Week Six a Bust

Unfortunately, week six didn't happen for me at pulmonary rehab. I came down with a chest infection. As soon as I started coughing up funky stuff, I started antibiotics so within a couple of days I was feeling much better.

Additionally I took a nasty spill on the ice on Tuesday. Ouch! It hurt my pride, of course, more than my body, but I was quite sore for several days. I'm getting back to normal (well, what passes for normal!) and plan to jump back in on Tuesday!

~Eileen

Week Five ~ Thursday

See Maxine. Maxine doesn't like to exercise. I hope that's not a cigarette in her hand! Poor Maxine would have to change her whole lifestyle if she developed COPD. And you think she's cranky now!

Yes, that was me just a couple of years ago. Exercise has really never been in my vocabulary. I would join a club or gym but never made it past a month at any time. I thought, well I work hard and that should be enough. Even when I was first diagnosed with COPD, I went through Pulmonary Rehab, twice, as a matter of fact. After each 6 week session, I would join the maintenance program and gradually I would slow down and eventually not go at all.

I have finally gotten the exercise/lung connection. After 8 years of huffing and puffing first without oxygen and even with oxygen, I am trying to make the best of the body I have. And it takes work to do it, hard work and commitment. I have finally made the commitment to be better and this is exciting for me. I am now waiting for a spot to open up in the class that is 3 times a week.

Today, an old habit reared its head: I didn't want to go out in frigid weather and go to rehab. I almost talked myself out of it but somehow reason won out and I thought of what I could be losing if I didn't go. I went.

I was very short of breath walking to the rehab room. I've been pretty short of breath for the past couple of days and I'm not sure why, but I was able to do all the exercises.

On the TM, the Nu-Step, the UBE and the recumbent bike, my pulse ran around 110 and my O2 sats were 94-95%. That's funny, because at home I have been having trouble maintaining sats over 90 with my usual liter flow. At rehab, though, I keep my O2 on 4L continuously. At home I usually use the demand settings so maybe it's time to go continuous with it at home too. I plan to call my pulmonologist before my sessions next week.

I would say that overall, this week I maintained. I'm looking forward to making some more progress next week.

~Eileen

Week Five ~ Tuesday

Today I had to make one stop to catch my breath on my way to the gym. I was disappointed in myself but there is a change in the weather coming and I think that is to blame for the increased shortness of breath.

I arrived at a very deserted rehab room. There were only 3 of us and a therapist. So many of the regulars were not there and I wonder where they are. I think alot about Cheryl, who is fighting cancer as well as COPD. She has such a fighting spirit and I hope she is not sick. Maybe everyone is getting ready for the 12 inches of snow that we are expecting tomorrow.

I ended last week feeling overwhelmed. My kitchen was being done over and I had packed and hauled everything out. I am thrilled with the results and now look forward to putting everything back now. I will take my time and do it when I feel spurts of energy. I have finally learned that Rome wasn't built in a day...hehehe.

When I arrived today my BP was 167/80, Pulse 93, O2 sat 95%. I maintained the 4L continuously that I used to walk in. At rest I turn it down to 1.5L.

I walked 15 minutes on the treadmill at an even level. My sats and pulse ran a good 95% and my pulse ran around 100. I checked them every 5 minutes on my pulse oximeter. I am so pleased that I was able to maintain a constant level with the activity.

I did 15 minutes on the Nu-Step, and my total steps were 1,555 at Level 5. My pulse ran around 101 and my O2 sats were 96%.

I did 12 minutes on the UBE, 6 minutes forward and 6 minutes backward. I increased the time from 10 to 12 minutes and although my upper arms were burning, I didn't mind the time. Finally. This machine was a torture for me at first, and now I can tolerate it. Yeahhhhh!

By the time I was finished, my BP was down to 124/74 and my O2 sats were 96%.

While these are baby steps, they are monumental for me. This is the first time that I have commited to a plan and I really look forward to besting myself each time that I go. Now, that's progress.

~Eileen

Week Four ~ Tues and Thurs

Hello everyone, and welcome to week 4 of pulmonary rehab maintenance! Overall this has been a good week, although I'm ending on a slow note. Things were great on Tuesday but by Thursday my resources were pretty much depleted. But I did attend and get exercise which is a great new insight for me into my fortitude!

On Tuesday I did all of the machines and my blood pressure was down. When I left it was 120/73. I did well on all of the machines and my sats ran 95-96% with my pulse running from 101-113. My resting pulse was in the 80's and while I felt this was an improvement, the therapist said that it still needed to be lower.

At home I have been packing and moving my whole kitchen in anticipation of a new kitchen. I did it all by myself and am sure that what I've gained in pulmonary rehab helped me to accomplish this! I was packing and lifting and hauling to beat the band!

But by Thursday, today, I was wiped out! I almost didn't go to rehab but decided that it would be a very poor decision and went. Although I didn't do as well as I have been, I was proud of myself for trying. In an hour and a half, I got 45 minutes of steady exercise in and felt better for that.

Tonight I am thoughtful and pondering the fate of one of my exerciser buddies, Cheryl. She has COPD but in addition, she has terminal multiple myeloma which is a cancer that affects the bone marrow. She had a bone marrow transplant about 5 years ago which allowed her a better quality of life until recently. From what she told me, the cancerous cells attack areas of her body which causes her much pain. Right now, they are producing tumors on her left shoulder. But she comes every Tues and Thurs and has a wonderful fighting attitude and great sense of humor. I am so inspired by her. She deals with so much more than I do and continues to plod on and hope for the future. She says she will not go out without kicking and fighting. I really think that she will beat the odds. What a fighter!.

See you next week!
~Eileen

Week Three - Thursday

Today was the first day that I walked all the way to the rehab room without stopping and without much shortness of breath. What a victory ! I also added some time to some of the exercises and did all 4 machines. I cannot believe that I forgot to do the recumbent bike on Tuesday! I mixed it up today for a change and to keep it from getting boring, a dangerous state for anyone exercising because that leads to disinterest.

Before I started, my BP was 169/90, Pulse 100, O2 97%. By the time I was finished, my BP was 140/76, P99, O2 96%. I use my O2 at 4L anytime I'm moving around.

First I went to the UBE, upper body ergometer, and finally got up to 10 minutes! It isn't the torture it used to be either and that makes me so happy!

Next was the recumbent bike and I cycled for 8 minutes, up from 6 the last time. It's starting to become more natural. The first few times I felt like I was really jerking my legs.

Then the treadmill for 15 minutes at 1.0. Again, I've added some minutes to this one also. Maybe next week I'll a little more spead to it. But for today, it felt really good to get to 15 minutes.

Finally I went to the Nu-step. I just love this piece of equipment! I've got a pretty good rhythm going on this. I did 15 minutes at Level 5 and was able to do 1,525 steps. Maybe next week I can go for 20 minutes.

I should mention here that everyday at home I do breathing exercises for about 15 minutes about 2 or 3 times a day. I do diaphramatic breathing and sometimes use a P-Flex, an inspirational muscle trainer. I know I should use that everyday and I have no good excuse for not using it, so I am going to have to work on that! I also work with 3lb weights every other day for arm strengthening.

So my endurance is better and my blood pressure is better and I am so excited for what more I can do! See you next week!

~Eileen