This morning I missed work because I was sick. I needed the rest, and I can’t drive while I’m taking this drug cocktail.

This sounds incongruous, but I rode to the beach with Nik in the afternoon. I thought the sunshine and sea air might make me feel better. I wasn’t wrong. I walked to the pier and back – taking frequent breaks.

After that I ordered an ice water from the bar and rested for a bit. I actually sat in the car because it was so windy outside. Then I walked to the boardwalk and back. After another rest, it was time to go home.

I felt pretty good, especially after eating a meal (fish tacos before we left the island). I took some knock-off Nyquil and a decongestant before bed. I’m hoping I’ll be drug free (or close to it) tomorrow. Then I can get back into my routine and work on getting ready for CIC 2. (I know I need to take it easy for a few more days so that my lungs can catch up, but I’m getting stir crazy over here.)

I rested up and felt a bit better for the weekend.

First i assisted in a Krav seminar. The official instructors did the instructing, and I and some of my cohorts worked the room, helping people adjust form and answering questions. I committed to teaching P1 and P2 with my CIC partner. We start next week. I’m stoked and nervous – just like when I teach English.

After that I hit the road. Nik and I visited our friends in Castlemere/Jacksonville for fencing practice (shout out to Zhao for following my adventures!). I fenced a few rounds and made some new friends. I tried not to over-exert myself and had a great afternoon.

When we got back to Pensacola, we rested a bit and then went to UWF practice. I did much more fencing (but still took breaks). I’m still standing, so I feel pretty good and think I may finally be over this cold.

Tonight after work Nik and I are hitting the gym. I’m not sure what I’m going to try to do (light weightlifting? incorporating running? finally trying the rock wall?), but I’m definitely ready to get back to being active.

There hasn’t been much to report lately. I’ve been taking it easy.

I bought a FitBit. So far I like it. I explore a different feature every day or two. If you’re into that sort of thing, I bought the Flex 2. I was a little bit disappointed because it doesn’t measure heart rate, but then I saw that none of the ones that measure heart rate are swim proof, so I feel like I made the right choice for my needs. I mention the FitBit because it helps me see the merit in walking – even just short walks to the water fountain or around campus.

In addition to generally moving around during the day, I’ve been taking walks on the indoor track at UWF. At first it was frustrating because I wanted to move fast – run, jog, or even just power walk. I had to stop thinking of it as exercise and approach it as rehab instead. I used the walks to get my lungs used to activity again. I did that for several days, and I felt really good.

Last night I fenced for maybe a quarter of the allotted practice time.I worked on a couple of specific techniques and then played in some melees. I felt pretty good but a little sore when I got home.

This morning I was miserable. My throat is sore, and I have a headache. I’m hoping that I just pushed too hard and not that I’m getting sicker. I’ve done everything I was supposed to do. I don’t know why I’m still feeling so lousy.

Tonight I’m taking it easy. I’ll get my steps wandering around work and forgetting to bring things downstairs at home.

Welcome to the New Year!

I’m already sick. No joke.

I made it to a few Krav classes before our break for the holidays. Nik and I did some traveling, so most of our exercise consisted of walking around, but we did do a little fencing and spear throwing. We also spent a lot of time sitting in the car and eating rich foods. For the most part, there’s nothing to report here.

I didn’t feel too hot on New Year’s Day. I assumed that was a side effect from treating my body like an amusement park, but I stayed inside and chilled out nonetheless. On the second, Nik and I made it home from our vacation, and I felt really lousy, but there was a bad storm, so instead of going to the Minute Clinic, I took some cough syrup and slept for 10 hours. This plan didn’t help.

I had to miss my first day back at work, which isn’t nearly as much fun as it sounds. I’m on antibiotics (again) because the doctor thinks this is a secondary infection from the last illness I had. I swear, as soon as it felt like I was getting better (I had a cough long after I stopped the last course of antibiotics), I got worse. This can stop any time now.

Fencing starts up again this week, if I’m not mistaken. It would be wise of me to sit out tonight, but I won’t like it. My yogi moved, and I’m not sure if taking the employee class is best for my schedule, so I’m going to look into attending classes at a studio in town that my friend recommends. We have a Krav seminar coming up this month, and I’m going to help with that. We’ll have regular classes again after that. I’m glad we aren’t having class before the seminar – I’m hoping I’ll get better before it’s time to get back to work.

So I can’t work out, but I can manage my diet, so that’s what I’m doing for now. I’m using MyFitnessPal again, and I’m strongly considering getting a FitBit with my Christmas money.

Other than that, there really isn’t much to report.

My body has been trying to get sick for a couple of weeks now. Fortunately I made it through Magna Faire. I got to fence, and I did well enough that people were coming by and complimenting me, but I didn’t feel like I was fencing my fight. I assumed it was because I haven’t been practicing as much since I got hurt (remember that I’ve been to maybe two practices and Serfo since the shoulder sprain).

On Monday Krav was rained out. The weather was bad enough that we didn’t want our students out driving around. I welcomed the reprieve.

Tuesday was my last day of yoga, my first aid final, and my psych final. Toga was restful, and I aced my finals. Yay!

Apparently that took everything I had out of me because my body finally decided to be sick on Wednesday. I visited the MInute Clinic to make sure it wasn’t strep and was diagnosed with a cold. I’m taking some low dose steroids to deal with the symptoms. Now I’m full of energy but also not really up for doing anything. Of course, since I missed work Wednesday, I didn’t go to Krav. I probably will not go to fencing tonight.

This is frustrating because I want to get out and do stuff, but I also want to rest up and heal well so that I can enjoy my winter break. I have to keep reminding myself that there will be fencing practice and Krav, even though the school will be closed.

I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired (and hurt).

Monday night when I was getting ready for Krav, I felt really warm and looked flushed. I took my temperature and saw that I had a fever. I called Kita, told her what was up, and we agreed I should rest, so I settled in on the couch with my cat, some water, and a couple ibuprofen. I did some homework and took a nap. Apparently that did the trick because I was back at work the next day. It stinks that I missed a practice night, but I guess my body needed it.

Tuesday was wild. After working a normal day, I enjoyed yoga class. Then I went to my night class, and from there I went straight to Krav for my P3 test. I felt pretty good walking into it.

I felt FREAKING AWESOME walking out of it. I had to correct some things here and there, and I always have room for improvement (plus I got punched in the face – I don’t like this new tradition), but I think I passed. We get our results tonight. I’ll let you know when I remember to update.

If I don’t update, it’s because I’m frantically getting ready for Magna Faire this weekend. Nik and I are taking some of our fencing students up to Birmingham with us. They are so stoked – I hope it’s contagious.

Let’s see where we stand…

I managed to get in a week of Krav (Monday and Wednesday). Then we took a week off for Thanksgiving.

I tried to fence in the interim. I went to practice Friday but didn’t fight. I realized on the drive over that I really didn’t want to go. I was in a negative head space and was worried about injuring myself or someone else since frustrated fencing is generally unsafe fencing.

I slept through practice on Monday because I felt completely lousy. I had some kind of dry head cold that messed with me all week but didn’t keep me down too hard. We cancelled yoga on Tuesday because it was the day before Thanksgiving Break at work. I went to practice on Wednesday, fenced a few rounds, and geared down. I kept getting overheated and felt like I was moving through JELL-O. Friday practice was cancelled. I stayed home Sunday and graded papers while Nik ran practice.

As far as fencing is concerned, I’m in one hell of a slump. I have an event this weekend, and I don’t really want to go, but I need to go.

Tonight is my last night of review until my P3 test. We were going to test tonight, but some dates got mixed up. The test is tomorrow. Wish me luck, folks.

I have use of my shoulder, but I’m still not 100%. I can test safely, and I can fence a little bit, but it still hurts to put pressure on it when it’s extended upward (like laying on my right side).

Nik and I went to Black Axe last weekend. I felt like I did some good fencing and some bad fencing. Fortunately it feels me like I’m having problems I can fix, not weird head space problems.

I also still had symptoms from last week up until last night. I actually visited the doctor.

Yoga was about my speed. I like using a class where I can literally curl up in the fetal position at any time as a means to get back to myself.

Last week Krav was great on Monday and Wednesday, and yoga was a nice stretch break in between. I was studying hard, going to Ladies’ Night to study, doing my thing.

Friday rolled around, and I came home from work and crashed out. I missed the last UWF fencing day of the semester. I woke up Saturday to find that I was very very sick, so I cancelled SCA fencing on Sunday (I was sick enough that I didn’t want to be left alone, so Nik couldn’t fill in for me). I ended up missing work (and, by extension, Krav) on Monday.

I went to yoga yesterday to ease back into activity and because i was so stiff from lying around all weekend. I’m wicked sore today. I honestly doubt it’s from yoga since we did literally the most minimal form you could do short of yoga nidra. I’m suspicious of the uphill trek to my office at that campus.

Regardless of the cause, I figure I shouldn’t go to Krav tonight, not even to watch. It kills me, but my test date has been pushed back, and I’d rather have some gas in my metaphorical tank for the demo on Friday.

Rehab is still happening. I’m noticing some improvement in my range of motion but haven’t tried holding a sword, striking an object, or anything of that nature. I’m optimistic.

True to my word, I was back at work on Wednesday, but I didn’t go to Krav, and Ladies’ Night was cancelled. I was wrestling with whether or not to go to fencing on Friday when Nik reminded me that we were foregoing practice for the sport club banquet.

I made it to fencing on Sunday! It was nice to move around and fight for the first time in ages. There’s a new guy in town who has done rapier before and just authorized with us. I also talked to a gal who is interested in taking up the hobby, but I got pulled away and didn’t get a chance to fill her in on any more details, so I hope she comes back.

Tonight I go back to Krav, but I’m going to try to take it easy. I still have a bit of a cough from the sinus stuff that came with the ear infection, so I’m not looking forward to running around, but I am excited to go back because…

…I need to start cramming for my P2 test next month! I’m super stoked and a little bit nervous. I’m sure I’ll be ready when the big day comes. In the meantime,I’m trying to remember what everything is called so that I can be a good partner as well as get my hand rehabbed so that I can use it.

I started therapy last week, and I have exercises I’m supposed to do on the finger every day. Range of motion is improving, but it’s still painful. It’s coming along. We’ll see where I am in four week!