Author Archives: Tessa

About Tessa

Teresa (Tessa) Smeigh is now in her 60's and still going strong despite her disabilities affecting both physical and mental abilities. She has bipolar disorder (mental), Fibromyalgia (nerves), degenerative disc disease (spine), and arthritis (joints). Despite that she is active in Mental Health Advocating, writing for www.IBPF.org (volunteer for non-profit) and has 5 blog posts already published by them. She is also working on 2 fiction books (mysteries). She keeps her blog filled with useful content, daily devotionals (She is a Christian), stories and poems. Plenty to keep you busy. She has also been interviewed by blogs and had other posts published on many different blogs. She has 3 blogs so far http://www.tessacandoit.com and http://www.finallyawriter.com and http://www.sunnythoughtsandprayers.wordpress.com She is from Deptford, NJ. Her family and blogs keep her busy.

My muscles still say owee…

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I am still in a lot of pain from the classes. Simple as they are, I am just so out of shape I am in terrible pain.

There are 2 teachers and they both are different in style. One is harder than the other. I think I aggravated my Fibromyalgia as well.

I have lost 2.8 lbs since starting to eat low carb. I am not following the ADA (American Diabetic Association) diet and eating very low carb as most diabetics have found to work better than the high carb diet recommended by the ADA. I have definitely lost inches, moreso than pounds.

The dietician I talked to today has refused to help me because I refuse to follow the ADA diet and eat lots of milk, yogurt, fruit (is she nuts) other than berries, grains and some other things. The ADA diet is actually dangerous to diabetics who need to cut down on the carbs, not increase them. I have found a support group or 2 to help with this low carb diet. There are several drs who support the concept as well. Mine seems fine with it.

I am hungry. I think I will fry some eggs and sausage. No carbs, no shot of insulin needed. I will just take my long acting insulin tonight instead of 2 needles.

Teresa (Tessa) Dean Smeigh

-Advocate for Mental and Invisible Illnesses

-Author of Articles, Stories and Poems

http://www.tessacandoit.com

http://www.finallyawriter.com

Stretch those muscles…ouch

4 Replies

Today was stretch day for the silver sneakers.

I am in bad shape and was surprised how much I did. Of course pain is setting in on top of the normal pain. The class is kind of fun and most of it is done on a chair. Surprising what you can do on a chair.

My sugars started high this morning, but came down with my morning insulin and stayed down. I am doing a very low carb diet which helps.

My grandson’s birthday party is coming soon and there will be a carb issue and I want at least the cake if not the pizza too. I am probably going to have one or the other, most likely the cake which is my favorite. Unless she puts some vegetables out or something equally low in carbs. This is the hard part. Normally if I wasn’t following a low carb diet I would just use the insulin and bring it down the next day. I still might. You have to cheat at least once or twice or go nuts I say. I am doing good, but last night I had a piece of candy to 3 tiny cookies. That is why my sugar was high this morning.

Teresa (Tessa) Dean Smeigh

-Advocate for Mental and Invisible Illnesses

-Author of Articles, Stories and Poems

http://www.tessacandoit.com

http://www.finallyawriter.com

Pain from Yoga, but I did most of the class.

11 Replies

It is a seniors class done on a chair. I get a free membership to the whole club through my insurance. It is called Silver Sneakers. Not all clubs include the rest of the club, just the classes. I am lucky. As my body gets used to working out more and more I have the weights and machines to use plus a walk/run track. The weather outside doesn’t matter.

Teresa (Tessa) Dean Smeigh

-Advocate for Mental and Invisible Illnesses

-Author of Articles, Stories and Poems

http://www.tessacandoit.com

http://www.finallyawriter.com

Morning sugar reading was 118

3 Replies

Saw endocrinologist yesterday and he upped my insulin and I joined a 50 carbs or less group on Facebook.

I asked about getting off of insulin and he flat out told me I had to lose a lot of weight. I wasn’t insulted by it because it is true and I have come to terms with my weight. Maybe the low carb diet will help like before. Doing great til I quit, but this time there is no quitting. I am in it for my life. I want to live.

Tomorrow is my first silver sneakers class. I am so out of shape just walking a few feet takes my breath away. This class is for seniors and done on a chair. Sounds like what I need to get started.

I am happy, content, wealthy in ways other than just money.

Teresa (Tessa) Dean Smeigh

-Advocate for Mental and Invisible Illnesses

-Author of Articles, Stories and Poems

http://www.tessacandoit.com

http://www.finallyawriter.com

Things I would have done differently if given a second chance

6 Replies

  1. Exercise – I have hated exercise since I was a child. I simply would rather read a book. When the arthritis starting in my 20’s I gave up and didn’t exercise then either despite the doctor’s advice. It hurt, I didn’t do it. Now I know I should have worked through it then and maybe I wouldn’t be so bad now.
  2. Career – I should have gotten a career when I was younger and started to earn more than the measly jobs I took now and then paid me. I would have been prepared for the divorce and taking care of myself.

Now I am disabled and unable to work even a simple job and living off the measly amount the government gives me.

I am happy, content and working on my financial state.

Teresa (Tessa) Dean Smeigh

-Advocate for Mental and Invisible Illnesses

-Author of Articles, Stories and Poems

http://www.tessacandoit.com

http://www.finallyawriter.com

The Law of Attraction and Religion

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The Law of Attraction cares not whether you are deeply religious or not at all. Works for Atheists and Agnostics also.

It also doesn’t differentiate between good and bad thoughts part of the reason we draw the bad things to us.

I am happy. I am content. I am bringing the good into my life.

Teresa (Tessa) Dean Smeigh

-Advocate for Mental and Invisible Illnesses

-Author of Articles, Stories and Poems

http://www.tessacandoit.com

http://www.finallyawriter.com

Be Aware of Your Thoughts – they can attract bad as well as good

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We manifest what we mostly think about. If you dwell on bad things, bad things can happen.

Try to keep your thoughts positive and banish negative ones.

I constantly think about how sick and in pain I am and it never goes away. I am visualizing myself as healthy. I even visualize myself running again even though at the moment walking is an issue. I see it, I believe it, I can do it when the time is right.

I am happy, healthy and content with life.

Teresa (Tessa) Dean Smeigh

-Advocate for Mental and Invisible Illnesses

-Author of Articles, Stories and Poems

http://www.tessacandoit.com

http://www.finallyawriter.com