When we have difficult days to get through and we know it ahead of time, what about turning the day upside down. Doing something completely different can turn the difficulty into an adventure. It does not take away the fact that it is still hard. Make upside down cake out of what little ingredients we have.

I have been on an air mattress for about a year now. With all of the diseases, the heart failure, the collapsed colon, the mass, this has not been fun. Yet it has been necessary. Paying for medicine trumps a bed in this situation. I chose to be grateful for the medicine.

But it is time for a BED!!!! Now I get to be grateful for a bed.

The bed shopping experience was difficult enough last weekend. Then I had all kinds of little mini-dramas come up that have kept me busy instead of preparing for the bed at a slower pace. Yesterday, I had to drop everything else and start working on this bed situation.

Plan

• Yesterday was difficult enough. Today is beyond my limits and I am choosing to push through, knowing it sets my health back.
• Today, I WILL push through, within limits, and get-urrr-done.
• I will choose to turn yesterday and today into an adventure instead of misery.
• Tomorrow, I will stay in my bed for at least 24 hours to recover in the bliss of new comfort.

Upside Down Adventure

I am taking you on the adventure that I created so that I can turn a bad situation upside down!!!

This is a visual adventure. I needed company, did not have it. I needed support to cheer me on, did not have it. I decided to create company and support by taking pictures and sharing.

Come along…. keep me company and cheer me on….. Please just laugh WITH me…

I know for a fact that y’all have done this kind of stuff yourself. We have learned after years of chronic illness how to get through the tough stuff.

Upside Down Cake

Yesterday…

Woke up…Got 2 loads of laundry done first thing to free up the washer for my bed project.

Habits pay off – I get laundry caught up every morning I am capable of doing so, first thing in the morning.

Bounced 50 times on my rebounder to get lymph moving. My poor heart is not doing well this week, the bouncing gets the lymph moving which gets my vascular system going better which relieves stress on my heart.

Pulled out a bunch of stuff I was storing in the bed frame. Tired, sat down. Got up, put bedskirt in the washer.

Cake = I am now physically able to bounce 50 times, progress!!

Rested while the bedskirt was washing. Drank my morning healthy fats drink.

Got up to put bedskirt in the dryer. Folded and put away the 2 loads of clean clothes.

Rested again until I heard the buzz on the dryer. Then I took it out before wrinkles set in. Placed it over my bedframe. NO CLUE why I care about wrinkles when my heart cannot take all this activity.

See how slow I move? Ridiculous, but I could not do this a year ago!!!!!

Cake = progress, no matter how little.

My heart was not taking the physical movement well. Sea salt in a warm bath draws a lot of inflammation off of my body fast, giving my heart a break.

I lit a candle and kept the house very quiet while I rested in the tub.

Needed more peace and calm so I turned off the lights to the bathroom. WhaLaaa, it worked.

Cake = finding immediate solutions to nourish my body and soul!!

Today…

There is NO wisdom in my next step but this stuff has to get done so I can have a day or two of clean comfort in my new bed.

I had to mop as I moved through this. Mopping is very hard on me, my heart does not like it, at all.

Started mopping around my air mattress so I could move it to a clean area.

Best all-time greatest mop, The Hurricane Mop!!! I have used mops my whole life. This is by far the easiest mop to use. It has a foot spinner to do the work. I have had the same one for the last 6 years while being so ill. LOVE IT. They even have a “dolly” to roll it instead of having to lift it.

Cake = finding the easiest ways to do the hard jobs while being ill!!

Dang, cannot move air mattress until I remove everything. All this movement is now getting to my collapsed colon and 4-inch mass. It swells up from the pressure. That reduces the “bend” I have that is already SO crazy limited. When the mass gets this inflamed it pushes on my heart and lung making movement painful. Keep moving…

Pull, yank, toss!!! I’ve got this. You are cheering me on, I can pretend to hear you.

Towels have had to cover a window because of neighbors outside bright lights at nighttime keeping me awake. Looking forward to those coming down!!!

Cake = Getting-r-done, no matter what!!

I need to lay down… no bed, no air mattress. Need to be flat to calm my middle and my heart. Hummmm, feet up on a footstool will have to do. Grateful I have a bench and footstool to rest on.

Move the air mattress. Mop another small area, then rest.

Wait a minute, IF I can get another load of bedclothes started, I can rest longer.

Cake = I have a working washer and dryer!!

I sense your company while I take these silly useless pictures that are making me smile as I go along. Let’s stop for calming healthy tea.

Oppppppps. My hands hurt SO bad from all of this that I could not hold my teacup. Over it went. Another mess to clean up. 4 (FOUR) bones have moved in my hands from lack of oxygen. They HURRRRRT.

Cake = my mop and water are already available and ready to clean up the mess!!

Made new tea. Tried again. Thank you for my pretend tea time with you!!! You are good pretend company.

Another quilt washed and dried and hanging over bed frame to finish drying.

Now I have to do WHAT???? Heck NO. Gotta, so get over it and getttt-urrrrr-done.

These boxes are too close to my bed. They need to be moved so that the bed delivery dudes do not bump into them and create more of a mess.

Ohhh, I knew someday this would have to be done. Come on, I can do it. You cheer me on, I will do the work.

I packed up a bunch of things that decorated my home about a year ago. I cannot keep up with the dust and the housekeeping so this was supposed to be a help. Hummm, now it looks like a problem.

Cake = I have tackled bigger problems, I can do it!!

Did some of it and this is when I called insanity on the situation and sat down. The last load of bedclothes is in the dryer. I just cannot keep moving this poor body and pushing.

Cake = I have the ability to have a good attitude AND the ability to recognize when a good attitude cannot get me through something. 

Okie Dokie. I have enjoyed your company but you have to go away, for now, come back tomorrow and we will pick up on our visit then. I have met my physical limitations.

I need to go find different ways to nourish my poor body so I can try again later. See you tomorrow.

Maribeth Baxter, MBNC (Certified Mind-Body Nourishment Coach)

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HEALTH COACH DISCLAIMER: Health/Wellness coaching is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition. It is not intended to substitute for the advice, treatment and/or diagnosis of a qualified licensed professional. Trained and certified Health Coaches may not make any medical diagnoses, claims and/or substitute for your personal physician’s care. As your health/wellness coach I do not provide a second opinion or in any way attempt to alter the treatment plans or therapeutic goals/recommendations of your personal physician. It is my role to partner with you to provide ongoing support and accountability as you create an action plan to meet and maintain your health goals.

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