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

Purple I don't see why you can't stand or sit. The upperbody movement is the same. It doesn't say what to do. I think I will stand though to get a good breath out.

PS, I did it while pumping gas today. It was soooooooo easy. I don't care who see's me. Everyone stretchs and exercises wherever they can!

Tina, you did fabulous but TWINKIES....my you fell hard!

I hate the MLD too, but mostly because I'm still not convinced I am doing it 100% right. Much more confident now though - thanks to Carol !  It's a PITA when you waited too long (bedtime) and are tired.

In any case, I did the TaiChi breather several times (standing) yesterday. I do think standing is the proper pose for this. ( but how do you ladies do your MLD?) I only thought about the breather twice.  It made me lightheaded , BUT I suspect that is most likely from my crummy lungs. It is probably actually good for them, but I am sure my blood gas exchange is less than  perfect.  I will continue to try them.

Yesterday, I started the day with MLD and a   a tai chi breather and then one at lunchtime , after work I did a 35 min ' fastwalk" and MLD before bed.

GMA, Yes, ease up a bit but don't stop reading our posts cause this is where we encourage one another to move.

The next thing you know you will be jumping fences like a horse and rider! Well that might be a bit extreme but you'll be chasing gran kids for sure!



I am so lazy today, I'ts 9am here and I am just dragging my butt out of bed. I promised myself I would spent time in bed on my day off but those tai chi breathers are calling me so out I come.



Tina, Twinkie update, I heard a couple weeks ago the Twinkie company was going out of business and sold to another company. They will be making twinkies and I hope they keep the same recipe just for you and all of us that grew up on them. Well, we were too poor to buy them but the kids that got them in their lunch every day got sick of them so I traded my moms wonderful home baking for those prized twinkies. What the kids didn't like was those bright pink fluffy coconut covered Twinkie like cakes that were ball shaped, We would throw them on the clasroom ceiling and then they would stick and fall down during class when the teacher was teaching. What the heck were they called? Oh....I apologize in advance to all the teachers that may be reading. Sorry we tortured you! Hee hee!



Ok, going to Tai chi breather,walk, lebed opening and paperwork until10pm. Will give you progress report.

I worked out last night with my personal trainer and survived. Today was spent sitting in the hospital while Mom recovered from her heart cath (all is well). Didn't get much walking but did alot of Lebed type stretches and drank my water.

MLD confession - I do mine last thing each night before lights out. Sometimes I fall asleep.

Purple, Oh so that's right, Hostess snowballs, Yah, that would make sense cause they would fall from the sky, I mean ceiling, but they didn't melt. . I bet your glad you never taught me!



Nibanna and Ohio, Oh I'm so jealous, I would do anything to fall asleep within a couple hours!



Reporting on the tai chi breather, Have done three sets and two more to go. I found out that I am pushing my arms back too far and getting sore shoulders, guess I am trying too hard!

Walked in the dark, 40 min with rain gear, Oh my......just to think if a rapist would have got me, He would have had to strip off the rain gear, then my cloths and then my LE garb and then finally he would be so disappointed in my body shape. Definitely not worth the effort.....he would have walked away! I must have had 500lbs off clothing on. Sweated like a pig, I did!

Last post and one more tai chi breather to go. I did all the right things today for LE self care and boy it was a time consuming job. My paperwork today is much easier!

Don't know how I will get all my exercise in at work tomorrow but will try. Nighty, nighty night.

Finally got out to dam yesterday and logged five miles. Today will be treadmill and weights as I have to go to work later.



Hugs--snowballs! I love sweets but hated those. I taught elementary for yrs but don't remember those coming into the classroom. Twinkles galore though.

I think we all need a funny sometimes - hopefully this doesn't offend anyone if it does - I will gladly delete it...  With all the twinky talk I figured I would give you another excuse LOL...

Ok the only exercise I have done today is my post surgery stretches in the shower.. I have been a good girl LOL...

Purple you really nailed it: LE can really take over the day!

Today I traveled home, a cross-country trip with two long flights and a long layover, so LE jeopardy and of course I was in full compression regalia throughout, and pumped my fist up in the air as I swallowed buckets of water.  Got 4.6 miles in at airport #2.  I still have not tried the tai chi breather, because I'm apparently more inhibited than Hugz and I didn't want to do this in the airport corridors!  But tomorrow I'll print out the steps and work it in several times. 

Dawne - I found a good article on livestrong about carbonation and osteoporosis. I always thought it was the caffeine in soft drinks that was the culprit but it seems like it all comes down to moderation.....again.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/399062-carbonated-drinks-osteoporosis/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/321555-caffeine-osteoporosis/

Didn't get a lot of walking in yesterday but I did help my parents dig out Christmas decorations so there were many trips up/down stairs. Heading out now to take my sister-in-law for a stress test. I'm gonna walk the halls while I wait.

Missed MLD last night - the cold medicine overruled and put me to sleep.

Water is a huge thing for me, my deal is a big 24 oz bottle during the day.  Rule is to finish it!  Another bottle during excercise.  Then, I get to play with the water as in I add a oz or 2 of cranberry juice or orange juice, but just enough to flavor it!  Of course in the evening, I drink it from a nice wine glass....I pretend it is wine.  Really does taste better or at least different.

Not sure if I mentioned but found a new trainer at my gym who refers to himself as "the cancer guy"!  Turns out he is in a PHD program for physical therapy and his thesis is cancer survivors!  Holy Moly did I hit the jackpot!  I signed up for one hour a week, first sesson was last Sun.  Looking forward to this weeks.  He actually knows the terms as in lymphedema and even asked me what med I was on and knew the name!  Since I had been having bunches of arm pain he has me back on 1 pound wieghts...oh yeah, also told me I ws doing too many days a week and too heavy and need to slow down!  (I had been doing about 15 minutes but many days a week.  He ordered me back to ony 2 days a week.

Can you believe he is studying us?

NatsFan - Thanks for the links! After reading them I'm more concerned about the caffeine than I am the carbonation. But you're right, moderation is the key.



Purple - Water is huge! It's the first thing Binney suggested to me when I came to the boards. It's also what my LE OT drilled into me. Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system doesn't have a pump (heart) and water helps flush things out, as well as cardiovascular exercise. That's also why MLD is important...it moves the fluid along.



I'm serious about the Rooibos (Red Tea). Check it out if you haven't tried it. It's rich in iron too.

Hmmm I been lacking water today - wonder if that is why my calves hurt???

GmaFoley - Dehydration can cause all kinds of symptoms.  Maybe.