Wednesday, June 26, 2019

WWU - PT Edition

(Thanks to Emmaclaire for the Wednesday Workout Update's new title!)

  • I've been pretty good about doing my PT exercises every day - I was trying for three times a day but I've settled into twice a day because with three times it felt like I had just finished, only to start again. 
  • I've got the movements of most of them down, but my left leg is noticeably weaker and has less range of motion and that makes it hard to keep my form correct.  But I'm trying and my shaky leg is proof of that!
  • I like to check my form in the mirror periodically to make sure I'm keeping the correct position.  Last week I was doing my Chaplins, which is where you toe out with your back against the wall and slowly squat down and then rise back up.  Anyway I was watching myself in the mirror and it looked like my left calf was smaller than my right calf, so afterward I measured them and the left calf is 3/4 of an inch smaller than the right!  I've always had beefy calves so to see one look noticeably less beefy was a little disconcerting.  
  • You guys know that I am a social exerciser.  I like to run with other people and I like to workout with other people and I know that this has been key to my success with exercise.  I like the camaraderie.  So imagine losing all of that and instead, doing PT workouts twice a day, every day, all by yourself.  Yeahhhh.  The more this goes on the sadder and lonelier I get.  I can do the exercises, sure,  but it is not my forte to exercise alone every. single. time.  I finally broke down over the weekend so Jeff offered to do them with me, which was nice.  
Jeff laid down to get into the bubble roll position and Paco immediately laid down with him, ready to join in the exercises.  He hasn't been doing this with me so I guess when Jeff started doing them, Paco must have figured it was a family thing.

    • I went to my PT appointment on Monday morning and after going through all of the exercises, was given an advancement - I've gone from Table Top I to Table Top II, woohoo!  I went through it a few times and then had Amanda video me doing it with her talking me through it.  I took a still shot from the video to pridefully show you how flat I'm able to make my back - this is a big improvement from when I first started doing it:
    Break out the fine china and set that table!

    I am still a long way from getting back to normal.  And I'm only seeing minor improvements because honestly, how often is making your back flat like the above picture necessary in your daily life?  I still am not supposed to be bending forward from a standing position, which is hard because it doesn't hurt when I do it.  So no making the bed or emptying the bottom rack of the dishwasher (or loading it, for that matter), along with countless other things I do without thinking every day. 

    As for a return to running, that's not even a blip on the horizon at this point.  Shoot, I don't even have an idea as to when I'll be able to walk for exercise.  This is a strange injury with a lot of unknowns involved in getting better, and that's about all I know right now.

    21 comments:

    1. You go!!! You are doing it and having success! You may not think it is great success but I see it in other areas of your life. A month or two ago you were pretty much tied to your couch and unable to move. You are now enjoying time outside on the patio...you are able to do PT....you are able to go on a great birthday day trip with Jeff! The improvements are great! And just for the record...your form is fabulous on that table top....and that is a HUGE improvement also from where you are! In the meantime enjoy the fact that you don’t have to do the tedious stuff like loading and unloading the dishwasher or make the bed! That’s a perk!

      Jeff is awesome to do the exercises with you! And Paco...that dog really is the wonder dog!!!

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      1. Thanks you MaryFran, I appreciate your enthusiastic positivity! :)

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    2. But you are doing it! Isn't it shocking how quickly you lose muscle when you don't exercise? Glad to see you're sticking to your regimen. Just look at it like money in the bank. Does Paco hang out with you when you're exercising? Cocoa gets so excited when I'm on my yoga mat.

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      1. Money in the bank. Money in the bank. I need to remember that. :)

        And yes, Paco is always near when I'm exercising - I think it's because I'm down on the floor...HIS floor, LOL.

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    3. PACO!!!!! He cracks me right up. I don't know how you did your PT without laughing at that. And bless Jeff for being willing to do that with you. I think you should make anyone who enters your home do your exercises with you. Everyone could use a little PT.

      Keep on keeping on my friend. I know it's hard and miserable, but you are getting better as the proof is in the Tabletop.

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      1. Paco is such a nut. And that's a good idea - make visitors exercise with me. It's FUN, guys! ;)

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    4. That picture of Paco and Jeff is a gem!! That's one way you and I are different--I am definitely a solitary exerciser. That was so nice of Jeff to volunteer to exercise with you. And in the meantime, not making the bed and not loading the dishwasher sounds like a good bonus to me :)

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      1. ::whispers:: The bed hasn't been made in several days. That doesn't drive me crazy. Nope. Not at alllllllllll.

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    5. I'm tickled you liked the title enough to use it! And I am cheering you on with your baby steps to mobility. That table top is crying out for Fiestaware, right? Hang in there, Shelley!

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      1. Heck yeah, it is a great title! And LOL - it took me too long to get your Fiestaware joke. I blame the drugs.

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    6. Progress is progress. I know its slower than you like but hang in there. That's great that Jeff supports you by exercising with you. That picture of Jeff and Paco priceless!

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      1. Now that Paco has joined in we have the entire household doing these exercises!

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    7. As long as you are getting better, that's a victory! I hurt my right leg over a year ago while working out, and it literally has taken me this whole year to feel like my leg is finally back to almost normal.
      This is not to discourage you about the long road ahead, but to tell you...next year this time you will be kicking ass. Success will be all the sweeter when you look back on how far you have come and how hard you worked to get there!

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      1. I'm sorry to hear that you hurt your leg so badly, exercising no less!! It's like come ON, we are trying to make ourselves healthier and this is what we get?!

        An entire year. Yikes. I'm glad it's finally feeling normal again.

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      2. I'm lucky I have a trainer who worked closely with me to rehab it, so I didn't have to stop working out, I just had to work out more carefully. Although at the time, I was angry that I couldn't workout like the madwoman that I am, I'm almost grateful for the injury because it taught me patience with myself and to never give up!

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      3. Thank you for sharing your story - it sounds like you learned a lot through everything!

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    8. I love how your dog joined in on the exercises! He has excellent form, ha ha.

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    9. I love how pets come in and do all sorts of contortions and it is no problem for them LOL. I have nerve damage in my leg from my disk and my left left is weaker. It's not obvious in general unless I try to do one-legged exercises or balance on that leg. Then it shows up big time.

      Way to go on the flat back. A lot of people without any health issues can't do that properly!

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      1. Paco has a beautiful downward dog, I must say. ;)

        I wonder if I'll end up with permanent nerve damage like you did with your disc injury.

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    10. be patient. You will get there and run again with the Renegades.

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