Pulmonary Rehab Day 8

[Blossom/Jackie W.]

DAY 8 - PULMONARY REHABILITATION

I can't believe this is only my eighth day of rehab. I am finding that our mental state of mind has a lot to do with how we feel as well as the condition of our bodies physically. For example, I may have previously mentioned a lady named Carol whom I work out with at times. Prior to doing our warm up exercises, she told me that it had been a terrible weekend for her. Her sister had moved in with her, and there were problems with that, etc. She was fit to be tied. When our stats were taken prior to warm up, her pulse was very, very high and so was her blood pressure which is unusual. They kept making her rest between exercises, and her stats were above her normal the whole time. She said she felt tense and stressed out, and she felt as though her stress was the reason for her high stats. I believe so too. After rehab, she was more tired than usual and left prior to completing her cool down exercises. Before leaving, she told me that she had no idea the stress she had been under the past few days would affect her body and physical well being so much. Today, I learned a good lesson regarding stress.

For me, this was a good rehab day. I felt good this morning and looked forward to my time exercising. My oxygen level prior to exercising was 97% with good pulse rate and blood pressure reading. I walked briskly around the track twice making fairly large strides and with little if no shortness of breath. I was pleased. After stretching, I sanitized my hands and headed to the bike.

I peddled the bike for 14 minutes at a level of 6-7. I was pleased. I did have some shortness of breath, but not much, and my oxygen saturation was 96% mid-way through the 14 minutes on the bike. I also walked on the Treadmill for 14 minutes at 2.2 miles per hour. I became only a little short of breath toward the end, but my stats were fine.

I found that when walking the track during my cooling down time, I believe I walked it faster than before. Normally I drag that oxygen tank behind me like an anchor, but today, I strode along, slowly but not like a tired snail. My cool down stretches went well also, and my stats were fine.

Some of the people in my group have now begun to do more upper body strengthening exercises, however due to my arm injury (impingement), I can't do that yet. I start rehab for my arm tomorrow morning. I wish I could move along with the others in the upper body strengthening area, but like they told us in the beginning, I'm not going to compare myself with others. So, I'm happy with what I did today, and they seem happy with it too.

I spoke with the RT before leaving, and she wants to keep me at this same level for Thursday's rehab. She said if I do as well Thursday as I did today, then they will increase my time or levels of exercise. I do feel as though I can do more, but I have found out that doing it their way...the slow way...is the best way.

Instead of tiring me out, I think rehab refreshed me today. After rehab I went by my sister's for a brief visit before coming home. I haven't even had a nap today. This is something new. I'm not exhausted at all. Right now, I feel tired, but a good tired...not fatigued and not exhausted...just a sleepy type of tired. I believe I will sleep well tonight.

Bye for now---Joyce