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Post by bobbioh on Dec 5, 2007 7:07:12 GMT -5
Keep your chin up I remember leaving my Rehab. I wish I could of continued but I was not able. I do have a treadmill and bike now and arm bike but Im ashamed to say I dont use them as I should. So I guess it is easier to do when your in a rehab setting. JMHO Good Luck bobbi
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Post by Joyce7 on Dec 6, 2007 20:11:31 GMT -5
DAY 25 - PULMONARY REHABILITATION
I was all dressed and ready to go to Pulmonary Rehab this morning and then had errands to attend to, and my car wouldn't start. To make a long story short, I never made it to rehab today. I was so disappointed, and I did call them to let them know. They just told me to try to walk here at home and once over the weekend. My next rehab day is Tuesday. I will write again then.
Until later--Joyce
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Post by Joyce7 on Dec 11, 2007 20:42:25 GMT -5
DAY 26 - PULMONARY REHABILITATION
It was an excellent day at rehab, and I did work hard since I wasn't able to attend last Thursday. There was a large crowd of people there today, and my warm up walk and exercises went well, and my stats were fine.
The RT decided to up me to 20 minutes today, and that was fine with me. I was on the bike for 20 minutes at a level of 6-7. I didn't notice much difference since I did 19 minutes the last time. Going slowly and increasing my exercise time and levels slowly have made it easier for me to always be successful in reaching my goals as they increase. I'm very glad they do it this way. I don't get frustrated nor physically worn out nor have I ever been sore or exhausted. I've been tired, but never have I felt as though I overdid it at rehab.
I walked the Treadmill for 20 minutes at 2.4 miles per hour. I assume that after a time or two of walking for 20 minutes, they probably will increase the incline of the TM. I didn't have any problem walking the 20 minutes. Also, my shortness of breath was much better today than it has been the last two or so times.
They did not weight me today, but when they do, I will post it. After my cool down walk and exercises, my stats were taken, and they were fine. The RT handed me some forms and asked if I would come early Thursday. It is time for them to do an evaluation of me, and for me to say what I think of the program and how I think I am doing. I believe this is a 36 session program, and since they count the Interview, the pulmo classes and Orientation, I believe that totals at least 29 sessions so far. Whatever the case may be, I don't have many more to attend and will finish sometime in January with my rehab.
Thursday, I will post what the evaluation entailed. I felt good today and definitely can tell that my endurance level is much higher now than it was when I first began pulmonary rehab, and I my recovery time is much faster now than before. This has been a wonderful program for me both physically and mentally. I hope when completed that I will be given a maintenance program to do at home.
Until next time---Joyce
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Post by maryaz on Dec 11, 2007 22:16:56 GMT -5
Joyce, excellent report as usual. They go slow on purpose so that no one does get hurt. It can easily happen. They sound like might be slower advancing than some but it sure has worked great for you.
I hope you are keep all of this reporting. Maybe one day it will come in handy for something.
I like the sig you are using today. Very pretty.
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Post by Joyce7 on Dec 13, 2007 21:19:19 GMT -5
DAY 27 - PULMONARY REHABILITATION Today was my evaluation day at rehab. I was to arrive at 10:00am and assumed that I would be finished by 11:00am and then would exercise. However, the evaluation lasted until noon. The evaluation was much more detailed than I realized, but I am glad to know that they go to this amount of time and trouble to let me know how they think I am doing and to let me tell them what I think of what I have been doing. I had been given some forms to fill out regarding my progress and turned them in to them prior to the evaluation this morning. The first person I spoke with was the dietitian. She looked over my forms and asked a few questions and told me that she felt that I had made some good changes in my eating habits. My body fat was lower, and I felt my endurance level was higher along with increased strength in my lower extremities. She was not concerned about my weight gain. Today I weighed 180 lbs. She said that I have now completed Phase I of the program and that I have ten more sessions to complete. I told her that I probably was eating more in quantity even though the quality of my food intake was better. She wants me to try to decrease the quantity of the food I eat by eating smaller portions and hopefully I will lose a little weight over these next 10 sessions. Holly, one of the Respiratory Therapists, then came in and we talked about how I felt I was doing along with the pros and cons of the program. I told her that I felt my upper body needed strengthening. She suggested that next Tuesday when I go to rehab that they will select a machine for me to use to strengthen my upper body and due to the time restrictions, will reduce the time slightly on the Bike and Treadmill to accommodate the new machine. This sounds like a good idea to me. Last but not least, Randall, another Respiratory Therapist, came in and measured me. I still don't have a waistline!! He told me that I was doing very good. He wants me to exercise three times a week instead of two. This is now Phase II of the program. He said that I could either come there to the hospital on Mondays or Fridays to exercise with no cost to me or just walk in the mall for twenty minutes and do some home exercises along with upper body exercises such as the theraband from home. I asked him to let me think about it. I worry somewhat that if left on my own to do the third day of exercise that I might not do it, therefore I won't progress. However, I need to be motivated enough on my own to do at least one day of exercise from my home. I don't want to slip backward, so I may accept the three days at the hospital pulmonary rehabilitation. The evaluation was very positive and thorough. They seemed to know more about me than even I remembered!! They do keep track. I enjoyed today and talking with these people. They all seemed very interested in me as an individual both physically and mentally. They reminded me that the Better Breather's Club will be having it's first meeting about mid-January. They will send me something in the mail reminding me of this. It was a good day today and quite enjoyable. Until later---Joyce
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Post by maryaz on Dec 13, 2007 21:56:00 GMT -5
Good report Joyce. Glad to hear it. For the future later it would be good to figure out how to get yourself on a routine at home. I am very bad at it. I have tried several things. Normally I can apply myself good but this exercise accompanied by the days that I am not feeling too great, is hard to do with COPD. You have done really good.
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Post by Joyce7 on Dec 14, 2007 6:15:01 GMT -5
Thank you so much Mary. I agree that it will be a challenge when I start doing my exercises at home rather than in an organized group. I don't have any home equipment, and gym's charge a great deal, so I will have to be well disciplined when that day comes. The key is use it or lose it. Thanks again for all your support....Joyce in SC
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Post by maryaz on Dec 14, 2007 21:52:03 GMT -5
Hey Joyce, You are the one that has done all the good works here with all your written reporting. I am sure there are others reading also. Thank you anyway for your thank you. Hand weights are real cheap to buy. Theraband you could get. Few ideas for overall exercises like the Sit and Be Fit TV show or tape. There is a Yoga tape by V J Sharma, etc. You could just walk or walk in step at the TV. Now, I have never really tried that and sounds pretty boring but guess could be done. I read someone else's post suggesting that one. We will see what they tell you. It has sounded like a really good program. Maybe you will have to teach Jackie a thing or two if she would get back here. ;D I try to laugh a little because it was such a sad week, but then I get sad again. Having people like you around sure helps. Thanks again to you. Have a good weekend.
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Post by Joyce7 on Dec 19, 2007 0:06:33 GMT -5
DAY 28 - PULMONARY REHABILITATION Rehab today lasted a little longer than usual but was well worth it. I was a bit tired by the time I arrived at rehab today at 11:00am. I had a dental appointment, and then I went by the Library and then on to rehab, so I wasn't exactly fresh as a daisy and full of energy when I got there. As soon as I arrived, I ran into the lady who was wanting a copy of "Sick Lungs Don't Show" which I had in my car. So, she and I walked out of the hospital and to my car in the parking lot and back. I wanted her to have it since her family is having difficulty understanding her condition. I had had a busy morning and after walking into the hospital for rehab, back out again to my car and then back again into the hospital, I felt as though I already had walked the Treadmill ;D but went ahead and walked three times, not two, around the walking track. Much to my surprise, today was my second six minute walk test. (sure wish I hadn't made that extra trip to and from the car!!), but there stood the RT with oximeter in hand along with a timer. So, off I went and much to my surprise, I did quite well. I walked one extra lap than I previously walked when I first started and my oxygen stayed at between 95 and 97 the whole time. I was very happy about that. It seems as though I have increased my strength and endurance, and all these weeks of rehab have paid off well. I even felt as if I could walk another lap around the track, but the six minutes were up, so the RT stopped me. I am very pleased. Since I had my six minute walking test, they decided that it would be best if I did my normal routine and not start the upper body machine today. I will continue to use my 2 lb weights at home for upper body strengthening and also my theraband. My stats were good, and I rode the bike for 20 minutes at a level of 6-7 (they have not increased that in a long time), and then I walked the Treadmill for 20 minutes at 2.4 miles per hour. I did my cool down exercises, and many people are not going to be at rehab Thursday due to the holidays, so many were making the rounds and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I am not going out of town for the holidays, so I will be at rehab this Thursday. It will seem odd for so many of my "rehab partners" to not be there Thursday and some are not returning until after the new year, but that's the way it is at this time of the year. I will be there on Thursday with a smile on my facing and a feeling of gratitude. I didn't think I would ever be able to improve my strength and ability to do things. I was wrong....thank goodness. It was another good day. Until next time---Joyce
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Post by Joyce7 on Dec 20, 2007 18:40:46 GMT -5
DAY 29 - PULMONARY REHABILITATION Today was an unusual day at rehab. The "oxygen man" as I call him, came this morning to refill my liquid oxygen tank, so I was not able to attend my normal 11:00am rehab class. I knew that a lot of people were not going to be there today due to company arriving, travel, etc. I decided to attend the 1:00pm class since next Tuesday is Christmas, and rehab will be closed. There were only three people at rehab today at the time I attended. It felt so strange, and I didn't know either of the people. However, I have now made two new copd friends. Both of them work part time jobs in the mornings and therefore, they attend rehab after lunch. It was a nice change. The time went by so quickly. I normally spend time talking to people or at least speaking and saying , but it was empty today and almost echoed in the gym. My stats were good, and my warm up walk and exercises went well. I did as was requested at my evaluation....which was to "not" start my warm up walk "briskly" but to start slowly and then walk faster. I did that and also some extra stretches. I stuck to my normal schedule of 20 minutes on the bike at a level of 6-7 and 20 minutes on the Treadmill at 2.4 miles per hour. Most of the RT's were on vacation, so there was one RT there along with one nurse. My cool down walk and exercises went well, and my stats were fine. I was hoping the RT would show me the upper body exercise machine I am interested in using, but they looked busy at the desk, so I decided not to ask but will wait until after the new year. As I drove away, I looked up at the hospital and said a little prayer for all those hospitalized right now. I felt grateful that I was driving away and going home and sleeping in my own bed tonight and not a hospital bed. Rehab will resume next Thursday, so I will post again at that time. Merry Christmas to all---Joyce
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Post by Joyce7 on Dec 27, 2007 19:30:02 GMT -5
DAY 30 - PULMONARY REHABILITATION A lot of people must still be vacationing because there were only 8 people at rehab today. While I was walking the track doing my cool down today, I had stopped to speak with Mark who is one of the RTs, and my Pulmonologist walked by. He stopped to say and we briefly chatted. He told the RT to work me hard and laughed. Mark told him that they were cracking the whip, and he said "good." My work out was the same as usual today with my warm up exercises, twenty minutes on the bike and twenty minutes on the Treadmill and then my cool exercises. I am in Phase two of Pulmonary Rehabilitation, and today I was given a copy of my Progress Plan for Phase two. It is as follows: Nutrition:Limit sodium (limit canned goods & choose fresh or frozen) Follow recommended calorie intake per day (1600 - 1800 calories per day) Follow behavior modification guidelines Exercise:Maintain exercise heart rate range (Target Heart Rate: 105-124) Plan:Community opportunity: Mall Walking Rehab Phase three unsure (the hospital is going to try to get funding for me for rehab through the hospital, and I will be meeting with the financial adviser after the new year) Exercise Guidelines:Exercise at least 3-5 times per week. Exercise within your target heart rate range. Report any new and unusual symptoms. Exercise for 20-30 minutes at a time. Avoid extreme weather conditions. In the top right hand corner of the paper is an A+. I guess this means I passed. Rehab will be closed Tuesday for the New Year holiday, so I will return again to rehab in one week on Thursday. Until next time---Joyce
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Post by maryaz on Dec 27, 2007 23:48:28 GMT -5
Joyce you did good. I like the layout of your progress plan. I think I will borrow it and put in some of my own things. I try for less calories. You should feel proud of yourself as this is not easy to do.
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Post by Joyce7 on Jan 3, 2008 15:51:41 GMT -5
PHASE TWO
DAY 31 - PULMONARY REHABILITATION
I am now entering Phase Two of my Pulmonary Rehabilitation program. There are three phases, and I am told there is a maintenance program also. I asked the RT today exactly how many days of rehab I have left that vocational rehabilitation has agreed to pay for, and she said seven. So, with seven more days of rehab, I will do my best and hope that I can do more after that. It all depends on finances.
The RT's were reminding everyone that the first Better Breather's Club in this city will be January 15th at lunchtime. That is perfect for me since it is a Tuesday. I will be able to participate in rehab and then attend the Better Breather's Club meeting. I will post all about the meeting on this thread. My Pulmonologist was scheduled to be the speaker, however I was told that he canceled due to high patient load, so a Pulmonologist by the name of Dr. Sharma is to speak at the meeting.
I did purchase two two lbs weights, and I have a theraband, and am going to continue to exercise at home using these.
Everyone including myself was working very hard today with most having gained weight over the holidays. I did not weigh myself today. We were huffing and puffing our way through our routines which made me realize how quickly I can lose the strength I have worked so hard to gain.
I pushed it hard through my 20 minutes on the bike at the same level of 6-7 and 20 minutes on the Treadmill at 2.4 miles per hour. I know that I need to be challenged, so on my next rehab day, I plan to ask the RT if I can increase the Treadmill time. I will also discuss with the RT (I meant to today but forgot) about the machines for upper body strengthening.
I would like to mention several people's reason and/or driving force behind attending rehab. Some have attended for quite a long time.
One man has been attending for approximately three years. He told me today that he tends to sit in his recliner too much, and this rehab program has kept him in shape and to maintain his strength.
One lady has been able to go from having to use a mask over her nose and mouth to obtain her oxygen to using the cannula as I and others do.
Another man has early stage copd, and he comes twice a week. He really flies on the Treadmill at an angle, and I wasn't sure at first why he was there. He seemed so healthy. But, he told me he came because he wants to "keep it that way"....early stage.
One man is a cardiac and pulmonary patient, and he attends three times a week. He attends the Cardiac rehab one day a week and Pulmonary rehab twice a week. My understanding is that he has been attending for quite a long time. It seems to be working well for him.
I will post again on my next rehab day. Bye for now--Joyce
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Post by Joyce7 on Jan 8, 2008 11:55:43 GMT -5
Today is Tuesday, and normally I would be attending Pulmonary Rehabilitation. However, I must have pulled a muscle in my back yesterday and won't be going to rehab today. Hopefully, I will make it to rehab Thursday and will post at that time...Joyce
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Post by maryaz on Jan 8, 2008 20:54:15 GMT -5
Joyce, Sorry to hear you pulled a muscle. I try to be so careful myself because when I was really out of shape I kept reaching and pulling muscles. It is such a nagging pain and doesn't go away too soon with me.
I did find that the patches they have did help me. Best of luck with it.
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Post by maryaz on Jan 8, 2008 21:06:44 GMT -5
Joyce, Sorry to hear you pulled a muscle. I try to be so careful myself because when I was really out of shape I kept reaching and pulling muscles. It is such a nagging pain and doesn't go away too soon with me.
I did find that the patches they have did help me. Best of luck with it.
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Post by Joyce7 on Jan 9, 2008 7:46:10 GMT -5
Thank you Mary---It feels a little better today. I was wondering what type of patches you are talking about. The ones with heat? Do they help? Hugs and have a good day--Joyce
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Post by maryaz on Jan 9, 2008 22:10:44 GMT -5
Thank you Mary---It feels a little better today. I was wondering what type of patches you are talking about. The ones with heat? Do they help? Hugs and have a good day--Joyce Hi Joyce; What I did use really did help. They were just patches for pain. I don't think hot or cold as far as how the box was marked. They are COLD when you first put it on. Then you don't even notice it. I never thought it would work but sure did. I used them about 3 different times over the last few years. They were bought either at the grocery store or walgreens and more than likely walgreens. Hope you are feeling better today.
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Post by Joyce7 on Jan 10, 2008 22:12:27 GMT -5
DAY 32 PULMONARY REHABILITATION
My back is feeling much better, so I did attend rehab today. I'm glad I did. I did my exercises a little more carefully today but did them for the full amount of time.
They are keeping me at 20 minutes on the Bike and 20 minutes on the Treadmill. They have not angled the Treadmill nor increased my time on any of the machines. The RT seemed pleased with the 40 minutes of exercise I do on the machines along with my warm up and cool down exercises and stretches.
I do not yet know whether or not I will be able to attend Phase Three of Pulmonary Rehab but hopefully will find out soon. I have six more sessions to attend in Phase two that are already paid for. Some people took only six weeks of rehab and many, like myself, are coming close to the end of their rehab. Some will return for Phase Three and some will not.
I talked with the RT today about how to maintain exercising when you can't get out due to bad weather or maybe just if a person is not feeling up to par. She told me to turn on some music and dance around the house. Sometimes I might only feel like slowly waltzing by myself around the house and sometimes I might be able to dance fast and then slow down and pace myself and dance more. The main thing is to keep moving. Moving, even if done slowly, will increase one's endurance and strength and help with circulation. She reminded me to be sure to use my oxygen whenever I exercise. If under the weather or just not feeling up to par, just sit in the chair and move your legs up and down at whatever pace you wish be it fast or slow...just move...rest (or recover) and move again. She reminded me that you don't have to know Tai Chi to move your arms around and pretend that you are reaching for the stars or holding a ball in your hands circulating it around slowly using proper breathing techniques. Move the pretend ball slowly in front of yourself and bring it up and back to your chest. This is something good for me to have learned today. If home, I should keep moving around and not to get too comfortable for too long in a chair, recliner or sofa.
I found this interesting and wanted to share it with the group since many of us are home a great deal of the time.
Until later---Joyce
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Post by Joyce7 on Jan 15, 2008 18:36:03 GMT -5
DAY 33 - PULMONARY REHABILITATION I was pleased to see a brand new batch of people arriving today at pulmonary rehab. The more the merrier. They reminded me of me when I first started, and I can see how far I've come. It's a good feeling. Today, after doing my warm up exercises, I rode the bike 25 minutes instead of 20 at a level of 6-7. I definitely could feel my thigh muscles pulling. This is five more minutes than I normally do on the bike. I'm glad I made it and my stats remained good. I also did 25 minutes on the Treadmill which is also five extra minutes than I normally do. I was pretty tired by that time, so my cool down exercises were done slowly and my stats were good. Today was the first meeting of the Better Breather's Club. Most of my group attended, and there were people there from all over the area, and many had to drive a long distance to attend. I was so glad to see such a good turn out of pulmonary people. Some I knew but many I didn't. So, I made some new friends today. We will meet once a month on a Tuesday at noon for one hour. They had light refreshments of chicken nuggets and an array of fresh fruit and tea. I'm sure that most Better Breather's Clubs have their own agenda, but I thought I might type out the agenda for our first Better Breather's Club meeting so that other's can compare mine to theirs if they have one. It was as follows: AGENDA Better Breathers Club 1/15/2008 1. Welcome and Introduction *Announcements * Review of Group Touchstones * Attendance Record II. Education Topic "Ask the Doc" Learning Objectives: At the end of the presentation, members will be able to: * Express concerns and ask questions of a pulmonologist. * Explain how to get the best care possible. * Explain how to effectively manage your next physician office visit. Speaker: Sunil Sharma, M.D. Columbia Lung & Sleep III. Sharing/Discussion IV. Closing * Next Meeting: Tuesday, February 19, 2008, noon-1pm * Evaluation There was a group of Medical Equipment and Oxygen Suppliers who attended and gave a speech regarding their oxygen options. It was very interesting, and I'm so glad I attended. Until next time---Joyce
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Post by maryaz on Jan 15, 2008 20:45:41 GMT -5
Wow! Love reading about your new Better Breathers Group. Glad you had a good turnout. Nice to see how it was setup. I would like to know where you met at, such as restraurant, hospital, school, or wherever? Also, how did they get the word out? Someone posted on CI recently and felt bad because they had a very low turnout. Always good to hear the positives. I think getting the word out to the public is the key. Wow! You are right that you sure have come a long way. I have enjoyed following you thru this. Whee, that was hard work for me. Sweat! sweat! ! ;D ;D I remember your early posts. Now you are a pro. If you wake up sore tomorrow, let us know. Extra time can do that. Thanks again Joyce.
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Post by cocojax on Jan 15, 2008 21:13:41 GMT -5
Joyce you have really done well with your rehab and now better breathers. I go for my one year evaluation for my better breathers rehab. Some people don't bother going back, but I think if they are tracking peoples progress it could lead to more rehab groups if they can show people improve.
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Post by Joyce7 on Jan 16, 2008 9:39:48 GMT -5
Hi--Thank you for your responses. The hospital where I attend rehab sponsored the Better Breather's Club. It is Lexington Medical Center. The RTs told each of us about their desire to start the Club to see the amount of interest in attending. We all received a notice in the mail to our home addresses informing us of the Club meeting, the time, the speaker, etc. It was free to attend....no cost which was good. I'm not sure who they mailed notices to but I know they contacted other hospitals prior to setting up the meeting so that their pulmonary patients would know about it and be invited to attend. It was also open to the public. We had approximately 30 in attendance. The RTs had no idea how many might attend, and I thought 30 was a good number. The next Club meeting will be held in a classroom at the hospital, and it will hold more people. I was told that years ago they tried to start a Better Breather's Club but the attendance was low so it was not continued. I think that "word of mouth" is sometimes the best way of advertising, and it doesn't cost anything. It did cost the hospital some money in postage and having the notice prepared for mail out. Showing interest in a Pulmonary Rehabilitation program and/or a Better Breather's Club is very important. There is a cost involved in whoever is sponsoring the rehab or Club, so they have to have a good turnout for it to be beneficial to them in their time and money. Our Pulmonary Rehab at the hospital is packed full now. The more people realize the importance of exercise to our overall health and well being, the more people will attend. I believe that the exercise I do, in my opinion, is just as important as my oxygen when it comes to my longevity and quality of life. Much to my surprise, I am not sore at all even though I did five extra minutes yesterday on the Treadmill and the Bike. I also slept well last night. My muscles were tired, but my mind was happy to know that I could do more. It made me feel good both mentally and physically. It's hard to explain how good it feels to be thinking along the lines of "I can do more", "I can still shop", "I can go to visit my son" and "I am managing my disease." I no longer think along the lines of "I will only decline no matter what I do." That line of thinking is in the past, and I look forward to being more active and doing more things I enjoy. Life is short. Enjoy it to the very best of your ability.....Joyce
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Post by maryaz on Jan 16, 2008 22:18:40 GMT -5
Thanks Joyce for explaining. Congratulations on everything. Job well done.
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Post by Joyce7 on Jan 17, 2008 18:14:07 GMT -5
DAY 34 - PULMONARY REHABILITATION
Today was a fun day at rehab. We rarely get any snow where I live, and we had a light dusting of snow last night. Everyone, including myself, spent the evening just watching it. It was pretty. However, this morning it was pouring rain...a cold rain and there were only 8 people in my group at rehab today. It was nice though, and everyone was in a good mood and joking around.
I decided to do my normal 20 minutes on the bike and treadmill today instead of upping it to 25 since I arrived a bit late. We always have two Televisions on to watch while we exercise, but today only one was working, so the RT's turned on the radio. They turned to a station which play Oldies type of music and Beach music and things like that.
As we peddled our bikes, we all started moving our hands and arms to the beat of the music and had a good laugh. The funny part came when we all got on the treadmills and set our speeds up and down based on the beat of the music. The RT's didn't seem to mind as long as we didn't set it too high or hurt ourselves. They didn't want us to fall!! It was a fun day in many ways. One of the ladies who started rehab with me is down to one more visit, and she will be finished. I don't think she plans to have more rehab right now. Her insurance won't pay for more. I will miss seeing her and hope we can stay in touch. Maybe she will attend a Better Breather's Club meeting.
I found out that one man whom I haven't seen in several weeks had surgery on his shoulder, and that is why he hasn't been at rehab. No one tells us why people aren't there, and we have to ask. So, I'm glad to know he is alright and will be returning once he heals from surgery.
Since everyone was being a little silly today, as I did my first walk around the track to cool down, I did sort of dance my way slowly around the track. Others did the same. Some of us just can't dance, but that didn't matter...it was just fun.
Between the exercise, the dancing and the laughing, I was a tired lady when I got home. I did some slow stretches before having a bite to eat. When I am finished with rehab at the hospital, I will definitely miss it and also all the nice people I have met and the new friends I have made.
One of the RT's had a good suggestion as to what to do for exercise on bad weather days when it is difficult to get out and drive. After our fun day....her suggestion was to dance around the house...slowly. I have done that before, and I found it to be enjoyable. No one can see me, so it doesn't matter if I look silly.
I will post again on Tuesday---Joyce
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Post by Joyce7 on Feb 2, 2008 8:55:59 GMT -5
CONCLUSION - PULMONARY REHABILITATION Pulmonary Rehabilitation has meant so very much to me both physically and mentally. I grew stronger and found that I could do so much more than I thought I could do. Never say never is my motto from now on. I had several more sessions remaining, however I developed pneumonia and had to be hospitalized for a week. I then spent a week recovering at my daughter's home. I am home now, and can honestly say that although the pneumonia weakened me, my legs and ability to walk and get around is very strong. I give credit for this to my pulmonary rehabilitation program. I have a set of stairs in my home and had no problems when I walked in the door getting up the stairs. My legs aren't shaky as I thought they might be, and this is a real plus since I live alone and all the bedrooms are upstairs. Before being discharged from the hospital, I called the rehabilitation supervisor inquiring as to when I might possibly be able to return to rehab. Since I was hospitalized, I have to get another prescription from my doctor to start the program again. This is understandable, and when I see my Pulmonologist next week, I will ask him. I truly believe that if I had not participated in this rehabilitation program and exercised, I may not be back here in my own home walking the stairs. I can't say enough about how pleased I am with my lower body strength after being in a hospital bed and having pneumonia. I am on the mend, and as soon as I get the "OK," I will be exercising both my lower and upper body. It is most important not only in the ability to function and perform daily activities, but it is of utmost importance during and after an exacerbation and/or setback. I would like to thank COPD Canada and my fellow copders for allowing me to post my day to day Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program. It has been my pleasure to do so, Thank you again. Joyce M. Johnson Columbia, SC USA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Who's never won? Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL Music.
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Post by cocojax on Feb 2, 2008 9:41:07 GMT -5
Wow way to go Joyce, you just proved a very valuable lesson, doing the exercise to build up endurance our bodies and minds are able to come through an exacerbation stronger than if we did no exercise. I hope that you can continue after you get your prescription, again I so glad you are feeling better.
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