Exercise.....

So since I have last updated we joined a gym that is literally one mile from our house and across the street from our subdivision. We have been going for a little over 2 weeks now and so far so good. We have made it a point since our surgeries to stay active and we have done lots of bike riding and lots of walking too. Of course in this part of Texas come July & August it is very hard to be outside if you are not in a pool between the heat and the 200% humidity. So we found this gym that is a month to month membership. No long contracts and its open to members 24 hours a day 7 days a week. We went and got a tour and talked to people there and decided this was the place for us. I told Chris, we are trying it out for a few months, and if we stick with it, then we will keep it up and pay a year in advance or 6 months in advance because you get a discount that way. But if we don't use it, then we can cancel with no penalty. So far and yes I know its only been about 2 weeks we are definitely sticking with it. Part of their enrollment gives you one session with a personal trainer for free and in this session you do a sort of exercise evaluation whereby they measure your flexibility and strength and give you recommendations as to the types of exercise you should do to improve in those areas or give you recommendations based on your goals. So since it is free we signed up. Well we loved the guy we signed up with for the first session and by the end of the session we had signed up for 10 sessions of couples personal training with him. He gave us an excellent price and better than that, so far he has been great. Not including our first meeting we have worked with him twice. He is gone right now on vacation for 2 weeks but before leaving he wrote us out a work out plan for the next two weeks. When he comes back we will continue our sessions. For those of you who know me well, you know I don't run....I walk fast but I don't run. Well believe it or not within the next 2-3 weeks he says we will be jogging and running on the treadmill. I can't believe it, but I am willing to try. I tell you a year ago I would have said you are crazy, but today I feel like I could do anything. I have already done more in the last 2-3 weeks at the gym then I ever dreamed was possible. The goal is to 3 days a week do 30 min of cardi0 and 45 min of weights. Then 2 days a week just 30 min of cardio. It is so funny how I can't wait to get home and go. I feel so good when I get done its just amazing. And something that blows our minds even more is I haven't had a single problem with my asthma. If I had tried this a year or two ago, I guarantee we would have been at the emergency room because of my asthma. My what a difference a year and hard work and determination make. Even last week, Chris was out of town for work and he exercised at the hotel (our trainer gave him stuff to do in his room in case they didn't have a gym) and I went to the gym by myself.....really I did. Again anyone who knows me knows that is a huge feat for me.

So right now we are doing great. Still having issues with the increased amount of iron I am taking and I will just warn you now I am heading into way too much info territory, so if you don't want to read skip down to the next paragraph. But if you are a fellow GBS patient and have any input in this area I would gladly appreciate it. What is the issue you ask....going to the bathroom and having a bowl movement. Can you say hurts like hell and constipated is an understatement. I am taking Metamucil 3 times a day which has helped some but not enough. Last weekend I took a laxative and I didn't think it had worked since it said it would in about 12 hours, well for me it took almost 24 hours and of course I was in the middle of Bed Bath and Beyond when it hit me. That's a whole other story that I just won't get into right now, I am sure you can imagine it. At any rate, for those of you who have had GBS do you have any advice on what I can do to make going to the bathroom easier while I am on 100 mg of iron a day. (I will be on this much iron for at least the next 5 months possibly longer depending on what happens at the fertility Dr.) I also still get nauseated from the chewable iron, but not as bad as I was at first. I have found taking it at night and having a few crackers or something like that after taking it then going straight to bed seems to make it better. Of course everything tastes metallic and at this point I think I have just gotten use to that feeling that it doesn't bother me as much. Again any input a fellow GBS patient has in this area would be greatly appreciated.

As for going to the fertility Dr which I spoke a little about before, our appointment is on Wed morning. To say we are excited is an understatement. To say we are nervous is an understatement too. We just can't believe we are finally at this point and we are so scared the virtual rug will get pulled out from under us. We have definitely put it in God's hands and we know he will do what is right for us. I will update on our plan once we meet with the Dr and we find out what his plan is. I know what my plan is so lets hope he goes with my plan but whatever the plan is we will do what is best for us and for our future baby/babies!

Also for those of you who don't know, our dear friends A & B had their baby boy Cullen on June 4th. Both mom and baby are very happy and healthy. They had a long difficult road, but in the end God brought Cullen into this world happy and healthy and he didn't have to spend a single day in the NICU. What a blessing indeed. So thanks from the bottom of our hearts for all your prayers for them over the last many months.

Until next time......Blessings to you all!
Amy :)