Seizures. Boo. Hiss. BUT! Life goes on!

Last Thursday, I told y'all about my triking to the pool and back.  And, then, as a bonus, I also created my first PEA blog (Public Education Announcement).

Oh, and speaking of which . . . let's sneak in another tip regarding how to treat cyclists, shall we?
Yes, let's.  An excellent idea, indeed.

We'll call it PEA #2:
It's probably not the coolest thing in the world to pass a cyclist, to their left; and especially while they are in the process of making a left-hand turn.  Nope; not cool at all.  Can y'all visualize it?

Let's all say it together.

Ready?
Set.
Go.

Doodle Head.
;/-

This very scenario happened to me this morning.   My guess is that it was a parent running late in getting their child to school on time.  I was turning left - in the middle of a neighborhood, mind you.  I had actually started making the turn, when I heard a car come roaring up behind me, tap its horn and then proceed to pass me to the left (and at a rather speedy rate, I might add) . . . all so he / she could make the same left-hand turn I was making and do it before I did.  This almost caused a wreck with that car, another car and me.  The other car had arrived at the stop sign and was turning right, onto the road from which the demon doodle-head car and I were both turning left.

At least Speedy Gonzalez lightly tapped their horn, versus blaring it.  I guess that should count for something, right?  I'm going to run over you; but I don't want to scare you while I'm doing it, so I'm not going to lay on my horn.

But.  Alas.  I digress.
But, please do file this PEA away . . . and share it with your friends, family, co-workers and everyone you see today.

*~*~*~*~*
Back to the topic of this particular post.  Last Thursday, about an hour after I told y'all about my adventures in triking, I had a stupid grand mal seizure.  For those of y'all who don't know me, the first seizure I had was back in 1987.  It's been a long, weird journey; one of which I won't go into right now.

I will mention two very important things about this seizure history:
(1) They're not "my" seizures.  They're "the" seizures.  I never invited them into my life, and I have no intention of their staying around.  They're not welcomed, and I do not claim them; not even on an infinitesimal level.

When speaking to me about seizures that I have had, please do not refer to them as "your seizures."  They're not mine.  You may refer to them as "the seizures".  Thank you ever so much.  Truly.  (And, there's not many things that I'm adamant about; but this is one of them.  Please be prepared to be gently corrected if you ever forget and use the phrase, "your seizures").

(2) I'm also just as adamant regarding anti-seizure meds.  I am, in fact, anti anti-seizure pharms.  I simply won't take them.  I won't even consider it.  Over the years, I have tried 12 different prescriptions in relation to seizures.  None of the meds controlled the seizures, and all of them had very serious side effects that I was and am not willing to experience.  The final straw was a near fatal side effect.  Nope.  Not going to take any anti-seizure pills or other pharmaceutical concoctions.  (So please do not ask me to try, suggest I do so or tell me about the newest anti-seizure pharm on the market).

I do, however do my own research and I also avoid various seizure triggers (including certain foods and also non-edible things; i.e., fluorescent lighting being one of the non-edibles).

*~*~*~*~*
As much as it hurts my pride to contemplate that this most recent seizure was probably self-induced, I really think it was.  I believe that given the timing of the seizure in regards to my triking expedition the day before - and given that it had been a while since I had been so, uhm, energetic - and given the lack of sleep from the night before due to my muscles spazzing all night - I probably am responsible for last week's seizures.  Lack of sleep, btw, is, in and of itself, a seizure trigger.

Fiddle.

It took me a couple of days to recover; but then it usually does.  The day after a seizure is usually the hardest.  My muscles are so sore that I do not move very well at all.  That, plus I'm pretty exhausted from the seizing.  Tex put the kibosh on our walking the puppy girls last Friday . . . probably because I had morphed into Neanderthal Woman and was not walking upright.

And truthfully, I was bummed about that because it broke my activity streak.  On April 2nd, I had started a streak that involved doing at least 20 minutes of physical activity daily.  Up till last Wednesday, I was averaging 35.12 minutes each day, for 17 consecutive days.  While I did factor in walking the puppy girls from last Wednesday, I intentionally didn't factor in the 2.98 hours of triking and swimming from last Wednesday, given that it was the first time doing that in a while (triking to the pool), it would have skewed the average.

And we can't have skewy averages, now, can we?


So, now, my current fitness streak is at 7 consecutive days (with an average of 60.71 minutes per day; still not factoring in last Wednesday's trike & pool session).

Tex says that I should include the other 17 days in my count because the seizure (and its after-effects) was out-of-my control.  He's a gracious man who finds myriad ways to support and encourage me!

I guess in the end, his logic is correct.
But, it is a bit of a bummer that seizures control so many aspects of my life.

*~*~*~*~*
This too shall pass, though!

There are so many awesome blessings that Our Lord has given to me.  I choose to focus on what I do have and am able to do, versus what I don't have and am unable to do.

I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth (recount and tell aloud) all Your marvelous works and wonderful deeds!  I will rejoice in You and be in high spirits; I will sing praise to Your Name, O Most High!
(Psalm 9:1-2; Amplified version)

Remember to look for the good in your life!

Thanks for reading; y'all be blessed,
Sharmie

And now, PEA #1

PEA = Public Education Announcement

:)

*~*~*~*~*

Rules and ordinances vary, of course, from town-to-town . . . but, interstates withstanding, it is generally legal for cyclists to travel along the same roads and highways as that of our motorized vehicular friends.

Please allow me, a triker, to pass on a few pointers on what not to do when encountering a cyclist.

Sure, our mode of transportation is significantly smaller than even the small roller skate cars that are zooming around everywhere now . . . but that doesn't mean that we should be treated as if we're not occupying space.  Please don't try to push us out of a lane by driving in our lane while passing us and please do not pass us and quickly pull over into our lane until you have actually driven far enough ahead to where you're not going to make us slam on our brakes.

If you get "caught" behind a cyclist, that is not our fault.  If traffic is heavy, then it is heavy; that's just the way it goes.  If traffic is not heavy, then if you're on a multi-lane road, common sense dictates that you choose another lane if you do not want to be behind a cyclist. 

And please, please, please - do not ever . . . never, never, never . . . slam on your horn while behind a cyclist.  If you feel you absolutely must use your horn, please lightly tap it.  Blaring your horn while driving right behind a cyclist could actually cause a wreck.  Maybe even a heart attack.  It sure scares the bejeebees out me.  Additionally, if a cyclist is observing all of the rules of the road, there really is no need to use your horn in the first place.  If you think you are going to hit a cyclist and you are in their lane, then perhaps you might want to consider improving your own driving skills.  If you are impatient because you are behind a cyclist, that is really no one's fault but your own.  Take a deep breath, calm down and relax.  It will do wonders for your blood pressure; not to mention the health and sanity of those around you - including the cyclists.

If a cyclist arrives at a 4-way stop before you, they have the right-of-way; just like with anyone else.  Please do not try to beat them through the intersection; especially if they are already in the intersection, itself.

If you are in a "left (or right) turn only" lane, then please do not continue to drive straight ahead.  Doing so can cause a wreck with the person in the lane that does have the right to go straight ahead.  You might not care so much; but cyclists do not have the comfort of being inside a car during a fender-bender.  They also have no fenders; if something is going to get bent, it is probably going to be the cyclist.

And lastly, please do not be a heckler.  Really, what's the purpose of that?

Yesterday, as an example, there was a particular hill that was just entirely too steep for me to trike up.  Perhaps had I not already triked to the pool, did a energetic water workout and had triked halfway home, I would have had the energy and wherewithal to actually climb every mountain and ford every stream.  As it was, however, after a couple of minutes trying to crest this particular hill, I chose to enter a parking lot and walk my trike up the hill.  As I was nearing the top of the hill, a man pulled up behind me (in the parking lot) and told me that I would get a lot more exercise if I were to actually get on "that thing" and ride it.

Doodle head.

Yep.  I just wrote "doodle head".  There ya go.

*~*~*~*~*

By the way, "you" and all of it's derivatives (above) are meant in the generic "you".  I'm not specifically talking to you . . . unless of course, you can see yourself in some of the examples I've given above . . . and if that's the case, you and I should get together for a cup of coffee so we can discuss traffic rules and etiquette.  Don't worry, it will be a blast; I'll even bring the horn.

Y'all be blessed . . . and remember, now . . . be safe out there - for yourself AND for others, as well.

~Sharmie