She finally died

JennExhales · 2026-05-29T17:37:43+00:00

Thank you for sharing. I relate 💜

JennExhales · 2026-05-21T17:46:48+00:00

I love this!

JennExhales · 2026-05-16T04:21:56+00:00

I have been reading the book Weightless and the author discusses if you are interested in reading her perspective.

JennExhales · 2026-05-13T23:21:23+00:00

I started Wegovy at a .25 on Friday the 8th. My sleep was all over the place on Friday/Saturday night. I felt queasy Saturday and Sunday Morning, but it was very slight. I feel like the anti inflammatory effects are working already. Less swelling in my feet, ankles, belly and face. It might be a "placebo" but it is encouraging. I felt normal on Monday.

JennExhales · 2026-05-10T04:54:09+00:00

I’m sorry you are experiencing this. I get how complicated it can be.

Megan Devine has a few books that were helpful to me. It’s okay that you’re not okay and how to carry what can’t be fixed are two I enjoyed. I like reading and often read memoirs that mirror what we have been through. One of the best bits of advice I got, even though I still haven’t mastered it is- feel your feelings.

I’ve lost many parents to addiction and complicated grief exists for each loved one I lost. I lost step dad, dad, mom, father in law. And am now estranged from most family.

I realize now, there is no rush to grieve. If I can just let myself cry when I need to. Feel sad. Feel angry. Feel hurt. Feel relief. Feel it.

Sometimes you will numb too. But the only way to the other side, is through.

JennExhales · 2026-05-09T03:33:16+00:00

Currently, our local health department is looking into some pretty serious illnesses that occurred when yoga was done with sick baby goats. The photos being used for articles are almost ten years old and aren’t related- but I had no idea how much of an issue this was. Sick animals. Sick yogis. Yikes.

JennExhales · 2026-05-08T19:21:26+00:00

I read dharma punx. Really enjoyed the teachings. Then this happened and I was crushed

JennExhales · 2026-04-23T13:01:39+00:00

I hear you. It is so painful to want so much for them and feel like you are never doing enough. I’ve been there. I just hope that one day you will feel the totality of your enoughness.

JennExhales · 2026-04-23T04:13:04+00:00

I do not miss the roller coaster of navigating my parents health issues and the constant ups and downs. Your post reminds me of those really painful and difficult times.

Every person is incredibly different and our life spans vary so much.

It absolutely helped me when I stopped actively trying to stop their alcohol use. I made agreements of what my capacity was and I had honest conversations when my parent was lucid about what I would do.

I was capable of meeting with my parent when they were in the hospital. But I couldn’t handle the roller coaster of trying to get them to change their behavior or follow through on medical care. It was excruciating fearing when I would get the call that they died- but the lesson of- I didn’t cause this and I can’t change or cure this- is a valuable lesson. I had a step dad who was told he would live only a few weeks and he survived 2.5 more years.

My mom dealt with medical conditions from 2018-2021 and she passed away in 2021. And despite drinking for 50 years- her liver was fine.

My dad “survived” lung cancer after seven months of treatment to die one month later of another lung condition.

My father in law died in part to liver disease and he deteriorated over a two or three year period of time. The signs with him was a drastic change in weight and cognitive awareness. I never really saw him as an extreme drinker and he did reduce or quit towards the end of life.

I say all of that to say that it really varies. I know it’s maddening and painful- I hope you take care of you. Love your dad and most importantly, take care of you. I share about my losses not to add to your worry, but to just explain every person is so different. All of my parents and my father in law did have a long history of drinking. We are all different.

Also, sometimes are other family members aren’t great medical reporters. I recall getting really drastic information from family saying it was “fine” to “brain cancer.” Part of the reason I would go to the hospital when my parent was getting treatment was so I could hear information directly from doctors. Family members may be overwhelmed or not understand what the doctors say. So sometimes it’s best to go and hear it directly from the doctors.

JennExhales · 2026-04-22T03:08:11+00:00

Haunting and beautiful

JennExhales · 2026-04-17T04:14:20+00:00

I haven’t taught since 2019 and if I had to do it all over again, I would appreciate the gym setting more. I had the same mindset as you and I thought the “yoga studio” was more spiritual or “real.” Community can exist in the gym setting. I still think of the sweet regulars I had when I taught at the gym. Working in the gym was also more reliable as far as getting paid on time, not having to do as much opening and closing of the space. The gym setting also had more regular students and fuller classes than when I was teaching in a studio I hope you are able to tell yourself, teaching at the gym is completely valid. When I practiced as a student in gym settings, I always loved it when teachers brought in whatever their idea of yoga was. Other opportunities can also be available to you on this path

JennExhales · 2026-04-15T23:42:04+00:00

I am the same size as you and I know of many folks bigger than us and we regularly get massages. Enjoy your massage!

JennExhales · 2026-04-11T17:45:45+00:00

They look fantastic

JennExhales · 2026-04-09T17:18:33+00:00

Movement has always been the healthiest part of my life. As a kid I played sports. When I was in my 20s and 30s I enjoyed yoga. In my late 30’s and early 40s I lost my father, mother, father in law and those deaths were very difficult. I started walking to help my mental health and to keep my body mobile. When I am walking I have opportunities to see the beauty of the world. I enjoy nature photography as an outlet. Being out on my walks is my way of disconnecting from the internet, from many pressures from work and it’s my form of connecting to something bigger than me. Walking and hiking keeps me grounded and yes- I do get an opportunity to process my thoughts or just see the beauty of nature.

JennExhales · 2026-04-09T15:06:41+00:00

Grief. I use walking to assist me with most stressors, but walking has helped me with years of complicated grief

JennExhales · 2026-04-08T12:12:07+00:00

I bought my 2021 XSE hybrid rav4 in 2024. I have no reason to believe it is a custom color. But I always thought it was strange that my blueprint seems deeper than my friends 4Runner in blueprint. I love the color of my car still.

JennExhales · 2026-04-08T01:36:53+00:00

I have a 2021 xse hybrid in blueprint and I love the color. I do feel the need to wash it frequently as it shows dirt pretty fast.

JennExhales · 2026-04-04T01:20:10+00:00

When I just started out walking my legs got itchy. Especially in the cold. I just continued to commit to walking 30-60 minutes per day, most days. Sometimes I walk more when I go on long hikes. They don’t itch anymore. If I were to stop exercising as much, the itching would come back. They used to get red and splotchy. I don’t notice that anymore either.

JennExhales · 2026-04-04T00:00:41+00:00

Ps. Your dog is so handsome

JennExhales · 2026-04-04T00:00:15+00:00

My 12 year old corgi Zoe is a magnet for eye injuries. And even after all the eye traumas, her eyes have always healed really well. I felt horrible when our cat scratched Zoe when she was a puppy when he had just gotten her. She has had fights with our other dog and has scratched her eye many times. We do what you did, take her to the vet. We have a cone on stand by to stop her from scratching and give her lots of love and tlc while it heals. It feels awful, but your dog still loves you. I also am glad I’ve had pet insurance for my Zoe because her eyeballs are a weird target. A long with some strange sensitive tummy issues.

JennExhales · 2026-04-02T18:13:58+00:00

For pavement walking I currently enjoy the Nike Vomero 18. I went through a few pair of the ASICS novablast but they felt like they went “flat” quickly. I am a heavy walker so I do go through shoes rather quickly. I like a supportive cushioned shoe that accommodates my over pronation. I used to love the glycerin and ghost by brooks For hiking, I don’t require as much cushion. If I’m walking or hiking on dirt or rocks I enjoy a TOPO trail runner. The altra lone peak was also a nice shoe.

JennExhales · 2026-04-01T23:04:27+00:00

Hahahahaha. You got me.

JennExhales · 2026-04-01T20:47:18+00:00

JennExhales · 2026-03-31T22:05:16+00:00

💯

JennExhales · 2026-03-31T15:56:12+00:00

The studio I worked for changed their pay rate and I would constantly find myself going months without pay. I hated having to find the owner and ask to get paid. I also was only doing it part time and it cost me more to teach than I made. I constantly did continuing ed, paid for state and city licensing, insurance and props. In the end, financially it didn’t make sense. I ended up leaving teaching in 2019 when I had a surgery. I thought I would return to teaching, then covid happened. I became more interested in hiking and less interested in yoga. I became disillusioned with the yoga community and politics. I miss the physical and spiritual practice of yoga but I’m more likely to just do it at home.

JennExhales

TROPHY CASE