Kicking LEs butt!! Exercise & Self Care Log
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About the tools, My husband has them spread all over the basement and even a few screwdrivers in the kitchen area. He never can find them and I never know where those dang tools are when I need to hang a picture, measure something, etc. So I broke down and bought ladies tools wth flowers on them. Guess What! He wouldn't dare be caught dead using those femmie tools. Problem solved
My all time record 12,000 steps today. Yes,my back/ hip feels it but I will do a good stretch out and then my date with sherry. Going to see if I can beat her to the freezer section. Secretly...I have fallen in love with James. I give him a lot of credit because he looks like he is in lot of pain with that shoulder but every time I turn on my DVD there he is suporting me!.0 -
Still resting - leaking stopped this morning so hopefully I will heal this time... and be able to get active soon...
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Gma--I had a big hole in my breast where the mammosite balloon for radiation was inserted and came out. I was taking it easy at that time. No extreme exercise, just strolling. It leaked for a long time. Moving my arm around a lot would create more leakage so I was careful using it. It will heal eventually. Hang in there.
Jo--Yes housework counts as exercise! I think I will put on some thick socks and get my floor dust mopped as I walk around! You gave me that idea. Will be on Medicare as of Dec. 1. I refuse to be a sissy!
Elliptical yesterday. Still raining. I am going to go to local community center today to walk on indoor track and do some of my weight lifting there.
Somewhere Kira mentioned Tina had her weights with her on her trip. I do take mine with me. I use 10 lbs for some, 8 and 5 for other exercises. So that is 46 lbs in wts going with me. My sister complained about that much extra weight in her car last weekend on our trip. I reminded her I have lost 75 lbs and that can be subtracted for the extra weight I put in her car! Plus it can be distributed in the car rather than all of it weighing down the passenger or driver seat!!!
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MLD, 30 minute elliptical, and Lebeds this morning.
I've thought of getting some of those pink tools for the kitchen tool drawer. I like having a few basic tools upstairs in the kitchen, but whenever I go to use a tool, it always seems to have found its way downstairs to the basement workroom - amazing how those tools can grow legs and walk downstairs all by themselves. They must do it at night when no one is looking. I thought maybe the pink tools might be more inclined to stay put.
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I have my own craftsman tool box with red and green tools under my home office desk.. LOL - Never did like searching through DH's tools. Edit: Of course, every once in awhile DH borrows one of my hammers and I never see it again...
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interesting as I read a while back about the woman who started a company to make female friendly tools, in colors but also sized to smaller hands
she was very successful, wonder if these are her tools?
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Guess I can be your coach and encourager?????
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Hello, butt kickers! I drove almost all the way home from RI yesterday. Stopped four times and got out of the car, not much walking though. I stayed overnight with a friend in NJ so I didn't have to do the final 1.5 hr drive to PA. I was good and completed my weight lifting routine in the evening, drank plenty of water. Lazy, no MLD before bed. I have slacked over the long weekend with the MLD but plan to get right back in line as of today. However, I did wear my night compression consistently.
LovesToCook, that's great you are part of the Penn study. Where did you go for classes? I am out at their suburban location where my therapist is located. I wouldn't worry about skewing their results. This is exactly the kind of info they are looking for. Surely you are not the only one to have a flare or have surgery that requires you to take an exercise holiday.
All of you gals are kicking some serious butt! Congrats on everyone's new personal bests in running distance, running times, and walking steps/distances. You're doing great with the self care, too! Too much has been posted for me to mention everyone personally, but you are such an inspiration!
Today I am putting the pedometer back on and getting a nice walk in. I might just walk around my old hometown since I haven't done that in ages! Weather is looking a little iffy, so I may beat the rain that way.0 -
Okay, enough of me reading about you all walking, running etc. This couch potato is grabbing a dog, a leash and some footwear and I'm out the door!!! NOW!
(Did MLD this morning and am sleeved.)
Edit to add 'mission accomplished'!
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Tina, I went to Penn, 36th and Market Sts., for the training. I was still on Herceptin and still had frequent appointments down there, so it was convenient. And I love my therapist, so now that I'm not going often, I'll still go down town. Thanks for the encouragement. I have mentioned to the researcher that I didn't want to skew his results, but he told me the same thing.
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So, are these tomatoes to heavy for my resting?? LOL If you notice, I did wear my sleeves during that canning process...
Ended up with 9 quarts of tomatoe sauce
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GMA, sorry I forgot to post yesterday. Here are the directions for lymphedema exercise my therapist gave me. They seem pretty similar to what I was looking at on the youtube. But you can just print them and won't need to be connected to internet to do them this way. I am going to put it by my bedside again and start it again.
Lymphedem Exercises
Arm
. Do these exercises when your arm is bandaged
. Stop exercising if the exercises cause pain or heaviness
. Do 5 - 10 SLOW repetitions of each exercise
. The order in which you exercise is important - follow the order given here.
. Do these exercises sitting in a chair with good posture - shoulders back and chin tucked.
1. Deep Breathing - Take 5 deep diaphragmatic breaths as your therapist has taught you.
2. Neck Stretches
a. Turn your head from side to side
b. Tilt your head from side to side, bringing your ear towards your shoulder
3. Shoulder Exercises
a. Shrug your shoulders up towards your ears and then pull them down towards the floor
b. Make circles with your shoulders going forwards 5 times and then repeat circling backwards 5 times
c. Pinch your shoulder blades back
d. Pretend that you are climbing a ladder in front of you for 30 sec. - 1 min.
4. Arm Exercises
a. Bend your elbow like your are lifting a weight towards your shoulder
b. Hold your elbows out to the side and pretend to swim the breaststroke for 30 sec-1 min.
c. Punch the air in front of you for 30 sec. - 1 min.
5. Wrist and Hand Exercises
a. Make circles with your wrist keeping your arm still - first clockwise and then counterclockwise. Do this overhead if comfortable.
b. Open wide and then close your hand, making a fist. Do this overhead if comfortable.
Now choose one exercise from each group starting with group #5 and work your way back up ending by deep breathing.
If you have any questions, please contact your therapist.
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Love to Cook - Awesome thank you!!!
Even though my LE T told me to not do anything until my leak is healed 
.. I think I could do everything except the arm ones though.
thanks again !
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You're welcome GMA. My therapist did not start me on these until I got to a point where I was under control. If my therapist told me not to do anything, that is exactly what I would do. Maybe you could show the list to her, and ask her if it's okay or not. I know we think things seem innocuous, but that is not always the case. Once you're ready to do them, I hope it helps.
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Thanks for the reminder - I will need one of you ladies daily to tell me NOT to do anything! I forget easy... I was a hard working osteologist/archaeologist before BC... And it is still in my blood, even though I know it won't happen in my new life.. because you have to dig it up before they let you work in a lab..
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GMA, I have been searching for a new and less stressful career...thinking you may want to think that way too~~~?
course the thoughts make me nutty but then at times....I am getting closer~~to a new life! so sit and think some!
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Proudtospin.. I did change careers Son found me employment with the company he works for... I am a Web Production Assistant... Basically, I edited and put press releases for franchise companies online... I work 4am-12:30pm M-TH..[ 4am-8am on fridays and then work JoAnn Fabrics 10am-3:30pm], to pay for "no lapse of insurance" insurance...The insurance hardly pays anything but it keeps me good if I ever find health insurance... 0
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Saw my rehab doc yesterday. I have lost strength & muscle mass in my upper arm (thanks radiation & surgery!), but the good news is that he says my LE is well enough controlled to work on arm strengthening and conditioning. He said that it's up to the therapist, but I am hoping to do weights!
Less good news is that he thinks the neuro symptoms & pain I have been having while walking & standing are due to a herniated disc in the very low back. I'm supposed to avoid activities that exacerbate the neuro symptoms until I get an MRI (not for 2.5 weeks). I'm a bit afraid that the forced inactivity will make me fall off the exercise bandwagon, but I'm counting on you guys to make sure I get back on.
In the meantime, I'll be doing the selfcare stuff, reading your posts and cheering for you LE exercise butt-kickers. KS1
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Wow, lots going on in here today! I wish I had tomatoes to show...darn chipmunks beat us to them all the time! I've seen them carry off tomatoes that are as big as their heads. Go figure.
I am way behind in exercise today and suspect it will be a light day, because I'm busy getting ready to leave for work again. I'll do Lebed for sure, but so far my pedometer is showing only about 2.5 miles, and I don't know that I'll take time to double that.
Lovetocook, thanks for the exercise details, and gma and ks, just be patient, because if you push it, you'll be pushing yourselves backwards, not forwards.
Becky, too funny on the weight redistribution in the car!
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Dawne-Hope, the CSN is new to me, because I have LE after bilateral prophy mx, so no actual BC diagnosis. I'll spend some time there at some point.
Update on the nurses' course about LE: I'm working on getting a well known organization to host it for free continuing education credit, and that is taking some doing. I am also pursuing a Plan B to make it available elsewhere, as I continue working with the very desirable organization that would be a logical go-to place for nurse education related to BC. When I have all this worked out--probably it's going to take a while longer--I'll be posting here, and on CSN and wherever else I can think to let 'us' know that we can suggest the course to the nurses in our personal and health-care lives. So, stay tuned!
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hugz, I forgot to add a WOWWW on your amazing walk!!!! Good. For. You!
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Becky: Love your attitude towards bringing your weights. You could also call them your medical devices. No one would dare let you leave your medical devices home!
KS1, So experts think I have a leaky disc in my lower back. If you feel pain in your hip or groin area or going down your leg then your sciatic nerve may be affected. I was told not to even do a 1% grade until I improved. Stairs were excruitatingly painful. I have improved but still my hip bugs me daily if I overdo it. I have to stretch out my back and hips several times a day just to keep the pain at bay.
That said... I was able to do 10,000 steps at the beach today on a flat surface. Was kinda fun as they were filming the movie "Physc"today at the beach. Lots of action for sure and made my walk go quickly.
Did lebed in morn and after my beach walk. Cleaned garage and my armpit doesn't feel to good. Kinda stingy. Going to put my huge swell spot that covers my breast and back of pit. That will calm things down a bit. Then I think I will attempt trying to practice wrap. OH my goodness, is there any time to live a normal life with all this LE garbage. GRRRR. Oops that is for the other grrr thread.
GMA, Yes you may lift those tomatoes but not anything else heavier or you'll spring a leaky somewhere else!
Proudtospin, Here's a thought on career change. How about being a lebed method teacher. You can take the easy certified course online. You also can teach in rehab centers for children and older folks using the same method. I bet it would keep a person employed pretty much full time as there is such a cry for this to be taught. Bonus is you would be clearing your nodes several times a day.
I would do it if I could keep rhythm but I would throw the class off for sure. 0 -
hugs, you got me on that one! my hope and current plan is to do some sort of lymphedemia theapy! As a non-medical person, of what I think now (and tell me if I am wrong) is that I would most likely need to become a massage therapist, then do the added training for lymphdemia massage. I have already spoken to the woman who owns the spa at my gym, she does not do lymph massage but is open to me working out of her spa! Since I am an FIT grad and seamstress, I am also thinking of trying to design/manufacture some compression garments...calling on old 7th ave contacts here! I am 63 1/2 and my company is not doing well. Retirement is coming up a bit faster than I originally hoped but my plan is in work.
I need to look into the online lebed training, thanks for the suggestion.
Hate to say this but this whole thing is a "growth industry" so more need all the time. Any suggestions are welcome.
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Ordered my Ledbed DVD - My LE T hasn't seen it yet - thought I would share it with him.. AND make sure when it is ok to do it... considering my leak and all.. 0
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Two mile walk last night - we had a Nationals game, and we've clocked it at exactly one mile from our parking lot walking all the way to the ballpark, around the concourse, and up the ramps to our seats. So for every Nationals game I attend, I get a 2 mile walk out of the deal. Helps make up for the cold beer I usually have!
Too tired to do more than MLD and Lebeds this morning. However, I admit I usually skip the Lebeds the morning after a game night cuz I'm tired, but the thought of posting here made me do them this morning. Thanks!
Proud - that would be a fabulous post-retirement career to get the LE massage training or design compression garments. We need more of "us" out there working in the LE field.
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Nats, the idea is getting more exciting as I think on it. I have some contacts at Gilda's club in town as well as at my gym and a local hospital....all could be source of folks in need and networking seems to be looking good now.
so much more rewarding that worrying about my current stuff
got lots to do but...all good
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Heading off to my final Strength After Breast Cancer/PAL class and will be receiving my Power Block weights. Now the rest is on me, guys! However, I have been told by both class trainer and PAL study coordinator that I can call and ask questions at any time. I have been starting to notice my trunk is feeling better, and this is after exercising with the weights while traveling.
And, I was just given a rebounder by a friend! She was going to sell at a garage sale and I said I'd take it. Need to pick it up. Looks just like the one I had years ago. Since it doesn't fold up like some of the new ones, I will have to be creative with storage. My poor bike is still in the dining room, as I was ordered not to use all summer because of arm flare. I also have a large physio ball that alternates between living room and upstairs in spare bedrooms. My basement and attic are not very accessible since the house is old. Oh, well, I will figure something. Just bouncing on that rebounder for a few minutes made me want it badly!! It will be a nice complement to jogging inside the house on rainy days. Or, I can put it outside on the deck or driveway and entertain my neighbors! Add some music and the motion detector spotlight . . .0 -
Proud to spin, you asked for suggestions a while back on what women with LE might want in the way of garments. I cut up an old pair of my kids tights to protect my sleeve during cooking. It does the job, but I wouldn't wear it to work.
So, one thing you might consider is making inexpensive -- but nice -- noncompressive sleeves. (If they were inexpensive enough, I might well wear one on my uneffected arm so my two arms match.) Arm Candy's non-compressive sleeves cost $25 each, and basically just come in solid colors. KS1
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KS, now that is an idea I can do !
love the idea that it is simple to do as I want to start somewhere~~thanks
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Can a person with LE become a massage therapist? I heard that line of work is hard on the body. Average length of a massage therapist career is only 8 years.
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