Exercise and Stretch Thread: December 2016

[Sunshine]

Certainly weight lifting should be done every two to three days. That's a proven fact.

I met up with a crew of nine for surfing today for 90 minutes...The conditions were mediocre, 2-3' very choppy. But the water was warmer than the air. It was pretty breezy and sunny.

i did not trust my body to paddle out as far as the lineup, which is just behind where the wave will crest. So, I took Waves after they broke and reformed into smaller waves. It was not a good idea to stand up so I took some very fast and long rides lying down. The ocean was empty due to poor conditions.

It is still vigorous lying down. First of all you paddle out against the incoming wave, adjusting and readjusting the board so you're u stay on it.

Then, you wait for the wave, paddle, catch the wave with your back arched to move weight to the back of board, and then, as you're dropping down the face of the wave at an angle, you slide your body to the back of the board so you do not nosedive. Then, you keep sliding up and back depending on how the wave is breaking and the boards position on it. And you shift your weight toward the side, "the rails" of the board in order to turn left or right depending on the wave, so you can glide along the face sideways and extend the length of the wave.

As you can see, riding prone is very vigorous. It becomes automatic just like how you ride a bike and constantly shift your weight. In many ways, it is more vigorous than standing up. In other ways, less so.

So, that is your surf lesson today :) now to rest 4 hours.

[agate]

I'm on a schedule. There are some exercises I do daily, and on MWF there are some additional ones. The amount of time involved is so minimal already that I feel I ought to keep up with all of these at least, considering that my daily number of steps is way below what's recommended for keeping basically fit. I believe that total should be 5,000 steps a day or at least 3,000.

It's a great day when I've done 2,000.

I believe that if I'm careful not to overdo, I should be able to avoid any more of these episodes of "leg failure."

[Virginia]

Agate, so sorry you have had a problem. I hope it does not occur again.

BBS, you just made me dizzy with that lesson in surfing. WHEW! You are amazing.

As for me, did not feel well day before yesterday - did nothing. Yesterday I had a nail appointment so while out I went to bank drive-thru, two different pharmacies, one being Costco, so there was a little walking there and also at the first pharmacy which was K-Mart. No handicap parking available. I then went to grocery store and shopped for this weeks groceries.

Today not feeling well, so it is like if I go out to do errands or do clean-up chores here in house one day then next day I am wiped out. Very tired of this. I did 15 Christmas labels today. I no longer can write my addresses since by handwriting has become so bad. The past couple of years I had the inside engraved, but this year their machine was broke. If it was not for the walking I would try to take them some place else, but then I would have to go back and pick them up. The out of town ones, which are most I write notes or letters. I have started doing that on "Word". Thank God for computers. I just don't know what people did before them when they lost the ability to write.

[Sunshine]

Had to chill today.i was getting ready to drive to the public pool and the foot turned to the side in a spastic episode. Decided to not exercise today and rest up. I am gonna chalk it up to overdoing with yesterday surfing, driving, going out to dinner with DD who came to town and resting less than usual.

I did do six flights of stairs just in daily living.

Second DD is flying to town tonight for four nights. Very exciting. These visits really highlight how much loss of life I have endured these past six months.

[Virginia]

BBS, have your family come home to you must be such a treat and so uplifting. Sorry you didn't get to do much today, but you will get back into things. I know you!!!

[Sunshine]

Did half mile swim which is 25 minutes. Resting now and waiting for DD to awaken :)

So far, no breakthrough spasticity.

We asked the DDs to come home due to my MS activation....not able to travel.

[Virginia]

BBS, 1/2 mile is really very good. You also have to count in the time it takes to get into your suit, etc to prepare to go swimming.

[stillstANNding]

I did a load of clothes, a duvet, and a cotton rug. This involved many trips up and down stairs. I folded said clothes and hung some. I loaded, ran and unloaded the DW.

I made 2 difficult phone calls which requires a different kind of energy.

There is no pain but there is no energy left and the back of my calves and my back feel like a board.

Not yet ready for surfing,
ANN

[Lazarus]

I did rituxan today and got home about 2:00. My husband had gotten a letter with a referral to a cardiac doc in Boston.
(John recently had another heart attack.)

The rituxan must have started working already because I made phone calls and have a car service reserved for the date. I have used this service before. Expensive BUT, he will drive us, wait for as many hours as we are there and drive us home. It could not even think of doing this without this limo service.

I also made a phone call as we are putting in an automatic turn on generator that will heat two greenhouses and our house in case of a power outage.

When the rituxan wears off I can not make coherent phone calls. I keep putting them off. So I know the rituxan is working its magic.

[stillstANNding]

Linda, I am sorry that John had another heart attack.

One of the calls that I made was for a limo service to take us from the Greater Pittsburgh airport, which is quite far from the city, to Mom's, just as far again to the east. We are thankful for that business.

ANN

[Virginia]

Linda, sounds like the retuxan is definitely doing it's job. You get lots done when on it. Very good thing.

Ann, going up and down stairs is good exercise. I went upstairs one time today to dust, but I have to pull myself by bannister, so not sure this is doing that much good. In addition to the dusting upstairs, I cleaned two separate glass tables downstairs, and cleaned the master bath. I did not clean the shower or mop because my maid is coming tomorrow.

[stillstANNding]

Virginia- my house cleaner is coming tomorrow, too, for 2 hours. She and her helper do the heavy cleaning on the first floor.

In the morning, I have to get ready for her. Put some things away.

ANN

[Virginia]

Yes Ann I understand. My husband use to tell me that I cleaned for the housecleaners to come in. I always said well, I didn't want them to catch me with a dirty house.LOL

[Sunshine]

Pulling up by Banister is still good excercise.

Laz, it must be terrifying to See John struggling like this. Life can be so hard. I am glad rituxan helps.

Yes, the putting on and speaking off the swim wetsuit, walk to pool and showers, all def qualify. It's disheartening to pay for this with day long leg tingling.

Am taking DD to ocean today. CONDITIONS look not great. Let's see what happens. Going out to evening dinner the past three nights has been a legs challenge. But I would gladly pay for the privilege of DDS' company.

[agate]

Linda (Lazarus), I'm hoping for the best for your husband. It's a shame that this cloud is hanging over you both.

On Sunday I did a half-cleaning of the bathroom (skipped the tub) and took out the trash but yesterday I did just a load of laundry. Everything else I did except for the usual kitchen routines was sedentary. I trotted out all my yarn for a look at it and put it away again.

But I did the Monday exercises and am giving serious thought to some jobs that need to be done before the inspection in January. I probably need to clean the window blinds and vacuum the curtains. It's something to think about, anyway.