Not a bad year as years go....
1. I beat Diabetes. No one ever cures themselves of the underlying pathology, but this year I seriously and continuously moved out of the danger zone, controlled my blood sugars (usually within the range of 5.5-6.5 mmol/L) without taking medication and prospered on my own boutique version of a Low Carbohydrate High Fat diet.
2. I'm fit for my age and condition because I exercise. Yesiree. I do exercise and I do it consciously. The big breakthrough was embracing a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) program based on HillFit. The approach gave me a method that enabled me to comprehend what I am doing without busting a gut or fretting too much over it. For my age I'm in pretty good nick compared to my peers...despite my chronic ill health.
3.I reduced my blood pressure by 15-20 mmHg. In the world of hypertension this is a thrill. Sentenced to familial hypertension and stalked by diabetes, an elevated BP is an early death sentence. I'm not sure how I did this, but I did go off Statins, replaced them with Coenzyme Q10 and drank mineral water and green tea as my tipple. I may still be Stage 1 hypertensive but often I'm not and my blood pressure is quite good.
TIP: I monitor my own blood pressure as I do my blood sugar.
Classification of blood pressure for people 18 years or older | ||
| Classification | Systolic BP | Diastolic BP |
| Normal | below 120 | below 80 |
| Prehypertension | 120–139 | 80–89 |
| Stage 1 hypertension | 140–159 | 90–99 |
| Stage 2 hypertension | 160+ | 100+ |
| Systolic blood pressure (BP) is the number recorded when the heart is pumping blood into the arteries; diastolic BP is the number recorded while the heart is refilling with blood between beats. All units are in mm Hg. | ||
4.I built a canoe. I wanted my own boat for decades and finally with the support of my neighbour we built it! I call it The Pirogue because it is a flat bottom boat which I'm hoping to sail. The tragedy is that because of a bout of ill health and prevailing strong winds I've not been out in it for a few months and my canoeing momentum is on hiatus. But I'm keen to get back paddling in the new year.
5.I made comics. Biggest thrill ever! Finally I've found my creative niche and have forged a passion from my love of collage and photomontage, my theatre skills, my puppetry background and my digital attainments. With Mr Punch and Professior Ratbaggy [Emeritus] I'm basking in discovering a graphic and dramatic convergence I've not experienced before despite the many media I've worked in. I started this lark only in August last year and it has been one helluva ride ever since. I may suffer from occasional bouts of comic makers block but the angsty challenge to make another comic strip is forever before me. Currently I'm working on an autobio comic (which has proven a big frustrating challenge , peppered with sudden insights).
6. I turned 65...and didn't feel it! Aside from my chronic Fibromyalgia I'm doing OK despite my aging bod. I suffer from many crippling bouts of pain and stiffness which I deal with quite well--at least on a day to day basis. I had a horrific time of it over June/July this year when I was plagued by relentless and dispiriting ill health such that I thought I was set to die.It has taken me months to recover from that period both physically and psychically. But I do roll with these punches: I'm an old hand. Experienced. Unfortunately the mental effects of Fibro-fog are impacting more on me and my ability to take in names and numbers, as well as my Fibromyalgia-caused dyslexia are worsening symptoms.
7. My garden lives! Maybe this won't register with you but after three years trying to turn beach sand into soil and trying to keep the water up to the plants, I've finally honed my backyard gardening methodology. I'm now almost self sufficient in most of my vegetable needs. There is still a lot of soil work to do but I can see where I'm going with all the mulching and sundry other garden initiatives. My gardening, as garden lore goes, is marked by an eclectic, even eccentric, approach but my indulgences are paying off -- despite the weather.
8. I run a dance club. We started up Soulsteppers 16 months ago and we're still dancing. Numbers have trimmed back but the loyal core are dedicated and keen, pushing me to keep offering new dances.That I now choreograph some of our most popular urban soul line dances amazes me. I only took up dancing two years ago.
9. I'm local community engaged. Getting involved in your local community is not as easy as it may seem, but this year I became a player. After serving as secretary to one local outfit I had the good sense to resign (before my incompetence overwhelmed me) and concentrate on my at-home skills built around the community website I created, and an accompanying newsletter. With this project I filled an important local need. Given my past community organizing and arts background I've still not explored all the possibilities for this project but a lot of initiatives may be feasible as I work my way through local politics.
10. Brisbane is now easy to visit. This year my offspring bought a house together in Brisbane and with the extra space they have available, it is now much easier for me to visit the city and stay overnight. So all the things I've been missing out on -- both political and cultural -- these last three years are now much more accessible: as close as a sleepover away. I don't drive and the public transport options serving my township (38 km from Brisbane) are not day-tripper transit friendly. So Brisbane, expect to see more of me.
5.I made comics. Biggest thrill ever! Finally I've found my creative niche and have forged a passion from my love of collage and photomontage, my theatre skills, my puppetry background and my digital attainments. With Mr Punch and Professior Ratbaggy [Emeritus] I'm basking in discovering a graphic and dramatic convergence I've not experienced before despite the many media I've worked in. I started this lark only in August last year and it has been one helluva ride ever since. I may suffer from occasional bouts of comic makers block but the angsty challenge to make another comic strip is forever before me. Currently I'm working on an autobio comic (which has proven a big frustrating challenge , peppered with sudden insights).
6. I turned 65...and didn't feel it! Aside from my chronic Fibromyalgia I'm doing OK despite my aging bod. I suffer from many crippling bouts of pain and stiffness which I deal with quite well--at least on a day to day basis. I had a horrific time of it over June/July this year when I was plagued by relentless and dispiriting ill health such that I thought I was set to die.It has taken me months to recover from that period both physically and psychically. But I do roll with these punches: I'm an old hand. Experienced. Unfortunately the mental effects of Fibro-fog are impacting more on me and my ability to take in names and numbers, as well as my Fibromyalgia-caused dyslexia are worsening symptoms.
7. My garden lives! Maybe this won't register with you but after three years trying to turn beach sand into soil and trying to keep the water up to the plants, I've finally honed my backyard gardening methodology. I'm now almost self sufficient in most of my vegetable needs. There is still a lot of soil work to do but I can see where I'm going with all the mulching and sundry other garden initiatives. My gardening, as garden lore goes, is marked by an eclectic, even eccentric, approach but my indulgences are paying off -- despite the weather.
8. I run a dance club. We started up Soulsteppers 16 months ago and we're still dancing. Numbers have trimmed back but the loyal core are dedicated and keen, pushing me to keep offering new dances.That I now choreograph some of our most popular urban soul line dances amazes me. I only took up dancing two years ago.
9. I'm local community engaged. Getting involved in your local community is not as easy as it may seem, but this year I became a player. After serving as secretary to one local outfit I had the good sense to resign (before my incompetence overwhelmed me) and concentrate on my at-home skills built around the community website I created, and an accompanying newsletter. With this project I filled an important local need. Given my past community organizing and arts background I've still not explored all the possibilities for this project but a lot of initiatives may be feasible as I work my way through local politics.
10. Brisbane is now easy to visit. This year my offspring bought a house together in Brisbane and with the extra space they have available, it is now much easier for me to visit the city and stay overnight. So all the things I've been missing out on -- both political and cultural -- these last three years are now much more accessible: as close as a sleepover away. I don't drive and the public transport options serving my township (38 km from Brisbane) are not day-tripper transit friendly. So Brisbane, expect to see more of me.
