Blerg

Does anyone really like being sick? Ugh. I have been battling a cold for the last 2 weeks, so I thought I was finally over the hump. Then this weekend, bam! Sinus infection. Well at least that is what I thought it was. I had to wait until today to get seen by a doctor to confirm it.

This infection hurts pretty bad, like someone is shoving knives up into my sinus cavities. I can breathe through my nose perfectly fine, but there is just so much pain through the sinus area both on my face and also down the sides of my neck and the top of my mouth.

Thankfully I was able to go to my doctor's "Express care" option and walk in without an appointment, I went early and was seen quickly. I was able to get properly diagnosed and sent on my way with a script for an antibiotic.

What the doctor told me was that Sudafed isn't the best option, since its a great decongestant. However she informed me that it also thickens your mucus. So when you have a sinus infection, it actually hinders your bodies ability to get rid of the excess mucus. So instead of taking that, I was told to take Tylenol for the pain, and hot steamy showers to help drain off the excess mucus. It was very enlightening for me.

But honestly, I just wanted the pain to go away, I was willing to do whatever. I'm just glad I am not breastfeeding anymore, I wouldn't have been able to take anything!

The amoxicillin pills are horse pills, ugh. Twice a day for 10 days. Yippee. Hopefully I'll be able to return to a normal blogging schedule soon.

Still here and still heavy

Just checking in, I've been losing weight, but it's coming off slowly, like in tenth of a pound increments, during a time when I know that I should be loosing poundage. But a loss is a loss, and I'll take it!

I am just getting over a cold. Not nearly as bad as I've had in the past, but I don't care to repeat that scenario anytime soon! Being sick sucks! I wasn't able to get a walk in or anything for the last few days. But yesterday I was feeling better so I trucked my behind to the gym and got a solid 45 minutes in on the treadmill, did 2 miles!

I basically hadn't driven my car in 2 days, so when I went to go leave for the gym, I couldn't find my car keys! It took me a solid 5 minutes of looking to find them! Opps! But I didn't use it as an excuse to slack off, I found my keys and off I went! 

I may not be able to make it to Steve and do all the mileage but I am going to give it my best shot!

I have to be comfortable with the fact that exercise plays an important role in my life, and to never slack off on it again, I hate restarting like this because I know what my body was capable of, and trying to get back to that level seems silly, since I know I was there once. Lesson learned!

My eating habits have been very wonky over the last few days, I am trying to eat when I am hungry, not when I am "supposed" to eat, but at times, it's just a banana and then other times, it's a full on meal. Not sure if being sick has anything to do with that. But hey, I am going to eat when my body is telling me it needs something.

I have been trying to stay away from soda, I did need some ginger ale to help, but mainly I've been getting a lot of water, OJ and Crystal Light in... Everyday my pee has been clear! Which is my way of telling that I am properly hydrated!

So that's it, really. Getting a cold sucks... recovering from a cold sucks... just don't do it!

Oh hello, old friend... I haven't missed you!

So today is day twelve of being sick and although most of my symptoms have resolved, my clogged sinuses have remained. Last night I went to bed and I was miserable (H2B can tell you!) I just could not get comfortable, I finally had to add a second pillow to elevate my head and allow my sinuses to drain just a bit. I knew I needed to seek some help.

I went to my chiropractor this morning and got my usual adjustment and also got my sinuses adjusted. That did loosen things up, but she agreed that I probably had a bad sinus infection.

So then I made the call to my primary care, and was given an appointment with the nurse practitioner, after going over the course of my illness and my current symptoms, she examined my throat, nose and ears. Thankfully, I did not have an ear infection, but I did have a lot of fluid behind my ears, which could have led to an infection. But I do have a nasty sinus infection. The nurse practitioner mentioned that I also had a sinus infection in April last year, and that perhaps it's a yearly event in the Spring. It's quite possible that the changes in the season, weather, temp help add to my sinus infection.  Either way, I was given prescriptions for a nasal spray and a Z-Pac, and told to rest and stay hydrated. I asked her if I could continue training with my interval running and my Couch to 5K program, she advised against it, she said, I could walk, but that running probably wouldn't be a good idea. Which means I'll probably have to restart week 4 or even week 3 depending on how things go once I am feeling better.

I went home and posted this picture on twitter: 

I am hoping that at least now I can start feeling better and hopefully will be feeling better before we go camping this weekend! I am keeping my fingers crossed for great weather.

One thing I realized here on my blog is that I don't post many pictures in general, so I am going to try to make a more conscious effort to post pictures.

Perfect weather... if you are a duck!

Ugh... that's really all that can sum up the last few days for me.

I've been sick, with something... I typically get sick when the temperature does funny things, like drop 30 degrees in a day. Well this weather pattern that New England is in really sucks right now. Basically I am in the midst of a week long rain fest. Just icky and cold, I guess the weather matches how I am feeling!

The icky rain pattern is also making a terrible time to get out and do my C25K sessions, I finished week 3, and I was supposed to start week 4 on Tuesday, but I am feeling like poop and the rain didn't help. I don't want to get too far behind, though, so I am taking it as easy as I can and hopefully will get back on track.

I am managing to stay active, I got a walk in on Monday, I took yesterday off, and hopefully will be getting a walk in tonight. Not nearly as active as I'd like to be, but at least it's something.

I've also been failing on the tracking front, I haven't tracked in days, mind you, the first few days of being sick, I wasn't really in the greatest frame of mind, but I am over the sickness hump and need to get back in the tracking routine so I don't fall so far behind.

I also didn't weigh in last Friday, again I chock it up to being sick, but I did step on the scale and I am right on target, so I don't feel like I've gone too far off path, I've been eating mindfully and making smart choices. So long as you count coffee frappes as smart choices. But hey, they ARE smart choices when you need something cold to soothe your throat from all the coughing, right?

At least I can taste food again, I still cannot smell anything, but at least my taste is coming back.

I am going to track my food today, got to get back into those good habits, I do not want to derail all my efforts!

Hopefully I will start feeling better (like I said, I am already over the hump) and I can get back on track with my C25K training sessions, and hopefully there will be an end in sight with this rainy weather.

Although, I will take the rainy weather now, for sunny perfect weather when we go camping next weekend!

Pity Party

I hate being sick.... that is all.

I was hoping to go on a beach ride tomorrow, but with the weather (read: SNOW), my riding session got canceled. I really would like to go horseback riding on the beach just once more before the summer season comes and we can't.

I took today off from work, I've spent the vast majority of my day in bed. Napping and catching up with my TiVo, I feel guilty being so unproductive, yet, I know I really need to rest in order to feel better.

Thankfully, H2B worked from home today, he's such a dear to put up with me. And my parents stopped by with some dinner!

I am hoping to feel better tomorrow, thankfully, this is only the second or third time this year I've been sick, so I can't complain too much.

Ugh!

All the preparation in the world, could not save me from this.... getting sick this morning.

I even told H2B that I would be going to the gym after work tonight and not to wait to have dinner with me.

Last night after I got home from a day of running around, I noticed that there was a slight discomfort when I swallowed, I passed it off as nothing. Then I remembered that I had been sneezing all day... something I rarely do. Then after talking with H2B I noticed the congestion in my nose, and said, I hope I am not getting sick! Proceeded to post this on facebook....

And then said to H2B that I was taking NyQuil and going to bed...

I woke up this morning feeling not so freshy. Took my shower and a dose of DayQuil and headed out the door to go to work. I also took a second dose of DayQuil to take at 1pm, but ended up taking it early, as I feel like I just want to cut my head off. So much congestion and stuffiness. Doesn't make Cassie a happy person.

I guess I tend to get sick when Spring first arrives, I don't know if it's the time change, or the season change, or what, but I always hate it. I feel like this is not the season to be sick!

I did manage to bring my gym bag with me, so I may tough it out and still go to the gym, it's going to depend on how I feel tonight. And I won't feel guilty about skipping the gym, if I decide to. I am just going to play this by ear.

Being inside at my office isn't really helping either, this space is so toxic, we really should do something about it.

Well I am off to have some soup for lunch! I hope you all are healthy!

Couch to 5K Update!

Wow, never thought I'd be blogging about that! Since the sinus infection from hell, I had to put my 5K training on hold. Every time my feet impacted the ground the roof of my mouth and the top teeth would kill, like someone was ripping them out. I couldn't run...  On top of that, the whole breathing thing wasn't working right, WAY too much mucus up there... (gross!)

However, since finishing the course of antibiotics, and getting some well needed rest, I am feeling much better and today decided to venture out to pick up where I left off with the program. Today was Week 2 day 2.

Considering I haven't trained in 3 weeks and coming off a pretty nasty infection, I didn't expect much, but I pushed myself to at least try. And you know what, it wasn't that bad... I did fairly ok. At the end, I was beat though, but so happy that I got back on. The old me, would have just given up. BIG NSV (non-scale victory)!!

With my first 5k in 3 weeks, I don't believe that I will be finished with the C25K training program, as of now, my plan is to walk/jog it as best as I can. I've only ever done a 5K at a walk before, and it was for breast cancer and I was with a bunch of friends, so we didn't really keep track of time or anything. I am going to try and track my time so that I have a baseline and something to work on.

I haven't "fallen in love" with running yet, but I want to give it a try. I love walking and hiking, so it just seemed very natural, but I'm going to keep at it. I do believe that the more weight I lose the easier running will come as I won't feel like I am doing damage to my legs with all that pressure on my joints.

I also haven't forgotten my mini goal of my looming 10%. I would still like to achieve my 10% goal (31 pounds) by the end of May. That gives me 2 weeks and roughly 5 pounds to go. Totally achievable.

I think this week on my days off, I want to at least walk the race course for my 5k, I am familiar with the area (it's probably 3 or 4 towns over from me) but I'd only even driven in the area, never walked.

Finally!

Finally after 3 weeks of being sick and 9 days on antibiotics (one more full day to go!); but finally, I am beginning to feel better. I really need my days off this week to rest and relax. It really was great not to have every single minute planned. I was even able to take a little road trip with some girl friends of mine to Pennsylvania! It was great to just go at the drop of a hat, even if it was only for a day.

So today, I brought my gym clothes to work, and after work tonight, I plan on hitting up the gym, even if just for some cardio. I'd like to try some weights, but I would like to ease back into the gym thing. Don't want to risk getting sicker while I am still recovering.

I am hoping to continue to get better through the weekend and restart my Couch to 5K program next week. Sadly, I am still on Week 2, but at least I am determined to get back on the program. In the past, I would have just said screw it and move on. I probably won't be running in my 5K next month, but maybe walk with a few bursts of jogging.

This week, I didn't weigh in. Due to the impromptu road trip I wasn't able to go weigh in this week, don't worry, I weighed in at my house, and I am up, about 3 pounds, so now I've only lost about 1.3 pounds in three weeks.... this sinus infection has really been a set back for me. I am hoping to recover now that I am finally feeling better.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel...and it's not an oncoming train.

Quick Post

Well if you follow me on twitter or facebook, you would know that over the past 5 days, I've been miserable. I am sick. I don't get sick all throughout winter, but spring hits, and bam! Time for this chica to get a nasty bug! Typically, my colds have always been 2 days coming, 2 days here and 2 days going. Currently I am on day 1 of it going. I am hoping my past track record holds true and that I will be feeling near 100% tomorrow, especially tomorrow night for Zumba! I am really looking forward to trying out my Bondi Band at Zumba and finally get a review done and posted.

I had to work through the start of the cold, which was miserable. Down right miserable. I wanted to die, the guys at work could understand my pain, and were trying their best to leave me be and help me out. I was so happy to come home Saturday morning, I crashed.

I've gone through about 2 boxes of tissues, thankfully my DBF isn't scared yet. He's been super helpful and catering to me.

I attempted to go to job number two today, with little success, I was only able to muster about 3 hours before I started to feel bad again, I am hoping another good night's sleep will help.

Due to said illness, I wasn't able to exercise like I wanted to. I feel stuck on couch to 5k, I've been on week 2 for going on 3 weeks now. I really would like to finish week 2 this week. That is one of my tasks. Since I didn't get any exercise in, I was really focused on my diet and food intake. Being sick helped with that too, I didn't want to eat anything.

I am hoping the weigh in goes well tomorrow. I am just hoping not to be up. I am also planning on getting my blood drawn tomorrow morning. Got to go to BJ's to re-supply the tissue supply!