I'm a problem solver. It goes with the job; primary school teachers can make resources from seemingly useless materials with little more than a roll of tape and a glue stick. The photo of me wearing a hotel shower cap is another example - I had no umbrella, it was a long walk to the underground station and I REALLY didn't want to get my hair wet. Excellent solution.
I have the same attitude towards my health. A dear friend once laughed at me, claiming I should "Keep it 'til it's better". No chance! Anything that ails me will be tackled with vigour.
I mentioned previously that I suffered horribly with cystitis earlier in my life. It was getting more frequent and often needed antibiotics to clear it. On the August Bank Holiday weekend of 2019 I spent the Sunday crying in the bathroom instead of going to the seaside. There was no point going back to bed as I needed to pee constantly, but the pain of passing urine was virtually unbearable. I could hardly walk as my back hurt so badly. I managed to get some antibiotics and things improved over the next few days, but I was determined that it could not go on.
I researched again, having previously tried a range of supplements and self care tips all to no avail. I read that green tea had natural antiseptic properties and had been shown to help people with urinary tract problems. Naturally I gave it a go - this was something I could easily switch to from the black coffee I usually drank. It worked! Hallelujah.
I've invested in a teapot, buy loose leaf green tea from Amazon because it tastes better than teabags, and drink at least 4 cups per day. I have not had an episode of cystitis since, and am truly grateful. I certainly wasn't going to keep that until it was better.
Yin yoga is another fix, this time suggested by Helen. She had witnessed my despair at my increasingly arthritic hands, knees and hips. She also saw her nan immobilised by this awful disease, watching her in such pain simply raising an arm that she no longer wished to live. Helen studied Yin yoga so that she could teach it, then arranged a class on Thursday morning when she knew I could attend. It's working. My mobility is already much improved, my joints feel stronger, and I'm able to do things in the Vinyasa class that I've never managed before. I've not had the pain in my hands that prevents me writing. I can kneel on the floor if I wish. I've not felt despair over my future; limited mobility is not inevitable. I'm not going to accept that I can't cycle, ski, go for long walks up mountains; I have a lot of plans for retirement in a few years. Yin and I are tackling arthritis head on, with a lot of help from Helen. Thank you Helen.
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