Time to Dance

Slightly more than a week on Symbyax and I’ve already gained three pounds. I really don’t need anymore weight on me; the psychiatrist didn’t want to put me on this medication for that reason. Heart disease, obesity and diabetes run in my family; anymore weight over my now 221 lbs. is like a death sentence.

But Symbyax works for me. It works better than any medication I’ve ever taken. I don’t hear voices or hallucinate smells. I actually sleep at night without interruption. I’m more congenial. I have energy to actually interact with my environment. It brings me as close to normalcy as I’m going to get.

I’ve recently taken a blood test to see if I have a malfunctioning thyroid, but in the mean time I’ve been looking into joining a nearby gym to try to lose weight. All of them have convoluted contracts and ambiguous cancellation requirements. The one I like the most is actually at the nearby hospital. It’s cheaper, more straightforward and the patrons are diverse. The upfront membership fee is still more than I can handle at this moment in time, so I have to wait for my next paycheck or two to join.

Why join a gym? It’s air conditioned. I happen to live in Florida, where the heat and humidity are intolerable. I also get a rash if I stay in the sun too long. It also increases the chance my pale ass will get some form of skin cancer. There’s no room in the apartment for any form of activity that isn’t computer related.

Edit: John offered to foot the bill for a joint membership, and I went to the gym today for the first time in three or perhaps even four years. I had a blast. Since I’m totally out of shape, I started slow: I did ten minutes on the elliptical machine, ten on a treadmill, and finished up the day with an hour of beginner’s yoga. Yoga was one of the most physically difficult activities ever. I was covered in sweat by the time it was done. Yoga takes a lot of strength, flexibility and balance, all of which I have lost over the past few years. I’m trying not to take it that hard. Hopefully, I will regain those skills after several months of practice. Yoga was difficult, but fantastic, and I’ll be returning to for next week’s class.