Things you enjoy doing

[maarten]

Hi all,

Among my favorite pastimes were motorcycling (need balance) and mixing music (need 2 ears). I guess all of us are faced with activities we used to enjoy, but can no longer do now.

I was interested if you could share how you've coped with this loss of joyous activities and if/how you replaced them with new ones? Personally, I noticed that I've re-evaluated the importance of many things in my life and things I used to belive were very important are no longer so, and vice versa. I'm trying to look forward with a positive attitude, as hard as that can be sometimes. One of the things I have started doing is meditating, and I'm quite enjoying that.

Please let me know your approach! Thank you.

Maarten

[Brendalu]

Maarten,

Let's see, I put my Wonder Woman suit in moth balls and my new suit is a purple hat and tennis shoes and whatever is comfortable that day.  My companion is a fancy cane or two.  I went form regular gardening to "container" gardening.  I went from five mile walks a day to 1/2 mile walks with a friend on each side.  I used to bake everyday for friends and neighbors.  I bake only on special occassions or very special requests.  That was a positive....everyone has lost weight.  I take more notes of what is going on around me.  I take pictures of every phase of my new home as it is being built and my father-in-law burns them to a CD for me.  I take a lot of naps.  I try to see the world through more positvie eyes..
BrendaO

[nancyann]

Hi Maarten:  Well, I won't be body surfing any longer, but I can/do swim in my pool at the condo.   No more mountain biking on vacations or hiking over rocks, etc, but I do take walks along a 2 mile path.  I still enjoy the outdoors/nature, & plan to continue taking vacations to see new places, just can't do the multisport thing anymore, but that's okay by me, I love life.

[FlyersFan68]

Hi Maarten,
   I can relate with the mixing. Even though I tried I could never walk away from it completely. I threw away the headphones and use amplified speakers. I never go too high with my levels. Still do well but not nearly as quick and creative. This used to be a second income for me but now I'm down to a once a month mix cd. It's a good thing my kids keep me busy.

[HeadCase2]

Maarten,
  Excellent question.  I used to ride motorcycles a lot, even road raced for a few years (National #2 WERA 750 superbike in 1979).  But in the last few years haven't really been riding much.  After losing a vestibular nerve to AN surgery, I still feel I can ride, but I recognize that my reaction speed is slower, so I doubt that I would enjoy riding as much as I used to.
  My hearing was affected a long time before AN diagnosis, so I've been dealing with effectively mono hearing for a long time.  I used to think the hearing loss was from motorcycle racing and playing in a blues band.
  The thing I miss most is playing pickup basketball, which before AN surgery I played a few times a week, and helped me stay in some semblance of shape.  I’ve played a few times post treatment, but with slower reaction times it's just not as much fun.  I’ve been ranging around trying to find new things to keep in shape.  We have a new Samoyed puppy, and he gets me out of the house for walks.
  One of the things I’ve noticed is that post treatment, I’m less penurious and less likely to sacrifice by saving for a later day.  For example, when I lived in Dallas I always admired Lucchese custom western boots.  In the eighties, business men downtown would even wear custom cowboy boots with suits.  I was in graduate school at the time, so I couldn’t afford them.  I recently bought some Lucchese boots, see http://store.lucchesecowboyboots.com/meluclbllicu1.html , a splurge that I may not have considered before.  I'm thinking, hey, I survived this, so I'm "going for it" more.
  In some ways I’m enjoying the little things of life more.
Regards,
  Rob
 

[Featofclay]

Rob,
WOW - I looked at that site....those must be some good looking boots!  Good for you buying something for yourself that you have always wanted. 
Jean

[Dantheman]

Rob,

I bought a pair of Lucchese black lizard boots to get married in.

I won't tell you what my wife calls them, in this post Imus world ...I wore them to my bachelor party first and now everytime I wear them with a suit she gives me the business

Dan

[TP]

Within about 10 weeks from my first surgery I was back at taekwondo. I did not have good balance at first but worked hard to get back to where I am enjoying working out. I am not back to where I was a couple of years ago, but that is ok. I am with people I like and enjoy and they push me, which is good. I did give up singing in the choir, I can't hear myself sing and don't want to torture those around me when I am singing so I sit back and sing to myself.

I find that alot of people around me are more upset or concerned than I am about what I've been through. I find that you can't change yesterday, you can't worry about tomorrow, live life to the fullest today. We never know when our time will end and we need to love those around us!

Hang in there, mediating is wonderful. I believe most of our problems or issues can be resolved when we pray, think, mediate and give up our worries!





 

[Jeanlea]

I was out kayaking today.  I had tried it a couple of times since my surgery.  It went well so we decided to buy our own kayaks.  Today my son and I went out on a smaller lake for about an hour.  Once I got the hang of steering again things went well.  I'm looking forward to doing a lot of kayaking this summer.

Jean

[nancyann]

Lucky you Jean !!  I loved kayaking, unfortunately, it was after kayaking in Alaska (finding I had alot of back pain when it was done) that I found out I have major lumbar problems, so no more kayaking for me !!!!     I can picture you out there on the lake......   what a great way to spend the weekend !!!!   Nancy

[HeadCase2]

 I agree kayaking is great fun.  I tried it for the first time recently in Charleston, SC., duriing spring break when the kids had off from school.  We didn't see any dolphins, but we heard that they're somtimes seen in Charleston bay.
Rob