Tag: Health Goals

Charcot-Marie-Tooth: New Year’s Revelations

Are you familiar with the age-old idea of making New Year’s Resolutions, where you list ways to improve yourself and use New Year’s Day as a starting point? I’m at it again this year.

For many years in my younger days, I made New Year’s Resolutions and did my best to keep them. This usually lasted until around the 20th or so of January. Amidst all that, I was constantly restarting the New Year, meaning restarting the resolutions on the 23rd meant that it was the New Year for the resolutions. It got old along about February 3rd. I did my best to keep whatever resolutions were left to keep. Along about June – July, I would take a trip to the beach where I would walk and evaluate my progress.

New Year’s Resolutions are good as long as you don’t try to conquer too many things all at once. In other words, I always managed to fail when I tried to reinvent myself by using a starting point of January 1. Eventually, I changed the New Year’s Resolutions to New Year’s Revelations because it would be a revelation if I really managed to make the changes.

This year, though I know it is hard to improve on perfection, I have decided to make some revelations for 2025. So here we go:

First and foremost of importance, I want to read my devotions and Bible more regularly. As I have had to change my morning routines more than a few times, and have had some battles with fatigue and exhaustion this past year, I found myself not reading my devotions and Bible as often as I should. Unfortunately, the old brain is forgetful, and it happened. Recently, I reminded myself that my tablet has access to devotions and my Bible. I have it with me everywhere around the house. So, there I go. 

Second, read as many books as possible in the year, aiming for at least twelve. A few years ago, my chiropractor told me that Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) can affect the brain. I haven’t taken the time to read up on this yet, but it concerned me as he seems to know quite a bit about the disease. He suggested reading more often. 

My goal for 2025 is to read a book a month. This year, I plan to list what I read, as it could be that I am already reading more books than I realize. I tend to finish one and go on to another. 

Ideally, I would like to read through my Bible Prophecy library books by July. That, however, would be impossible for even the fastest and most intelligent readers unless they had all day and night to do nothing but read. That being said, I plan to read as many of these books as possible this year. 

Third, listen to more music and watch less TV. In early 2024, I got back into my favorite classical music hobby. I had a medical procedure in late 2023 that caused me to have to rest for three weeks. When I came home from the procedure, I went to bed to rest. I had my tablet when I started thinking about what I enjoyed and could enjoy while recuperating. Though I hadn’t waited until the last minute to prepare for this, I did a web search on classical music. I had forgotten how valuable the internet could be for someone interested in music. So, the exploring began.

I discovered the wonderful world of streaming concerts from around the globe via Medici.TV, Symphony.Live, and Stage+. As a result, I found myself enjoying my CD collection and cataloging purchases as much as I did years ago.

 Over the past few months, I have left the TV off and played classical CDs in the mornings while writing or doing my online church work. Unexpectedly, but not surprised, I found that my stress levels went down as I didn’t have the TV noise on as much. Also, there were plenty of moments when the music was so sublimely beautiful it was incredible. That alone was worth keeping the TV off.

I will continue my workouts in 2025, possibly adding a day and a routine. About a year ago, I started working out at a Wellness Center in my town. As a result, I have increased my strength, improved my confidence, am feeling much better, and even made a few friends along the way.

I will continue my workouts in 2025, possibly adding a day and a routine. About a year ago, I started working out at a Wellness Center in my town. As a result, I have increased my strength, improved my confidence, am feeling much better, and even made a few friends along the way. 

However, I am not much on working out. I go twice a week because I know that I will feel better if I do so. If I do not work out, the pains of CMT will become annoying again, and I don’t want that. It would be good for me to workout three days a week. In these winter days, I would have time to do it. When the weather changes to spring and the outdoor chores return, it will not be possible. So, am giving thought to adding the third day. 

Also, my exercise specialist gave me a list of exercises I can do at home to firm up the old man’s gut. I am going to start doing them. 

And finally, there have been too many times in 2024 when I neglected to walk my dog. It is a great exercise for both of us. She and I love getting outside and exploring. My goal is to make walking her a priority. 

By the end of 2025, I should be even more perfect than I already am. I think these efforts will be worth it!

Happy New Year!

It’s My Birthday and I’m Celebrating!

“A Black Dog”
Photo by Ken Reid on Unsplash

It’s my 57th Birthday! I don’t normally do much to celebrate the day but as I grow older, I have decided to celebrate these milestones. Each year that I reach has become milestones because the doctor in my youth diagnosing Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) said I would not be walking much 40! Well, I am.

When I was in my 20’s I learned a trick to help me to get through the challenges of CMT. The trick is to celebrate or acknowledge accomplishments as I fight physical battles with a gift or celebration. Of course, there needs to be a goal set that should be challenging. The goals have included completing a series of physical therapy sessions without skipping or canceling one, swimming more laps and surviving it, following a water workout regiment and being successful, and walking the dog a set amount of miles. You can create or determine the gift or celebration at the time of creating the goal or once you reach it. I’ve waited until I reach the goal and go from there. Most of the time it is something simple like a few CD’s I’d been wanting or something from my railfanning interests like a book. Sometimes, it’s a big celebration.

When I turned 55, I celebrated it by taking a trip to the western Pennsylvania area to see a Chessie System locomotive which CSX Transportation had recently repainted as well as visiting the Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark in Altoona, PA. A week of trains was awesome. I celebrated the day by taking the stairs up the side of the mountain at Horseshoe Curve just to prove to myself and to celebrate I can do it. After all, I wasn’t to be walking at 55! This trip took planning to make it special.

For my 57th, I do not have anything special except to do what makes me happy! Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, I will not get to go to church today. We usually go out to dinner with the church family after the Worship Service. I will miss that on this day. However, I might have to walk out on my deck naked, jump up and down, and shout ‘Happy Birthday!” a few times. But, I will celebrate the day taking a very long walk with my dog. He makes me happy and enjoys my company. I might have to grill a steak or something and drop a piece for him.

For me, birthdays are personal. I have never ever been one who enjoys parties or gatherings with other people, especially for my birthday. When the office would celebrate the birthdays in a month, I always dreaded it. This is why I will pay attention to what makes me happy and celebrate my birthday as I like.

Oh, and, this day acknowledges 17 years of walking past age 40!

Happy New Year!

(C) www.storyblocks.com, Used by Permission

I love the new year. To me, it gives a chance to evaluate what went right and what went wrong in the last year health-wise, that is. When I do this, it gives me the opportunity to realize where I can improve myself this next year.

For someone with Charcot-Marie-Tooth, setting health goals might seem a little silly or maybe even stupid. No, not at all. I can have goals to try to reach, but, I need to be wise with what goals I set. For example, in 2017, I walked 312 miles. Of course, this was with the encouragement of my dog! I set a goal to walk further than that. I think I set it to be around 350 miles. Surprisingly, I made it!

The setting of a health goal, made me get off my behind and go for a walk! Instead of being totally lazy, I walked. As I mentioned, it helped quite a bit that my dog wanted to go out for a walk too. He always reminded me to go for a walk and not to forget!

Another goal I realized in 2018 was to take advantage of the Deep Water Aerobics classes on a regular basis. The classes are offered 5-days a week. Since I tend to “burn out” on repetitive activities like taking the class every single day but Sunday, I planned to take the class every Tuesday and Thursday when I am in town. Maybe on Mondays when I might miss one of those days. I succeeded in attending my classes and will plan it again in 2019.

Health goals, as I call them, for someone having Charcot-Marie-Tooth needs to be reasonable. For me to decide in 2019 to walk 500 miles is unreasonable. It is 150 miles over what I did in 2018. I might aim for 375. An easy way for me to think about it is a mile day and a little more here and there. However, if I aim too high and get too ambitious, I could hurt myself and get discouraged with not making my goal. Too low and I might feel like I didn’t accomplish anything.

An important aspect to keep in mind, is if you miss a day or two, don’t stress about it, just pick right up and get going again. For me, it took many years to reach the about to walk very far- it did not happen overnight.

Using an app on your Smartphone to track miles walked and any other exercise is really a great way to track your success.

As always, talk to your doctor about health goals and any, and all, exercise routines. Each Charcot-Marie-Tooth patient can have different symptom and situations. Your doctor will know what’s best for you.