They’re part of the journey too!
Longtime DailyHap reader Gena VanOsslaer has made a few cameos on DailyHap before (here, here), and we’re happy to share what follows—a neat email to her friends:
I usually find myself posting updates about my progress through hepatitis c treatment when there are highs or lows. Not so much what I think of as the “in-betweens” – they can be pretty boring, and to me, somewhat discouraging. The very definition of “Plateau – a state of little or no change following a period of activity or progress” depresses me.
This excerpt from Lyssa Myska Allen, an athlete extraordinaire, and one of the co-creators of dailyhap.com, reminded me of the value of the ‘in-betweens’: “Gainzzzz are exciting. Not every day in the gym is exciting, or even a good day. And this coming from someone who loves the gym. The boring days are important too.”
Simple, but true.
I’ve felt like crap the last few days. Sick in the mornings, and just totally wiped out in the afternoons. Slept most of the day on Thursday, and when I woke up again at 3:30 Thursday afternoon, the idea of trying to accomplish anything productive at that point seemed useless – I just wanted to throw in the towel for the day. So I pretty much did. My tolerance for the plateaus, the in-between days, the boring days – is very low.
But the reality is, there are more of those in our lives than the highs and lows, and although they seem to hold no value, what if they actually do, even when we can’t see or feel it? Sleeping during the day seems like such a waste of time, but what if it serves to rebuild my body after the impact of these drugs? They’re incredibly powerful in attacking the hepc virus, but I have no idea what other organs/systems they also attack and what my body needs to recover.
So the lesson I have yet to learn? Learn to appreciate (not just tolerate) the plateaus.
And yes, I’m going to Celebrate the next “high” with gusto – the end of treatment in a few days, followed by what lab results that I fully expect to show that the virus in now Undetectable!
When we approached Gena on sharing this email, she wrote:
I think the most relatable part isn’t about hepc but what it feels like to experience plateaus – in relationships, professional growth, fitness goals, weight loss goals, recovery from illness or injuries – and not be tempted to throw in the towel because the momentum isn’t going forward as quickly as we want it.
We love how an idea can positively snowball when given the chance. Lyssa posts on boring days at the gym > Gena emails on plateaus being a part of success > EVERYONE can learn that every day has real value!