48. Walk It Out
November 16, 2022
Update. The RCA cable I bought online was finally delivered today, and made for a much better Wii gaming experience for my recovery and rehabilitation from the laparoscopic THBSO (recall that the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries were surgically removed on November 3 – tomorrow marks 2 weeks since surgical menopause started). Occasional hot flashes (flushes) are not bothersome. My endurance and tolerance for activity are improving but not 100 percent yet – for example, I went to the mall today, walked around and had lunch, but needed a nap when I got back home. I anticipate being able to tolerate longer car rides next week. Anastrozole so far has minimal to no side effects – I had joint pain a few days ago but it hasn’t returned, so it may or may not be due to the medicine. Today is day 10 of Anastrozole.
Back to my Wii game issue. Since I switched out cables, the green filter effect is gone, and the music is coming in clearer now. See photos for before and after pictures (Doreen, being a ham, wanted to get into the photos too). It’s more fun to walk to the music supplied by the game, which are mostly pop and rock hits from 2000-2010. This game is a bit dated as it was copyrighted in 2009. Music speed varies from 103-159 beats per minute so most of the time it is a brisk walk. As you walk through Rhythm Island, each step you take and match to the music earns you points. For example, 250 steps gets you a large item like a suspension bridge, while smaller “structures” like trees are 20-25 points and benches are 10 points. You can also unlock new routes with points, amounts varying from 5 to 75. The goal is to “develop” the island by building stuff and making new routes. This gamification of walking exercise works for me because it is goal-oriented: my mind is going “150 more steps to go and I get to build a diner” so it motivates me to keep on walking. I tend to focus on developing one area of the island at a time, so for example I finished building the apartments and seaside area in the last few days and am now working on surrounding park land.
