It has been a couple weeks since the cardiologist told me to start pushing myself when it comes to overcoming my chronic chest pain. I'm finding that it's not that difficult to get my heart rate up, but all this physical activity is taking its toll. Not only do I have the chest pain to contend with, I have neuropathic pain from my stroke to battle against as well. The right side of my body is in a constant state of "Ouch!" and that ain't good. Especially the more active I get.
My morning routine consists of a short, targeted strength training workout (Denise Austin's Get Fit Fast) and walking the dog. If I choose not to do the strength training I do yoga and got my stretch on (JJ Gormley's Yoga Complete for Every Body). And I do this nearly every single day. So pushing myself means what, exactly?
I have a fitness tracker to help keep me motivated. I do my best to walk to the dog farther now; at least one mile every day. Either one long walk in the morning or two short walks throughout the day. If I am lacking in steps for the day I will hop on our stationary bike to try to catch up. I put on some music while I'm cooking dinner and dance in the kitchen while slicing and dicing. Other than that, I'm not really sure what else to do. I'm a broke writer working from home, for Pete's sake.
I raise my heart rate too much, my chest pain gets too severe to continue normal activity. And when I'm very active for more than a couple of days in a row, the right side pain is so severe I have to spend several days laid out to recuperate from that. So then the fitness tracker is useless, all the work I did previously is useless and I just have to start all over again in a few days. My whole system has become moot.
Total Catch 22. The more I work the more pain I'm in the more I have to rest the more I have to work the more pain I'm in the more I have to rest...
I'm kind of honestly at a loss as to what to do. I think the next step is just to check in with neurology and see if there is another increase I can do with the Lyrica to help with the pain management. Other than that...?
Showing posts with label physical therapy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label physical therapy. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Let's Get Physical
I had a frank discussion with my neurologist about my physical well being. Over the last three years, my right side has progressively gotten weaker and weaker. Because of the neuro-pathic pain (a present from my stroke) that we just haven't been able to get a handle on, I have gotten less and less active. It can now be a struggle to do my daily activities due the pain and weakness I am experiencing.
It's a vicious cycle that I haven't figured out how to break. I try to work out and go for walks. In fact I walk my daughters to school on average about three times a week. The walk is one mile round trip. Granted, after half a mile, I am already ready to call it quits, but I try and fail and try again. Thus prompted the discussion with my doctor. Something has to change. I am on lifelong medication, some of which has made me gain weight, and I need to get more active to lose the weight to keep a healthy heart and reduce the risk of another stroke.
We decided on a round of physical and occupational therapy to help my body get back to where it needs to be. I had my first appointment last Thursday. It was my evaluation day. After that, the insurance company gets to decide whether or not to continue paying for the therapy. The evaluation went well. I have lost a lot of strength in my right side as well as range of motion. Cindy, my therapist, was great. She was knowledgeable and patient. She answered all of my questions. I honestly couldn't have asked for better.We didn't get to the occupational therapy, something I will have to address at my next appointment, but I was sent home with plenty of exercises to do everyday to help build my core strength and my balance back up.
All that's left is waiting to be sure there are no hiccups with the insurance company. I spoke to them on the phone to confirm my benefits and they gave no indication that there would be any refusal for treatment. The only reason it is even on my mind is because I was asked to fill out more paperwork to send off to them. I had physical, occupational and speech therapy right after my initial stroke in August of 2010. I was 29 years old at the time. I recovered remarkably well, considering. I am also worried because my occupation is "homemaker". It wasn't a job that was important enough to fill out the JOB section of the insurance company's questionnaire. Never mind the fact that the reason I have no job is stroke related.
It's the after effects of living with a stroke that seem to have done me in. The neuro-pathic pain, the seizures, memory loss and problems with retention have led me to quit school and my job. But I can't quit the most important job I have, that of raising my three kids. They are counting on me and I can't let them down. So even though it really hurts, you'll have to excuse me. I need to go do my exercises now.
E-mail your members of Congress and ask them to stop therapy caps for Medicare patients who have had a stroke.Without therapy, vital skills could be lost.
It's a vicious cycle that I haven't figured out how to break. I try to work out and go for walks. In fact I walk my daughters to school on average about three times a week. The walk is one mile round trip. Granted, after half a mile, I am already ready to call it quits, but I try and fail and try again. Thus prompted the discussion with my doctor. Something has to change. I am on lifelong medication, some of which has made me gain weight, and I need to get more active to lose the weight to keep a healthy heart and reduce the risk of another stroke.
We decided on a round of physical and occupational therapy to help my body get back to where it needs to be. I had my first appointment last Thursday. It was my evaluation day. After that, the insurance company gets to decide whether or not to continue paying for the therapy. The evaluation went well. I have lost a lot of strength in my right side as well as range of motion. Cindy, my therapist, was great. She was knowledgeable and patient. She answered all of my questions. I honestly couldn't have asked for better.We didn't get to the occupational therapy, something I will have to address at my next appointment, but I was sent home with plenty of exercises to do everyday to help build my core strength and my balance back up.
All that's left is waiting to be sure there are no hiccups with the insurance company. I spoke to them on the phone to confirm my benefits and they gave no indication that there would be any refusal for treatment. The only reason it is even on my mind is because I was asked to fill out more paperwork to send off to them. I had physical, occupational and speech therapy right after my initial stroke in August of 2010. I was 29 years old at the time. I recovered remarkably well, considering. I am also worried because my occupation is "homemaker". It wasn't a job that was important enough to fill out the JOB section of the insurance company's questionnaire. Never mind the fact that the reason I have no job is stroke related.
It's the after effects of living with a stroke that seem to have done me in. The neuro-pathic pain, the seizures, memory loss and problems with retention have led me to quit school and my job. But I can't quit the most important job I have, that of raising my three kids. They are counting on me and I can't let them down. So even though it really hurts, you'll have to excuse me. I need to go do my exercises now.
E-mail your members of Congress and ask them to stop therapy caps for Medicare patients who have had a stroke.Without therapy, vital skills could be lost.
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