Kicking LEs butt!! Exercise & Self Care Log

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

    1/2 hour fast walk in and going out to garden which I consider a great exercise

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

    At the gym slugging it away.....my it felt great afterwards. The payoff is 6lbs Enjoy your time off with family .

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

    When I'm not in the gym then I am walking here. Carol met me on this boardwalk for a quick meet up and walk couple summers ago. I couldn't believe the colors of this sunset last Sunday.I was in awe.image

  • gmafoley
    gmafoley Member Posts: 5,978
    edited November 2015

    Awesome picture hugs.. I bounce looking out the window at my views. Happy Thanksgiving all!

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

    Beautiful picture!!!


    Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 1,550
    edited November 2015
    Hugz, that was a wonderful meet-up, and I'm so lucky that my frequent travels sometime give me an opportunity to meet in person the friends I've come to know here.

    That beach walk of yours is stunning! I would love to have such a beautiful walking spot so close to home.
  • hugz4u
    hugz4u Member Posts: 1,818
    edited December 2015

    reporting a frosty dog walk today. The cold air was wonderful. Much better than sweating in a sleeve in the hot summer

  • gmafoley
    gmafoley Member Posts: 5,978
    edited December 2015

    I have had the grandkids all week - now back into the routine, I think.. Ended up catching a cold from DH, but doing ok.

    Had my last weigh-in Monday, from that research study I was in. Lost 12lbs in 3 months and my visceral fat is down in the "ok" range.

    Just rebounding lightly this week - figured it would help the lymph system fight this cold.

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

    gee gmaFoley, that weight loss is wonderful--congratulations!

    Today I tried high-intensity interval work for the first time, using my rebounder. Five minutes warm up doing a slow march, then a series of intervals -- 30 seconds high intensity followed by 90 seconds low intensity, repeated for a total of 15 minutes, and then a 5 minute cool down. For high intensity I ran in place on the rebounder, as fast as I could, and for low intensity I marched with high steps. Wow did this workout get my heart pumping! And it was not boring. I used an app on my iPad called 'seconds' to keep the time for me, and it shows it with some great count-downs and visual prompts so it's easy to stay on pace. Watched the telly as I did this, and overall I liked it a lot, so I'll try to do it each day while I'm home.

  • gmafoley
    gmafoley Member Posts: 5,978
    edited December 2015

    I watch Lindsey Stirling videos LOL - When want to feel energized I watch her "Roundtable Revival" and "Crystalized". If you rebound to her beat, you will get your heart pumping for sure.

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

    well I didn't exercise todaybut you girls have motivated me so much here that I am going to do double time tomorrow.

  • gmafoley
    gmafoley Member Posts: 5,978
    edited December 2015

    Don't worry about double timing Hugz. It is better to just get going again that way you don't have any aches and pains the day after... With this cold, I'm having trouble getting motivated to do it at all. I got to get back on the rebounder for more than 5 minutes. I think I will take it slow and get going again.

    Edit: Any ideas on what to do when you can't afford new sleeves, but your old ones are getting a bit loose and keep sliding down.

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

    Had a wonderful cardio today and it's paying off with better heart performance.

    Still chugging away with the slow weight increase program. Up to two pounds in two months. One pound was a lot of work for my triceps but now 2 lbs is almost getting easy. Slow and steady wins the race.

    Gma, your tramp is waiting for you and it's not leaving your house soon! Haha

    gma. Well when sleeves are worn they don't work as well but I guess you could use " it stays " glue for a temporary fix to keep it from slipping as wrinkles at the elbows hurt and cause swell lines.

    I have gone to custom and I hand wash my stuff and air dry usually. My garments seem to last a long time and I am thinking it's because I don't use the washing machine or put them in the dryer often. I also believe that using a slippie donner extends the life as you are not yanking them up on the same spot stretching and pulling at the fabric. Slippie donner puts way less stress on your garments. 25 bucks and it's so much easier. I rarely punch my nose when I use this product and the sleeve goes on straight and I just smooth the compression out with a donner glove. One sleeve was worn a year straight and it still feels very compressive with my gentle handling and care. Don't use heavy softness.

    I am sorry but you might have to give up one of your eye teeth for a new sleeve in the end. Dang there so expensive, it's just not fair when you have to make a choice between a paid heating bill or a stupid stupid sleeve. Ugh....this comment should be on the grrr thread.

  • gmafoley
    gmafoley Member Posts: 5,978
    edited December 2015

    Well I did a real stupid experiment yesterday - I measured my arm before getting on the rebounder and rebounded WITHOUT my sleeve. Measured after rebounding and my arm was up 2 cm. - Ok - the sleeves do something. Put the sleeves back on and swell went back down in a couple of hours. Good lesson learned. Will keep on wearing the sleeves. Learn from my error in judgement everyone! This one should be on Grrr thread too hugz.

  • marijen
    marijen Member Posts: 2,181
    edited December 2015

    Gma, you only had one node removed and this happens? Or was it chemo or radiation that caused the LE?

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

    Gma: do you have custom or off the shelf? If you need to replace off the shelf and know your exact size (I always save an old box) then I would recommend www.lymphedemaproducts.com or www.metromedicalonline.com I have found Juzo 20-30mm compression for $59 online,, where they are $79 at my local shop. Surf around and see what you can find. Or ask Santa for Christmas? Just a thought,,, Sending you hugs!!

    Marijen: yes, it can happen even with one node. I only had 6 nodes removed,, told it would never happen to me,,, and I didn't have chemo or rads,, and yet I got it. It's a crapshoot.

  • gmafoley
    gmafoley Member Posts: 5,978
    edited December 2015

    Maijen - The radiation - they burned the tar out of the nodes, The surgeon didn't want to take any chances being cells were in that one node. At the time, I thought "go for it". After the fact.... not so sure...

    As far as the sleeves go - I do over the counter, but being I'm bi-lateral its still $120 I don't have to spend. I have a revision surgery this month and we are scraping to make things work..


  • marijen
    marijen Member Posts: 2,181
    edited December 2015

    Thanks for answering Glennie. I had 12 removed, only one positive. I told my BS, I could have used those 11 good ones and he said we'll see if you needed them, like I wouldn't. Oh well there's always transplant.

  • marijen
    marijen Member Posts: 2,181
    edited December 2015

    Gma, take those beautiful photos, frame them and take them down to your local gift shop to sell? I was in Carmel with my sister, tiny little painting of a vegetable, very nice, was priced at $200 something.

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

    Oh, Gma,, booooo, I forgot that you are bilateral. Booooo on stinking sleeves. ARGH!

  • Laural
    Laural Member Posts: 212
    edited December 2015

    Victory this month...I finally got my insurance paperwork all just right this quarter to get full payment for my Solidea sleeve and gauntlet through UHC, even with it being out of network. Of course, the deductible resets in January so I will have to make due until we hit our max again before being able to get the full payment again. I left off one product code the quarter before and spent over 6 hours on the phone with the company over 4 months, only to finally give up with only the gloves paid for and not the sleeves. I had a wonderful Thanksgiving with all my kids home. We then did Christmas on the Saturday following. Lots of overeating, laughing, and fun was had by all. Sticking faithfully with my 2 water aerobic sessions each week, filling in with jogging in place and on rebounder to get as close to 10,000 steps a day and logging in every bit of food daily on my Fitbit app. It is paying off in a nice slow, steady weight loss...down 13 pounds so far. Great to hear everyone checking in and finding their own activities to help restore and maintain health. Keep it up all!

  • hugz4u
    hugz4u Member Posts: 1,818
    edited December 2015
    laurel, yeah. Whoopie ! Celebration for things that are small to others but big to us. Awesome that you are doing all those steps. I have lost a few to.Takes forever for me to lose so I am not focusing on that too much. Just want to be healthy and if I drop a few ,well that's a bonus. Was able to jog 4.5 mph...my first jogging mile the other day on the dreadmill. ''Twas mighty proud as a peacock!

    Carol, you ok?
  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 1,550
    edited December 2015
    hugz, thank you for asking about me! I am trying to get back into an exercise routine, and I seem to be able to commit to every other day for cardio, but daily for my home exercises in between PT sessions for my shoulder. That shoulder is giving me fits of frustration, because it feels like progress is horribly slow, although my cheering squad at the rehab center (I love those people!) say I am doing great. Not ready to return to weight lifting in the gym, out of respect for shoulder precautions. All the time I spent inactive after last spring's hip surgery, and recent shoulder surgery, and a month spent with lots of waiting and sitting around during my mother's illness and following her death--I gained eight pounds, grrrrr. I sure will have a bang-up New Year's resolution to work on!
  • glennie19
    glennie19 Member Posts: 4,833
    edited December 2015

    Still not back to walking,,, did a 2 mile charity walk on Thanksgiving that I thought would jump start me, but it hasn't. However, I've been really good about doing my little hand weights that were prescribed by the LE therapist! Making slooooooow but steady progress. Hope to make the big jump from 2 lb to 3 lb soon.

  • Frill
    Frill Member Posts: 104
    edited December 2015

    Hi, everyone! I'm having lymph nodes removed on Thursday, just learning about my new BFF lymphedema. I told my sister and she text screeched: "But we already retain water like crazy!" *Sigh* So, I'm going to go through and look up all these initials and unfamiliar terms and order some DVDs, I guess, because once I'm better I'll be right there with y'all, kicking some LE butt. And, I need to reschedule that LE information session my hospital wanted me to do before surgery.

    I just spent all morning rescheduling appointments, I guess one more won't kill me. >.< Lols!

    Nice to meet everyone!!!!!!!!!!!

  • mary625
    mary625 Member Posts: 154
    edited December 2015
    If you do retain water easily, you may want to keep an eye on salt after surgery. Salt really seems to be my major trigger. Despite all of the warnings about lifting and exercising without the sleeve, etc., I don't see the physical stresses as triggers for me. Having to eat three meals/day in a restaurant while traveling=flare up.
  • marijen
    marijen Member Posts: 2,181
    edited December 2015
  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 1,550
    edited December 2015

    marijen, that is a great website. Thanks for posting

  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 1,550
    edited December 2015
    Yesterday, I logged 6 fitbit miles. I went on a history-culture-culinary tour of Savannah, GA, and it was great fun, and tasty. I will strategically ignore the health impact of all the luscious, rich food I ate...

    Today, airport walking. Hope to get 4 miles in.
  • marijen
    marijen Member Posts: 2,181
    edited December 2015

    You're welcome. I followed the links and wound up at Medicine Net Cancer 101 and found a cancer pie chart.

    http://www.medicinenet.com/cancer_101_pictures_slideshow/article.htm

    image