Do It Myself Blog – Glenda Watson Hyatt

Earlier today I read, on a major blog, an article about what never to say to people in wheelchairs. However, I will not dignify it with a link.

Why?

For two reasons:

First, It assumes all people in wheelchairs have the same look, feelings and opinions. News flash! We are not a homogenous group.

Second, it assumes all people in wheelchairs are angry, grumpy and bitter. Contrary to that assumption, some of us are happy and content individuals. We even have a wicked sense of humour!

The article gave the genuinely curious reader nothing useful when approaching wheelchair people – as if we need to be approached differently than walkies.

If our paths should cross one day and you are unsure how to start a conversation, start with “Hello!” We can both take it from there.

Click on image to enlarge

Yesterday, with unbelievable sadness, I had to give the last act of love and let my beloved Faith go. Something happened over the last week – I don’t know what – and she deteriorated quickly. The last couple of days she was in pain and suffering. Beyond gut wrenching.

With her lying beside me on the couch, I did the most heartbreaking thing I have ever done. Faith was feisty and a fighter right to the end.

Late afternoon on Wednesday, May 15th, 1996, my aunt placed a tiny 5-6 week old brown tabby kitten on my lap. Around 6:30 on Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013, Joanne from Until We Meet Again gently removed my Faith from my lap.

Mommy loves you, Faith.
You are in my heart, now and forever.
Now I let you go
Until we meet again…

Now in Week 2 of pumping iron, I am realizing this will likely be a slow process. The nightly jumpy legs and the vague aches are gone (for the most part), but I am still moving slower than a sloth. With this in mind, I’ve decided I am going to enjoy this summer locally without any crazy deadlines looming.

I am going on as many photo wheels with my husband as we can handle. Possible locations include Holland Park (in our ‘hood), Central Park in Burnaby, New West Quay (although crossing the railway tracks in wheelchairs can get dicey when a wheel gets stuck), False Creek and Coal Harbour in downtown Vancouver. Other suggestions are most welcomed.

I am going to enjoy as many iced mochas as I can. Those are definitely habit-forming. (“Hi, I am Glenda. I am a mochaholic. Although, lately, I find myself reaching for the hard stuff: iced coffee – caffeine on ice without the frilly whipped cream and chocolate syrup.”) Become an enabler and join me! Seriously. If we’re overdue for getting together or if we have yet to meet, let’s remedy that, this summer.

I am going to be content being a motivational speaker who writes, for now.

What are your plans for this summer?

Even with eliminating my breakfast orange juice – the likely suspect for the drop in my energy levels back in March, I was still experiencing a significant lack of energy, headaches and other unexplainable, nonspecific aches and pains. It was time to visit my doctor who, in turn, sent me to see the vampire.

Yesterday I received the results. I have an extremely low iron level; even below the range of low level of iron. That likely explains my tiredness, headaches, my achy arms and legs, my nightly jumpy legs that I put down to my cerebral palsy even though I don’t recall having jumpy legs a few years ago.

I am now taking an over-the-counter iron supplement and I need to check in with my doctor monthly for the next three months, then he will order more blood work. This is totally treatable.

You have no idea how much of a relief this is to me. Not only because it is something fairly easy to fix, but also because it is not my fault other than, perhaps, for not eating the right foods. I have been so hard on myself in recent months for not focusing, for not applying myself, for being lazy. When, actually, my body was not getting what it needed to function properly. I was running on less than fumes without even knowing it. Now with this new piece of knowledge, I can release all of the guilt and move forward and upwards from here, even though it might be a slow process.

From this experience I have learned two lessons:

1. Knowing thy body and really paying attention when something is out of whack is crucial.
2. At times consulting a doctor (or medical professional) is necessary. Sometimes they actually have the answers.

How is this relevant to the 4-Hour Workday?

Simple. Making the most of the 4-Hour Workday is about more than using the right tools and strategies, about more than productivity. Making the most of the condensed work day means your energy and focus need to be at their optimal level, whatever that level is for you. Mine was low and my work was suffering; I was struggling to get even four hours of work in each day and I was berating myself for that, daily, which didn’t do much to my motivation or self-confidence; ironically, the berating was wasting of precious energy.

The release of the first ebook of the 4-Hour Workday series will be slightly delayed while I finish writing it within my wavering energy levels. The good news from this is that the topic for Ebook #2 is beginning to reveal itself. Visit 4hourworkday.com for more about this project.

How do you know when your health is at your optimal levels? Feel free to share in the comment section below.