Ahem. Please to allow an interruption of this Short Horror October 2023 series as I slip in a fitness updates post, because I’ve got updates. After starting and stopping and twice slogging through post-workout soreness, aka Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), aka agony that made walking practically impossible the last time it happened, I’ve at last managed to haul my “return to exercise” mission back to a place of consistency.

My right lung is still somewhat of a mess, and it may never be the same again, but I can’t allow it to control my fitness. My CT scan of two weeks ago showed “near resolution of consolidation,” along with scarring (and some other nonsense of which I won’t speak at the moment), meaning that I still haven’t completely cleared the pneumonia, and there’s now a bit of damage as a result of the infection. I’m under the care of an excellent pulmonologist who continues to have no objection to my working out, so it’s entirely on me to do what I can fitness-wise. She sent me in for a pulmonary functioning test two days ago, results forthcoming, and I’m continuing with my treatment regimen of twice-daily Wixela inhaler.

All of that to say that if I can work out to any extent, I will. Lung damage or no lung damage, I’m lifting weights three days a week. Today was workout Day 4, and I’m already starting to feel like myself again, energetic and happy to be in my body.

Current breakfast of choice, Monday-Saturday: oatmeal cooked in water and combined with chocolate plant protein powder, cinnamon, and plain unsweetened soymilk.

Several months ago – since I lost my job, actually – I quit intermittent fasting and got back to eating protein-packed oatmeal six mornings a week. I’m hooked. Peanut Butter Pancake Sunday is sacred and will not change. I still use Birch Benders plant protein pancake & waffle mix for that; it is delicious.

For my workouts, I’m back to living-room gym sessions using dumbbells to do my favorite Les Mills Body Pump classes (Les Mills On Demand), and I have my eye on a certain Funk Roberts workout, as well. Stay tuned for that! Have I mentioned that I rearranged the furniture in the living room so I’m not having to work out behind the couch anymore? I’ll be able to start posting fitness updates with pics again.

On that note, friends, I’ll leave you to your agendas of the moment. Oh! This Saturday in the cosmos we’re having a full Hunter’s Moon/partial lunar eclipse/Blood Moon situation, and it is going to be magickal.