Week of June 1st

[merryfl]

Happy Monday!!

I did not get to the gym today, due to having to get some lab work done. Local lab couldn't do the test because I didn't know I had to have a mailer from the hospital (long story) so I wound up havng to drive to the next town where the hospital has a satellite clinic. Finally got home at 10:45 and still hadn't had breakfast yet!

So, I will go tomorrow -- I promise. Meantime.....how about the rest of you?

H-m-m-m-m-m-m?

[adina]

Merry, sorry to hear you couldn't get to the gym, but I KNOW you'll make it tomorrow!

I'm still at 1.0 mph on the TM, and I really struggled today. I did 14 minutes with 3 stops to catch my breath. Then I did a neb treatment and did 8 more minutes at the same speed for a total of 22 minutes and .336 mi. ... Sigh.....

Colleen? Sue? Mary? Pat? Willo? Where are the rest of you? Yoo-hoo!

[maryaz]

Merry, it would sure be nice if all instructions were accurate and complete when first given. Save people a lot of time.

Adina; Amazing how one can do well one day and the next day not do well. You were doing really good. Is it really us or our surrounding.

I rode the bike for 5 minutes yesterday. Today I did the . . .

TM @ 1.1 for 5 minutes.

I had hoped to get back on but didn't work out that way. I did, also do the bike though, for 10 minutes.

Hope everyone continues to improve.

[sue]

I worked the last 2 nights, so did the usual housework. I didnt overdo it, I did alot of extra last week. The other 3rd shift person does as little as possible and gets away with it.

I really need to get in the habit of walking every day. It is easy when Im camping but not when Im at home.

[merryfl]

I was a good girl, and went to the gym today. I had a real good workout. Nothing new or terribly exciting:
TM 30 minutes @ 2.5mph
Rowing machine, and 2 other arm/upper body machines (don't know what they're called) @40 pounds, 20 reps each
Leg curl, leg extensions @ 60 pounds, 15 reps each
Leg press @ 110 pounds, 20 reps
Stair stepper - 7 flights on level 7/12

I find I really miss it when I don't go. Boy is that a scary thought - never thought I'd see the day.

[willomar]

Went to tai chi class today. Always makes me feel good. Still using my leg weights and 5 lb dumbells for arms, but have a long way to go with those. Have been doing some stretching too and really need that. Good work everyone.

[sue]

Im going grocery shopping in a bit, so will get some walking in.

[blondie]

Hi All....I've been remiss in posting here. In fact, I've been remiss in exercising. Not funny mcgee..

I went to Sam's club and walked most of the store. Then yesterday evening went and watered my brothers plants/flowers and drug heavy hoses around. In fact, my right bicep(??) is sore today. I moved the sprinkler around, so I watered myself:)

Everyone keep up the good work. You're being persistent Mary and Adina. persistance pays off. BTW, I need to buy some 5lb weights. Since I've lost weight, my arms are a little flabby....sigh

[adina]

Mary, I'm proud of ya for getting back on that TM on Monday! Plus, you did an additional 10 minutes on the bike. Now, THAT'S progress! Bravo! Mary, regarding the TM, I've learned that it's 'better,' - more productive - to try to build up time before speed, and I'm thinking that you might be able to go longer if you cut back to maybe 1.0 mph. This would help build your endurance more. After you can go about 30 minutes w/o stopping then start adding speed.

Merry, you continue to run circles around us all! But you're also a great example and inspiration for the rest of us. I love to hear about your progress.

Willo, glad you got to your Tai Chi class. Do you do the Tai Chi at home as well? I'm impressed with your five-pound weights. Did you start with that amount or work your way up to it? And what kind of stretching exercises do you do? I should be doing that as well.

Sue, I know the kind of work you do is its own workout. I'll cheer you on for additional walking, though.

Pat, glad to see flinging those hoses around. LOL! Seriously, though, using your upper body muscles for activities like that is a good workout that helps build additional strength.

Colleen, where are you? I have been want to ask you, and while I'm remembering to do so, I will.... i.e., I know you have a pretty darn low FEV1 and yet you do SO much with all your housekeeping, errand running AND exercising. I really admire you for that! How do you think you manage to do so much with that low FEV1? And what is your DLCO, if you wouldn't mind sharing that, too.

I have had three really rough breathing days, and I skipped exercising yesterday. Today I managed a full 30 minutes on the TM - NON-stop! I'm still at 1.0 mph, so that equates to 1/2 mile. SO... now I'm going to have to listen to my own suggestion to Mary, and add some speed tomorrow now that I did 30 minutes straight. Either that OR I might see if I can do the 30 minutes a couple more days before I try to increase my speed.

Good work everyone!

[merryfl]

Adina - I'm going to jump in here and answer your question of Colleen. If you look back to before my surgery, I was doing a huge amount of stuff, too. My FEV1 was almost as low as Coll's (about 18%). A lot of it is keeping muscles toned and keeping your endurance up. I never "gave in" to my disease, and made sure I stayed active. I think it also is because Colleen and I were both quite young when we got sick, and still had "young muscles" to help us get around. There is nothing on my PFT reports that indicates DLCO - is it also called something else?

BTW -- I didn't mean the above as any kind of put down on what anyone else is able to do...I'm just saying that we were ahead of the game to start with, which gave us an edge some others may not have.

That being said, I went to the gym today I did my same routine as Tuesday, for about an hour, and then went to the grocery store. Will do the gym again tomorrow to get in my 3 times this week.

[maryaz]

Merry, I appreciate the reply you posted. I also was very interested. At 24% I never lifted weights over 2 lbs. I started on the 3 lb at one point. The RT suggested I do the 2lbs for more reps. I guess in 7 years I never got enough muscle built. I used to go very regularly to rehab. The first years hardly missed a time. Since Joe's cancer I have slipped I know. I am starting to show signs of improvement.

I was 58 when diagnosed and 65 now. I did go way up in weight the first year after the hospital. Bounced around a number of times trying to lose some but only 8 to 10 lbs and always back to start. Never could stay there. This time is different but I have to stay well and keep up what I am doing. I never was a strong person to start. I think I had had damaged lungs for a very long time as I look back at things in my life. Enough, this is the exercise room.

I feel really good about today's post and hope I can keep this up. Forget why no exercise Tuesday. Wednesday I had a doctor's appointment and that was all the exercise I got. Today . . . .

TM 12 minutes @ 1.1

Bike @ 20 minutes - I don't really know what this is and will call it a bike.

I think I will start to include the bike because it is exercise for my legs for sure.

[merryfl]

Good job, Mary. You've really improved the last couple of weeks. Keep it up!!

I went to the gym today to get in my 3rd day. I was running a little late, so only walked 20 minutes, but I did all the other stuff for the normal length of time. Now it's officially "the weekend" and I get to take 2 days off.

[adina]

Merry, that was a very good explanation, and I didn't take it as a put down. I do think it helps to be diagnosed earlier rather than later because overall our bodies are in better condition. That,and we just plain all different, I guess. I'm not sure if there's another name for the DLCO on a PFT report or not. What it represents is the ability of the lungs to transfer gas (O2) to the bloodstream, although they usually use CO2 to conduction the test. It's the DLCO that makes more of a difference in needing O2 than the FEV1 does.

Bravo on keeping your exercise routine going! Great job this week, and yes, DO enjoy your weekend off! LOVE the kitty you posted.

Mary, you're really bumping up your times lately. Way to go! All that book moving DID do you some good, I think!

I did my 30 minutes (.50 mi) on the TM at 1.0 mph, but I had to break it into two 15-minute sessions as I was so SOB. I did a neb treatment after the first 15 minutes, and that really helped. I think I'll do that beFORE I start and see if that helps. I also did my upper body strength training again - 7 different exercises, 10 reps each with 2# weights.

Everyone have a good weekend!

[maryaz]

Merry; Enjoy the weekend. You earned it.

I do think all my moving around lately has helped. I could not have done what I did if not. I am also walking better in the house, meaning not as SOB when I go from room to room. I think the weight loss, altho not as much as I wanted by now, has added to the improvement.

Adina, Some days you exercise so good and then like today it is an effort. I don't know why that happens to me on some days but if I am in shape, most of the days I can do whatever my time is.

BTW, Today, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I tried and tried and got interruption after interruption. Nobodies fault really. Things just kept happening. grrrrrr. I will try tomorrow. I was so irritated by dinner time that I could never have made it.

Adina, have a good weekend.

[merryfl]

Adina -- I did a little research and found out that the DLCO is shown on my reports as Diffusion Capacity. I don't know which number you want so will list all 4 and you can pick the right one. (This was my last full PFT before my surgery, and was done in a box).
Dsb 4.82 (25%<)
DsbHb 4.57 (23%<)
VAsb 2.26 (45%<)
D/VAsb 2.14 (55%<)
Hgb 15.30

I hope this answers your question.