Yep, another post about my new exercise program pulmonary rehab. I started reading the booklet this evening, after I took a two hour nap and took a soak in the bathtub to help my legs feel better. I am also having a flare-up this week. My wrist, middle finger on my right hand, and both of my legs are affected. I haven’t had this happen in almost a year. My workout yesterday is not the cause of the flare-up as much as I want to blame and point fingers and say forget it that would not be conducive to what my goals are. If you guessed I am resisting you would be accurate. I am resisting in a huge way. This is going to take a lot of work, not that I am scared of hard work, but this is different. In that I am doing it for me and not for anyone else. I find that I work hard for others quite easily, but when it comes to my aspirations well I quit in the middle or I say forget it. You should probably stop now and go grab a hot cup of tea, water, or coffee because I have a feeling this will be another long winded post, because I have a lot to say.
Reading the 64 page book that I was presented with yesterday I realize that I am not as bad off as some. I don’t need to carry an oxygen tank around, thank you Jesus. My heart just races beyond what is normal aerobic state, so endurance building is a must for me. My last throat surgery was October 24th and the inflammation there is not back. That is four months. I am ecstatic about this, because usually it was at least two months after surgery that it was back. My next Rituximab chemo treatment isn’t until May. I believe it is working. It is apparent it is working just by the way my throat is behaving. On page 14 through 25 talks about exercise for those of us who suffer from breathing issues. I learned the three types of exercises that I need to incorporate into my life: flexibility, endurance-aerobic, and strength and resistance training. I will be needing a couple of tools to help me make this happen, first will be a good pair of walking shoes, a swimsuit, and two notebooks. One of the notebooks will be a food journal and the other will be an exercise log so I can keep track of what I am doing. Do you see where the hard work is coming in? Not only do I have to do the exercise, but I also have to keep track of it. I know that I am going to need a cheering section to keep me motivated. I will be asking Myron my caregiver tomorrow about walking with me down the hallways during the days when I am not doing the rehab. Yes, they want me to keep moving daily. Not the Greg Price type of work out in gut busters, but the kind that people with health issues should be doing. And after my rehab I will be in the market of finding something I can do to keep me moving and motivated to move.
In the booklet they have you write out what my goals are. My goals are simple. Here they are:
- Breathe better
- Have energy to enjoy my life and be able to keep up with people
- Rely less on others
- Do everyday activities such as walking upstairs
- Be physically, emotional, and spiritually stronger
- Return to my hobbies and leisure activities such as photography, traveling, hiking in nature, and a beach trip
- Be healthier
- Feel less anxious about my condition
- Travel and enjoy myself. Yes, a trip to Italy would be amazing or France or Ireland, or even to Alabama to visit my sister for a week would be awesome
- Make fewer visits to the hospital or emergency rooms
- And lose 150 pounds
Lofty goals, I know, but I believe I can achieve them.
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