Side Effects

After four doses of elderberry syrup, I woke up Saturday feeling not quite as sick. It might've been the fact that I actually got over 8 hours of sleep. But I also wasn't congested. My sinuses and throat were oddly dry as if I'd taken a decongestant! My nose is still runny, but without the copious volume from previous days. I can only attribute it to the Sambucol syrup. I got less sleep on Saturday but made up for that last night. Kids aren't the only ones who appreciate school holidays! I was hoping that the anti-viral qualities would carry over to cold sores and canker sores, but I'm still taking lysine and extra zinc.

Of course, last night I suffered a side effect from the black elderberry syrup: a horrible, sharp but thankfully short-lived stomach ache in the middle of the night. Black elderberry is toxic in the raw, uncooked state and can cause nausea, vomiting, stupor, and other unpleasantness. Stomach ache isn't listed. But when I took another dose this morning, my stomach twinged briefly with the same pain. Then everything was fine. Maybe I'm just super sensitive. I know my stomach is. Maybe I just need to take this syrup with food. (I'm the only person I know who has a bad reaction to hazlenut coffee. I don't even know if there's any real hazlenut [aka filberts] in that flavored coffee, but I stay away from it unless I want a really bad stomach ache.)

I get to the gym by late morning. The second class has just let out so I know that I can do my core exercises there once I finish cardio on the elliptical. I'm still sick so I plan to take it easy. I also have to take my son to the doctor to get his flu shot, so my workout is necessarily abbreviated. I'll skip the second round of cardio and probably triceps. Today is a Push Day. Someone left a mat in the aerobic room. It's bigger than the others, but just as worn. I wonder if they'll remember they left it there?

The only thing more annoying than not having a bench in the Smith machine is finding the oversized one halfway across the gym and having to maneuver it around other benches and stations. Still, I get my sets done. And the smaller inclined bench in the DB area is now available so I do my DB supersets, increasing my reps by one for the reverse flys. That's all I have time for. I'm pretty sure my son is still asleep even though it's nearly 2 o'clock in the afternoon. He's a teenager. I'm not surprised.

Tomorrow I'll be back here but only to test the Nexersys again. I forgot to check to see if it's even functional so I'll have to be prepared to do something else if it isn't. Meanwhile, I just remembered that yesterday a big white-haired fellow accosted me at my local supermarket. Everyone seems to know me as "that girl from the gym." I'm pushing 60 and I'm "that girl from the gym." I suppose it could be worse. He tells me that he's seen me working out and how impressed he is. This is unexpected. Especially because I don't expect to be recognized from the gym when I'm in my town. There are gyms here but I don't go to them. My gym is in the next town!

I know I should be flattered. I know I should smile and say Thank You. But I don't. That's not my natural reaction. Native New Yorker that I am, I'm cautious and wary. Especially with men. Too many "could've ended badly" incidences when I was younger makes me skittish, like a rescue dog. I sympathize with skittish. I don't recognize him, not that I pay that much attention to people when I work out, except to avoid walking into them. So, like a deer-in-the-headlights, I just stare at him and nod a little. Because I'm usually in my own little world, silently cursing out the self-checkout machine because it won't scan my items. Have I told you that I hate surprises?

Sunny Quick Monday Push

30 elliptical + 5cd
Program 2
Miles 2.94
Calories 331
HR 157-200 (95, 93, 87)

Cage Stretch
HGPU 22

Elbow Plank 60s
Crunches 60/60
Bicycles 60
Horizontal Scissors 60
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s

Smith Inclined Press
Bar (30) x 15
50 x 12
70 x 25 reps x 3 sets

DB Laterals s/s Rev Inclined Flys
20 lbs x 12/16 reps x 4 sets

Quick Shoulder Stretch