These are the Good Old Days!

from Lexi Eddings... 

I'm dating myself a bit here, but I remember hearing Carly Simon singing "These are the good old days" when I was a kid. At the time, I wondered what she meant.

Now I know.

It means we need to be aware of our blessings and thankful for today. For me, that means being glad that I can still walk on the treadmill, to be grateful to live at a time when I have the right meds to help keep my condition stable and to bless God for "Herkimer," my faithful oxygen concentrator. That little machine on wheels keeps my world from collapsing on itself.

And speaking of my world, I'm about to see a whole lot more of it. Last week--and I'm still trying to wrap my head around this--my DH and I booked a world cruise. I kid you not. We're going all the way around the earth.

We've been toying with the idea for a while, especially since I did well on our 30 day cruise to Tahiti last year. But we didn't think we'd be able to do a world cruise till about 2021.

That didn't stop me from dreaming. And planning. And lurking on cruise line websites, comparing itineraries, prices, number of days...

Then when Princess had a sudden drop in their fares, we decided to not to wait any more.

We had to do some fancy financial footwork, but this is the right time to go for lots of reasons:

1. We got a great price on our fares.
2. We have the money to pay for it now. (I heard one horror story about a couple who MORTGAGED THEIR HOUSE to pay for a world cruise. They'd never even been on a 7 day voyage before and they were miserable the whole time. So sad...)
3. My parents are in excellent health, our grown children well and employed, and the dogs are both fine and will be well cared for by one of our daughters.
4. Probably the most compelling reason to go now is that my NSIP seems to be stable.  

My lung function was the same or slightly better the last time I was tested at Mayo Clinic. With supplemental O2, I'm able to walk a mile on the treadmill in less than 30 minutes. When I'm at home, I can often move slowly around the house to cook, do laundry, etc without needing Herkimer. If I'm seated, my O2 sats are in the high 90's just like everybody else.

But NSIP is considered a progressive condition with a life expectancy of 5-13 years after diagnosis.

I'm on year 7.

Now, don't feel sorry for me. I'm not. I live a blessed life and I know it. Besides, I fully intend on breaking through that 13 year statistic and skewing the curve all to pieces, but the truth is now is all any of us have. And I'm determined to keep my now as active and adventurous as I can for as long as I can.

When I was in my twenties, my DH had to take a business trip to Honolulu. Of course, I tagged along. We visited the Polynesian Cultural Center and snorkeled in lovely Hanuama Bay. When I rode the public bus all over Honolulu, the locals on the seat beside me were happy to point out the sights--like their uncle's house or where they went to church. I learned to surf at Waikiki.

And while 20-something me was having a ball on the beach, I happened to see a couple at the edge of the sand. She was in a wheel chair and he was wearing an oxygen cannula as he pushed her along. I felt so sad for them. To be in such a beautiful place and not to be able to do all the things my young healthy body could do struck me as almost cruel.

I think about it a little differently now. Even with their obvious health challenges, they were still on the beach. They were still going, albeit much slower. They were still exploring, still venturing out of their comfort zone to see what's out there.

That nameless couple are kind of my heroes.

Next January, when I feel the sands of Waikiki between my toes again, I'll be thinking of them.

If you'd like to hop in my pocket and join me on this epic journey, please pop over to RoundTheWorldWriter.   If you sign up to follow by email, my posts will come directly to your inbox. Let's see the world together! 

  

Joyful noise

from Lexi Eddings...

When I visited my pulmonary therapist, she gave me lots of suggestions for increasing my lung function. Regular walking on a treadmill was highly recommended, as long as I monitor my O2 sats and heart rate. I have to hit the sweet spot of staying at 92% or above on O2 and not letting my heart rate go higher than 110 bpm. This keeps me chugging along at about 2 mph.

Another suggestion was that I learn to play the harmonica.

I stifled a laugh, but she was serious. Apparently, harmonica playing encourages deep inhalation and controlled exhalation.

I peck at the piano and can play about three chords on a ukelele, but I've never been an instrumentalist at heart. No disrespect to anyone who loves harmonica music. It's just not my cup of tea. The cluster of tones it emits grates on my single-note-craving ears.

I'm a singer--a classically trained soprano. So I asked my therapist about singing.

"Oh, yes," she gushed. "That's just as useful as playing the harmonica."

I've been singing all my life. When I sing, I feel more connected to myself. My body and my spirit align and I'm more thrillingly alive than just about any other time. While I love it, I've never considered it "useful."

So now I sing "usefully" in both my church and community choirs. It's wonderful that something I love to do actually helps improve not only my quality of life, but the quality of my lung function as well!

Do you have a hobby that promotes your well-being?

Feeling a Little Prepper-ish

from Lexi Eddings...

Let me start by saying that I do not own a tin foil hat. I don't think the sky is falling. And I generally pooh-pooh every conspiracy theory I hear.

But I do have a stash of essentials on hand in case of emergencies. Usually, I'm a little embarrassed about it--my full-to-bursting pantry, the many gallons of bottled water I keep stacked in my laundry room, and the extra batteries, enough TP for a year (or so my DH claims!), and go-bags packed for each of us. We also try to keep the top half of our cars' tanks full.

Writing it out like this, it does sound a little paranoid, doesn't it? However, when a "five hundred year flood" (Check my author blog for more about that!) ripped through our town recently, I never felt smarter about my preparedness.

And one of the smartest preps is in my medicine chest.

If, like me, you take a number of maintenance meds to keep you going, you simply must have a stash. I know your insurance company will likely only allow you to refill once every thirty days, but I recommend having three to six months worth of each prescription you take on hand. If you think I'm being a nervous Nellie, consider this scenario.

For a week after the flood, major highways in and out of our town were closed down due to bridges being washed out or standing high water. Most grocery stores have only about three days worth of food on their shelves. Ditto for pharmacies. Outages were rampant.

Now imagine you were due to refill your blood pressure meds on the day of the flood but didn't get it done. You might not be able to get more pills for a week or more. Try to stay calm. A stroke will ruin your whole day.

But if you have a few months worth of your meds laid by, you're golden.

So how do you do that? Here are a few strategies I've used:

1. Refill prescriptions as early as you can. I used to be able to do it about a week ahead each month. At this rate, I'd have an extra month's worth squirreled away every four months. In a year, I had three extra months stored. Now, my particular insurance plan will only allow them to be refilled three days early. Even at that snail's pace, you can still get a month ahead in a year's time.
2. Ask your doctor for 90 day prescriptions. If it's a maintenance medication, he or she will usually agree. When you pick it up, ask your pharmacist to check on when you can refill. I've got a really helpful one who's been happy to find this out for me. Then follow step 1, and refill as early as you can.
3. Pay out of pocket. Skip the insurance altogether. Walmart offers $4.00 prescriptions on a host of drugs. See if their list can save you money over your co-pay.
4. Check the discount sites. Got a spendy drug on your list? Me too. More than one, in fact. It's like buying a new refrigerator every month, but I've had good luck with both GoodRX.com and BlinkHealth.com. 
5. Do NOT, I beg you, buy your meds from an online or overseas pharmacy. The prices may look appealing, but you have no guarantee you're actually getting the medicine you need.

  
Of course, once you've built up your medicine chest, you need to keep an eye on the date the med was issued and use the older ones first. Most drugs are still effective a year after that date. It may drop if you keep them longer than that. Six months worth is the most I have in my arsenal.

Warning! Antibiotics can go bad! If you are given a script for some, you should use them up, but if you have left overs (which you shouldn't) do NOT be tempted to use them later.   

Now go make yourself a tin foil hat and start accumulating a little stockpile of your much needed meds! Don't forget OTC pain relievers, cold medications and general first aid stuff.

You'll thank me when the water starts rising...

A Body in Motion

from Lexi Eddings...

You know the rest..."remains in motion." Conversely, a body at rest tends to remain at rest. Granted this saying originally pertained to Newtonian physics, but it applies to human bodies too.

I tend to remain at rest.

It's an easy habit to fall into. For one thing, my work as an author is inherently sedentary. Then when you add the NSIP, which causes me to only be able to maintain normal O2 sats when I'm making like a rock, I'm even more likely to spend most of my day sitting.

But I shouldn't.

I'm now 7 years into dealing with this lung disease. If I want to maintain any kind of quality of life going forward, I need to force myself into an exercise regimen. My preference is walking on our treadmill. It's better than walking outside because I can remain on a perfectly level course, control a steady pace, and, with summer just around the corner, the benefits of air conditioning are not to be taken lightly.

Before NSIP, I used to go at a respectable 3.5 mph. Now, even using supplemental oxygen, 2.0 mph is my wheelhouse. On a good day, I might be able to eek out 2.5 for a short period of time, but 2.0 enables me to keep my O2 sats over 92 and my heart rate under 110 bpm (requirements from my pulmonary therapist).

When I walk regularly, it's easier for me to keep my sats up for short jaunts around the house. It may not seem like much to you, but being able to walk to the bathroom or out on the back deck without hooking up to my portable oxygen concentrator, helps me feel more normal.

So my goal for the next month is to walk a mile 5 days a week. I'll be sure to report back to you so I can keep myself honest. Thanks for being my monitor!  

What are you doing to improve your quality of life?

Medical Advice We Call All Live With

from Lexi Eddings...

Years ago a dear friend of mine was diagnosed with liver cancer. He asked his doctor what he should do. The disease was too advanced for chemo, so the doc advised him to "do everything you want to do this summer."

I told my friend that was a good prescription for everyone. None of us know how many trips around the sun we'll get. Carpe diem--Seize the Day--is my mantra.

Carpe diem involves being intentional about my day. It means I take time to appreciate the view from my back deck. I look for ways to show my family and friends that I love them. I get down on the floor and play with my silly dogs.

Carpe diem means spending part of my day on meaningful work. Happily, I've just been offered 2 new writing contracts with Kensington, my publisher, so I definitely have work to do. But bear in mind that "work" doesn't have to be something you're paid to do. A friend of mine has a real ministry keeping tabs on several of her distant friends by being available for long phone calls and crafting special gifts for people she loves.

Carpe diem is also about taking care of myself. This means walking on the treadmill because when I do it consistently, my lung function is better. If walking is impossible for you, I suggest you find a chair-based exercise regimen. Movement is life.

Carpe diem means spending time feeding my spirit. This year I've set a goal to read the entire Bible. In years past, I got bogged down in the minor prophets and gave up. This year, I read Hosea through Malachi first. Now I'm in the gospels. After that, I'll spend time in Genesis. By hopping around, I feel like I'll finally make it all the way through. I won't claim to understand it all, but at least the words and ideas will become part of who I am. Whatever your faith, take time to make it part of your day.

And even though Carpe diem is all about today, I'm a firm believer in making plans for the future as well. Since travel makes me happy, we've got several trips already planned for this year and a big one for 2018 (more about that later!) I find that having something special to look forward to tomorrow makes me happier today.

Wishing you a day that's all you hoped it would be,
Lexi

Looking back...

from Lexi Eddings...

2016 was a very good year for me. Here are a few of the highlights:

1. My DH & I celebrated 40 years of happy marriage together. He was the best decision I ever made.
2. We splurged on a fabulous 30 day cruise to the South Pacific. (In case you missed it, you can join me aboard the Holland America Westerdam at Looking for Bali Hai, my travel blog for that trip!)
3. One of our daughters got married. We're so glad she's found someone to love and to share her life.
4. I received an excellent report at Mayo Clinic. All my lung function tests showed that the NSIP is either stable or slightly improved. Since this fibrotic lung disease is progressive, stable is a big win! 
5. My novel,  The Coldwater Warm Hearts Club, came out in May. Publisher's Weekly said it had "heart-tugging scenes, stellar characters, and small town charisma!" That was great to hear, but I've really been thrilled by the response from readers to my fictional world. 
6. My publisher, Kensington, offered me another contract, so there will be more Coldwater books coming out in the years to come!
7. My family is all happy & employed (Thank you, God!) I'm blessed to live in the same town as my parents, who are both in excellent health. We love our church, singing in the community choir and visiting with friends. Life is good.

I hope your 2016 was as happy as mine & wish you all good things in the coming year!