Kicking LEs butt!! Exercise & Self Care Log
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Laural, that's really great! Continued best wishes for a no-drama return to your old (but not with the pain!) self! The pool sounds wonderful.
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Hi all you butt kickers . Wishing all those well with their programs and
PT exercises.
Good ole 90'yr old mom got faceshingles so I have been busy caring for her in her home and hence I haven't got back into a regular routine yet. I am going up and down about 20 steps all day servicing her and weeding moms garden and house chores , cooking,etc and basically being a nurse on my feet all day and yet the weight won't drop. I can't even blame junk food cause there is none In my moms house. I went thru every cupboard looking for chocolate but none! ugh whole thing is frustrating. As soon as this is over I am going to try getting up earlier to walk and beat the heat .
Meanwhile I am so glad that you girls surgery went well and will look forward to your progress reports.
Carol helped me with the glitch in my iPad. It was typing really slow characters when I used keyboard. When you go to post hit the " useplain text editor " at the bottom before you type. Works like a charm and so u will be hearing from me more often now, yeah!
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thanks for sharing about the plain text editor! I know I've just given up and deleted posts mid-sentence before when typing on my iPad gets too frustrating.
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Floaton, Yea Carol rescued me on the stupid iPad glitch. I actually stopped posting because of this. I also told the tech team here it was slowing down the threads. They were the ones that suggested to hit use plaintext editor to speed up the typing.....look out LE world ....cause I'm back!
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So glad you're back, Hugz!0
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My exercise report: I'm back in the gym after a short interruption for surgery, although after 6 weeks away, I moved quite a bit backward on the amount of weight I'm lifting. Gotta take the PAL Protocol seriously, being careful not to over-do the weight lifted by my LE arm and trunk. LE sure does make you learn some patience!
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Good luck Carol, but you know the rules better than many so sure you will be careful
me dealing with a bum back still after months of PT so having a MRI on Monday to determine if I need a "procedure" which I am clearly not happy with so doing my research and will do a second opinion before any procedure
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Started my outpatient PT yesterday with my LE certified PT who I saw when first diagnosed with LE. She reminded me that when you have LE anywhere in your body, it can compromise lymph drainage throughout the body. Hence the amount of edema I had behind my knee last week and still have around the surgery site on my hip. She spent a short while moving the fluid from around the incision and it felt so much better afterwards. Just something to keep in mind if any of you have surgeries in the future. Keep your LE specialist on speed dial. Getting stronger everyday, but still waiting on full closure of the incision in order to get back to the pool. I may just have to start with the land equipment first (elliptical and stationary bike).
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Speaking of exercise. There was a commercial on for this show called American Ninja Warrior, which I don't watch, but you get the gist of it from the commercials - very difficult, very physical obstacle course type of thing. Something that most women could never do no matter how healthy. Well, this commercial said that one of the contestants was a BC survivor. All I could think was, HUH??? How is that even possible, did she not have any lymph nodes removed? I mean my LE lady said absolutely NO pushups, or anything else where all your weight is on your arms, NO heavy lifting, nothing overly strenuous, no repetitive movements, and so on. Did she not have chemo, radiation, and the evil tamoxifen or AIs? All those things wiped me out to the point where I don't think I will ever have a fraction of the strength I had before. Not to mention the crippling joint pain. It just blew me away that this could be possible...... And made me feel pretty inadequate..... Even though I know my experience is far more typical.......
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Jeenie, I get it although I never saw the show. I used to do the dang spin classes and then swim 30 laps twice a week, toss in some weights and such.
No way now and as in today, did some laps and came home to collapse on the sofa!
dif world for sure0 -
I'm pretty sure that doing push-ups,,, trying to get my strength back,, is what set off my LE. and it wasn't full body weight either,, they were up against the kitchen counter. Booooo0 -
Jennie, the LE exercise researchers seem to have concluded that our LE risks from exercise, especially from resistance training, stem from lifting or pushing 'unaccustomed' weight or resistance. They no longer recommend against lifting more than 5 or 10 pounds, nor against repetitive exercise. But they do recommend introducing strength training and any exercise slowly, gradually, and adding weight or resistance in small, infrequent increments.
Here's a link to the profile of Deborah Cordner Carson, an elite Cross-Fit athlete who has primary LE in her leg: http://games.crossfit.com/athlete/14093
I heard her speak--she is wonderful--and she said that her LE leg is stronger than her unaffected leg, and she and her trainers chalk that up to always working out in her leg garment, i.e. against resistance. I find the same is true of my LE arm (but I'm sure not an athlete!).
The conclusion I draw from the research is that if I do strength training, I increase the amount of weight I can bear before it becomes 'unaccustomed;' it is unaccustomed weight or resistance on the arm that triggers a stress response in the body, sending extra lymph to the rescue. And of course, we are all different; there's no standard case of LE. So as Glennie learned, for some of us, it might not take much to send the lymphatic system over the tipping point.
The PAL Protocol has worked well for me--the slow, small-increment approach.
If you haven't seen it yet, here's an introduction to exercising with LE, from the stepup-speakout site:
http://stepup-speakout.org/Handout%20doc%20for%20S...
LE Land = Frustration City!
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I have seen that, but all I could think was, how long of weekly increases of just one pound, would it take before you could support your entire body weight on your arms?? Um, 2 or 3 years?? And that's assuming all goes well. It just doesn't seem doable to me. Maybe she just never heard of LE and never took any precautions and was lucky enough to be ok.
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And even without LE or the risk of it........ It just seemed so impossible to me that anyone could get strong like that after going through all this. It sure kicked my butt. I'm not getting stronger, in fact it feels like the opposite. Maybe it's the anastrazole? Lately I feel almost as weak as during chemo, like I'm walking around in cement boots.
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That's truly discouraging, and you're probably right that the woman was just lucky. What's not known about our LE-risk differences could probably fill an encyclopedia. Some women--my mother is one of them--have every stinkin' node removed and never get LE. Others lose one or five or so, and bam...arm crap. As in LE crapshoot. I'm in that second group, and it's so illogical, although my LE is truly mild so I can hardly complain. Jennie, I'm so sorry that the whole BC business has taken so much from you. You and everyone else here deserve to be able to look forward and reclaim the life before BC.
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This is an awfully quiet group lately. I was able to get back in the pool yesterday for an hour of water aerobics. It felt great to be back. Today I got in a mile walking to the library and back. It is great to have a pain free hip. The knees are now complaining. I go in next week to see what is up there. There has to be a Lemon Law for bodies somewhere...mine is quite ready to be traded in for a new model at this point. Just glad to be up and moving again though. Hope the summer fun is keeping all busy and away from the computer. Just keep moving!
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laural, that's a great report, and I'm so glad that you're happy with the hip replacement outcome. Hooray! And I love the lemon-law thought. I'm having treatment for a knee, hip, and now a shoulder; my LE arm is my remaining limb--so I'm at 100% of limbs and/or their joints giving me grief within a year. Joint obsolesence is so unfair when we want to be active.
I had a shoulder injection today so will be giving that body part a rest for a week, but otherwise have been moderately active in the past few weeks. I have my grandchildren visiting now and am spending lots of time in a pool, also taking them kayaking, using a foot-powered kayak to avoid stressing the shoulder.
Most days in the past three weeks I've managed at least 10,000 steps, but not always of the heart-pumping variety.0 -
wonder if they do back replacements?
my back is a mess, takes me 15 min of stretches to be able to get up and brush my teeth, doing PT and it is helping but I read my MRI report, a new spine is in order but I have never heard of anyone with good results from back surgery so putting it off for now and struggling, pool is the best
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HEY GIRLS.....IM STILL HERE!!!!!!!!
Still looking after 90 yr mom. Almost lost her but she rallied. Shingles complications...nasty nasty case in her head, behind eyes and in ears, bedridden. she's on mend but Sheactually asked me to kill her as the nerve pain was excruciatingly unbearable until we got the right med dose. lost much muscle so she's really lame.
Last month I reported that I thought that it wasn't fair that after all the stairs I went up and down fetching stuff for mom and caring for her I couldn't drop a pound.well ......I'm happy to report that my quads got used to her stairs and that I dropped at least six stubborn pounds. Exhausted running after her but it has paid off.YES I'm calling it exercise. I think I will be into this for another 3 weeks or so. I'm hoping on loosing more weight. Finally something good came out of something bad.
No time for walking dogs or myself.
Busy being my mothers feet,brains and body. So glad dear mom has said thank you a million times to me for looking after her. Moms MD said he wants me on his team when he needs eldercare. Ugh .. I'm so done in.I need someone to look after me never mind him!
Praying I can get a four day holiday in this month.
Kick butt girls ....for me until I can get back into my routine. So hot here. Heat wave,97 tomorrow which means it will be about 105 in moms house. Candles melting over in there sticks. No air con, only in moms room. Maybe I stay in there with her all day. Being wearing wet towels on my head and running around practically nude...well except dang, dang , dang DANG hot black compression sleeve and glove.I think I will wet it tomorrow.
Oh my ......I hope I can melt off the pounds. I know I hate the thought of eating anything hot or anything for that matter in this scorching heat. The dogs even quit eating!
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hugz, sorry is too small a word and clearly your mom is lucky to have you care for her. Mano, had shingles but not like you describe. Care for yourself and see you when you are free. I guess it is good to loose the weight! watch out for the dang arm
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hugs, so grateful that you can be available to care for your mom. There is nothing better than familiar surroundings and familiar loved ones when you need that extra TLC. You certainly can't find that most of the time in a nursing home setting. Glad to hear that you have been able to stay active. Stairs are a fantastic exercise...part of my PT sessions currently. Keep hanging in there and know that what you are giving your mom is invaluable. I will be praying strength and perseverance for you, as well as cooler temperatures. Find a fan and sit in front of it when you can.
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Can someone please explain what these tank things are for night and also the Lebed thing? I have moderate arm lymphoedema that appeared after axilla surgery late last year, and I am very concerned about it because the pressure readings keep going up, every visit to the lymphoedema physio. So far, the only treatment I have been recommended is exercise (general and lymphoedema movements), compression sleeve during the day and self massage. To go to a professional for lymphoedema massage is too expensive. I have been doing all this, but was told to take off the compression sleeve at night. Am I missing some info here? And frankly, the amount of exercise needed to stay on top of this in any way at all is killing anything else I try to achieve in my life and my back has seized up from trying to do the self-massage every night... Is there a better way to manage the condition than what I have been doing? Some days amputation seems easier
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Hi findingbeautiful_34!
The Lebed Healthy Steps videos can be watched online with Part I found at Lebed Videos Part 1 on youtube. They are gentle exercises to use to get the lymph system moving and working more functionally. You can purchase the tapes, but it appears that most of the exercises can also be found on youtube now. Many of us have used these at one time or another. Many also wear compression sleeves of some type during the day. There are specific night sleeves that some wear, but I have not had to use these personally. I did use a LymphPress machine for an hour a day for several years, and have recently been able to manage the lymphedema without this. For me, it replaced having to do the self massage for an hour, and I was able to do things at the computer for that hour. Fortunately, my lymphedema seems to be holding right now just using compression during the day and swim aerobics twice a week. Lymphedema takes some time to manage on a daily basis, but it does become more a part of your routine as time goes on. Exercise can be a helpful piece, but should not take you all day. Hang in there...it generally gets easier.
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I use the Tribute night sleeve and swear by it. For me it is my prevention tool. If I feel the precursors of swelling coming - achey, tired or tingly arm - I do the manual drainage and then wear the sleeve at night. I think something different works for everyone but the key is to try things out so you can find what maintenance plan works for you. Good luck!
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Walked 2 days in a row,,,, it's something,,,, especially in this heat!0 -
Glennie, that's indeed a feat!
I'm back to traveling a lot for work, which complicates exercise. I did an hour workout at home Monday morning in the wee hours before heading out, doing 20 minutes on my bike (mounted on a trainer contraption), 20 minutes of jumping, marching etc. on a rebounder trampoline, and 20 minutes of lifting light weights. Nothing yesterday, but this evening I'll dig deep to find the energy to do at least some cardio work. Tomorrow is a day with no seminar, so I'll be in a hotel with no excuses not to use their workout room.0 -
I'm up to 4 days in a row,, and yes,, it's still hot and humid.0 -
woot, woot glennie! That's great!
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Hubby and i walked the Meijer Gardens on Saturday, then strolled at Saugatuck and South Haven in Michigan on Sunday to celebrate our 28th anniversary. I brought along my swim gear but the pool was full of tiny tots so never made it into the water. It is quite hot and humid. Today it is on to PT. Stay cool out there.
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Hey Laural, that's great! And you were fifteen minutes from my home when you visited beautiful Saugatuck. I hope you picked up 20 lbs or so of our luscious blueberries while you were in South Haven, the blueberry capital of the world (or so they would have us think!). And Meijer Garden is spectacular, although in this weekend's heat, maybe not so much. It sure sounds like you are doing spectacularly in you hip rehab.
I'm getting airport-walking mileage in today. Air conditioned, at least!
Carol0
