Tag: depression

This semester’s #30daysoffencing is going rough. I’m dealing with some depression stuff, and this week, just in time for my birthday, I’m sick.

I had to miss a Krav seminar. I’m sleeping all the time, and I got winded putting on pants. I’m trying to rest up for Serfo (and my birthday do-over) next weekend.

Regarding my mental health, I’ve seen a shrink, and she intends to prescribe Wellbutrin for the depression and an as-needed anxiety medicine that I can’t remember the name of. I had my blood work done Thursday, so I should be able to get my prescriptions soon. I’m looking forward to enjoying my hobbies again.

Looking back further, Gatalop was fun. I did good fencing and enjoyed the melees. I talked to a Master of Defense about some of the hurdles I’m overcoming and how to work on that.

Fencing has been challenging for me lately. I don’t know if it feels like a chore because I’m trying to grind through 30 days straight or if it’s a symptom of my disease or what. I don’t know what’s next for me, but I feel like after Serfo and Castle Wars, I may need to take a step back (temporarily).

I’ve been diligently going to the gym. Last week I had a lazy Saturday but felt pretty good about it. Other than that, though, this has been my motto.

Monday ended up being a rest day. I went to Krav, but no students came, so Mike and I made plans for this weekend’s seminar instead of working out. I didn’t have time to work out when I got back to Pensacola.

The rest of the week, though, I at least walked the track. One day I did elliptical and then walked to cool down.

I discovered that the fraternities play volleyball some nights, and if I walk the track, I can see the game. Last night I tried something new: I walked the track when I could see the game, and I ran in the places where I couldn’t see the game. It was comfortable interval training.

Tonight is fencing. Nik is away, so I said I’d take lead in his absence. I’m looking forward to integrating some conditioning into my lesson plan. I may or may not go early to get some gym time in; it depends on my energy level. I haven’t been sleeping well at night lately, so I nap a lot – I sleep frequently but for small amounts of time. It’s inconvenient, but I’m managing.

Yesterday my cardio consisted of a walk on the beach. While Nik was working, I went to the pier and back. Walking on sand really tested my calves. It wasn’t a particularly nice day, but I did get some photos.

Today all the walking I did was inside the grocery store. I mostly focused on sewing. I’m still not particularly motivated to work out. I know motivation is shit and won’t get you anywhere, but I have other things to do that I’m enthusiastic about (or at least deadlines that I’m enthusiastic about).

I lied in my last (real) entry. I went to Krav by myself that day. We talked out the lesson plan for the weekend seminar. Since attendance looked like it might be low, I bowed out. Now I’m working out when I can do regular classes on a weekly basis. It’s kind of a drive, but I need the practice – both doing and teaching.

I spent last weekend at the Renaissance Faire with the fencing club. I did lots of walking around and two fencing demos per day.

I didn’t go to fencing or Krav this week. I’m preparing for Gulf Wars, mostly making clothes for my students. We leave early Wednesday morning.

My spring break has started (as of the end of my office hours at noon on Thursday), but I feel like I don’t have any time off. I’m taking a break tomorrow to go to the beach. It’s too cold to swim, but I’m looking forward to having a nice walk and enjoying some time in the sun.

I get a great sense of accomplishment from doing these projects. They do bring me joy, but I’m also getting tired. Between sewing and school, I’ve felt like I’m just re-doing the same projects. It’s discouraging. It helps when I see a nice (finished) piece of garb that I’ve made.

I’m looking forward to War, but I’m also looking forward to the time after that when I can focus on Krav and school.

Yesterday I hit the gym. Here’s the set list.

In addition to what I wrote down, I did 30 minutes on the elliptical-stair climber hellspawn. I have no idea what that was supposed to be. Shoulder & chest day maybe?

Fencing was fencing. I worked with some new people, didn’t spar much. I keep tiring really quickly. I think I need to work out less during the 30 days.

Today I worked on projects around the house. I was really drowsy despite drinking more coffee than I probably should have. I didn’t leave my house except to check the mail.

I did 50 lunges. Nik heard me in the studio and did some timing and judgment games with me. They’re fun and challenging.

I still feel really down and unmotivated today. I was doing better, but now I’m not. Let’s see if tomorrow holds something better for me… If I can make something better of it.

Today, once again, I’m doing lunges for my daily fencing. I’m doing them at the last possible minute.

Practice at the park was cancelled because of the weather. I was relieved. I hope a little more time will help me get back out there.

I spent my day hanging around the house with two other fencers, but we were all unmotivated, and we never got it together to practice. We’re all disappoint that we’re stuck doing games, lunges, point work, or nothing today.

This has to get better.

Today Nik took some of our students to an event. I had an online class meeting this morning and didn’t want to miss, so I didn’t go to War College.

I weighed in this morning. I’m still sitting at 202 lbs, but I feel stronger, and I think my clothes are fitting a little better, so I’m not letting the number on the scale get me down. We’ll see what my fat percentage looks like in a week or two.

Since I couldn’t fence at the event today, I’m doing 100 lunges to get my practice in for the day. I’m not aiming for a particular target. This is about body mechanics. I want to make sure I’m following the sword into the lunge, and once I’m there, I’m checking the placement of my knee in relation to my toe.

Tomorrow is a regularly scheduled practice day at the park. I’m a little apprehensive about going. I don’t want to see the people who saw me break down last week. I don’t want my mental condition to overshadow my other characteristics. I know I’m the only one who sees it. That’s the great thing about having an invisible illness. Logically, you know other people can’t see it. But when it weighs on you like this, it’s all you see in the mirror. We’ll see how I’m doing tomorrow. All I can do for now is take things one day at a time.

Today I dropped out of a tournament because of my mental health.

Today I didn’t want to get out of bed. I didn’t want to put on my garb. I didn’t want to leave the house. Usually those are the days when I just need to push through. If I can just get out of the house, things will get better.

I got into the car with my husband and my friend. I told myself, “Fencing at the park with friends is fun.”

I got to the park and saw some of my friends. I made some new friends. …and I was completely overwhelmed. I tried to stay on the perimeter – near enough but not in the middle of the activity. Things weren’t quite going the way I wanted, but I was still going to have a good day.

Except I wasn’t having a good day. I wasn’t as patient as usual. I wasn’t as friendly as usual. I was uncomfortable in my skin and wanted to just get through what we had planned so that I could go home.

One of the good things about fencing is the mask. You put it on, and you don’t have to manage your face, just for a little while. You put on your mask, and the time to talk is over. It’s time to fence. My mask smelled like dust – either from last week’s event or from the park.

When I didn’t have my mask on, though, it felt like my attention was constantly being pulled in different directions. I couldn’t get into my head space. I couldn’t get away from the activity. I could never truly find quiet.

But then I asked for a hand with a fairly simple task, and no one heard me. Or maybe each person there thought someone else would help. I don’t know. All I know is that in that moment, I needed help, and it was the first moment that I wasn’t surrounded by people.

I didn’t comport myself well at that point. I tried to reel it back in, and then the marshal called my name. It was my turn to fence. I froze. He offered to do the next pairing first. I nodded.

I closed my eyes. I thought that if I just kept my eyes closed, it wouldn’t come out, but it didn’t work. I was crying next to the fighting field. I couldn’t stop it.

My husband collected me and took me away from the crowd. The unfortunate thing about having an anxiety attack at a fencing event is the armor. I couldn’t get out of my gloves. I couldn’t get out of my gorget. My husband couldn’t kiss my forehead because of the bar grill on his helm (that part kind of helped, actually – it was funny).

So at this point I was in a pickle. I needed to withdraw from my tournament. Nik needed to withdraw from his tournament, but I didn’t know how to tell him that. We needed a new marshal for rapier activities. My gear needed to end up in the car. I did not want to show my face, but I also couldn’t disappear. I just wanted to go home.

I was embarrassed.

I was worried people would think I was upset because of my tournament losses.

I didn’t want to scare away new people.

I have never seen a fencer of my rank lose her shit in the middle of an event.

I felt responsible for the members of my household and wanted to reassure them that I was okay even though I was not okay.

One of my lovely friends gave me some water. My husband helped me get back to the field. I mustered the strength to gather my gear, let people know I was bowing out and why, and make it to the car so that I could cry a little more in peace. Everyone was helpful and accepting. I didn’t owe anyone anything.

Still, in a way, having an anxiety attack is like peeing your pants. Everyone piddles, but when you do it in front of your friends, things get weird. It’s hard to see yourself as the rock, the steady influence, when you’ve been overwhelmed in such a public way.

So what happened next? I had Nik drive me home. I changed into comfortable clothes and looked at memes on my phone. I tried to rest, but I needed to cry some more. I took a bath with a bath bomb. I changed into even comfier clothes. I slept like a log, and my cats checked in on me. I ate comfort food for dinner. It felt good to be in my space and control my surroundings.

I’m okay. I’m exhausted, but I’m okay. Tomorrow I’ll go back to fencing practice and try again, or maybe I won’t. If I don’t feel up to it, I can go back another day.

This morning we hit the gym and did Monday’s workout (since I was on the road yesterday). Here’s the set list.

Tomorrow will throw off our routine even more since the gym will be closed when we usually work out. I’m game to go another time since my schedule is open, but we’ll see what works for my workout friends.

In the meantime, we’re all buckling down for cold weather. Schools and colleges are closed, and military bases are locked down. Don’t hate. Floridians have no reason to understand how to deal with snow/ice. It looks like fencing is still on for tomorrow night (assuming everyone can get there safely).

In the meantime, I’m irritable and feeling low. I think I’ll do the human version of turning it off and on again by going to bed now.