All Stressed Up & No One to Choke: Exercise!

For the 825th time, I had to remind myself how important it is for me to exercise and it worked!

I've been back at work since Tuesday and it's been nonstop annoying. Someone who I need to talk to had no time to talk to me until yesterday and then her kid got sick so she wasn't at work. Meanwhile, my two projects are due Friday and I can't get any further without her input. 

My mother went into the hospital Saturday for her standard fill 'er up (she has anemia and needs blood transfusions once in a while) and developed a UTI that the charge nurse RN insisted she couldn't have (we fought with them for three days about taking a culture).

When I was driving home from work the doctor called and said he was discharging her last night. 

Needless to say, I was just about simmering with stress, my trigger was set for a full-on, Exorcist-head-spinning freakout. 

I knew that if I drove straight to the hospital I would be sitting around waiting for 3 1/2 hours while they did all the stuff they do before they can discharge her. And I would walk in grouchy -- it would be downhill from there.

So, I went home and went for a walk first.

Gawd, it was glorious! A lot of the wildflowers are out. The temperature was 70-ish. There was no wind (big deal at my place). I got a full hour of moderate exercise in according to my GoWearFit thingee. My leg muscles even hurt a little when it was over (enough to make me feel like it made a big difference). 

It made it much easier to deal with Mom issues when I got to the hospital:

She needed me to clean her up some and she didn't want to wait for a nurse to come: no biggee.

She was impatient to get out of the hospital and tried to get up and walk out: I just told her in my Mom-voice she had to wait for the wheelchair to come. She sat down.

Since she had a prescription, we went to the pharmacy: 1) her two refills I called in on Tuesday had been cancelled and I didn't rip the guy's head off. I complained, but I was polite about it.  2) the 20 minutes for the new prescription was more like 40: I just went into a Zen state amongst the vitamins whilst I waited.

For dinner, she insisted on way too much food from Jack in the Box (which is nonfood for me). No problem.

I slept like a rock last night. It was wonderful!

So, the next time you're all stressed up: Exercise! You, your family, and the Pharmacy Technicians of the World will be so much better off. 

Have a great day!

You are so smart, Patti!   Good for you.   I will take inspiration from you and the next time I'm stressed out  (happens plenty) - I'll up the exercise.  Since I don't do too much yet, that will give me even more motivation.

Have a great day.

I love the thread title...

So many times I get to that point.. the point you described so well.. I am still laughing..

I too have found that a good walk really helps.. I tried weight training once and I really did too much and was tempted to throw the hand weights at anyone who came near.. so walking is much safer.. lol... I am enjoying the flowers in bloom and the warmth of the sun and the fresh air as I walk too, but when you are upset those things seem to really make the spirit calm.. This morning on my walk I could hear a mocking bird singing so beautifully.. It made me want to just stop and listen.. I heard him for a long time as I kept going and I was surprised on my return trip he was still there.. It actually made me grin from ear to ear to hear him again.. How can anyone stay in a lousy mood when they experience God's wonders.. SO I agree.. a good walk is the best exercise for stress.

As for your stress level I am not sure I would not have had to walk all night.. You deal with so many things.. I applaud you for not just going straight to the hospital and blowing up at the docs and nurses and then on to the pharmacist.. that would not have been good on you or your mom.. as for mom's,, mine is the one I usually blow up at.. I get so frustrated and I expect her to be like she was 10 or 20 years ago.. after all she is my mom and should know all these things and I can't figure out why she don't just stop and think..she is my mom and is suppose to be smarter than that..   well I guess when I am 70 I will not remember all the things I do now either.. I have to stop myself and tell myself she is 70 years old.. I guess I think she is still the mom I had as a kid..

Glad the walk did you good.. next time you get all stressed out like that remember to take a walk..

huggs..

You got it- exercise is key! Way to go making a smart decision that lead to many more smart decisions!!