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| | Part 4October 5, 1997
My Exercise Plan... sort of!!!
I'm in the process of arranging for more physical therapy. Right now I'm
having my live-in (Gennett) give me Range of Motion (ROM) 5 days a week.
ROM is having someone move my body (Fingers,wrists,arms,shoulders,legs,
ankles and feet.) through the limits of my full range of body motion.
Stretching everything and so my body basically remembers what it was like
before I became so disabled.
I will be doing resistance exercises, which is me trying to pull weights with
my arms.I bought 2 1/2 pound "Sinker" weights for fishing nets, Allen hooked
them up to a pulley system hanging over a doorway entrance. I pull the weight
with my right arm, (not very far yet) it feels like I'm trying to pull a TRUCK
up a tree!!!...Obviously I'm hoping to improve that within a couple of
months... Geez, can't wait to start exercising my left arm...!!! This will be a lot
tougher, I haven't used my left arm in over 2 years.
I have a "Tilt Table". This is a table 6 feet long with a platform for my
feet. It cranks up to a standing position. I'm strapped onto it at knees, hips and
chest, my neck muscles are good. They're the strongest part of my body so my head
doesn't need to be strapped down,(until I'm in a completely upright position.)
Then I'm elevated to different degrees to being upright,(20 minutes at a
time) I get dizzy from standing for any length of time....LOVE the feeling
though!:-) ...Standing that is!
I need to stand, put weight on my bones. They've become soft, my muscles
(I say that loosely!) need to go back to work along with my tendons being
stretched. My feet have no idea what's going on (Holding up my weight) as
well as the back of my knees and lower back!!!
I have an Electric Peddler...with speeds from extremely slow to extremely
fast, for my arms and legs. It has a timer that we'll set for 20 minutes to start!
I use this sitting in my wheelchair. It is designed to exercise legs and arms at
the same time or legs separate and arms separate or I can exercise one arm at a
time...out to my side. My feet and hands are strapped on, my seatbelt is put
on and my upper body is strapped into my chair. I use the extremely slow
speed, if I don't I'll spasm entirely too much! I exercise my arms separately
from my legs. It's a real experience doing everything at once!!!...After my
body gets familiar again, I'll be exercising all at once.
NOTE ON POSSIBLE MITOXANTRONE SIDE-EFFECTS:
If my temperature reaches 101.5... at anytime, I'm supposed to call Dr.
Pomeroy! As any MSers knows,when our temperature rises, that's not a fun situation. I
haven't notice any temperature change. I do feel like I'm getting a cold.
When using mitoxantrone the immune system is weakened, that's one reason
why methylprednisolone(steroid) is used.
Methylprednisolone side-effects can be weight gain, facial hair and facial
blemishes.Can't wait for that to happen!!!...As long as my body movement
improves, I'll deal with it.
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