Un-recovered Muscles

Before, during, and shortly after the big flare of 2004, I lost a lot of muscle strength and ability in my quads. I can no longer squat. I can no longer use my legs alonr to climb things that are higher than a normal set height. I use a mounting block and my instructor's help to get on Jazz every week for my equestrian therapy. I've been doing yoga and riding therapy for a year. While I've seen some minor improvement, it's not back what it used to be. I still manage. I just do so slower and with breaks as needed.

Today, however, we worked those muscles (and my glutes) to the max. We're in Puerto Rico for a few days over the Thanksgiving holiday.

 We went down in an awesome cave. The walk back out, was a good little workout to get the day started. Then we went to the world's largest radio telescope. Guess what? You have to climb a rather steep hill to get there. I made it, but we went at a snails pace and I rested a few times along the way. My heart was certainly pumping when I got to the top and you could feel those extra beats today for sure!

On our way to find dinner ... We stumbled on a lighthouse. More climbing.

Oh and our apartment is up four flights of stairs because the elevator is broken.

My quads and glutes are quite tired. My hips, too. Needless to say, tomorrow will be our planned down day.  If I can get down the stairs to the car, we're going to the beach and doing nothing for the day.

If we've learned nothing else from my time with this disease, we have learned to plan down days amongst all the activity.

I'm OK with that.