mentioned working out 5 days a week. I am so inspired by that, I plan on giving it a go myself (go from 3 to 5).

Thank you so much for sharing!
Blake

 

[Peggy]

Thanks Blake. I started out going 3 days a week, 20 minutes each time, and I started out pool walking. I then increase my time by 5 minutes every time or 2 times. It was probably a month or 2 later that I actually did one swimming stroke. Then the next time I would do two. Very slow process, but if you go all the time, regularly you can make progress. Then, in summer I started swimming outdoors, and we have such a pretty outdoor pool. I started going 3 - 4 times a week. I realized that on the days I wasn't there, I just wanted to be there. I wasn't doing anything better with my time anyway, shopping, feeding the kids, cleaning the house, blah, blah, blah. So I started going everyday during the week. My daughter asked me this summer why I liked swimming so much? I said to her, because it is so sparkly (in summer everything sparkles and shines). Obviously, I rediscovered what I love, just as some of you folks love golfing (could I be talking about Steve?)

Good luck Blake, every journey begins with a single step. What kind of activity are you doing?

Peggy

 

[blake]

Hi Peggy,
I like how you worked your way up to that goal, guided only by your love of the activity. That's a great approach. It sounds like you are treating yourself with such respect. I really love reading messages like that.

In the "good old days," I was a no pain, no gain kind of person. I did karate and was really hard on myself every step of the way. The inner critic was really running the show. I ended quitting (this was pre-TMS knowledge).

Now I go to spin class three times a week. I love the music and the friendly atmosphere. I really have alot of fun when I go. I have the time to go more often and your post made me realize that it would probably feel really great. Without that pesky inner critic, the sky's the limit, right!?! I'm only just realizing how much freedom I actually have now .

 

[North Star]

WTG Peggy! I'm a swimmer too so I know just what you're talking about! I got out of the habit after having gotten up to a mile so now I'm back building up my distance. I really enjoy swimming…it's a good zone out/zen time for me.

 

[Peggy]

Hey Blake, keep on plugging away, there comes a point when taking care of yourself if more important than a whole lot of other things. Sounds like you have found what you love.

And NorthStar, sorry to hear you moved, you were my closest neighbor. Sounds like you will have an interesting "winter", if you can call it that. I have been reading your post on your training, sounds like you are doing well.

Happy Day!
Peggy

 

[Seraphina]

Hi Peggy, good to hear such great story!

I have a similar story: my major TMS pain is around my butt, hip joint, and low back area. I have recently took away the soft cushions I had used in my work place and in the subway when commuting. The pain was sometimes so strong that I thought of having cushions again, but thank God I wasn't defeated in the end.

I was gradually resuming my physical activities like sitting and walking long, but the pain level was not changing much in fact. The fact that the pain does not dissipate dramatically often disappoints me. During such disappointment phase, I needed to refresh myself with new things, and I just randomly went to a movie theater last weekend. The reason I was able to think about going to see a movie was that I thought the movie was just an hour-long--which is about the maximum period of time I could sit straight.

The movie was not bad but not THAT good, either. I felt some minor back and butt pain, so I changed my posture sometimes. And when I saw my watch as soon as I walked out of the theater, I found 2 hours had passed! The pain I felt in the theater was of a similar type and level to the one I feel when sitting for an hour. Just trying first and see how much I did at the end--the outcome independence--helped me regaining confidence in sitting!

Well, when I'm sitting in the office, I still start feeling TMS after an hour. However, I'm not afraid of going to see a movie anymore!

 

[Peggy]

Congratulations Seraphina on making it through a movie. I sat at a lecture last week for 2 hours, which I thought was an accomplishment as well. It opens the doors doesn't it? I will admit, I still have one soft cushion I use at the kitchen table, and I think I will keep it.

Keep up the good work.