Health (& bike pics)

[dalekboy]

It's been a funny old year, from around January my balance improved enough that I've only used my walking stick in the house maybe 3 or 4 times for the year to date. That's pretty awesome. But as my brain continues to rewire itself in different interesting ways, it's also meant that I get snowed under by little things really easily.

Classic example of this is from post-Swancon. Basically got back and didn't really go near Lj except once or twice a week for maybe half an hour at a time. I couldn't read LJ and still have the mental wherewithall to get anything else done. Often mental tiredness equates to physical tiredness and vice versa, so on a given day too much dishwashing will leave me unable to read, too much reading will leave me too tired to sort, etc. I'm really having to pick what I put time into, and then if there's anything left afterwards, do a bit more or something else. It's also become a little more common this year to ask Sharon to read something and give me the short version, because the words become a meaningless jumble when I'm tired.

I still can't believe I was so lucky to have a good period at a con. One con out of five since all this began. Not expecting it to happen again any time soon, so will probably start to think I shouldn't go to cons again as it feels a waste of money. But then again, C5 is a must, and so is Swancon, so... *shrugs*

I am gradually getting more stamina, but the amount of spoons I have on any given day is often around the same - basically I'm seeming to be ble to do a bit more with the same amount. It'll vary a little depending on what I've been doing for the days before, etc. One example is that I'm only just getting back to normal for the first time since a few weeks prior to the rent inspection. Part of the problem there may be that swimming knocks the stuffing out of me, so that'd been preventing me from catching up on rest. I've certainly done better rest-wise the last two weeks where I skipped my Friday swim. Did any of that make sense? I can't always tell.

Of course, it's been annoying to use my available brainspace rebuilding the PC, but it needed to be done *sighs*

Talking to some people on the phone can still kill me for a few hours or the day, while others have no effect. There's no rhyme or reason to who will exhaust me and who won't, though generally I have the same reactions to the same people. Talking to Sharon on the phone drains me really quickly, and I've found in general the best thing I can do when talking to anyone is lie in a dark room. Less effort on multiple levels.

Of course once the baby comes along, things will get really interesting. My current plan is that unless I'm doing really well, I'll rest a chunk of the time the baby does. The non-resty times will be either houseworky stuff, or if I'm too physically run-down, then I'll do computery stuff. Initially it'll be a lot easier because it'll be Sharon and I sharing the workload once she's recovered from the delivery. I'm hoping to work on various coping strategies while she's home and have a basic idea of what is doable for my energy/concentration levels so I can figure out how to balance the baby's needs with other stuff that I need to do.


Interestingly, while riding the bike can be physically hard sometimes, like on hills, it's something I seem to be able to keep doing. That said, the 4km trip to the shops and back killed me both ways on Sat, whereas today I rode to swimming, practiced for 50min, then rode back. 10km with a swim in the middle and while I'm stuffed, I don't feel as bad as I did Sat. I could easily have gone for another ride on both days though.

And so to pics of the trike for the curious.


Here's the basic bike.


Here it is with the trailer in shot. You don't even notice the trailer's weight. It also makes a fairly ok shopping trolley :)


And here's mum on the trike :)
No she doesn't ride it, but I had to get her to have a go on it.

Comments

[kaths.livejournal.com]

Hmm, that's a bike perhaps even I could ride!

Will anyone else get the spoon reference?

[dalekboy.livejournal.com]

I have thought you'd do okay on it. My only concern would be for your back when you hit bad bumps and paving. I had a link to Fuse Recumbent's website a few posts back - their satisfied customers include people who've broken their back and who have muscle-wasting illnesses.

I mentioned spoons in a recent post, and had a link to it, and figured if anyone asked I'd just point them back to the post :)

[purrdence.livejournal.com]

The Spoon Theory is making the rounds via friends of friends of friends. You're one of the several people I've heard taking in spoons.

[arcadiagt5.livejournal.com]

I just had a look at your profile and it looks like the back problems are quite serious so I'd definitely get test rides before committing.

I would also seriously look at tadpoles with rear suspension (such as the Trice Q/T or HP Velotechnic Scorpion) or a long wheelbase delta like the Greenspeed Anura.

I found the Anura to be a very smooth ride, even over bumps that I flinch from on the GT5, but not as stable for high speed cornering.

Getting tests on those tadpoles could be tricky but Greenspeed are in Melbourne...

[kaths.livejournal.com]

INteresting info. I think I'd need some serious suspension!

I'd be a bit paranoid about bicycling around so close to the ground, so would have to stick to footpaths. Might stick to walking with the pram for the moment :)

[arcadiagt5.livejournal.com]

If the height is an issue, definitely look at the Anura. The seat on that is about the same height (17") as most dining table chairs.

Unlike most dining table chairs it has an adjustable angle...

[arcadiagt5.livejournal.com]

Footpaths can be bumpier than roads. Especially if the road is sealed with hotmix. Chip seal, not so much.

Some of the cycle paths in Canberra are just vile when it comes to bumps (they are too close to trees and the roots are coming through).