5 Minute Reset
The past week has been full of unexpected challenges. While they threw me off at first, I am finding new ways to adapt to the circumstances.
The first shock came when my cat, Bama, got sick. She had experienced similar symptoms a few months back, but with medication, the symptoms subsided. I thought it was just a random stomach issue or stress due to the new kitten moving in. The vet said maybe she had IBD, but since the symptoms went away after the first round of treatment, we just needed to wait it out. I thought to myself, “There must be something in the water, how is this real?! The two of us both having IBD is too wild to be a coincidence.” Nothing is a coincidence. Bama does not have IBD. It wasn’t stress either.
I took her to a new vet to get a second opinion, they ran a full blood test, and it turns out she has toxoplasmosis. This is usually not a big deal for cats, as their bodies typically fight it off on their own, but my sweet girl wasn’t so lucky. So we’re figuring it out.
She will be on a new medication for 4 weeks and that should be all we need to do. She’s always been healthy, so having to stick a syringe in her mouth twice a day took a strain on us. For background, I adopted her when she was 4 years old, she turns 12 in a few months. For almost 8 years, she’s been the picture of health. I suppose we were going to face something at some point. I am just ready for my baby to feel like herself again.
I have learned a lot in this first week on how to keep her as calm as I can (burrito mode is fully being activated) and she is bouncing back to her normal self faster and faster after each new dose. Does she love it? No. Does she come to me on her own when it’s time for medicine? Yes. I am more grateful for her each day. Even though this situation is hard for her, she still trusts me enough to allow it to happen. I’m not saying it’s easy once we start, but she allows me to help her all the same.
A note for cat owners who bring a new cat into your home: if your cat starts having blood in their stool after the new little one joins the family, run a blood test. Some vets may not offer one, but you may want to request one. Luckily Bama seems to be okay, but my new vet believes she caught the sickness from our kitten, Georgia, who we got from a shelter at the end of August 2025, but Georgia was a street cat before then. You never know what outdoor cats have eaten and they may not show any symptoms from the parasite. This doesn’t stop them from passing it on. Georgia is well and Bama will be too soon enough. I just want all cats and their owners to be as safe as possible. If you, as the parent who scoops their litter, are immunocompromised, where PPE when you scoop. It may sound silly, but this parasite can get dangerous, so be careful.
At the same time this was happening, I had this new pain in my back that brought me to my knees. It literally brought me to my knees… I am only 29 years old and I think I am experiencing sciatic nerve pain. WHAT? It all started when I got a new job. This job is the type where you are sitting for 8 hours a day. As I was training, I was so focused on doing the job well and I would only get up from my desk a couple times a day. It turns out that doing so can be very damaging. Who knew? Pair sitting all day in a chair with no lumbar support at the office and then sitting on a couch while crocheting all night and you get pain that brings you to your knees.
This week has reminded me of how important walking around every so often is. Yes, I did yoga each morning and most nights, but that does not make up for the 8 solid hours of no movement during the day. Now I walk around every 30 minutes or so while I am working my day job. This, I believe, is going to change the game for me. Not only will my body get a break from sitting, my eyes will get a break from the screen as well. I work in finance, so I am staring at monitors all day. This is your friendly reminder to take a break.
Let’s do this, stop reading this for 5 minutes. Put your phone down, lock your computer, pause your tv, however you’re consuming this, take a moment and take a walk with me. I am stepping away from my computer now as well. Let's go, my friend.
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Welcome back! How do you feel?
I feel less tension in my back, no more pain down my left leg, and less strain on my eyes. Taking a walk around the house and breathing can be a simple act of kindness you give yourself. If you want some fresh air and can make it outside, even better!
One week into this new sensation and I have to say, it has gotten better with time. The first day after my fall, I went to the office and I was considering quitting. I thought “How can I keep working a job that requires me to sit all day?” Then I realized this will pass and I am being taught a valuable lesson: move more. Regardless of what you think you need to do, the one thing you must do is move your body. Stagnancy can lead to pain. Switch up the way you sit, walk a new path, go to the water jug more often. Do what you need to do in order to keep your body activated.
This made me think about how it applies to the mind as well. I am reminded to daydream more, switch up my thought patterns, think in ways I have never considered and watch what happens. We may feel stuck in the situations we find ourselves in, but we can always change how we act within any situation.
Bama and I will be back to our normal selves soon enough and we hope you are right there with us.
Stay well out there,
Grace