Doing physical exercise has been a part of my recovery process ever since I was diagnosed. I know how important it has been; to maintain my stamina, to maintain my bone density, and to try and keep on top of the weight gain (which I still haven't really managed). My ability to do exercises at the gym has obviously correlated with how I was feeling at the time. Many a day I could only do a low impact workout as all I wanted to do was vomit, while other days I could really push it.
You may recall that back in January I had a strange urge to try running. This only lasted a few days as I then had a bit of a setback. Since increasing my dex dosage again at the start of the month, I have had an improvement in my fatigue and nausea. I was getting a bit bored with my exercise program, so I thought I would try aquarobics. I was a teensy bit apprehensive about this. Not only was I the youngest in the class by several decades, but I also wasn't sure whether I could handle an entire hour in a class. But I really enjoyed it, and after the first week or two I wasn't as fatigued. I found that I could do things in the water like running, and bobbing up and down that I simply can't do on land as I get too dizzy.
But after a few weeks of aqua, I got the urge to try running again. I have seen several friends doing fitness tests for a certain weight loss program, and just wanted to see if I could do it too. I wanted to see how long it would take me to do 1 km (if I could even do that) on the treadmill. I was so proud of myself. Not only did I do the km, but I did it in 8 mins, 22 secs! I've done it a few times since and have brought that time down to 7 min 51secs. I can't believe that I am actually running (I've never been a runner; I look all ungainly and quite silly. Plus I really need a very good sportsbra as I am likely to give myself a black eye). I'm not sure how far I want to take it - but perhaps I should try working up to 5km.
Yesterday I also re-did my weights program. I had lost some motivation for doing weights, and I really do need to keep doing that to keep my bones nice and strong (especially since I had a fall in the kitchen this week, stupid socks on slippery floors but ouch!). The trainer gave me a whole stack of new exercises to do (one is called "the Torsinator" which just makes me giggle). At the end of our session, she commented that "I was really very strong". I don't think she realises how much that meant to me. To think that a year ago I was so weak and ill I could hardly even walk to the shops. That when I got home from hospital I couldn't lift up my son, or walk up the stairs. I could hardly even push myself out of a chair. I'm now leg pressing 100kg, chest pressing 20kg, and running!! I feel just a little bit proud of my achievements. Now to work on shifting this weight.
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