Here is my exercise routine for the 4 hours a day, 5 days a week pre-op schedule they've given me. Upper body is done M, W & F and lower body is T & T. On all days, we also have 30 minutes of floor exercises (ankle weights, therabands, hand weights...a lot of stretching and such), 20 or 30 minutes on the recumbent bike and 20 or 30 minutes walking the track plus 30 minutes of class.

1/14/08 – Day 1
Today they had me doing 10 reps of 6 machines (triceps, arm curl, chest press, row, deltoid, squats, pulley, and some sort of arm raise. Then the floor exercises followed by 10 minutes on the recumbent bike and 10 minutes on the track. The talk today was on osteoporosis.

1/15/08 - Day 2
I did 10 reps of seated leg press @ 60 lbs, 10 of leg extension @ 20 lbs., 10 of leg curl @ 30 lbs, and 10 of hip abduction @ 20 lbs. Then you step up and down the stairs (3 steps) 3x, do heel raises, calf stretches and hamstring stretches. Then on to the floor exercises, increased to 20 minutes on the bike and 20 minutes on the track. Had a talk on abdominal breathing today.

So that's how we spend our 4 hours. I don't know if I mentioned it before but 98% of our group are either waiting for or have just received lung transplants. I'm the only LVRS one there. And such an upbeat bunch. The one fellow said he'd do it all again (get the tx) if he had to. I tell you, they're all in better shape than I am as far as the walking goes (even the ones that haven't had the tx yet). I had no problem doing 30 minutes on the TM at home but walking on the track is hard. And they're not about ready to let me use the TM. Found out today that M, W, & F we only have to do 20 minutes on recumbent bike and track and T & T we do 30 mins.
I hate T & T!!

I don't get sob until it's time for the bike and the walking. Unfortunately, those are at the end and I'm really sucking O2 during the walk. Do NOT like that part at all!! However, I can stop and rest for a couple of minutes if I get too sob, which I usually do. I just sort of step off the track and do the old 'hands-on- knees-and-breathe’ trick. The first couple of times I did that, one of the trainers would come by and ask if I was okay and I'd just tell them "I'm fine; I'm just breathing", LOL! And yes, I do plb through it all. That's a habit with me. My main problem is that I usually get to the point where I'm inhaling through my mouth but it's really the exhale that counts the most so I do that just fine...usually to the count of 6 or so.

1/25/08

Well, one week under my belt…7 more to go! Whew!! Upped all the weights by 5 or 10 lbs. The walking and recumbent bike are still the same times…but I don’t have to stop and rest as often so something must be getting better although I’m still really sob during the walk. There’s not going to be much to report for awhile….going to be sort of the ‘same ole’ – same ole’ .

1/31/08
Hey, I'm still alive! Still dragging after the bike and the walk but still alive. Whew!! Nothing new to report. I'm going to add some more notes from a friend who had the LVRS last year. Look for the part about Tony, okay? He's doing really great...no O2, no sob. Boy, I like that idea.

2/5/08
Whew, this is hard work!! I really enjoy it until I get to the bike and the walking. Both of those just really drain the air out of me. The thing is, my sats (on 2 lpm) stay in the mid to upper 90's yet I am so very sob! There are days that I come home with ribs that hurt so much...yet there are other days that I come home feeling great! Again, as with the disease itself...good days/bad days.

We had a "graduation" party for 4 of the group. They have finished their 23-week intensive session and now, if they choose, they will continue to work out with the rest of us but in 'maintenance' mode. I think all of them plan to continue...which is good 'cause you sort of get attached to those who are going through the same thing...feel like 'team mates'.

I was talking today with a woman in our group who had a double lung TX 15 days ago. She looks absolutely terrific!! She says she feels it's all due to the tough pre-op rehab Duke has. So, even though I'm not going for a TX (although after seeing her, I might change my mind, LOL!), I guess I should be glad for the torture they put us through, huh?

Oh, I found out I walked 1200 feet on my pre-rehab 6-min. walk. That's pretty good. Actually, in theory, I met all the requirements for the LVRS prior to rehab. So I guess I can really count rehab as wonderful icing on the cake!

2/07/08
Didn't do at all well on the bike and walking today. Even weights, which I love, were a little difficult. I've had some sort of little tickle-cough (dry) the last couple of days...wonder if I'm coming down with 'something'.

2/8/08
Well, last night after dinner I really felt lousy! And no, it's not my cooking...I don't cook. Bob is in charge of meals. Sore throat (gargle with warm salt water), slightly swollen gland on right side, cough, my skin was sore, my hair hurt, my gums hurt, it felt like I wasn't getting any air at all although my sats were where they should be. Pulse was a little high but that could have been the anxious-ness I had from not feeling well. I very rarely get sick...last time was a couple of years ago when I ended up in the hospital with pneumonia...so when I do feel not-so-good, I tend to get very anxious. So, took a little white pill (trusty old Ativan) for the anxiety and tried to go to bed. Well, that didn't work so I just sat up in bed and watched TV. Finally fell asleep around 2:00 but had to get up 3 times during the night to go to the bathroom...VERY unusual. I knew I had to get more liquid in me to replace what was being lost but whenever I'd try to drink something, I'd get a squeasy stomach. Oh bother!

So, needless to say, I am NOT going to rehab today. If I feel better tomorrow, I will work out with the bands I have here at home and we plan on going to an RV show so that will get the walking part in. I WANT MY MOMMY! (As you have probably guessed by now, I'm a lousy sick-person.)

2/10/08
I'm not getting anywhere with whatever it is I have!! Didn't go to rehab Friday, lay around all day yesterday (except for the time on the 'net and some RV cleaning) and really don't feel all that well today. What's up with this?? Unless I make some miraculous recovery today, rehab is out for tomorrow, too. I really hate to do that but got the sore throat back, a slight dry cough (Bob got me some guaifenesin yesterday to see if we can loosen the cough up and get it out) and just generally feel punk.

2/12/08
No rehab today either. I did go to a doctor today, though. Decided to pick the one closest to our location and I really lucked out. The people there are very nice and it's a nice clean facility. So, after listening to my lungs (she could actually hear something in the lower lungs!!), she scripted some azithromycin for 5 days. She said she didn't hear any wheezing so she didn't see the need for pred. She also ordered a white blood cell count to check for infection. Heck, blood draws are done right there in the same facility.

Can't go to rehab until after I see her again next Tuesday. Oh wow!! I'm going to have to do something here at home to keep at least a little in shape. I had bought some sort of exercise system (goes in a bag) on QVC last year...used it once and that was it. Guess it's time to get it out again, LOL!

So, since I don't expect anything too exciting to be happening for the rest of this week, I doubt I'll be updating anything. Just feel generall overall pukey...cough is loosening up, when I cough (which isn't often but when I do, it hurts my throat and gives me a short headache). As you can see, I most definitely am NOT a good sick person, LOL.

2/26/08
Well, here I still sit...although I AM feeling much better. No more cough. Went to the doc today and he listened. Said there is still some wheezing in there but to wait it out over the weekend and if I still feel okay on Monday, I can go back to rehab!! I must just remember to keep my hands away from my face until AFTER I wash with soap and hot water.

So, the next time you hear from me, barring anything really scarey or exciting, will be in March. I think that, somewhere along the line, I'm going to have to make up these 2 missed weeks of rehab but we'll wait and see what is said at the 3/20 appointment.

Cindy-Wis is going for LVRS at UW-Madison and she's feeling a bit poorly right now, too. She's actually scheduled for her procedure on April 2nd. She has a month to get back in shape. So, I'd appreciate it if you all could keep her in your prayers, too. Hopefully, one day, we'll have her success story posted here along with the others.