Back when I started this blog, I wrote about exercise and why it’s such an ordeal for people with CFS. To summarize, a hallmark symptom is post-exertional malaise, which means that as much as the body needs exercise, it intensifies our symptoms. Depending on the day, a 15-minute walk around the block can land me in bed for the evening, conked out asleep with a fever. For people worse off than I am, it would mean the rest of the week in bed. If this sounds ridiculous, believe me, it feels even more so, especially since even things like writing or talking on the phone can bring this on.
However, this isn’t an excuse not to exercise, for those of us who are still remotely capable of it. And if you think I’m about to get preachy, let me assure you: I’m telling myself this as much as I’m telling anyone else. I hopped off the wagon months ago; my aversion to exercise has gotten the better of me for far too long. And the truth is that since I’m likely to feel crappy on any given day, I might as well at least get the benefits of exercising. Right?
I think I need this DVD.
So I’m going to attempt to motivate myself with the threat of semi-public humiliation, by making a pledge that I’m going to do at least some exercise every day, starting yesterday, and every Friday posting the number of days in a row I’ve managed to do it. I’m counting on you guys to keep me honest — and I promise to try to not take it out on you. (It’s not a coincidence I decided to start this on a week when Paul’s out of town.)
For my day to count, I have to do a set of crunches and push-ups, and a stretching session, and one of the following unless I seriously can’t get out of bed:
a walk of at least 15 minutes
a short yoga practice
a Wii Fit session
random other exercise (for example, cleaning out a closet)
Yeah, it’s far from the time when I would spend two hours at the gym on the days when I didn’t have fencing practice, but it’s better than nothing. Wish me luck?
Johan Mares, a CFS patient in Belgium, has been documenting his experience with the Himmunitas biomedical clinic near Brussels. I’ve enjoyed reading his methodical approach to his treatment, especially the issue of whether to get tested for XMRV. In his first post, he raises the question and puts it to his readers, and in his second post, he explains the process that led him to his decision. Since I’ve been on such a rampage lately about the lack of skepticism surrounding XMRV, I wanted to highlight Johan’s work as a contrast. And of course I wish him well with his treatment!
In other news, I’m changing my main post from Mondays to Tuesdays. So if any of you were wandering around here on Monday, confused and frightened by the lack of a post, you can call off the investigation and tell David Caruso to put his sunglasses back on.
I had been planning to send you off with OK Go’s awesome new Rube Goldberg video, but now that everyone and their hairdressers’ dogs have seen it, I’m continuing the Creme Egg theme instead. See you Tuesday!
A few things happened over the weekend. I had a delightful lunch with a friend, which is partly why I’m posting on Tuesday instead of Monday and owe everyone emails. I made some experimental and ultimately yummy egg salad. And I unsubscribed from the CFIDS Association’s Facebook page.
This last should bring some relief to those of you tired of my ranting about CFS patients and the Holy XMRV Grail. I’m not saying I’m done hammering that nail, because it still catches on my clothes and gets under my skin, but I’m putting a moratorium on entering any CFS-related forums or groups for now. I know I want to do something, but I don’t really know what that is, and so I just get frustrated with my fellow patients without having anything especially productive to add, since we’re way past “XMRV isn’t science yet” at this point. It’s easy for some people to leave their woo groups behind when they become a skeptic, but I need to stay plugged into chronic illness and especially CFS information at least to some extent. And those communities are filling up with bad science now even more than before the WPI’s study, and it’s just too deep for me. I’ll get back to this.
So instead I am posting the recipe for that egg salad. “Recipe” is actually too generous of a word. It’s a map to your destination, not directions, because my experimental process is extremely sloppy. My usual measuring amount is “about this much ought to work.” You can consider everything in this recipe “to taste.” I call it Skeptical Egg Salad because I was, as you may be after reading the ingredients, not sold on the results of the experiment until I tasted the proof. And it was good.
Wrong eggs, but 'tis the season, amirite?
Ingredients:
6 to 8 hardboiled eggs, peeled and rinsed
3 to 5 strips of bacon, chopped into lean crumbles
A dollop of light mayonnaise or similar
Fresh dill, finely chopped
Fresh celery, finely chopped
Pine nuts
Capers
Old Bay seasoning
Celery seed
Dried dill weed
Paprika
Salt and pepper
Mash up the eggs real good-like. Put in as much of everything else as you like. Stir and refrigerate overnight. Eat on Triscuits.
Notes:
Because you’re putting so much texture into this salad, the egg base should be very smooth. I’ve found a potato masher to be my implement of choice. If you’re looking for a psychological as well as a taste sensation, try visualizing each egg as the skull of a person you’d like to see smushed. Cathartically mash it into minced-up goo. (Note: if you find yourself making egg salad on a daily basis, you may wish to consider therapy.)
Yes, I did mean to include both fresh and dried dill. I like my dill salad with a little egg in it. The dried dill and other spices are the reason to refrigerate it overnight, to let the flavors sink in. However, the bacon will be sexier if you serve it right away, so it’s up to you.
Be sure all your washed ingredients are very dry before you mix this together. It’ll get a little watery eventually because of the celery and dill, but avoid this initially by patting down the eggs and veggies. If you’re particularly suspicious, go ahead and give them a good frisking, but make sure someone else is present if you decide to do a strip search.
Traditionally I think I’m supposed to provide a photo of the finished product but, you know. It’s egg salad. Plus, I ate it all.
