Tuesday, October 12
Aside from pleasant times with friends and gorgeous weather, nothing of note happened today. Walking, both morning and evening was like a cat on dry leaves.
Wednesday, October 13
The town was empty this morning when we went to the Duomo for my exercise routine, and the weather was bright and beautiful. Walking took three laps to warm up fully, then the remainder flowed in a manner befitting any self-respecting feline.
Lasagna for lunch, then a half hour nap that rendered me zombie-like and awkward. Pacing the hall twelve times woke up brain/muscle connections.
Shiatsu was, once again too brief (why does Michele have to quit at all?). He says my body is looser with every session. The work left me energized.
Natalia stood in for Roman who is finally getting some time off, so we took a walk to San Giovenale without the conveyance of a wheelchair. We went to the wall, admired the view, and returned with no need to lean or grab a pole (which last spring I had to do every few minutes). To compare the walk to that of any living creature would be insulting to them, but I did it without being exhausted afterwards.
However, the combination of strenuous (for me) exercise and the energy derived from shiatsu leaves me this evening rather uncomfortable. So, I paced the hall for a while, twice, and I slept well.
Thursday, October 14
We did a full kilometer on the Duomo sagrato this morning in a manner that would make even the stealthiest of cats jealous. The grand finale should have been accompanied by bells, applause, or at least a piano, but all we got was one cat meowing. Roman speculated that the others were at work, I suggested they may have caught the high speed train south in search of warmer weather. At any rate, at about our sixth lap, a lady who lives across the piazza stopped to compliment us on our persistence, to comment on my progress, and to wish me a good recovery. There are angels everywhere if you look.
I napped for forty minutes after lunch, and remembered upon waking why I used to set an alarm for 25 minutes; forty is too long, it leaves me stupid. So I did ten laps in the hall and had a reasonably productive afternoon.
Evening walk to San Giovenale was as awesome as this morning’s – quiet, good posture, long strides, and even though we repeated Piazza Gonzago thrice on the way back, I didn’t have to stop at all. I feel clear-headed and taller. Fine, let the recovery continue!
Friday, October 15
There was a cold wind in both Piazza del Duomo and Via delle Costituente this morning, but Via del Duomo (which connects the two) was calm and sunny, so we decided to leave the wheel chair at Marino Moretti’s studio on the Piazza and walked the Via instead. Two laps. Cat-like steps most of the time, no breaks. It felt triumphant. Muscles were not quite as relaxed as I would like, as it seemed that I didn’t feel quite safe walking an active street with a long incline, so that will be something to address this evening.
By the way, I slept well again last night.
After lunch I napped for about twenty minutes and woke without zombie effects, but as is always the case when I wake on my own after sleeping on my back, both arms shook for several minutes. That never happens if someone else wakes me or it I’m jarred back to waking reality by an alarm, only when I wake on my own. Weird.
The evening stroll was equally triumphant. Regards walking, I’m on a roll. Roman has been telling everyone that next week we will walk all the way to Piazza Cahen. We shall see. He’s usually right.
On the other hand, muscles have continued to be tight most of the day; not painfully so, just distracting. And on the third hand, my spirits are high and I continue to feel unusually smart. (Watch out!)
Saturday, October 16
Today is a market day, and there was a chill breeze, so we opted for walking Via del Duomo again. When we arrived at Marino Moretti’s studio at about 10:45, there were very few people on the Via. When we started our second circuit a few minutes later, it was rather crowded, and by the time we finished it was mobbed. Hence, what began as another triumph was gradually eroded until at the very last my steps were in a high state of confusion. Lots of people scatters my calm and concentration, both of which are needed to walk really well at this point. So a short nap followed immediately, and because it was short, it refreshed.
Muscles are less tight than they were yesterday.
A series of short naps followed lunch, naps so satisfying that at each iteration of the alarm I was amazed that 23 minutes had already elapsed. And the big discovery was that I could nap for a bit more than an hour in 23 minute chunks without waking up a zombie.
A theatre in Tampa has expressed interest in one of my plays. It is one I last looked at three years ago, and since I have a Zoom meeting with them tomorrow, I thought I should read it beforehand. Well, let’s just say I seem to have learned a lot in the three years since. They want to develop the play and that’s a good thing.
Our evening walk to San Giovenale went well, but I wore out at the end. Still, it was without any breaks, and much of it was cat-like.
Sunday, October 17
Once again I slept soundly getting up only once around 03:30.
The morning walk was complicated. We tried Via delle Costituente first, but although initially empty it quickly filled up with crowds that stood around rather than walked. Valerie had joined us at Bar Sant’Andrea, so Roman suggested we walk to the Duomo for a few laps on the sagrato. Via del Duomo was already packed, Valerie is shorter than Roman, and it meant starting my walk on a long, uphill grade (however slight), so while the walk was not a disaster, I never really found a rhythm or pace. Then we paced the sagrato, some with Valerie, some with Roman, for another six laps and wheeled home via Bar Brozzi (which despite the thick crowds was completely free of customers).
For my fellow travelers; restless leg syndrome has once again all but disappeared. Either it’s a PD symptom that has gone away (at least for now) or it is finally responding to the calcium/magnesium citrate supplement that I’ve been taking at lunch and bedtime. A reluctant swallow reflex has returned in small measure; present but not nearly to the degree of several months ago. My legs are generally stronger than they have been in well over a year. And for today at least, typing is smooth and largely accurate (or was until this sentence!) Two steps forward and one step back is real, just remember that the step gained is also real.
Monday, October 18
Our morning walk on il sagrato was embellished by the presence of 22 sports cars: Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche, and one Austin Martin. Not in my wildest dreams can I imagine having (or even driving) such an automobile, but I have to admit that they are beautiful creations. And they made the ten almost perfect laps (one full kilometer) race by like one of those magnificent machines on the autostrada.
My afternoon naps are getting shorter as my walks grow longer. I got a little peckish around 4:30 this afternoon, and felt more symptomatic than I’ve felt in weeks, so Susan fixed me a peanut butter and jelly (actually jam) sandwich and within twenty minutes I was restored. Roman calls a P&J la merenda Americana.
We walked Costituente, also a full kilometer. That posture was good and my gait relatively shuffle-free is hardly worth mentioning anymore, it is almost automatic.