Charlie Hearse

See what I did up there? These leg cramps are killers. Get it? I crack myself up sometimes.

Anyway, thanks everyone for the suggestions for dealing with the cramps. I am going to follow Kate's advice and consult with the doctor (if for no other reason than to give her an anecdotal connection between Symbicort and the cramping), and then I'll try several of the suggested remedies. I put a bar of soap under the sheets (hey- in my house, we buy warts from each other to get rid of them, and it works. I'm not above using magic), and I'm drinking a Tonic and Sam's Choice Water right now. If the Dr says it's okay, I'll take a potassium supplement (bananas are forbidden fruit in our version of Diabetesville).

Speaking of Tonic Water- I am new to the ways of tonic, and had no idea that there was such a thing as Diet Tonic Water, though I'm glad it exists (90 calories and 24 gr of carb per serving of the regular? I think not). I would not be able to drink this unadulterated (and I'm not in the mood for Gin at the moment), so mixing it with the Sam's Choice helps. There's still a bitter aftertaste, sort of like the white pulp under the skin of a grapefruit, but otherwise, it's palatable. And if it'll help lessen the cramps, I'll drink it straight.

In the meantime, work progresses apace on the YA Fantasy, and I'm down to the foot on the second Netherfield sock.

And Shopko, a local discount store, has the coolest linkable letter Christmas ornaments in stock this year.

You buy the pieces individually, and then assemble them to make words and phrases. I picked up enough to make everyone's name (though it took multiple trips, since in my fuzzy-brain stage, I managed to forget several vowels, and a couple of consonants, entirely). Are these fun, or what?

And as a carrot (per Mary), this book (all signed and inscribed and everything) is waiting for me when I finish the YA. I dare not crack the spine until I write The End. However, it is calling me... I am trying to be strong...



Charlie, meet Horse

In my ongoing determination to keep you all posted on the minute details of my bronchitis recovery (you want a cough by cough description, right?), I mentioned yesterday about waking up with leg cramps. Multiple leg cramps. Every night. I thought they were caused by the cessation of exercise (you can't go from 3 years of daily workouts, to nothing, without paying a price). On the other hand, I learned the hard way, that it is simply not possible to exercise when you can't breathe. I deemed breathing more important, and stopped running. Or walking. Or moving mostly...

The cramping seemed like an unfortunate, but logical outcome to the sudden change in routine. Yesterday I started a regimen of slow walking on the treadmill- just a mile at a time, nothing speedy, nothing to tax my lungs, just something to stretch those calves, hoping that would help.

This morning, unfortunately, I was awakened by the Monster of all Charlie Horses (we're talking nasty here). Afterwards, The Hub suggested that maybe there was a link between my current meds and these new wake up calls.

Google is my friend.

Since I now know that I'm stuck with the leg cramps for the duration (I have 3 more weeks of inhaler treatments), I'm searching for something, anything, that might help.

So, Blogiverse- what do you do for leg cramps? I'm open to suggestions.