It's been two weeks since I started the biggest change I've experienced in a long time: feeling better and getting good sleep.  My knees still feel good, which is nothing short of a miracle, especially in light of the temperature changes and storms we've seen in that time.

This new life comes with a learning curve - figuring out the limitations and learning to work around them.  I fall asleep easily now, and sleep through almost anything.  For the most part, that's a good thing.  The downside: sometimes I wake up in the morning with a kink in my neck from sleeping too long in the wrong position, something that would not have happened pre-Celebrex, because pain would have woken me up.  That neck pain is unpleasant, but it's a lot milder than what I'd have without the medication.  I'm having a similar experience with my back.  The answer: being more careful about how I position myself before falling asleep and doing exercises when I get up in the morning to work out the kinks and strengthen the body parts that hurt.

All the months of feeling lousy more often than not made it easier to maintain a flexible, spontaneous schedule of volunteer work, garden projects and naps than a serious job hunt and full-time schedule.  When I spent a full day downtown, it left me completely exhausted.  Two full days out left me spent for the rest of the week. 

Now I'm building up my routine, hoping that more days and weeks of good sleep will give me enough energy to be able to return to full-time work when I can get it.

I hope that all of you have a healthy year in 2012, especially those of you who have been struggling with health issues.  I'm wishing for some improvement in the economy, some light at the end of the long dark tunnel we've been traveling through for the past few years.

Here's to life!