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Tag Archives: health

chair workouts

28 Friday Jun 2024

Posted by azahar in welcome

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

chair fitness, health

chair workouts

I’ve mentioned this woman and her YouTube channel before, since I first started off looking for exercise options that didn’t require me getting on the floor (I mean, I could get down there but I wouldn’t get back up again!). I’ve tried a few others but Lauren’s videos are not only safe and sensible, she’s also not “overly enthusiastic” if you know what I mean. And now that I’ve decided to take most of the summer off, well what better time to get back into (almost) daily exercise routines.

What I like best are the options. I can choose a simple 15 minute yoga stretch or short pilates core session, or go for a 35 minute cardio with weights session which, trust me, is a full-on work out. She also offers standing options, which I can also do (except for lunges) and the best thing is that I can this at home, when it suits me.

Ideally I’d be doing this every day but you know… life. I’m trying really hard not to beat myself up if I miss a day because the whole point is to enjoy this, and also my extra free time this summer. It’s still early days, so I’m hoping I’ll get into the swing of this.

feeling a bit hopeful again…

24 Monday Jun 2024

Posted by azahar in health, hope, hospitals, knee saga, knees

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

health, sevilla

hoping

You may recall that after the disastrous episodes with the Traumatologist and the Endo, and the ongoing issues with Heartless GP (who just keeps telling me I’m fat), I was feeling pretty let down and not sure what to do next in terms of my health concerns. Then I remembered I still had one more blood test available, so I booked that a couple of weeks ago and afterwards made an appointment to see my GP again to go over the results and hopefully to also see if I could get some actual help with my fucked up knee. Made the appt online and was surprised to see that I would be seeing a different GP and a glimmer of hope started to break through.

And so I went off to see New GP today. We talked over the blood test results and my medication. I told her I am only taking the BP meds because I’d had three different doctors tell me three different things about the other meds and she kind of smirked knowingly at that. So we took them one by one. My blood pressure is still a bit high but she said it was fine to stay on the present meds for now (she wants me to check in again in December at which point she’ll also order another blood test). Re: statins (for cholesterol) and metformin (sugar) she agreed with my oncologist that neither of these were necessary as I am kind of “borderline” and in fact my cholesterol has gone down a bit since October. I told her I had been making some diet changes and taking some supplements, and she seemed to think I was making good progress but that we will check it again in six months.

Then it was on to my knee. I told her the whole story and finally said that I really didn’t want to be living on painkillers, the only treatment so far offered to me, and I wondered if it would be possible to get an MRI for my right knee. I said to her maybe then they could figure out if there is any kind of physio or other treatment I could get because so far I felt like nobody has been helping me and the pain is so bad now that I can’t even climb stairs anymore. She immediately put in a request for an MRI and said I’d get a call telling me when the appointment would be. As for treatment she said that my best bet was probably going to be surgery but first things first.

And omg I almost cried. It’s been so long since a doctor has actually listened to me that I almost couldn’t believe it was happening. And she didn’t once mention my weight. I actually brought it up when we were talking about diet and cholesterol saying that of course I know I need to lose weight and she said I could try walking a bit more and cutting down on fats when cooking (this led to a chat about my air fryer) but she said the drop in cholesterol was a positive. In contrast Heartless GP, the Endo and Trauma Doc all made it seem like being fat was the reason EVERYTHING was happening to me. Not helpful.

And so there is a plan now. And I feel so very relieved. All I needed was a little support and now that I have it I feel like I can move forward with this. Getting my knees back would certainly help with getting back to my 10,000 step walks, meanwhile will keep on with my chair yoga/pilates and yeah, am also going to start tweaking the diet a bit more. Amazing what a little hope will do.

gastro gut

24 Friday May 2024

Posted by azahar in health, home, sevilla

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

gastrointeritis, health, sevilla

gastro guts

Well dammit. Woke up yesterday feeling a bit off but didn’t really think much of it. Then at about 2.00 I suddenly had to LIE DOWN and I spent the next 24 hours in bed. It was pretty awful at first with severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, aches and chills, so sleep wasn’t even possible. I finally – and gratefully – dozed off towards dawn.

Anyhow, I am sitting upright once again and, so far, have managed to keep some toast down. Still feeling quite weak but compared to yesterday this is a picnic. Now waiting to see if I can still go to Vinoble on Sunday (so far it’s not Covid but I’ll test again tomorrow). I’ve been looking forward to this since the last one (two years ago) and have two amazing hotels booked (one is free!) so would hate to have to cancel. Fingers crossed!

compression

22 Wednesday May 2024

Posted by azahar in health, health & happiness, knee saga, knees, sevilla

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

health, knees, sevilla

compression

Well look at these sexy fuckers. Can I tell you? I’ve been looking for a compression knee sleeve since last year when my left knee gave out on me big time in May 2023 (now both knees are fucked). Could I find one? Well obviously no I couldn’t (or I wouldn’t be posting this now). All the ones I tried out cut off all circulation in a matter of seconds and then proceeded to just roll down my leg when I tried to walk.

Why? Because… legs too fat! Or so I was told. I didn’t fit into the acceptable size range, even the biggest XXX ones. And, while I acknowledge being fat I also know there are way fatter people out there. I mean, what do they do? Considering that many people with knee problems probably also have weight issues… wouldn’t there be a market for this?

It’s all been terribly discouraging because everyone tells me how wearing the sleeve makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE in pain relief. And since I have been denied any useful help from the various doctors I’ve seen lately  I’m kind of on my own. Been using an anti-inflammatory cream, been doing my chair yoga/pilates, and I keep on walking. But dammit it hurts.

And then these ones suddenly popped up on my Amazon page (while I was actually shopping for something else) and I thought… wait a minute, those look like they might actually work. The measurements were in keeping with mine, so I decided to give it a go. And so far… I can actually get it on. Will let you know how it goes.

black monday

26 Monday Feb 2024

Posted by azahar in health, health & happiness, sevilla

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

health, sevilla

black monday

Nothing really to do with it being Monday since, as a freelancer, there aren’t actually any weekdays or weekends (or holidays). And as far as my work goes, I love it, so I don’t fall prey to pre-work dread. So what is it then? Good question. I know this has been building up for a while now with my usual tools of denial, deflection and determination getting me through. But something feels wrong. I feel like I’m in a dark place that is scaring the fuckity out of me and every day it gets harder to get out of bed and care about anything. So every day is an exercise in going through the motions in the hope that my… what? will kick back in.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m still going about my life, working, seeing friends, doing stuff I like, making plans… but it kind of feels like I am actually missing while all of this stuff going on, like I’m not really there. The detachment is what’s scaring me. Feels like I’ve been here before and it didn’t go well. I wish I could be more clear about this but as about 90% of my childhood memories don’t exist I’ve always felt like I am playing it by ear. Day by day.

Believing in myself has always been a challenge and there is a propensity to believe the worst and not have faith in the good stuff. What can I say? I know I’m a complicated person. But it turns out that for many people out there I’m kind of a “marmite” love-or-hate person. Honestly I’d rather just be liked and respected on a mutual individual basis… don’t require unanimous love and sure don’t do well with hate.

Anyhow, just blowing off some steam as I am sitting here at home unable to go outside because… can’t.

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