Kicking LEs butt!! Exercise & Self Care Log
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No pool at the gym.We do have a YMCA with a pool but that would be another monthly fee. Maybe it's time to put in that pool I keep thinking about - but it would need to be year round! Okay - maybe I'll stick with the exercise.
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... Looks like it is healing well and fluid is almost nill... I see BS on thursday and he told my hubby he would probably take the drain out when I see him..
Sounds good, gma!
Things are finally looking up for you !0 -
Good for you Ohio!
Sounds good GMA! Hope everything goes according to plan.
LOL Cindy, I have two of those dogs the kind that get me wrapped up in their leashes)
Did 10 minutes on the treadmill and then the 30 minute circuit at the gym today. Yay all of us!0 -
Am just so proud of all you sweat lovin girls!
Out for a walk today, I have no choice as my car is in the garage for 1 hour and either I walk or sit for a cup of coffee and wait. Ah......I quit coffee a yesterday, so it's walking I guess.
I am all so excited to hear about your new exercise ventures or just how you moved today. YOU GO GIRLS, CAUSE YOU WALK AND ROCK!
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Way to go hugz! That is what I am trying to do, fit exercise into otherwise wasted time. I did a half an hour on the elyptical today and also picked up a 50gallon trash can full of leaves. Just wish there wasn't still another six to pick up.
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Good job Kay. I hate wasting time too.
All done, 1 hour of walking and I think I will do Lebed opening before bed. Of course I have to do family stuff first, dishes etc.
Someone here the other day asked how we get all our exercise in and if we work FT. I want to say I work PT and have a hard time fitting in all exercise and LE care.
I have no idea how a FT worker can do all this. Who works FT and PT here? And when do you find the time to care for yourself? I am so curious. I am thinking " stay at home" instead of work would be the best but then I wouldn't get extended medical, even though it only minimally pays for some of my med care. I don't have a clue how those with the combo of bilateral LE and trunck/breast and leg le do it. A round of chocolate for them.
No... two rounds of chocolate for them
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I work full time, and care for my Mom who has MS and is pretty helpless.
5:30 I get up. Weigh in. Do the stretching my pt recomended. Walk my first 1/2 mile with the dog if the weather isn't hideous. (If it's lousy out I let the dog that needs walked out on a long leash for a couple minutes and I'll play walk it out on the WII for the 1/2 hour or so) I bathe and dress eat a bite of breakfast. Then I start walking again (again if the weather permits)
7:45 my friend picks me up on her way to work and we drive to work. I do as much stretching and MLD as I can while working in my office.
11:30 We drive home at lunch time to check in with the caregiver, eat and walk another 1/2 mile or so. Throw something in the crock pot.
12:30 Back to work.
5:00 Back home, wave goodbye to moms caregiver, walk another 1/2 mile or so finish fixing supper, feed Mom, eat. Do some more WII walking. Get Mom tucked in to bed. More walking (hopefully a total of 5-7 miles per day) Do the PT the ent gave me for vertigo. Feed the dogs. Take Trooper for one more short walk. Collapse in front of TV. Make one last pass through the house to see if anything needs washed, fed, tossed out.
10:00 Go to bed. Don't sleep.
5:00 AM Get up
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Walked to my doctor's appointment today in the sunshine, then about 1/2 way home!!!! Felt good!
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Cindyl - I'm so sorry about the do not sleep part.
I haven't slept well since this whole BC drama started in 2009. 
Good for you for all you pack in your day. As Binney would say ... Brava to you!!
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I work full time too but my schedule is flexible. I squeeze in a walk whenever I can and I usually start or end my day with the Lebed Lympathic Opening and the stretches my LE OT told me to do.
I find I make room in my schedule for the things that I enjoy. I suffered serious burn out years ago and learned the hard way that I have to make room in my schedule for the things that I enjoy and the things that relax me. Exercise does both ... I enjoy it and it relaxes me. Exercise has to be fun or we won't keep doing it ... that's why it's really important to find something that you enjoy doing ... or you won't keep doing it.
I was at an 8 hour seminar yesterday and I walked for at least 10 minutes every break and during the 45 minute lunch break, I walked for 20 minutes. I did it because I ENJOY it and it helps clear my head. Whatever you pick for exercise ... again ... do something you enjoy. xo
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I don't necsasarily enjoy exercise, although spending time with the dogs is always fun. But. I feel so much better if I exercise. If I don't get moving I swell and stiffen. Motivation. I have it.
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Cindyl - You enjoy your dog ... there you go!
I feel better if I exercise too. The pay off is worth whatever I have to give up to do it. I had to put down my dog (12 year old white lab) in 2008. I miss that girl. And I've been nervous to get another one ... with LE in my dominate arm and a ticking time bomb on my right ... I've been nervous to get another one for fear of what leash training would do to me ... but hearing you all talk about your dogs ... I'm wanting one. I've only ever had big dogs and the yippy little ones drive me nuts ... but maybe in the next year or two I'll be brave enough to try to get another one.
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I think that I overdid with the walking today, a little too far, but it still felt good. My OT loaned me her Lebed book, so I tried the warm up exercises, since I was in quite a bit of pain, I was surprised how much better I felt after the warm up! I need to get myself going on the Lebed program!
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We have a small dog, Silkey Terrier, and she's not yappy, and since she's small, she's much easier on the arm. When we got her, I took dog training classes, and the trainer said that little dogs can be annoying because they aren't trained, and that if you train them correctly, they are no more a problem than any other dog!
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LindaKR - good to know. Thank you. The Lebed Method is great. We make fun of the video at times but I do the first part, lymphatic opening, almost every day. Although I don't listen to it anymore. I blare my iTunes and follow along with the video. I've only done the WHOLE thing a handful of times but just the opening part makes a big difference for me. I ordered my video from Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Through-Therapeutic-Exercise-Movement/dp/B000HWY60G0 -
start or end my day with the Lebed Lympathic Opening
May I ask- is this in place of MLD or ???
How long does it talke ?
I work FT and I also doint have a lot of energy due to other health issues.In any case, I just got a great new LE therapist but we spent so much time talking, measuring , meeting with fitter etc etc et ... I just got a brief on the MLD, and I suck at it so far. PLUS I suspect I may be bi-lateral and MLD concerns me with that ( and have breast and truncal as well) as I dont want to get fluid moving into the dso called god arm.
Do any do " just the Lebed' instead of MLD ? Do you find it as as effective ?
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I said this on another thread and it seems that a lot of women got the complete opposite advice from their therapists. My PT told me it is very important to wear the sleeve as close to 24 hours a day as I can. When the LE first came on and I was having a very difficult time getting it stabilized, he did the MLD and massage. But when I last saw him, he told me as long as I wear the sleeve I will be good. Anyone else hear that? He does know what he's doing, he almost has his PhD and works only with LE patients. But everyone else seems to think that was crazy advice.
Cindy, my sister and brother took care of my mother who had Alzheimer's and couldn't do anything for herself. I would go over and help her when I could, but after the BC and LE, I couldn't help with lifting her any more. She died this past May. I know how hard it is. I think God has a special place in heaven for people like you who sacrifice to take care of their parents. Make sure you take care of yourself. Fitting in the time to walk is a great thing to do for yourself.
Dawn, I also have two small dogs, one is only 7 pounds and one is 25 pounds. I think you're either a big dog person or a small dog person. I actually love big dogs, but didn't think I had the ability to train them or the time to get them enough exercise. I do agree though that small dogs are only yappy if not trained well. They don't play fetch like big dogs though.
I don't think I like to exercise either, but I do like the way it makes me feel. I have much more energy if I get some exercise in. Otherwise I am falling asleep right after dinner. Also, I have a goal, I really want to do that mini triathlon with my brother, sister and niece next August. Wish I was seeing more improvement though.0 -
I belong to a great gym and go 4 days a week. I work full time, but working on a retirement plan in about 18 months when I turn 65~~
Gym is 2 nights a week, about an hour and weekends about 2 hours including my lovely lap pool! Love the gym and if I have a day off for a holiday or such, I end up at the gym. I am dealing with some arm issues now as I think I overdid or did incorrectly some weights the other week, trying to stretch it out now
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I've had big dogs and little dogs and if you raise them like dogs, the little guys will be dogs. If you raise them like a pocket pet, that's how they'll behave. Currently my crew range from 45 lbs down to 10. The goforawalk dog is a 35 pounder. I have the most trouble walking the 15 and 18 pounders... they pull. I could retrain them to walk nicely, but time and arm issues make it easier to just send them out to the yard. Everyone who meets the 10 pounder wants to steal him. He's all dog, but he's portable. I've always wanted a giant schnauzer but that's probably not gonna be doable. But yeah if you want a dog, don't be scared of the smaller ones, and consider an adult that's alread trained. This is the 10 pounder doing nosework and that's me (35 lbs heavier) at the end of his leash.
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ptdreamers, my fitbit does not accurately count when I do Sansone videos, either. But it's for an understandable reason. When you lift a knee or do a kick, you are 'consuming' two beats instead of one. The Sansone program assigns miles based on music beats per minute, so that knee lift 'counts' as two steps, even if literally you take only one step. The fitbit gives you one step. I'm ok with that--I just know that even if literally I did not measure the Sansone mileage count, I was getting a better workout that just steps, because the knee lifts and kicks recruit large muscles and that's a great heartrate booster.
I have been traveling nonstop for days, including the weekend, a combination of work and fun. I made it to the gym on Monday for my first post-surgical weight lifting session with my trainer, and he and I crafted a plan so I can do more of the weight training while traveling. It's getting very annoying to have to continuously re-start at lower weights after missing training sessions. I cannot fly with dumbbells, obviously, so I will be doing some of the bodyweight moves that are NOT recommended for LE, but...trainer and I spent a lot of time the other day working on equating my perceived resistance on a wall pushup with my perceived resistance using dumbbells on a chest press. We did other, similar testing to try to help me do in-hotel-room resistance training without exceeding my current resistance using weights. I may be pushing the envelope here, and I do not recommend this approach for anyone who can use actual, measured weights regularly. My trainer is very inventive but he's also well versed in LE needs and the PAL guidelines. I feel confident in what we're doing and will post back here with progress reports.
I have managed to do a lot of cardio walking and also went to a class taught by a friend earlier this week, a combination of step aerobics and floor routines--a great cardio workout, followed by stretches. Also have kept up on Lebed and MLD.
And I'm going to drop BIG hints to DH about some walking poles for the coming gift season, intending to copy/print Hugz' various posts to give him some guidance on what to look for. Thanks, Hugz...he's always stymied on what to give me, so I know he will be very grateful for such a good suggestion. I would not have thought of using the poles before, but after seeing all the conversation in this thread, I definitely want to go in that direction with my walking. (I doubt however that I will bring poles with me for airport walking!)
Carol
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Just finished 5 miles at dam. MLD and exercises all done for the day!!
I am going to order poles next week. I am researching them on Poles for Mobility.
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I work FT - I just bite the bullet and get up an hour earlier in the morning to do MLD, a half an hour of exercise, then the Lebeds. I also try to squeeze in any extra exercise when I can - like parking at the far end of the parking lot, taking the steps, walking or running to my yoga class (the rec center is a mile away), or walking to the store a mile away if I'm only getting a few things. Today I had an onc appt at 10 am, so I had the luxury of sleeping in an extra hour, plus getting in a 45 minute run instead of my normal half hour.
I have no kids, grandkids or elderly parents to care for, and I'm blessed with a very capable grown-up of a husband who is perfectly able to make dinner, unload the dishwasher, do laundry, etc. so it helps that I don't carry more than my share of domestic responsibilities - that gives me a lot of extra time in the evenings. But still, I wanna retire so I can work out for hours every day - I'd love it!!
I don't wear compression stuff normally unless I'm exercising or otherwise stressing the arm or having a flare, so I'm not usually wearing it at work. But sometimes my job requires me to carry computer equipment, so I always have my compression stuff at work and will put it on as needed, leaving it on for the rest of the day. No one gives it a second glance. But my co-workers also all know my history - I didn't mess with a wig during chemo and just came to work bald so that was a pretty big hint to them that something was going on with me.
I've been pretty good about MLD and Lebeds - think I've only missed one day this week. Did a 5.5 mile hike on the Maryland AT last weekend, using my trekking poles of course! We're off all next week for Tkg and plan to spend the week at our cabin in the mountains - and we plan to hike every day if we can!
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Gosh, after reading what you all have accomplished I feel exhausted.
I did my usual walk with the dog today. Cool out but sunny and bright. I love this time of year. Of course I forgot my pedometer. I usually do. I'd thought of poles before but not sure how to use 'em both and hold the leash. I guess I could use a skijoring harness but then I'd likely trip over the dog.Cabin in the mountains, walk to the dam, sounds devine.
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Well, I wore an OTC glove to work today and am wearing the real dela sleeve and glove now. ( VERY concerned about wearing tight wrist/sleeve all day long until I speak to someone about this fit.
TONS of remarks at work , but wont get into that here.
Did exercise after work- 35 min ' fast walk". Now the sleeved arm is kind of 'pulsating' and the glove seems a bit tight/numbish in the thumb. My instinct is to take it all off, but not sure If I should hang in there . Dont want to take the glove off and leave the sleeve on lest I make the hand swell. Who The Hey knows ?!!!
Skipped the MLD because I really dont know what I am doing yet . ( Have appt in app 1 week)
Darn- feel like I need a LE therapist living with me :>)0 -
My LE therapist says in the ideal world - I should be doing my MLD 2x a day, wear my compression sleeve 6-8 hours minimum during the day, and either wrap my arm at night, or wear my JoviPak sleeve (which is much better than wrapping). She said to never wear the compression sleeve to sleep in as it can actually cause more swelling. She's been doing this full time for about 20 years, was originally trained in Europe. Now that being said, I manage MLD more frequently when I'm swelling more, but normally 5 times a week, I always wear my sleeve when driving, doing anything heavy, traveling, walking or exercising, except for swimming. And wear my JoviPak pretty much only when I'm having more issues.
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Purple, if you have odd sensations and tingling after a fast walk, maybe think about how much arm pumping you do as you complete the walk. If you are doing a Sansone dvd, try making more conservative arm work, and if you are walking in the classic sense, find a way to keep the arm from hanging down, and keep the arm pumps small. I worry that you may be overworking your arm as you walk.
Today I went on a beautiful outdoor walk with a friend, about 6 miles in all, including a long, steep hill. No MLD or Lebed and it is late, so I will concede that I am not doing them tonight!
Carol0 -
Ten minute warm up, then stretches, then the circuit at the gym, then stretches again. Getting ready for a big trip tomorrow. We leave for Paris and then London!! Will be home the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I am so excited. We have a two hour layover at JFK in NY then non to Paris for three days, then London for four days. I will take a page from your book Carol and walk during the layover. If I don't manage to get on line, have a Happy Thanksgiving one and all!
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Kay - have a great trip!!!
I did a mile walk and about 25 minutes of Lebed. Also, had LE massage today at the therapist. Putting it down on this forum is starting to make me more active!
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Thanks Carol,
I'm pretty much holding my elbows at an agle so the hands actually face straight UP most of the time, and intentionally doing very little movement with the arms!
(Maybe I should stop altogether for now ?)0 -
Kay--Have a GREAT trip.
Going to teach a class for a coworker who is having surgery then I am off to the dam. Another pretty day coming up. Then home to do weights!
I worked FT through surgery, radiation, and three months of wrapping plus LE therapy three days a week. I then quit for a semester. I went back PT last January (college instructor so PT can be like FT sometimes). I decided not to go back FT as my 90 yr old mother lives with me and is depending on me more and more. Yes it is hard to get all in working FT.
Nats--I am going to Poolesville, MD for Thanksgiving next week. My whole family is gathering at my sister's house. She used to live in Rockville. She and hubby help keep a section of the AT clear. We always do a "turkey walk" Thanksgiving morning. We even make medals for the winners!
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I found this article interesting ( may be old hat to many of you ) so decided to post.
http://www.lymphedema-therapy.com/lymphedema-exercise.html
Not too happy with my glove this AM- tight, which of course means my hand is still swollen from the exer-walk last evening. I tore it off - red indents now fading away.
I wonder if I may not be able to exercise since I already have poor circulation to begin with . Another catch 22....with this circ. I NEED to do some walking.
Before all this, I walked to videos and sometimes lifted weights . I dunno'.
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