How was your morning?

Something that I get asked a lot is What's a typical morning for a Girl with Arthritis?
Every day is different but a typical day goes like this. 

Woken up by the birds in the trees and a pain in my right hip. Sometimes I can move it other times I just lie there waiting for it to decide what it's going to do. I feel it has a mind of its own but then I remember, I control that mind.

As many of you know I am blind in my right eye but have minimal vision in my left eye that requires a daily contact lens or glasses use. I prefer the contact as my eyes are too big and my face to small to find a pair that fit just right. The contacts go in and usually by then my hip has decided to move.

The Meloxicam pills are swallowed and the adventure to get clothed begins.

I like to keep the clothes I wear the next day fresh next to my bed so that if I'm in too much pain to do anything I don't have far to walk to get clothed. The part that annoys me the most are my socks and shoes. I have my shoes laces pre tired so that I don't have to rely on anyone else to tie them but the socks are the most difficult part. If no one is around to help then I have the 'Sarah Way' of getting them on. It does take more time so sometimes I ask my dogs for help (not really, but imagine if that could really happen) 

Once the PJs are away in the drawer next to my bed and the bed is made I head to the gym for my morning unstiffening aka workout as the normal people call it. 

During this 'workout' my key exercises I complete everyday to unstiffen myself are:
10 minutes on the exercise bike 
100 Squats at 60kg on a smith machine
80 Lat pull downs at 25.5kg 
60 Jack knives with a 10kg weight
60 Chin Ups 
40 Tricep dips 
80 Leg Press at 140kg
On days when I am not so stiff I do more (which isn't often)
You may be thinking WOW THIS IS A LOT! but you have to remember that I train very hard everyday because if I have strong muscles, I'll have strong bones which leads to a healthier life, hopefully.

From here I mix myself a fruit smoothie full of bananas, peaches and strawberries with a bowl of yummy oats. 

What is your morning like? Head to my Facebook page and please let me know. www.facebook.com/sarahhammondgirlwitharthritis 

Until next week,

Just keep smiling as you never know who's day you'll brighten.