OH, My Aching Knee!

Here's another adventure I had recently. About a month ago, I just had one child in my care on a Friday, so I decided it would be a good day for a zoo trip. I could take the little one on an outing and get in some much needed walking myself.

I got on a city bus...baby, stroller and bag of supplies and food in tow. All went well as we looked at the lions and tiger and bears... but... OH MY.. I started to have some pain in back of my left knee. By the time we walked around a little more and we got off the little zoo train ride the pain became excruciating and I was unable to walk! I sat on bench and called the zoo number and explained my awkward plight to them. They sent a sweet lady in a golf cart to pick us up and take us to the main gate. Twenty eight dollars later, I was home via taxicab. Still unable to walk I got everything I needed to take care of the child piled on the coach and waited for his mother to pick him up. That night, after talking with some friends we decided that if it wasn't better the next morning I would go to the emergency room. There was nervous talk of blood clots running rampant through the fiber optic phone wires!

On Saturday, after 3 hours in the emergency room, it was determined that I had a Bakers Cyst in the back of my knee. They are caused by a build up of fluid from arthritis. The one inch cyst which is harmless and was theoretically too small to be noticed was crying out to be acknowledged by sending agonizing pain up and down my leg. I was sent home with anti-inflammatories and told to ice it several times a day.

Fast forward one month later. The pain is still there although not agonizing. I'm not at "Valley of the Dolls" status but taking anti-inflamatories and ibuprofen many times a day is not my idea of fun.

I went to my orthopedist today and was told I have advanced arthritis in my left knee. I am now officially "bone on bone." My doctor gave me a cortico-steroid shot. It really didn't hurt that much, though. He assured me that this would stop this "flare." I'm not sure how true this really is as I hobble about tonight.. I then went to get my flu shot. I need protection from all the little ones in my care, who spew infectious bodily fluid from all the orifices in their tiny, little bodies! My motto for today is "Two shots are better than one!"

Bogged By My Blog

Yikes!! I haven't blogged in too long! I say I'm a writer and a writer writes..right?? I've been doing everything but writing. I'm overwhelmed and overworked. I'm working seven days a week usually and some days are 13 hours long.

So much is going on and I'm going to attempt to catch up right now. A few weeks ago I went to the members preview of our new California Academy of Sciences http://calacademy.org

It is simply incredible! A four-story rain forest, an aquarium, a planetarium, and a natural history museum all under one living roof! I remember going to the old building over 50 years ago! There is a display of taxidermy African animals that used to terrify me! Now it just creeps me out a little!

Because I am usually so busy going out to places like this is a real treat for me and I need to make more room in my life for doing this to renew, refresh and relax.

Hamster on a Wheel

I'm home today, trying to catching up. It seems that every time I try to do this, I just feel like I don't really get that much done. I just manage to keep up but never get ahead. I do my filing, clean my desk up a bit, and enter my business receipts in Quicken. There are always many things left undone and that I never seem to get to. There are photos and memorabilia to organize, a closet full of things to sell on eBayhttp://www.ebay.com/ and 10 file drawers to clean out. I also need to get rid of hundreds of emails that I really don't need and I need to spend more time brainstorming how to get my coaching practice off the ground. But these things are left undone. And I'm not sure why. Maybe completion scares me because then I will have time, energy and no excuses to work on deeper issues in my life.

I do work many hours each week and I feel guilty just veggie out and not getting more done. I know I need to relax but it's hard for me knowing so much more needs to be done. I've tried Fly Lady http://www.flylady.net and it does work but I'm not consistent enough with it. I know consistency and routines work. It worked while I was losing weight and it works to keep it off but I haven't mastered it in other areas of my life yet. I really need to take a small amount of time each day to do some organizing but it seems like it's all or nothing with me. An all day marathon of organizing or nothing seems to be my pattern. I think that writing about it will make me more responsible to get things completed. I gues I'll get started right now by putting somethin on eBay.

Sunday at the Beach

Today I decided to walk on Ocean Beach in San Francisco. I used to walk 4 miles there regularly but since hurting my knee I've really not been walking that far very much. It took me about an hour and half because I walked pretty slowly due to a bit of knee pain but I pushed on.

Toward the end of my walk I saw some figures on the beach in the distance. As I approached then it turned out to be a huge display of plywood cutouts recreating a photograph taken in 1902 of Buffalo Bill and about 100 Indians on the Ocean Beach. It was simply amazing.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?o=0&f=/c/a/2008/09/05/MNFS12OSPK.DTL

I said I would talk about my coaching practice. So here goes. I have been wanting to do something different in my career for a few years now. Child care has been a wonderful career but I am ready for something new. I hired a life coach to help me determine what my next step should be. During the first fifteen minutes of our phone call my coach said," I know where you're headed but I can't tell you until you come up with it yourself." So after five sessions she asked, So what to you want to do?" I told her I wanted to be a life coach and she said"Bingo! You got it!" So I became trained as a life coach. I am specializing in weight loss and wellness with side interest in parenting coaching.

Life coaching is a relatively new profession. Coaches have been used in business for several years now but the profession has grown to include life coaches with a multitude of specialties. I've met coaches who specialize in everything from women in transition to those who coach people who want to travel and live in Europe for extended periods.

Coaches help people to set goals and accomplish them. I do this through a series of individual telephone conversations or group meetings during which I ask powerful questions, give feedback and insight and provide expertise and tools they can use. I then provide accountability for accomplishing goals and acknowledge success. Coaches are like the best friends you always wished you had.

I am trying to start my practice but it is very difficult to market this kind of service because it is so new, it is hard to explain unless you experience it and it isn't a necessity in these difficult financial times. But I am trying to get speaking engagements at senior centers and other community groups. I am determined to make a success of this.

Mindless Musings

Today I'm working for a few hours on my job monitoring bulletin board posts. Then I'll exercise. It's been really hot here for the last few days- 80's-90's. This is our summer in San Francisco. We had a small earthquake last night. It felt like a sharp jolt. I thought my cat, Holly Belle had bumped up against my office chair but she was in front of me, sitting on my desk, looking up and very perplexed. It was a 4.0 magnitude and did little damage from the reports.


I was very honored this month, to be one of Richard Simmons follow-up success stories along with my wonderful friend, Lorraine. I just hope our stories will help others see that losing weight and keeping it off are a real possibility, even at our age.
http://www.richardsimmons.com/j/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=8&Itemid=51

I'm still trying to get my coaching business off the ground I've been contacting community centers and senior groups to see if they would like me to come speak. But more about that tomorrow because I've got to get back to work.

Sunday Musings

Today is an “at home” day for me. It's cooled off quite dramatically (like 30 degrees lower overnight!) I am working on monitoring web sites toady. I monitor forums for inappropriate content. It is amazing what people will say anonymously. I'm learning word that I didn't know that I didn't want to know. I love making extra money this way because I get to work from home, I set my own schedule and I work with wonderful people, as well.

While I'm working, I am listening to Richard Simmons show, "Lighten Up," on Sirius Satellite Radio. http://www.sirius.com/richardsimmons I've lost over 100 pounds using Richard's program. He has been so inspirational, helpful and supportive of me over the years. His program and his philosophy is to eat sensibly, exercise and think positively. And it really works because all of these things just become part of your lifestyle. That is how I've kept my weight off for over 5 years. It is hard but so worth it as my life is so much better now... mentally, physically and spiritually.

Day Two of my Blog

I sit here thinking, "I really have to blog!!" I am a writer but I usually only write when moved by the spirit, the muse or something especially interesting or moving happens to me. Writing just to write seems foreign and stilted. But here goes anyway.

It is still extremely hot in San Francisco, (in the high 80's today.) I just got back from my grandniece's dance recital. http://www.wspadance.com/ A program full of mostly girls in various stages of maturity, practice and talent. The littlest ones were adorable as they tried to keep up with each other and their teachers. One little girl, about 4 years old , either forgot or never understood, that this was a group performance as she proceeded to do her own thing. The best part was when the lights went off and she just stood on the stage when the others in her group were long gone! I was amazed by the older performers who could do things with their bodies that I never could. I will go back this evening when my other grandniece has her performance.

The time in between performances is up for grabs. Should I nap? Should I work on marketing my coaching business or should I monitor websites and make some money? This is my eternal quandary right now. My life is so full of diverse components that push and pull me this way and that. But it's never dull and for that I am grateful... usually.

I think I'll do a bit of all three. I need to figure out a way to market my weight loss coaching business. I know I am good, I just need clients to prove it. I used to work in marketing for a telecommunications company but I've never really had to market myself. I've marketed my child care business but that is much different. I am totally experienced, I have a great facility and stellar references. Starting out with weight loss coaching seems totally foreign. I have to market me... just me. But I am as passionate about this business and I was about my child care business so I will do what I need to to get it up and running. But for right now, I need to make a little money so I'll do that now and market later. As for that nap... I feel one coming on soon.

My First Blog

Well, here I am blogging in cyberspace!

I'm a 57 year old woman and I live in San Francisco CA. I have 3 different jobs right now. I have a home daycare, I monitor websites and I am a certified life coach. My most important accomplishment, for me personally, so far, is that I've lost over 100 pounds and kept it off for over 5 years.

I am beginning this blog for several reasons:

1. I am a writer and I have been told that blogging on a regular basis is great practice for improving my writing.

2. I want to keep in touch with my family and friends.

3. I have just been certified as a life coach and I am specializing in weight loss and wellness and I want to let people know about my services and how I am progressing in this new career.

It is kind of daunting for me to think that I really need to get in the habit of blogging regularly but I know this is something I really want to do.

Over the next few entries I will talk about myself, my past and the things in my life that brought me to where I am today.

It is extremely hot here today, (in the 90's , which is unusual for San Francisco.) Our temperatures typically stay in the 50's to 70's year round. I am about to leave and go to see my sister who is recovering from gall bladder surgery. I am planning to walk part of the way and I hope the heat doesn't wipe me out!

You can find out more about me on my websites:
http://LynnMaysenhalder.com
http://thinlynn.com


Live lighter,

Lynn