With my leg in the splint I can't do much of my usual exercise. I took the clothes off the clothes hanger in my bedroom-which actually is an exercise bike. It's an ergo meter with reciprocal arm motion. Found I can prop my gimpy leg on a handle and work the other three appendages. Maybe I won't turn to mush after all.
I'm very impressed! My only exercise is the walking from the car to my office, and to go to other places in the building, and back to the car. It usually hits 3,500 to 5,000 on that little meter....which I realize is not enough. I used to do water aerobics every Mon-Fri for an hour after work and felt great. However, since AD, I can't leave him alone that extra 1 1/2 hours. If I didn't get home until 6:30, I would only have an hour to spend with him before he started dozing. And you all don't want to know my feelings about exercise equipment! <grin>
I guess it's because I accepted that he was dying over a year ago when he became my toddler and that he really hasn't been my husband since then, doesn't remember me or know I'm his wife. I've grieved his loss. I'm just taking care of him until the Lord calls him up. I am able to continue my life easier this way too. I have my job, my friends at work, my best friend from childhood (we get together once every other week plus e-mails), and I have you all for advice and encouragement. You all (especially the dd) have become my family.
I know that I'm going to lose weight when I have time to set up my schedule like it was before AD; I know that I'm going to take the three trips my husband and i planned before he got too bad to take them with me - I'm going to go for both of us. There are no details.....just the ideas.... Some may think that this is wrong; others may disagree with how I have to look at my present life in order NOT to be depressed or have to take drugs.... I only know that it is working for me at the moment.
I miss going to the Gym and I especialy miss walking. DH gets upset when I walk. We live in a very safe neighborhood but he is always afraid something will happen to me. I really think that he is afraid when I am out of his sight. I also am planing for after but at my age, 81 Valentine Day, will I be able to walk or will I be in a red wheelchair.
Bama, those new electric wheelchairs are great! I've already figured out the way to get from my house to the grocery store, drug store, and the mall in one - should I ever need one to get around! The mall is only about 10 blocks from our house and there are sidewalks all the way! <grin>
Mary, There's nothing wrong in thinking of AFTER.I do that often,I call it surviving. We're only in mid stage here but there are days when I could pull every hair out of my head!!! I pray everyday for patience.Guess this is just a hard week.Also hoping for early spring,warmer weather helps.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with thinking about AFTER. I do it too. There are some things I can't do right now, but I say to myself, do I really want to do it? And if the answer is yes, I put it aside because I know that if I still want to do it after, I will be able to.
I think that the people who never think about what they might like to do when the heavy work of this disease is over are the ones who stare at their empty hands when their LO dies and don't have a clue as to who they really are. Because they never had a life of their own in the first place. I think that especially happens with some of the "daughters" who give up their lives to take care of one parent or grandparent after another and then suddenly find themselves with an empty house and not idea of how to have a life of their own. But it happens to spouses as well.
About exercise, I walk inside the house. I use a pedometer, and when I'm not having an active day I do laps. Because I am partially disabled I've put a floor of 5000 steps into my goal, and I stick to it. I am also trying to do enough physical therapy balance and strength exercises to build up some strength. And it is working. Very slowly, but I am seeing progress. I can't go too fast, or do even what would be considered normal beginner's exercises because I've had experience with that backfiring. It all began with my ending up with what they would call a "sports injury" when I was 39 because I was going to the gym and taking aerobics classes three times a week. I've never come fully back from that.
I started exercising last week at the gym where my dh is having PT 3 days a week. When they dismiss him from PT I plan to go ahead and both of us continue with the exercise as long as I can get him to go. They have several pieces of equipment that I don't know how to use, so they are going to get me started on them tomorrow. I hope to lose some of my "batwings" as well as midriff reduction.
Imohr-good for you. Once I get my leg out of the splint I am looking forward to getting back to my aerobics. All the gals in my class enjoy the mental as well as physical lift.
Lois and Nora, please do an extra minute each for me - I need the exercise too! <grin> I love water aerobics, but that is all. I hated it in P.E. in high school and college, and have never learned to enjoy it. I did hike, ride bicycle, swim, play racquetball and tennis, and I also played golf for several years. My present exercise is walking and housework. I am too tired for anything else right now.
Thank you, Ann and Sunshyne! It means a lot that others feel the same way!