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Kicking LEs butt!! Exercise & Self Care Log

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Comments

  • hugz4u
    hugz4u Member Posts: 1,818
    edited February 2015

    carol, That garden sounds awesome.Dont let the rabbits from your forest in, to housesit while your away.

    Ok all, I did somewhat of a walk, That was until I stopped at the store for chocolate covered peanuts...ugh having a chocolate addiction today. must stop.

  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 1,550
    edited February 2015

    There is a book called Pilates for Breast Cancer Survivors, by Naomi Aaronson. Not a DVD, but Naomi is an OT who does a lot of LE therapy (she is a CLT). She was one of the Pilates experts who helped write the exercise documents on the StepUp site. Amazon has it. I hope she makes a DVD, because Pilates is new to me, and I have a hard time following photos. But if you are already doing Pilates, the book might be just what you need to learn how to adapt the moves.

  • bc101
    bc101 Member Posts: 923
    edited February 2015

    Thanks for the recommendations, ladies! I'm actually a newbie. I was given some very basic Pilates exercises during PT to help jumpstart an exercise program. I really like working with the balance ball because it helps stabilize my joints and takes the pressure off my arm. I've taken Pilates classes before, but that was eons ago.

    So....I bought a balance ball and checked out several DVDs from the library. I'll be busy this weekend learning how to breath and work my core.

    My cats have already learned to stay away from me when I'm rolling around on the ball! Especially since my DH almost squashed one our cats after wiping out on his first try! Pretty funny!


  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 4,671
    edited February 2015

    that is funny about your cats! I can imagine how my cat would have reacted to an exercise ball!  My cat went to the great beyond years ago and with my allergies, he has not been replaced.  But I miss him when folks tell me cat stories or post crazy pics!

    Me nursing a bad back and finally plan on going to a chiropractor and then maybe a ortho depending on what the chiro says.  It is someone one of my pals uses and she says he will exray and tell me if he can help or if I need to see an ortho. Really hoping a chiro will help

    By the way, my former trainer who did a LE study a while back and some here did a survey for him, well he is now working on his PHD and working on a paper on Stage 2 &3 survirors and exercise.  I have his survey and if you would be willing to take it, let me know.   

  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 4,671
    edited February 2015

    oh yeah, my pals study is Nueropathy and stage 2/3 survivors.  He is studying at Seton Hall

  • bc101
    bc101 Member Posts: 923
    edited February 2015

    Ooo, bad back... Not fun! Good luck with your appointments, proudtospin. Hope you can find someone to help.

    Have a great weekend all!

  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 4,671
    edited February 2015

    the sun is out, so a good day to get my Vit D~ and no snow forecast....or I do not think so....

  • bc101
    bc101 Member Posts: 923
    edited February 2015

    Yay for sun! My cat is basking in the sunshine on the floor. Looks so good I think I'll join her :)

  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 4,671
    edited February 2015


    cats always know the good spot~~

  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 1,550
    edited February 2015

    My standard poodle is snoozing in the sunshine that's pouring through a window right now. I think all our pets know how to find those sunny spots!

  • homemom
    homemom Member Posts: 842
    edited March 2015

    We have a NTC (National Training Center) near me so I did a family package so my husband and 20 year old son could go too. They have classes but the Gentle Yoga class is only on Tuesdays at 4:00 and I'm at work. They have other yoga classes that don't sound too strenuous so I might have to opt for one of those. They have cycling classes and water aerobics too.


  • hugz4u
    hugz4u Member Posts: 1,818
    edited March 2015

    Homemom. The water exercises sound great. Just watch those water weight dumb bell repetitions. Start weights super slow,add later once conditioned.

    Gardened 2 hours and loved every minute playing in the dirt. Yup that's exercise

  • hugz4u
    hugz4u Member Posts: 1,818
    edited March 2015

    Hey I gardened one hour and I got pooped so I am counting as my exercise today. I really must step it up thoug

  • Laural
    Laural Member Posts: 212
    edited March 2015

    I had 2 early morning work outs in the swimming pool at the wedding this week. It was so fun to celebrate with family and friends at my daughter's wedding. My other daughter was her maid of honor. Now back to finish up the school year and get the hip replaced late May. Sticking with the water aerobics as it is the easiest on the joints at this point.

  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 1,550
    edited March 2015

    Hugz, gardening definitely counts!

    Laural, your avatar photo says it all. Congratulations!!

  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 4,671
    edited March 2015

    Laural, lovely avatar and congrats

    good new at my gym, they are moving to another building, a mile away, an empty Lowes building.  Best part is the pool will be salt water and lots of new toys there!  yahoo

  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 1,550
    edited March 2015

    proudtospin, that does merit a huge yahoo! Wow...lucky you!

  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 4,671
    edited March 2015

    Carol, hugged the person who told me the news !  she says the managers like to work fast so wonder how long it takes to convert a Lowes into a gym?

    Bad day, a long time pal who I had not seen in about 25 or more years, well in that time she had 2 rounds of BC.  Docs have found a spot on her lungs (did I mention she has continued to smoke 1 to 2 packs a day?)....well today I took her to a doc apt, with her copys of her CT, he looked at them and said it is Cancer but we can only confirm after testing so those were ordered..However since her BP is through the roof, she needs to take the BP meds she has been avoiding.

    did I say it was a bad day?  yikes, glass of wine at my side


     

  • hugz4u
    hugz4u Member Posts: 1,818
    edited March 2015

    proudtospin. Oh I sooooo jealous. A. Salt pool.

    Two walks logged in but not long enoug

  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 1,550
    edited March 2015

    Proud, that's a load of heartache. Cancer can be so unpredictable, so of course there's hope. A longtime friend of ours was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer just about a year ago, and optimism couldn't be found in any corner. But he's doing great, responding to drugs in ways no one expected so...keep hopes up. My mom was given about a year to live in 1969...and she's 84 now! (BC) I really think it feels so random, sometimes, and yet I know several people who are holding their own in the face of some pretty crappy prognoses. And yes, a glass of wine is quite helpful for gaining perspective!

  • hugz4u
    hugz4u Member Posts: 1,818
    edited March 2015

    big hugz4u to all those suffering the Cancer beast or know someone. DANG #%£¥€#}{cancer anyway!

  • glennie19
    glennie19 Member Posts: 4,833
    edited March 2015


    Proud: that is awesome about the new gym!  A salt pool will be great.  Sorry to hear about your friend. It's rough. Damn cancer.

    Carol:  a big woo-hoo for your Mom!!  84 and still going. That's terrific!

    Gardening has been my big exercise lately. I have been attending a gentle yoga class and a tai chi class.

  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 4,671
    edited March 2015

    I remember that when I was diagnosed, I changed my eating habits, upped my exercise and did everything the dos told me to do.

    My pal is still smoking a pack a day or more, not taking the BP meds her doc ordered, so her BP is too hi to do the surgery, 3 nurses took it and it was over 200 each time

    oh yeah, she argued with the doc about everything~~

  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 1,550
    edited March 2015

    How true, that being proactive helps nudge the odds in our favor. Too bad it's not a guarantee of success! Best wishes, Proud, as you continue to support you friend through tough times.

  • homemom
    homemom Member Posts: 842
    edited March 2015

    Can you lift weights? I don't mean "pump iron" - I mean 5lb hand weights to tone your arms and shoulders.


    For the first time, this morning I woke up with a slightly swollen hand and it hasn't gone down much. :(

  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 1,550
    edited March 2015

    Homemom, yes you can, but there are precautions to take, and the very first one is to start with 1-lb weights. I had been doing strength training in the gym prior to my bmx / snb that led me down the LE road, and when I was recovered from all the recon work and wanted to return to the gym to get my old self back, I was worried about making my LE worse. I found an amazing woman who was the lead personal trainer for the PAL Trial (Physical Activity and Lymphedema), a nice long study that identified ways to limit the LE risk of lifting weights, while still enabling us to get the strength and bone-building benefits of weight lifting. Cathy came to my little town and put on a full day seminar for personal trainers and LE therapists in our area (thanks in no small part to some funding from two hospitals and a wonderful local manufacturer).

    The trainer that I work out with hosted the session, and wow, did we learn a lot. Key: start low! Even though before my surgery, I was lifting 50 pounds on a chest press, I re-entered strength training using 1-lb dumbbells. It felt like I was lifting Barbie-doll weights, but hey, it was a start, and I moved up consistently. I'm not going to say I moved up fast, because the PAL Protocol calls for leaving lots of time between increments to the weight or to the repetitions.

    I'm almost back to my 'old' self some 3 years later. Need more time to get back to the 50 lbs--I'm lifting 40 now--but I'm working on it.

    Here's a document that will help with more specifics:http://stepup-speakout.org/Handout%20doc%20for%20S...

    And, if you're working with a trainer, or even for cardio with a class instructor, here's a document for those who train or offer fitness classes: http://stepup-speakout.org/Trainer%20doc%20for%20S...

    --Carol

  • homemom
    homemom Member Posts: 842
    edited March 2015

    Carol - thank you so much for the information. I did a 15 min workout this week with my 5lb weights but will check out your links. I do walk as well and have small 1lb weights I walk with. I feel really motivated to get going, I guess i have to be patient!

  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 1,550
    edited March 2015

    Patience sure does help with LE!

  • homemom
    homemom Member Posts: 842
    edited March 2015

    My PT appt isn't until the 7th of April, is there anything I can buy at the store to wear that will reduce the swelling in my hand? Are there any manipulative motions I can do to get the swelling to go down on my own? I dont' want it to get worse


  • glennie19
    glennie19 Member Posts: 4,833
    edited March 2015


    hold your arm straight up in the air and open and close fist multiple times.  Be sure you are drinking plenty of water. Elevate your arm when you are sitting, like on the back of the sofa.

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