Topic: Kicking LE's butt!! Exercise & Self Care Log

Mar 31, 2012 08:23PM carol57 wrote:

Dawne Hope, Let's just dare them to ask!!

Tina, I think you are having to step up to a mighty big plate of life right now.  My own parents have only recently started to have worrisome issues (they're in their early 80s) so I have had only a small preview of what you describe. Worry + distance + LE = big frustration.  I'm so sorry this is all happening when you have so many LE limits imposed on you.  Arrghh!

I had a lovely day, full of sunshine walking and some retail therapy thrown in to boot.  I did manage a 30-minute heart-pumping cardio session and will head to MLD in a few minutes.  My arm does ache, high up under the armpit and well down to the elbow, and I can't think of anything out of the ordinary that triggered it.  Could it have been ambient pressure changes when the morning's cloudy gloom changed to brilliant afternoon sunshine?  I'll be that's it. 

Carol

Apr 1, 2012 04:58AM olearca wrote:

Tina, your mom sounds amazing! 92 years young! Wow! Your husband sounds even more amazing! What a great guy and son in law. I do hope there's no shoe coming his way today but I sort of can appreciate how angry and frustrated your mom must be. You do have a lot on your plate and dealing with aging parents is so hard, especially from so far away. Hang in there! Appreciate your posting about bra/cami shopping. I'm still searching for comfort and compression.

My exercise yesterday was 30 minutes of Just Dance on the Wii with my daughter! Nothing more embarrassing and humbling than having an 8 year old critique your moves all the while wrapped in ultra fashionable compression! Followed by NORTON DVD, MLD, stretching and chocolate.

Carol, I think you are traveling today? Good luck and hoping for non swell flight.

Ball bouncers! You rock (or bounce)! Love the crazy bouncer in the corner visual! Let's all unite and bounce away.

Apr 1, 2012 07:06AM BeckySharp wrote:

Actually I do my ball bouncing at home in private!  Carol is the one who goes to the gym.  I do pump every ten minutes out at the dam.  Some people think I am waving to them and wave back.  One little girl asked why I was doing that as if I were crazy.  When they see my sleeve I think they figure it out.  Only MLD and Lebeds so far as I have company.  Will see how far I get this afternoon.  Retail therapy.  I HATE to shop!  Stressful for me.  I love to read for pleasure or listen to music for pleasure. 

Apr 1, 2012 05:44PM carol57 wrote:

Tina, ramble away when needed! And I agree on the small-dose shopping. I have to travel a good distance to find a clothing store, so I tend to wait until I need a few things, but it gets tiresome fast because taking off/putting on tries my patience even when I'm not feeling puffy. Yesterday I was in a perfect little town with fun, non chain stores, and walking the streets from place to place was pure pleasure. And I found some fun duds. I have lost weight since surgery (but not as impressive as Becky's amazing work!), so it is fun when I find something I really like that would never have worked before.

Today was a two-flight day, and I got 30 minutes of fast terminal walking between flights. Then once at my hotel, I found the fitness center all wet, including the treadmills and other equipment, after a group of kids went from the pool to play on the equipment. Not sure how they didn't get hurt! So I did the stairs to my room three times in a row and then walked my floor for another 15 minutes. 16th floor! I took the elevator down each time. Thought of Tina while walking up! Pedometer says 5.66 miles. Also, I did lots of kegel breaths in the airplanes. And neck clearing twice each flight. Along with fist pumping, this really seemed to help because I have no postflight ache tonight.

It is really wonderful to feel accountable for reporting in here. Thanks, ladies. It means a lot to know I have company in my LE care.

Carol

Apr 1, 2012 10:47PM Estel wrote:

Flying is the final frontier for me ... I am scared to death to fly with the LE.  

Carol57 - Your experience gives me hope.  I flew a lot prior to bc ... haven't flown since ... and that's been 2.5 years.  

I haven't been a good girl with my LE care today other than I did make it to the gym with my compression garments, did light weights and fortunately ... the group work-out room was dark ... so I did my weights in there ... and I bounced on the ball for 50 bounces every time after doing a set of bicep curls or a tricep kick-backs and I can tell a huge difference ... I'm usually swollen on nights when I do some lifting ... but then it goes away the next day ... but tonight I'm much less swollen than normal ... that ball thing is AWESOME!  I'm going to tell some of the people at the gym what I'm doing and why so if someone says, "That girl is nuts what is she doing?" They can at least say we know ... just leave her alone.  LOL!  :)   Whatever it takes ... I'd stand on my head ... do anything to keep the swelling at bay ... 

Apr 2, 2012 03:52PM Binney4 wrote:

Okay, I just have to pop in here and catch up a bit. It's going to be miserably hot here before long, so I'm trying to brace myself for that and plan out my hot-wearther exercise and self-care accomodations. Lots to think about, review, and get ready for. Like a new swim suit, for instance -- Becky, I'm with you on finding "retail therapy" less than therapeutic!

I now have a pedometer -- yes! I've spent a few days testing it out, checking it for accuracy, and trying to get a feel for how many steps I generally walk a day so I can build up to the suggested 10,000. I've been averaging about 7,000, so I'll see if I can come up with some strategies for increasing it. 

Like some of you gals here, my budget is limited. At $5 my pedometer is not a precision instrument, but it's accurate enough to get me in the ball park range, and I'm good with that. It doesn't have any sort of safety attachment to keep from losing it so I improved with a piece of yarn and a carabiner. I don't have room or cash, either one, for in-home exercise equipment, but I've found bouncing on my toes to upbeat music to be as helpful as a mini-tramp or a biggish exercise ball -- fun is what you make it, so I get my daughter involved with me and she helps make it lively. Don't have an elliptical or a treadmill, can't do the gym membership, much less a trainer -- but I jog or walk indoors or out and when I need specific help with exercise advice I email my LE therapist or stop by and see her (she's used to my 1,001 questions by now!) Just wanted to note that, in case anyone was feeling LE butt-kicking was out of their price range. It's not! We can do this!

Onward!
Binney

Apr 2, 2012 05:52PM hugz4u wrote:

You all sound so amazing, you windsheilding, ball bouncing, hulk breathing, walking powerhouses. (look out Olympics here we come!) Did 5 floor stairclimbing and 45 min walk today and hope to do lebed opening.

Apr 2, 2012 06:54PM justmejanis wrote:

Binney I am in the same boat.  No budget for anything extra.  I have not heard of wearing any of the garmets described here for my LE.  It is so confusing sometimes.  I wear these very flattening "surgical vests" which my LE therapist approves of.  Tomorrow I get my new sleeves and gauntlets.  As far as exercise, nobody has even mentioned it!  I have no idea what this bouncing ball thing is, nor the CD that everyone laughs about!  I have heard of Under Armor garmets, but know they are terribly expensive.  I would think my LE therapist would steer me toward these camisoles and such if I needed them?  I only have two more sessions with her then I am done.  The only exercise I currently do is walking.  I need to do far more I know, but have been depressed and lacking motivation.  I am trying really hard to work through all of this.

I'll keep reading here and see if I can get inspired to do more.  Binney.....thanks for all you do in your quest to educate us about LE.  It is so appreciated!

I really look forward to getting to know everyone here!

Janis

Apr 2, 2012 08:10PM hugz4u wrote:

Carol. Sheesh your funny! Yes, we do need the LE Olympics. Wouldn't it be a hoot! Of course we would all get Underarmour teeshirts given to us by UA company sponsering us. (yeah)  We could use bandages strung across for the finish line. I'm sure you have enough floating around to donate. Can you just picture Binney in all her heavy LE gear passing us and heaving forward through the bandage finish line! 

Janis. You will like comming to this thread.  It will brighten up your day.  Walking is great,it will lift your spirits. I know it is hard to get going somedays but we are all here for you.  During your walk and any time during the day raise your LE arm above your head and slowly pump your fists. I do it about 30 pumps a few times a day.This helps drive the lymph fluid out. 

Dawne- I am so proud of you showing off your ball bouncing skills. You really are bouncing LEs butt real good. 

Tina- You are voted the "Step killer" I know you are pretending that each step is LEs head and that is why you can do so many!

Apr 3, 2012 04:49AM carol57 wrote:

I thought of something today:  when my kids were babies, we used something called a Johnny Jump-Up to keep them happy--a contraption hung inside a doorway, and it had recoiling, spring-like tethers so the baby could bounce up and down in it. (Probably not considered safe these days!) Does anyone else know what I'm talking about?  Because the ball-bouncing discussion makes me think it's sort of like having a big-girl janie jump-up!

Apr 3, 2012 06:24AM justmejanis wrote:

Thank you all for you replies, encouragement and helpful suggestions!  I apprecaite all the time each of you took to reply.  Many thanks!

Binney i will ask my LE therapist as I see her again tomorrow.  Today I go to the fitter and pick up my LE sleeves and gauntlets.  I will find out if I have qualified for a program that provides custom bras for low income LE patients.  I will know more today.

I am going to be doing a lot of reading later.  Thanks again to everyone!

Janis

Apr 3, 2012 09:12AM kira wrote:

I did go to the onc's and my weight is the highest it's ever been, but with the exercising, my clothes fit better.

She was sympathetic and felt that the level of exercise I'm doing is great (!)--thank you guys, because it wasn't before....And not to stress over the scale. Just keep up the exercise.

Overall, a much better visit than I anticipated.

Kira

Apr 3, 2012 09:36AM kira wrote:

Carol, I've got to get a pedometer, as I spend far too much time behind the computer. I want to put some buzzer on my computer chair to get me up!

This weight gain is very discouraging. I do eat well, and I am moving, and in the past, that would have been enough. The onc blamed tamoxifen and the perimenopause. 

But, thanks to you guys, I have motivation to keep moving.

What happened to the days when I could skip lunch and lose 5 pounds?

Kira

Apr 3, 2012 10:36AM BeckySharp wrote:

Hi All--Welcome Janis!

 Did not report in yesterday as I have company and we were in Dollywood all day.  Did my MLDs and Lebed but no cardio---but we walked all over the park all day in heat.  I am waterlogged!  Did fairly well on diet.  Got home at 8:30 to hear carbon monoxide detector going off.  Called fire dept and really high levels of CO.  Took several hrs to clear out and had to also wait for gas company to come.  Did MLD while waiting. 

Hey I personally think walking is the best exercise there is--and free!  The hardest part is for those who do not have a good place to walk.  Plus just a pedometer cheapo that measures steps.  I cannot walk fast without sweating.  I sweat a lot--especially my head which makes my hair wet.  So I have to shower after cardio.  Wish I did not sweat so much Carol.

Saw my therapist for measuring yesterday.  My right arm (dominant and affected) was smaller than my left in all places except right above the elbow in the back where the fibrosis is!  That part also had gone down considerably!  The jovipak has also been softening the fibrosis.  The great part is that my therapist had an off the shelf juzo for me to try on and it worked!  She is moving me from Class II Jobst to Class II juzo which she says is somewhat lighter.  Then the next sleeve move to Class I if I remain this low in volume.  Plus she added some more moves to my weight lifting with only one lb wts.  I think she was more jubilant than I was.  My right arm has never been smaller than left even before LE.  Maybe I should put my left arm in a garment and MLD it!  I still have a little swelling in the trunk on the side.  I have to wear a swell spot at night there.

Well off to Dixie Stampede.  So much fun with a 3 yr old.   I did do 30 min on elliptical this am.  Am going out to dam tomorrow hopefully.

Oh--Olympics.  We have a Buddy's Race for Cancer that supports a cancer center every November.  Our support group is going to have an LE team to walk the 5K.  Tshirts and everything.  Maybe we can kick some LE butt.  There will even be some sleeves showing!

Apr 3, 2012 10:45AM Tina337 wrote:

I have had trouble with my Verizon connection lately, composed a message yesterday and couldn't post. I lost another one earlier today. Let's see what happens now.

Welcome, justmejanis. The gals here are terrific and keep everyone going. Yes, I think basic and no frills is actually a good way to start. It lets you get into the groove at your own pace. There's no pressure, and you can stay aware of how your body is responding to movements and gently urge yourself to do more when it feels right. I believe when it is easy at first, it is actually more motivating, seems less like drudgery. Anything to make it fun or a great experience helps. That's why I love the ball and walking outside. The ball makes me feel like a kid, and blooming flowers, trees, and listening to birds sing make me feel terrific. Music has always been a big deal to me, and having my own private dance party in my living room is more my idea of a good workout vs the Lebed dance routine. Whatever works for You is the most important.

Okay, it looks like I am going to be able to post, so I should report in. Yesterday I did trunk MLD in the morning and full routine at bed, wore compression all day. Took tank off for sleeping, as I was feeling claustrophobic big time. 500 steps, bouncing, Hulk breathing and node clearing a few times during day. Staying hydrated. Hand is feeling pretty good, and arm seems to be doing much better. I really think the exercise is helping. Torso is actually starting to feel better, I think it's a little trimmer, as my clothes are feeling more comfy in the waist. This morning I did trunk MLD and I am wearing compression. Lovely outside, and I am definitely going out to take a walk.

KIRA - when I used to start working out after a hiatus, I would actually gain weight because I was building muscle. Only after a couple weeks did my clothes fit better. So, you are doing terrific! Don't let the scale get inside your head. I actually weighted almost 10 pounds more when I was at my fittest, but I wore the same size. No one ever believed me when I said what I weighed. Muscle weighs more than fat.

By the way, tomorrow will be FOUR WEEKS since I posted this topic and began to exercise! The time has just flown by, and I can hardly believe how much I have stayed consistent with self care, continued to exercise, and gently push myself to do more and more. I couldn't have done it without you guys! Thank you so much for the motivation and keeping me accountable. I can't say that everything is second nature to me yet, but I've noticed I'm spending more time doing MLD than griping about having to do it. And my compliance with compression has changed dramatically.