Thursday, May 31, 2007

Week 18 - progress


I am finally feeling back in the swing of exercising again. It doesn't take much to get me off track and I really have to dig deep sometimes to make myself go to rehab. But I know that being able to have a life means that I have to work hard for it so that has been my motivation. It's a rare day anymore that I stay home and don't go out and do something, even if it's just to go for a ride and enjoy the air.




This week I had a problem with my back. I was in a lot of pain on the treadmill and on Tuesday I was only able to do 5 minutes! I got a burning pain in my lower back and cramps in both my calves so I had to stop. I tried today to get on the TM, but the same thing started so I again stopped. I have a history of herniated discs and surgery, so I am hoping that a little rest and some gentle stretching will help it improve in a few days.




However, on Tuesday I did 15 minutes on both the UBE and the Nu-step. And today, I did 20 minutes on each! That included 1,750 steps on the Nu-step. I am a happy camper today because despite the set back with my back, I was able to make progress overall with my endurance times.




My blood pressure was a little high this week but it did come down after exercising. My O2 sats were good, between 95 - 97% and my pulse ran around 116.




The rehab room was very quiet this week. Only 5 or 6 people showed up for our sessions, but we had some great conversations about oxygen providers and insurance/medicare coverage. Next month there is going to be an open house for home oxygen users at our local oxygen provider's site. If you have any questions, feel free to let me know and I'll try to get them answered. I know I have questions about Medicare and liquid oxygen systems.




See you next week!


~Eileen

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Week 17


Here we are, another week gone by. I didn't go to rehab on Tuesday. For some reason, my breathing was awful, as I was trying to get ready to go. Throughout my shower, I was very short of breath, and couldn't seem to recover. It was getting late, and I was trying to hurry and that made me more short of breath and that made me more anxious and that made me more breathless - and on and on. I felt so guilty for not getting to rehab that day!


On Wednesday my breathing was much better and today I got to rehab okay. The hospital where the rehab is held is undergoing much construction and my main route in was not available. I trekked throughout the hospital corriders completely lost and it took me 15 minutes of walking just to find my way, and I used to work there!!


There were 11 of us today and it was a rowdy good time. Libby was back to her cheery self and I discovered that 2 of the ladies are also nurses. Janet is still having pain in her ribs and Cheryl still hasn't come back. The time flew by with all of the conversations going on and all of the joking and laughter that went with it.


I did 10 minutes on the TM at 1.2 and plan to be up to 15 minutes next week. I did 15 minutes and 1, 365 steps on the Nu-Step (still wishing I had one at home), and I did 18 minutes on the UBE. My goal is to get to 20 minutes on each.


There's a Better Breather's meeting next Tuesday after rehab and I think it's time for me to join. There are speakers each month and I hear that things are pretty lively there, too.


See you next week!


~Eileen

Friday, May 18, 2007

Week 16 - Thursday


Thursday was a good day at rehab. I did 10 minutes on the machines and 1000 steps on the nu-step. Next week I'll get back up to 15 minutes on each. I'm going to try to increase by 5 minutes the following week so that I will be doing 1 hour of exercises each time I go.


I read an update on Audrey's care page and her fev1 is up to 81%! She is really doing so great. She is an inspiration to everyone to do our best! She's walking a lot and going to rehab. There's a walk this weekend to benefit Cystic Fibrosis. Rose, our therapist, is one of the walkers in that.


This is short and brief today. I am off to pump some iron - hehe - I mean to work with my 3lb weights...


See you next week!

~Eileen


Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Week 16 Tuesday


I feel the effects of the inconsistencies of my workouts - more trouble breathing, inability to walk as far, lack of energy. So it is with renewed commitment that I went to my pulmonary rehab maintenance today.
After catching my breath, I took my BP and O2 sat. My blood pressure was up there at 178/91. Yikes! After the walk in, my O2 sat was 97% - confirming the theory that movement is GOOD.
I went to the UBE first, and did 10 minutes. My biceps and triceps burned! But it was good to get back into the swing of it all. As I was pedaling my arms along, I was checking out the room. It was filling up with new faces. My how things have changed in a week! We wound up with 9 people exercising today.
After a rest, I went to the treadmill and did 11 minutes at 1.2. I was struggling at 10 minutes, but I decided to push myself one more minute - sort of my salute to renewed motivation. After I was done on the TM, I sat at the table, had some water and visited for a while because I was waiting for the Nu-Step to be free. My BP was down to 125/74 and my O2 sats were 97%. Silently, I said way to go!
On to the Nu-Step and I did 10 minutes before I was completely wiped out. I was only able to do 880 steps. I just could not make my arms and legs go on any more. Back to the table for more rest and water and conversation.
I really enjoy sharing conversations with fellow COPDers and others who attend. I've said before, some have cancer and a multitude of additional illnesses, and their spirit always humbles me. I felt particularly bad for Libby today. She usually comes in with a big smile and lots of laughter but she was subdued today. I asked her if she was ok and she told me that she had been up all night with knee pain. (If that was me, I'd still be in bed whining!) She also told me that her brother, her last sibling, died on Saturday and she looked so sad that I could have cried. But she was there today. If I hadn't been motivated before, I was most certainly motivated now.
There was a sweet bouquet of flowers on the table today. Some lilacs, tulips and a couple others that I can't recall their names. But there were also some white bleeding hearts. They were so delicate and beautiful! Can you believe that I've never seen them in person? What a day!

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Week 15 ~ Thursday


Another good day at rehab! I consider them all good days, even when I don't perform as well as others, like today. I don't know why, but I just couldn't do as well as Tuesday.
I did 15 minutes on the NuStep and 1,330 steps at level 5. Not bad. Then I did the upper body ergometer and did 10 minutes with my upper arms at a burn when I finished. Hmm, not sure why, but maybe I overdid home exercises yesterday. Then I went onto the treadmill and set it a bit faster than Tuesday and had to stop at 10 minutes because my calves were cramping. I should have known better than to increase the speed until I had the distance back up to what it was. Lesson learned (yet again).
It is beautiful out today. It's a pleasant 65 degrees with a slight breeze and lots of sunshine - a wonderful day to be outside. Pansies are my favorite flowers and I saw lots of them.
Libby made me laugh so much today and Janet is still perservering despite her broken ribs. Cheryl, the lady with cancer, was supposed to come back a couple of weeks ago but we haven't heard from her lately. Audrey, the 13 year old with CF who got the double lung transplant is doing great. She exercises alone, later in the day, because of the potential of catching an infection. One of her favorite exercises is the hoola hoop! I used to be a master but that was long ago and far away! I don't even have a waist anymore to swing it on! LOL
See you next week!
~Eileen

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Week 15 - Tuesday


I skipped a week due to an intestinal virus and I'm so pleased that at rehab I did better than I had expected. I cannot stress enough how much consistent exercise, even just twice a week, has helped me. When I get sick, I don't get as sick as I used to and I don't decomensate as quickly so that when I feel better, it is not such an effort to get back in the swing of exercising.

I did 15 minutes on all of the machines. My O2 sats remained 96% throughout and my blood pressure was pretty stable at 130/70. When I walked to the rehab room, I was able to get there without stopping to rest somewhere along the way. If you'll remember, in the beginning, it took a stop or two to catch my breath as I walked from my car to the rehab room.

On the NuStep, I did 1,250 steps. This is fewer than I had been able to do but I am satisfied that I was able to accomplish an average of 80 steps per minute.

Janet, one of my exercise partners, broke 3 ribs last week coughing! She said she was just eating toast and inhaled a tiny piece of bread, which sent her into a huge coughing fit. Ouch, ouch, ouch!! But her doctor told her she should continue to exercise, (kudos to the doc), and God bless her, Janet did her best. Remember when we used to be put on bedrest for back injuries and other injuries like broken ribs? They've found out that staying active is a much healthier alternative.

I am looking forward to Thursday! See you then!

~Eileen