A perfect storm

The past few days I think my life has run into a perfect storm.

Just a few weeks ago, everything was hunky-dory.  I was working out every day with an hour bike ride in the hill country and another hour practicing yoga with friends.  My knee was acting up, so I decided to have knee-replacement surgery in early November.  Enjoyable blogging and reading consumed much of my day.  My college son graduated and moved out of my apartment to move in with his girlfriend, and the additional space seemed fine.  Everything was going so well that I decided to stop using the anti-anxiety mediation, Lexapro, that I had been using since my divorce.

Then the perfect storm hit.  The after-effects of the knee surgery were worse than I expected.  I have a low pain threshold, so I used the hydrocodone as much as authorized, but still experienced significant pain because the dosage was too weak.  Then when I started weaning myself from the pills, I felt like I was in a funk, and a friend has told me that it is common to feel that way when getting off pain pills.

But another friend has told me that it is also common to feel that way when a person is suddenly prevented from exercising.  Even though I am now riding a stationary bike for 30 minutes a day, she said that is no substitute for the one-hour outdoor ride I did for 68 straight days before the surgery.  She said something about endorphins and such.

And what about the fact that I discontinued the Lexapro just prior to the surgery?  That certainly can contribute toward a funk.

For good measure, let’s add that one of my best friends moved out of town, the stock market is in a dive, and Washington D.C. is justifying its 9% approval rating.  Further, I finished a fascinating book on Lincoln.  Finishing a great book is always depressing, but this was even worse because of the sad ending.  And finally, the shortest day of the year is just around the corner.

Because of this perfect storm, I was so depressed about politics last night that, for the first time in forever, I simply turned off the TV at 7PM and went to bed.

Now, to snap out of it, I have resumed taking Lexapro, I am going to redouble my efforts get back on my road bike and back into yoga class.  And most importantly, I have concluded that my life was already getting too solitary, and in the past month it became significantly worse.

Time for a mid-course adjustment.