Day of the Rising Sun

Yoohoo , I am back. Today I was at my peaceful best. In terms of mood. I swear everything was so calm, I could literally meditate standing in the middle of a busy road ! For starters, my health returned something back to normalcy, that is just DM stuff to deal with. I felt very fresh and felt really energetic.

Ended up the day taking a long walk, also exercised a bit after coming home. I NEVER exercise after work. Although feeling bit rundown now ! But worth every effort. Great day today. Have a little sniffle so popped some "more" pills. Looking forward for tomorrow.

Ciao n Peace.

Deja Vu

I probably have written a post with this topic before ! I can't remember. I've almost posted a 100 posts so far ! Wow. To begin with, I am not the kind of guy who goes about writing stuff. That's the last thing anyone can expect from me ! But writing helps. Not just writing about DM, but even when learning new things. I follow a blogger/eminent person in my area of work regularly. The one for whom I had almost planned a trip to another city last month. Well he said that as a "homework" you should always write down stuff that you don't have time to ponder upon. So later when you are free, you should revisit those thoughts and try to make something happen out of it...or something similar. Well I'm not so good at all this..putting it up in words.

So coming back to the post, it is really about my work-health life. I started work this week. To start with the positives, the work environment is so cool .. of the highest standards. One of the best places to work (or relax :D). For the first time in many years I was able to leave office by 6:30 pm. I am not used to early working hours though (read 9:30 am). This sounds so much like the place I used to work two years back ! Only downside was, that two days at work and I wasn't keeping well. Had cold, fever and that probably resulted in weakness, fatigue. The weather here is too cold these days by Mumbai standards. Often leads to muscle stiffness & pain.

Things have improved a bit in last day or so. But spending 9 hours in office is proving to be a tough nut to crack. But I think it's probably more to do with the cold/fever thing that was going on. Hopefully next week should be way better.  I am upbeat today. However had to cancel a party I had planned for my parents tomorrow. Since, the part planner can't drive around town arranging the luncheon ! But will definitely book for next week. Feels bad to cancel out on planned parties. But no one seems to mind, so even I don't mind :) I did order a different cake for my parents this time around. The cake is called - Mission Impossible. It was definitely impossible to have it in one go ! Will probably need a lot more helping tomorrow to finish up the cake. Nothing's impossible right !

Ciao n Peace.

A Day without pain & Rescue operations

Well I will start with something that sounds really good. A day without pain ! 

I had never been to a spa before, I always felt they were a total rip off. But the muscle pain,stiffness had really worsened due to winter, so decided to give it a try. I opted for a traditional thai massage followed by aroma therapy. OMG! The pain was completely gone by the end of the session. My neck was stiff, my quadriceps were screaming because of the muscle wasting, winter stiffness and my hands were being their usual self ! But everything changed at least for a day ! I think a visit to a spa is a must every month or two ! 

I have doing pretty well these past few weeks. I have to join work by Jan 09. I had been to my doc today and he was pretty happy. Winter is causing a havoc. But I found a way to reduce trouble by closing by bedroom window. I like open areas, so my bedroom window is always open and have a small mini garden outside my window. I have planted some good looking flower plants ! So closing windows, actually sounds depressing. But warm hands, legs help to reduce the pain/stiffness greatly. We don't keep heaters around here since its like getting baked in an oven throughout the year in Mumbai.

Oh and the rescue operation wasn't really related to DM but a cat. A cat had climbed over my AC near my bedroom window. There was a small ledge which had been enclosed. Somehow while escaping from other animal(s), the cat must have climbed up. Initially thought that there would be some kittens or something. Since the cat wasn't leaving the place. I tried to provide a makeshift ladder from a bamboo, but it still wouldn't budge. Tried to entice it by keeping fish, milk, wheat bread, water nothing worked. It just wouldn't come down. Finally had to call a friend who after almost 2 hours got it down and safely tucked away near by. I got myself hurt in the process and now have a small wound near my elbow that won't heal ! But the cat is safe and sound. Gives a visit every second day.

I am not really a cat person. In fact have some strong allergic reactions, if the cat is too fussy and is looking for attention from us. I like dogs. But coming back to the point, my friend requested me to keep the cat at home for few days since it looked bit frightened by some animal, mostly a male cat. I just couldn't afford to ! Just spending couple of hours and I had a small wound ! I can't afford to waste my energy on something that will run all over the place and have me clean up after it. I am feeling bad about it, since the cat seems to have taken a liking or prolly just wants some food as it comes mewing around my place ever so often !

Ciao n Peace.

The year that was

I was planning to write something before the year end. But as luck would have it was super busy. Not with work or myositis. But with family. My niece is here, that means that no time to spend on my computer. Since nursery rhymes and kid songs rule the roost !

I was able to follow some reading stuff over my android mobile / tablet. But its not fun typing a blog post from there. This year was an experience that I won't forget for a long time.

To give a gist, started of the year on a high. I was leading a team on one of the important and successful projects and got good appreciation from colleagues over one of the project achievements. I had completed exactly an year then. Working 10-12 hours & traveling 2-3 hours daily, 5 days a week. Weekends were spent hanging out with friends, going on road trips, traveling some more. This followed till May. Life was good professionally and personally. For once, there was a settled feeling and then .. DM was back.

I had a relapse after a very long time. I mean I was on meds all this time but the situation wasn't bad. In fact, before May I hadn't felt better in my life. I could walk for miles without getting tired. I don't know if any DM patient could harp about that to anyone ! Anyhow things started with extreme fatigue and slowly progressed to muscle weakness, muscle pain. By August, it was too much and had to quit my job in September. Felt weird sitting at home, was not used to it.

Since then, things have changed a bit. The muscle pain is almost gone. There was muscle wasting and maybe that combined with calcinosis is causing some muscle pain/stiffness coupled with cold weather currently. But I am in a much better position. So much so that my doctor gave me the green signal to rejoin work. So have found a hopefully suitable work place near home. Its about 15 mins drive from home. 

I am really tired today and maybe I am thinking very straight. But would have loved to dwell on lessons learned this year. Since there were quite a few.

I was able to think over things a lot these past few months. Years back, I had promised myself I would enjoy little things in life. I always followed that principle and it helps a lot to keep things in perspective. I am happy that even after this minor setback of the relapse it is firmly implanted in my head ! So would like to say a prayer of Thanks to God. I have become a lot more spiritual since last 2 months. Thought a lot about meditation and yoga. Although I don't practice it quite often. Would love to spend more time when I start working. I wish there was a real quite place that I can go to near my home. I find city life too chaotic for meditation / spiritual endeavors.

New year resolutions ... well lots of them. But don't want to jinx 'em. Although I feel that new year resolutions are meant to be broken :) As long as they are harmless.

Ciao n Peace. Happy New Year !