Since I’ve come back from Greece, I have this new routine, where I walk every morning before work, just 20 minutes.  After coming down from the mountains at the end of June into the terrible heat of the city and foothills on fire, I get edema.  I immediately do a lemon water purge, cut out potato chips at lunch, substitute carrots, keep moving.  My core tightens up, I lose a half pound in the first day or two.  All good for a couple of weeks, I’m getting stronger.

So on Monday about 5:30 my right eyesight goes.  I’m standing looking at my computer after a meeting with my boss and I know I’m in the headache zone.  I do what I’ve not done before: pack up immediately.  That evening, cooking, I just drop something.  The familiar sensation of being not quite connected to my body. But conscious.  The next morning it’s still pretty bad.  I can’t walk evenly, my right foot is dragging. I take is easy all day and night, still bad but not getting worse.  I’m strong, but the pain and the drugs are wearing me down.  It’s like an electrical storm inside, a high-voltage cable cut lose and dangerous.  When the neuro-damage acts up the whole right side hurts and doesn’t function right.

So I call my friend Airion, who gave me massages before I was injured, so when she worked on me after I was hurt she knew who my body was trying to be.  She diagnosed the neurological damage way earlier than the doctors.  I ask her if she has five minutes to help me and she tells me to drink lemon water (check), take 400 mg of magnesium and have some milk of magnesia right away.  This is perhaps interesting.  I’ve already taken an imodium. She says we don’t want the body to go into an elimination cycle.  (It already has.) She says have salmon on penne pesto for supper with some greens, a little red wine with cheese and fruit and watch a funny movie in a reclining position. Even some chocolate. I do everything but substitute reclining on the back porch watching the green summer evening instead of a video.

Wednesday is July 4 and I spend 3-4 hours in the heat walking, retraining body to function neurologically.  Thursday I take the train downtown to meet some authors and see the Yves St. Laurent exhibit.  Go straight home at 4:40.  Another evening on the patio.  Friday I get up, I feel good, go for a brisk walk. Until about 3 p.m. when I have a challenging hour or two, but work the full day and then some.  Workplay on computer at night though, write a poem on Facebook:

At Last
after being on fire
like an answer to prayer
it’s raining and hailing like a crazy jazz player

By Saturday I’m back in the garden, haven’t seen a doctor.  Sure there was that bad moment on Thursday night when I despaired of ever being better.  But today I am.  I’m in training for my own personal Olympics.  And every athlete has bad days.

More later,
J