Special Needs Momma's Workout

Lets be real, being a special needs momma comes with a high level of stress that we learn to operate in to a somewhat normal status.

But when is comes to working out our bodies are taken through the ringer...

• Lifting a child that cannot lift their own body in anyway, offering no help in lifting (in fact sometimes resistance).  It is a workout, especially when they want to be held for longer than your arms can actually hold them.  And when they are no longer little babies (perhaps 7 yrs old).
• Leaning over the bed/table/floor many times a day to dress, change, diaper, wash them...while holding their position (again sometimes they offer more resistance than help).
• The quick sprint across the house to help with a seizure, vomit or exploding diaper...sometimes you feel like you cannot move fast enough.
• Loading and unloading the wheelchair.  These things are not light. 
• Loading and unloading them from the car.  Oh how loading them in those car seats can work up a quick sweat.
• Doing the loading and unloading in the pouring rain and making a mad dash inside...but no matter what you end of soaked and out of breath.
• Walking the doctor halls and hospital halls.
• Walking any hall or just around to keep them calm and happy.
• Haircuts (stress and a workout for all involved).
• Bending over in awkward positions to hold them still for x-rays or scans or tube changes while the techs work on them (for way too long)...all the while wearing the lovely lead vest which only pulls you down.
• Sitting in awkward positions for long periods of time because they finally found rest in your lap and got comfortable so you dare not breath or move, in case it might upset them.
• Holding them as still as possible, with the firm but not too firm grip, while the tech tries to get blood or get a line.
• Hovering over their bed or hospital bed trying to comfort them, not wanting to leave their side, wanting them feel mommy right there beside them.
• A mad dash to gather all of their things and medications before the ambulance arrives (or you need to speed away to get medical help).
• Running from the parking lot to the doctor office because you were late and do not want to miss the appointment (because of a needed diaper/wardrobe change, seizure, vomiting, horrible DC traffic, etc.).
• Lifting all of the boxes delivered with feeding and medical supplies.
• Shaking all of the food and medication to mix.
• Stress burns lots of calories, right?
• Lifting, yes I listed this at the top but I needed to list it again.  There is a lot of lifting.

And all the things that sabotage any sort of benefit from the things listed above.

• Being in the car driving back and forth to appointments.
• Long doctor appointments (or days at the hospital) that leave you exhausted and hungry so the drive through on the way home becomes the option.
• Hospital food.
• Forgetting to eat.
• Being to exhausted and barely having a free moment to even consider working out, letting alone actually doing it.
• Snacking, lots of down time (the hurry up and wait game) at doctor offices and hospitals.  And eating a weird times.
• Lots of sitting in those offices and hospitals.
• Sitting doing countless phone calls and paperwork (for everything).
• The drive home from Children's can pass Georgetown cupcake (and many other great treats).
• Choosing some stupid TV show or movie instead of working out because you need something mindless to do and you just want to collapse in a comfortable position.
• You cannot fathom adding one more thing to your to-do list.
• Sleepless nights.
• Everyone else comes first so a workout is not even on our mind.
• Stress.

But the truth is, as a special needs momma, our back needs to be strong and arms stronger.  We need to be healthy, we are one keeping things moving.  But we feel there is not enough time to take care of ourselves.  And often feel guilt if we do.  The bed calls our name way more than those sneakers we should put on to workout.

So I am trying to get back to working out...so far things have been working out...although I had to take Brayden to childcare at the rec center while I was in a class and I could hear his screams.  They did not come to get me but I could hear his protest.  And the stress added more tension to my workout (pro or con?!).