So I have been retired for a month and yet no pension, thank you NHS Pensions... pension payments are delayed because I had not been given the correct information before retiring and asked to contact NHS pensions on the date of retirement. So in fairness, not all their fault but it is still no picnic...
Everyone says, make the best of being retired, 'you have done enough for everyone' etc
Well I wasn't ready for this people, I cannot get used to it.
Retirement is an escape from the trials and tribulations of work.
The continuing stressor and noxious stimuli are lessened and now one can focus on improving quality of life and in my case, getting better. However the hidden stress remains.
I am now focused on bettering myself where possible and devoting some quality of life to me.
This includes improving diet and exercise.
We have joined the local sports centre and are going swimming a couple of times a week. By swimming I mean very little energetic swimming and light floating and paddle. My spinal fractures do not allow too much of the old racing style I had always adopted. No more 'bombing it' down the pool and it's more chilled...
I have to move more, after all I was very active in my work and now, with the added residual effects of Encephalitis and the fractures in my spine, pain and poor mobility, I have put on a fair amount of weight.
Since Encephalitis struck, I have put on a frightening amount of weight on, four stone in 2 days short of a year.
You could say its because of my overactive.... Knife and fork. LOL
The blame could also go on the ready access to the cornucopia of food in our kitchen cupboards and my love for chocolate.
Being at home is too easy to access 'goodies' and although we have a large house, let's face it, it's not a million miles to and from the kitchen.
The ability to fill my day with physical challenges in order to rehabilitate me are limited due to the catalogue of ailments I have acquired over the last year. I need to strengthen myself up and undertake quite a bit of exercise per day, probably more than when I was working but work also meant quite a physical amount of effort and I maintained my weight.
The exercise regime is less strenuous on my calorific burning and therefore the balance is in the red. I had lost a lot of muscle mass during my ITU admission so had to eat more but now, I have topped the scales and got to the heaviest I have ever been.
As if I didn't have enough to contend with, I now have type 2 diabetes.
However, it's not all doom and gloom, having been told this, I have lost half a stone in a week... That is good going and its heading in the right direction
Maybe I can get to the weight I was at in the shoot for this cover?
I hope so
