Keep on Moving : February 2017

[Sunshine]

MS creates some real challenges to keep on moving. It helps to inspire each other on how to find ways to move.

Did you stretch in your bed, swing your arms, roll side to side today? Or perhaps you did housework? Or exercised in a pool? Pushed the wheelchair wheels with your arms at the store? Post them here and we can egg each other on.

I have a nasty infection and have suspended vigorous exercise. My moving yesterday and today consisted of about five flights stairs at home, walking halls at work. Hoping to be elk enough ugh to swim tomorrow.

How about You?

[Lazarus]

I started today pushing the 5" of very light snow that we got last night. I used a big broom and pushed it off the porch, pushed a path for the pup to be able to go out, and pulled the huge tarps off of the cars they were covering.

That tarp over the cars is the best way to save me ever having to clean snow off the cars. I just pull the tarp off and the snow falls off. If the snow is heavy it is more work but last night was light snow! I hear the fellow who plows the whole farm areas outside now. Thank goodness!

Thanks for this thread....I have been helped by following everyone's exercise routines. It is easy to stop moving. Keep moving is lifesaving and mind saving.

[Virginia]

I got a new vacuum with the thought of putting it in my upstairs (the one I had broke down), but tried it out in my downstairs today where I live. I like it, but it gives my right arm a work out. It is a Shark Rocket and really does a good job. It gets places I could not get with my Ricar without moving things. There is no bag and you just empty the cup at the top which is easy to do. That is going to be my exercise for today. I may decide to keep this vacuum down here. My maid can easily vacuum under my bed every other week when she comes with this one. Before I had a little thing called a "pick up" and I had to keep the battery pack charged and of course it didn't do the job that this one does.

However, my right arm muscle really got a work out, much more so than with my Ricar.

[Sunshine]

It's interesting how taking care of life creates these opportunities to keep on moving! I skipped my swim today because I am trying to recover from an infection. However, I did my usual five flights of stairs at home. And I skipped using the scooter and ran into the grocery store and shopped for about five minutes.

Am starting to feel better. Might try a quick swim in the morning.

This thread helps me be more mindful of trying to increase my moving around. It makes me feel like I am more accountable somehow.

[agate]

Yesterday this is what I did by way of exercise:

--40 weight lifts with the weights wrapped around my feet, a routine I was supposed to do on Friday or Saturday but didn't get around to (oops)

--10 squats

--20 backward tilts

--10 sideways leg lifts

--10 knee squeezes with 11" ball

--10 hip lifts on each side

--20 pelvic lifts

--20 tiptoe stands

This is the usual daily routine, with extras added 3 days a week.

Today I had a chair to assemble. Its total weight is 34 lbs. but I didn't have to lift its entire weight. Mainly it took arm and hand strength to tighten up all of the screws. That just may count as some exercise today.

[Sunshine]

Wow! Puts me to shame and inspires me!

[agate]

But you've been surfing in those shark-infested waters, BBS! My exercise routines don't take very long, I don't have to go anywhere to do them, and they're not very strenuous at all.

[Pegakafarmgirl]

back in my day when I could exercise,, tread mill 20 minutes / swimming a hour in the pool,, {which I totally miss doing},, I lift weights now, and have a pedal machine I use every day for 15 minutes,,

has anyone used a medicine ball ? when my core was out of whack,, my PT lady {she was so good, she works with MS patients}, had me sit on one, to get my core stronger, and it worked

[agate]

In one of the PT courses I had (some years ago) sitting on one of those medicine balls was something I had to do.

I promptly lost my balance and fell off it, and maybe that's why I didn't see any more of the medicine ball. I felt sorry for the PT people--they got really nervous after I fell. I wasn't injured but I guess they were concerned.

The arm strengthening exercises I do 3 times a week--10 stretches with an exercise band inserted in a door--must be helping me.

Usually if I have a job to do like assembling a piece of furniture, tightening so many screws leaves my arms all shaky and tingly for days. Yesterday I had a chair to put together and had to insert and tighten about 16 screws with an Allen wrench. They had to be really tight of course and so I gave it my all.

I ended up with only very minimal arm and hand problems, and the whole job took about half an hour though I took a couple of breaks.

Maybe taking the breaks helped but I think it was the arm exercises. I've been doing them since last spring. By now there should be some effect, I figure.

[Virginia]

This is great Agate. I guess I should have been doing them. My right arm was so shaky yesterday after using my new vacuum that I could hardly do anything. Today I have been so sore in that arm and especially the upper muscle. Maybe it is lack of exercise and use of the arm.

[Sunshine]

I might try those exercises when I retire soon.

I swam 1/2 mile, and my foot went spastic in the locker room. I guess will skip it tomorrow. This infex is such a drag and creates asthma problems. Blech... the spasticity continued all afternoon at work. MS has making it impossible to work even part time.

Saturday waves look almost flat. I wild love to just paddle around. The salt air is such a tonic for breathing. Sunday looks big, let's see if the lungs will work well enough for bigger waves.

[jendie]

Yesterday I went to Target and bought some stuff for my home. Lots of walking, just pushing the shopping cart. Today I walked the 2.5 blocks over to physical therapy. I did my therapy, then walked up to the lab at the hospital, 2 blocks from PT. I had the blood draw, then walked back home, 2.5 blocks. I got a lot of rest between the things I did today or I wouldn't have been able to do it all.

The hardest thing I did was go down the little hill into the parking spot in front of my apartment. It's a good thing my walker has brakes.

Now I'm sitting in my recliner, playing on my computer. I need a nap.
The therapist said that I should hear from the wheelchair specialist on either Monday or Tuesday next week. *fingers crossed* I've been waiting for nearly a year to find out about getting a power scooter to increase my mobility. I'm tired of being stuck at home.

[Jeanie Z]

Fell again

:) Well my muscles don't work worth a damn. My van ramp not closing without me getting off the scooter and reaching in and holding down the close lever on the dash and then turning off the engine. I went to the dentist then to get my nails done and I fell onto the ramp when I got off the scooter.

A lady parked nearby and I asked her to go into the nail place and get some help for me. My butt is sore and the back of my left calf where it scraped on the ramp side when they (3) were helping me up. They were barely able to get me high enough to get on the seat. I was so embarassed. I hope I don't wake up tomorrow with more sore spots because I think I hit several things.

The mobility place ordered a new remote to close the door but it has not arrived yet. I have needed it more than a week and this method is dangerous. What if I fall where there are no people? Scary. I can't help in any way to get myself up. I read all y'all doing exercises and I am amazed. I wish I could do some. I worry that I may be one bad fall away from a nursing home. Jeanie :)

[agate]

:) Well my muscles don't work worth a damn. My van ramp not closing without me getting off the scooter and reaching in and holding down the close lever on the dash and then turning off the engine. I went to the dentist then to get my nails done and I fell onto the ramp when I got off the scooter.

A lady parked nearby and I asked her to go into the nail place and get some help for me. My butt is sore and the back of my left calf where it scraped on the ramp side when they (3) were helping me up. They were barely able to get me high enough to get on the seat. I was so embarassed. I hope I don't wake up tomorrow with more sore spots because I think I hit several things.

The mobility place ordered a new remote to close the door but it has not arrived yet. I have needed it more than a week and this method is dangerous. What if I fall where there are no people? Scary. I can't help in any way to get myself up. I read all y'all doing exercises and I am amazed. I wish I could do some. I worry that I may be one bad fall away from a nursing home. Jeanie :)

Too bad that you had another fall, Jeanie. I doubt that you're headed for a nursing home at any time in the near future though.

I hope your injuries won't turn out to be severe. Are you going to drop in to see a doctor just to be checked over? It's advisable probably though I can't say I'm in the habit of doing this. Usually I'm too uncomfortable just getting over the fall even to think about going anywhere.

[Howie]

Tomorrow is my exercise day, and just happens to be payday. Mail some bills off, then to the dump, then the ATM, then shopping. I have NOTHING to eat in the house, but ate everyday up to payday. Close planning.

I'll be doing all that with my broken ankle. It's still a little sore, but for the walking tomorrow, I'll have the Ace bandage on it to hold everything in the ankle in place.

Tonight, I'm just on the bed watching TV, and not wearing it. It tends to cut the circulation off and THAT hurts and tells me it's time to come off for a while.

That's exercise for me, just taking care of me, and my two fuzzy friends.