Exercise, an Inspiration

"She was hospital bound for quite a while and when she was able to return home she had a nurse come -- with that first visit she was able to take 2 steps and gradually built that up. She can now do light house work, can go shopping and has gone from 12L of 02 down to 1L".

Another chatter and I decided we would be exercise buddies (we're several hundred miles apart, but hey) so this morning, via cell phone, we started an exercise program. She would use her gizmo and I would use mine -- I have a treadmill which has been gathering dust. I did 4 minutes -- 2 more minutes than I was doing the last time I was able to get on it. I saved the chart I had when I did pulmo rehab and added some lite arm exercises. My doctor told me which I could and could not do. He told me if I got short of breath, to stop and take a break, then go back to doing what I was doing. I am to continue to do the treadmill and gradually add to those walking going nowhere minutes.

Having an exercise buddy has been an inspiration, it gets me going and makes sure I will continue to do exercise. Exercise is so very important for those of us with pulmonary hypertension. It's not only good for our heart but our lungs as well, we need to keep our body active if we want to continue to keep on keeping on. We have to know our limits but we have to be able to use those limits to our best ability.

I'll try to keep you posted on how I do.

Remember to smile -- it's contagious.