Hi readers,
Today has really been a great day so far. I just got out of the doctor's office, which lately has signaled a pretty bad for me, but not today. It is the best news I have had in months. First and foremost my kidney function continues to improve. I am almost back to normal again. There is still blood and protein present in my urine, but much less than there was back in November and December. I also got taken off of my cholesterol pills. I think it must have something to do with my great new diet and exercise regiment. I am not off of the prednisone yet, but I have been lowered to 25mg a day, and I get to go down by 5mg every 2 weeks, if everything continues on the same smooth path.

I wanted to use today's post to rave about the benefits of yoga. I used to hate yoga, because I look absolutely ridiculous doing it. I used to be a ballet dancer before I got sick, but that certainly did not make me a yoga expert. I tried doing group classes in the past but I just felt awkward and clumsy. Then I moved on to pilates where I felt more clumsy and more out of place. After I got sick this time, and found myself beginning to gain weight from my lovely steroids, I found myself in the exercise DVD section in BestBuy. This is where I discovered the wonders of doing Yoga at home. I purchased a DVD called Yoga for Weight loss. I do the DVD in my living room floor. You hardly need any space at all for all of the movements, and you don't have to worry about looking proficient in front of strangers. I can fall, stumble, readjust, or scream, without anyone being the wiser.

I also can't fail to mention all of the health benefits other than weight loss. I read an article that said that Yoga is excellent for people on chemo or people who have been on chemo. It helps the chemo to filter through your system somehow. I wasn't sure that I believed it at fist, but it seems to be working for me. My new antibody chemo therapy, has killed off my B-cells as it was supposed to, and I am on the mend. Also, if your steroids are causing fluid retention and stiffness in the joints Yoga can very nearly cure them if you do it just ten to fifteen minutes every morning. If I miss my Yoga in the mornings my knees swell up and get so tight that I feel like I can barely straighten my legs. Not to go to far, but I think that Yoga has even helped with my moonface, by stimulating my thyroid gland.

So in closing, I would encourage everyone to go out and try Yoga, either at home or at the gym. I prefer it in the privacy of my living room, but some of you may prefer a more social environment. I hope you enjoy it, don't over do it, or hurt yourself, just have fun, and don't be afraid to look silly. If anybody is actually reading, and tries anything, please let me know how it goes, or if you have any advice for me don't hesitate to comment.
Val