Once again, frustrated by #LongCovid support apps.
After a month of worsening symptoms, I have finally managed to establish a baseline combination of exertion and targeted rest that enables me to sleep at night.
Once I have slept well for at least three nights in a row, sustaining improved sleep becomes easier. As long as I maintain the routine and walk back any changes that worsen my sleep, my symptoms stop worsening and (over the course of months) my capacity eventually improves.
Today I hit that third day, when the improved sleep begins to have an impact.
I am not "stable" or "doing great".
I have hit the first milestone that will eventually lead to stability.
It is a milestone.
But it is not time to celebrate yet.
If I was walking along a curb or a balance beam, trying not to fall off, I would be at the point where I was about to lose my balance, and I have stopped moving forward and successfully regained my balance.
But now I have to start moving forward again.
If I was digging myself out of a hole, I would have managed to get out from under an overhang, so the dirt was no longer falling in my face and I was no longer in danger of being buried. But I wouldn't be out of the hole. I wouldn't even be a little way out of the hole. I would just have hit the "not making things worse" stage.
Stop treating this like I'm done. I need reinforcement to keep working at it, not a gold star for finishing.