Week 7

Life is getting back to normal, although Adrien is away for work again so the kids have been missing their classes, just don't get home in time for them to go. I missed Friday AGAIN! I got my first bad cat bite, it's kind of a given that it will happen at some point doing what I do, man did it hurt! Doesn't look very spectacular though, puncture wounds are just holes. So just one day after even though I'm on antibiotics it's infected, gross. I'm having trouble making a fist with my left hand because of the location of the bite and the swelling, so no spear for now. I feel really frustrated, like I just can't move forward at all. I have been keeping up with situps, acts of kindness and my diet tracking at least. Getting back on track with my kms as well now that I can walk the dog again.
The Silent River community impressed me again this week, Chantal wanted to be involved with Pandamonium and raising money and came up with the idea of a bake sale. She was so excited about the overwhelming support from fellow students. I'm so glad that my girls are part of such a great group that allows them to be involved in something worthwhile and gives them a venue to spread their wings as far as leadership goes.
As absent as I have been from the kwoon I am trying to stay engaged on my own, it's not quite the same but here's hoping I'll actually see you all on the mats soon!

Week 6

So I'm starting to feel like a real person again! It's such a relief. I didn't do any physical kung fu this week, but being out of bed and out and about a bit has given me the chance to at least do a couple of acts of kindness. I was the recipient of many acts of kindness over the last two weeks, thanks for all the nice comments everyone! I had great nurses in the hospital and my family and co workers were wonderful. I feel lucky to have so many great people around. I am going to try to get sit ups back into the routine starting tomorrow, I have gotten a lot of strength back but I really noticed sore muscles just from doing things like walking. I have already gained back 7lbs so things are looking up.
This experience has been a lesson in humility for me and has also made me so grateful for my health. I'm hoping to be in class on Friday, maybe just taking it easy but there!

Weeks 4 & 5...ugh

I have been very absent from kung fu, and everywhere actually, last week and it seems like I will be for a while longer. I am extremely sick right now, after waiting for my test results most of the week it was confirmed on Friday that I have cryptosporidium. Sounds wonderful right? Think of the worst stomach flu you've had in your life and up the cramps by 100%, then pretend it's been going on for 11 days. Yuck.

So it's a protozoa and I got it from working in the isolation ward with sick calves. So this thing has to run it's course, antibiotics don't do anything,. The problem is I can hardly eat or drink, I've lost 20lbs in ten days. Honestly I'm feeling scared to lose more weight and that this is never going to end. I'm so weak that walking to the bathroom from my bed leaves me breathless and my heart racing. I've gone to the hospital for IV fluids a couple of times now which helps, I just wake up every day hoping today is the day I'll feel better. I've been able to keep up with reading the blogs at least. I know this is all really gross and I wasn't going to post about it but I don't want to fall behind in journalling and this is whats going on right now. So that's where I am everyone, I don't know when I'll be back, hopefully I turn a corner here soon.

Week 3

I found it hard to keep motivated this week, I wasn't able to make to it any classes at all. Also it's FREEZING out! I'm still not able to practice anything with my spear outside of the kwoon. I was able to keep up with my situps and acts of kindness and my diet tracking, although after a couple of busy days not writing things down and those numbers are lost. I don't have much to say, just going to keep plugging along over here. It's getting to be the busy season at work- calving season. I'm hoping this won't keep me late to often. See you all Friday.

Week 2

I wish I was better at writing. I don't mind blogging weekly, but I find it hard to write down thoughts in a way that makes sense. I am trying to write down blog post ideas if they come to me this year, I have spent considerable time in the past few years staring at this computer screen wondering what to write about, as I'm sure most of you have too. At the meeting on the 8th part of the discussion was the  Benevolent Foundation and Ms. Fuhr asked what it was. I wrote down a note in the meeting based one what Sifu Brinker was saying about how it isn't necessarily about the charities and the money we raise, but how it changes US. Empathy training is only successful if the student actually feels empathy, makes a connection of some kind. I think that is where we are failing, not making those connections. It got easy for me working with so many SCARS animals at work, you can't not be moved by seeing a starving dog wolf down it's first meal in who knows how long, or watching an abused animal recover from it's wounds. I don't know how, but I want us all to take it onto ourselves to make a connection to our charities, make it personal. If we are supposed to be inspiring the school to raise 20,000 we need to be inspired ourselves. I think one of our down falls has been waiting to long to get this going, if anyone has any ideas about ways to bring this to the school, maybe has a talent with putting together a video or something, we should talk. How cool would it be to make this year the year we do this?

Week One

I forgot to cut and paste last weeks blog to the team site, whoops. It's been a good first week of Year of the Horse, I have become a convert to Sifu Brinker's method of getting my sit-ups done first thing. My day can often go awry from what has been planned and it is a relief to have that done at least. I'm having some trouble practicing spear in the house, crossing my fingers for warmer weather! It's easy getting in my km's walking the dog, although the weather is slowing down us there too a bit, the dog just isn't hairy enough for this climate.

One of my goals this year was to learn better time management. I'm often not home until 9 at night and it's easy for my responsibilities at home to get way behind, plus just doing mom stuff like talking to the kids, making their lunches etc. So far making sure everyone's lunches are made the night before and having at least 2 dinners prepped on the weekend has made a noticeable difference. Being part of the I Ho Chuan team keeps you BUSY as all returning members know, and I don't think I've ever successfully found a really good sustainable balance. I'm hoping this will be the year! See you all Friday.

New Year

Chinese New Year was amazing last night. It felt extra special this year, I don't know if it was because I wasn't a part of it the year before or what, but it was great.
I'm excited to start on new goals this year, at the same time I don't know if all I've set out for myself is really achievable. Actually I had second guessed myself to the point that I told Sifu Brinker I couldn't do it and that he could give my spot to someone else. If you've been in Sifu Brinker's office you know that it is somehow connected to another universe where everything he says makes 100% sense and all your reasonable arguments disappear, and so I'm on the team. Not that I'm sorry, Sifu Brinker was right and I can't wait to get going with the year. I hope that I can hang on to the feeling we had last night through this year and keep it in front of me through the tough parts of this coming year. Happy year of the Horse!