Keep on Moving Club: December 2009
 

MS sometimes makes it hard to keep moving, exercising, stretching, so we do less and less. Before long, its not just MS that interferes with our mobility and health, its also atrophy of muscle causing more balance problems and more muscle weakness.

So, we started a Club to support and encourage us to keep moving --You use it or you lose it! So, what do you do-- do you stretch, do you walk, swim, aquacise, isometrics, lift free weights, Wii,calisthenics? Please join the club.
!

I swim a mile a day. In 2004, I was so weak, I could not walk across a room. Now I swim a mile every single day and I do free weights twice weekly to help with osteoporosis prevention. Cherie (clinical1) was able to stop using her w/c after she religiously worked on a pool based stretch/exercise routine daily.

What do you do

I swam a mile today and it was nice and warm--yay!

Swimming doesn't sound specifically too appealing right now, what with the current cold front FREEZING Houston...

All I do is walk any more. Sometimes run, like when it's raining...

Tom

Tom, you can still run? Good for you. :hug:

greetings all you beautiful people!!

I'm working on my arms with weights ... and do push-ups (against the counter!) .. so I don't have to struggle to get up off the floor!! :D

Hi Everybody! :)

I've been running after Rocky and Daisy many times a day (she's fast!) I'm just trying to prevent a bloodbath. :rolleyes: They are learning to get along better though, slow but sure.

I tried out the last of my new exercise DVDs yesterday. This one is by Prevention magazine and I really, really liked it. It's called "Express Belly Blast" and it's pretty easy to follow. I did 20 minutes of cardio intervals, ten minutes of weight/toning, five minutes of yoga and a five minute cool down. :)

Sally, I agree: Good for you for walking Tom :)

Ewiz, nice to hear about your doings :) Very cute cat.

That sounds good Vonn. I've done taht at work, the push ups against a countertop. I think its good for the bones :) I also do free weights for the bones. I hate it, its so boring, but necessary.

I finally got out of this prison and took the dog for a very short walk today...haven't had much energy at all in the two weeks since surgery. But there were snow flakes hitting our faces, and the furbaby stuck his nose up in the air and sniffed, then looked at me with a look of bliss on his face...it was nice to get even that little bit of movement today...:)
I do look forward to being released to do weight training again...I feel like a bowlful of jelly, just like Santa;)

That sounds like just what the doctor ordered Debbie :) Good job.

I swam my mile today in the rain.

I got up and went swimming before dawn to beat the bad storms. One mile :)

Yesterday stood out in the sun and the wind holding a horse and a pony for the farrier for two hours.
Today will be riding again and testing out Stinky's new 'go faster' shoes.

Or falling off...

Thats very hard work pud! What makes the shoes be "go faster"?

I swam a mile in the rain today, and walked indoors 1.5 miles.

:D His shoes help his wonky legs make his feet hit the ground flat. without them, he's a bit cow hocked and gets tangled up in his own legs. They're his Nike's.

How long does it take you to swim a mile?

I rode again today which was nice. it's tiring both in muscle tone and concentration. i'm in full horse mode once more which is great.

I havent exercised for a month and it's starting to bug me.

Hurt my neck and shoulder (neuro thinks I slipped a disc or damaged something around C5-C6) My neck has been hurting since then, along with my right shoulder and upper back, and weird funky numbness and pain up the back of my head. (described those problems to neuro, and he said they fit his thought about hurting a disc)

Things were starting to calm down last week and I got a cold. (hope it's a cold, the cough is getting annoying)

With all the coughing I'm doing tonight, it's really irritating my neck. I was really hoping to be doing a bunch of walking and possibly starting to go swimming (especially now that my hair is short and I wont have to do as much work on my hair to make it presentable when it's wet from swimming)

I just thought I'd be doing more exercise by now. At least it's not the MS screwing crap up for me this time. (hope the cold doesnt trigger an MS thing...I think the cold is letting up, just not the cough)

I will be doing physical therapy for my neck on tuesday (was supposed to go friday, but the stupid cold didnt want to let me go) So, doing PT will count as exercise. Maybe I'll get some suggestions on other exercises while I'm there.

I have to go choke down some Nyquil now and attempt to sleep. (almost 5am here...hard to sleep when you're coughing)

I'm sure you will eventually come out o f this bad respiratory infex, and when you do, I'll look for you at the pool.

I swam a mile today in 50 mins. The pool was 76 degrees as the heaters shut off accidentally-- very cold!

I'm using my manuel WC, 'cause scooter is broken and I use my arms and scoot with my legs....good exercise...Whew!!!:)

Hi Everybody! :)

I haven't had any regular exercise for several days now, being so busy with an extremely hectic schedule and tiring myself out that way. I have been chasing after Rocky and Daisy though. That keeps me on my toes, lol. I spend at least 40 minutes a day doing that, on and off.

It might be a very busy week too so if I clean the house that might be my main exercise but that's a lot of work anyway. Have a good week everybody! :grouphug:

I'm coughing more today, so my neck hurts more. But, I managed to get a bunch of sleep between coughing fits, so I actually feel a little bit better. Havent slept much over the past couple of days. So, getting some sleep helped.

It's snowing out now, and really really cold!

If I were going to go swimming at the gym, I'd have to take a hair dryer with me, or a really big fluffy (warm!) towel to cover my head with when I was done and keep the car running so it would be warm when I came outside.

Hi Sally, ewiz and Erin.
Erin: Do you need an antibiotic?

I swam a mile today in the cold pool. Brrrr.

I dont know if I need an antibiotic, but I guess I'll find out at 1130am tomorrow. I'd called my doctor for something for the cough and he wants to see me. (was too late to go up there when they called me back)

I hope I dont need an antibiotic, that would mean there's a secondary infection, right? I dont want or need a secondary infection.

So far the worst thing has been the cough and the laryngitis. My nose had been plugged up last week, and I really hate it when my nose is like that, it's even harder for me to sleep when I cant breathe thru my nose. (slept sitting up then) It was weird that everytime I went outside I could breathe better.

I hadnt been outside all weekend, so tonight we went to the store so we could prepare for the snowpocalypse that's about to hit (blizzard warnings are expected to be issued around 3am) and I could breathe when I was outside in the cold air. It was inside the store I felt I was having problems.

The laryngitis is weird too. It doesnt feel like it's in my voice box...my throat isnt even that sore. Altho, I can feel my left tonsil starting to hurt more. My tonsils are ginormous when they're not infected, so hopefully I wont end up with tonsillitis from this now...because I really dont want my golf ball sized tonsils to become bowling ball sized tonsils. That would really suck.

Today's exercise plan was moving some books from my room to my dad's office. Cant lift boxes (and dont have any boxes anyways) so I just walked four or five books into his office at a time. (didnt have many to move) and then I took a shower for the first time since friday. I feel better now with clean hair and not smelling funky.

I think I'll go have a shot of grape-flavored Delsym (OTC cold medicine my doctor suggested, they have orange flavor but that tastes nasty)

yoga yesterday, only stretched a few moments today, busy day.. and work now 3-11pm blahhhhhhhhhh

I gotta get into the pattern of doing yoga daily.. it feels so good...just gotta fit it in...wake a bit early or something... hugsss,sarah

Erin, how did the doctor appointment go? I bet you are on antibiotics. Delsym was always worthless to me when I'd try it on my kids' coughs.

Nice job on the yoga Sabi. Keep us posted.

I swam a mile today and it was delightful. It was up to 84 degrees here in Florida today.

I never got to my doctor's office, but I did get some antibiotics. The weather here was really horrible this morning. I wasnt going to be able to make it there. I barely made it to the pharmacy to get my antibiotics.

They gave me a Z-pack...which is Zithromax.

I took the first two, and at first I felt like it was making me feel worse, but then my chest felt lighter, and now I'm still coughing like crazy, but I can tell a HUGE difference.

I'm still trying to cough up my spleen, but I can tell that whatever was in my lungs is starting to clear out and is letting air back into the lungs.

I just wish the cough would quit. I'm getting tired.

and weird, my left hand doesnt feel as numb as it did earlier today. Only time I had a fever was one day last week when the cold first hit me, but I wonder if the crud in my lungs was still triggering some extra numbness the past few days?

Erin, call your doctor and ask him to prescribe some codeine cough medicine --its cheap and effective. Tell him you cannot rest because of the cough, and that the cough prevents you from sleeping. It works VERY well. You might want to take a few Fibercon pills, because for some people, it can be a bit constipating.

I swam a mile today and weight liftedn for a half hour last night.

I did 90 minutes of vaccuuming, sweeping, mopping and scrubbing today. No time for exercise here lately!! Between all that's going on and chasing kitty cats it's all I can do to keep up! Applying for jobs is very time consuming. I should have gainful employment within the next month or two? (At least I hope so!) :eek: I'm spending money like a drunken sailor, lol.

I did actually get some sleep last night and most of today. I'd wake up coughing, or I'd get up and go upstairs for something to drink, but I finally got some sleep. (actually went to bed really really early last night. 11pm! I dont usually fall asleep till 4am)

I feel like I have more laryngitis today, but I think it's more from the coughing. The other day, I think the laryngitis was from not being able to breathe and get enough air to project my voice.

I'm still really super tired, and my head hurts from all the coughing, but I actually do feel a bit better. Being able to breathe is nice.

some stretching.. as woke in pain! best way to describe when wake or sleeping or night time... things hurt tons... once I get moving around more the better things feel... but sit back down... it all is hurting...uggg

anyhow stretching...and took a very short walk in the snowfall today... short due to my feet bottom of them are in pain as well! :(

hugsss keep moving all, sarah

Yahoo! Went to the fitness center and did 35 minutes of walking on the track...it is all the surgeon will allow for the 12 weeks following surgery. I've been walking outside with DH and doggie but never got more than about 1/4 mile in.
It felt crummy and good at the same time to move again...my legs are so bad either from the MS or from the crestor the pcp put me on and took me off of as soon as pain/weakness began. It's hard to walk with the muscles so weak and achy, but I chugged along listening to Pearl Jam and John Lennon...I feel human again!!:D

Erin, I hope I don't have what you have. I spent all day tuesday flying to Tulsa, driving 4 hours, leading a 3 hour meeting, then flying back to Houston Tuesday night. I spent all morning yesterday walking at a site walk...and my voice is a wreck. I am assuming it is just all the talking, but yesterday i did feel a bit feverish in the afternoon.

Then I went to spin class last night and did a double spin class... :D ...about 100 minutes. The instructor forgot that the schedule showed her doing 2 classes last night and she needed to leave...so she left the CD in the stereo and let it run while my wife and I did the 2nd class by ourselves, then shut down and locked up the studio behind ourselves. HR monitor says I burned 1254 calories. I pretty much crawled to the bed once I ate dinner and relaxed a bit.

Now crazy me is about to pack up and head for the gym for another class tonight. I am going to sleep like a baby...

Thats great you are moving around sabi :)

Debbie, some of it might be due to de-conditioning of your body. Let's see if you are doing better in two weeks with daily walking.

Erin, you are really ahving a tough time of it with this infex. I wonder if you had the swine flu with this secondary respiratory infex. 60 million americans have had the swine flu so far.

I swam a mile today: we just ended our heat wave tonight.

Txbatman: we must have posted at the same time. If you have a fever, do not exercise: It can damage the heart!

I was told it wasnt swine flu. I did have a fever last week, but it was never much higher than 100.2, it was just barely a fever

(if there are a lot of typing errors in this, it's because I'm using my 7 year old laptop and the thing is a bit hinky)

I still have a bad cough tonight, but I felt good enough to do a little more cleaning in my bedroom in preparation for my construction project that actually starts tomorrow.

The electrician comes tomorrow to wire my bedroom with some extra outlets and to move a couple of outlets and the doorbell ringer for the basement.

That desk that I've had to get out of my room, and I couldnt get anyone else to help me with it. Well, I just moved it out of my room ALL BY MYSELF! :D

I fully expect to be regretting that later tonight or tomorrow morning.

I bought those plastic furniture slider thingies and put them under the desk, and just pulled and pushed it out of the room. I left it abandoned in the middle of the family room, but it's OUT of my room, and I'm totally thrilled that I managed it by myself.

I did ask my dad for help, but he was too tired and was taking a nap, and I figured, I'd moved it 5 feet by myself, so I did it the rest of the way. I had to take the sliding trays that the keyboard sat on, and where you'd put paperwork out of the desk, along with the file drawer...

and then I took the doors off, put a towel over the top of the desk so that it would hopefully not scratch my walls, and then I dragged and pushed it out of the room. Surprised at how easy it was.

I'm sure that I'll be feeling some pain later tonight, and will probably be posting a whine about being sore and really hurting by tomorrow.

At least it's out of the room. I'm surprised at how much room I have in there without my big box desks in the room anymore. Wow....cant wait till my built-in gets built in...I'm going to miss my iMac for the next couple of days...

does cleaning off (okay .. digging out my car) of over 10+ inches of snow and drifts ... count as exercise?? because it sure wore me out!! LOL

Yes indeed it counts! Its hard work :)

erin, if you have/had swine flu, make sure you rest a lot, its not a good time to exercise!

Vonn yes it counts tremendously!! good for you

hugsss all... not much done... wish that my body was not used to my job..otherwise what I do daily at work IS a lot of moving and speed... I manage a McDonald's and always on my feet running around fast and frenzied! hehe

It wasnt swine flu, just a cold that turned into a bronchitis or something like that. Never felt horrible enough for it to have been swine. Tomorrow's my last day of the zithromax antibiotic (thankgoodness!) and I'm feeling a bunch better except for some residual coughing that I think is being irritated by the extra dust that's floating around in my room.

That antibiotic is strong! I was reading the box that it came in, and the box says "5 doses of azithromycin are equivalent to 30 or more doses of conventional oral antibiotics" (I added the emphasis) I can believe that, everytime I took a dose I felt like I was o.d-ing on antibiotics...whatever pestilence took up residence in my lungs better be dead after I take the last pill tomorrow.

I moved 3 pieces of furniture that hadnt been moved since at least 2004 or earlier, and there was so much dust and dog hair from my dog that's been dead for three and a half years that it's no wonder I've been coughing hard enough to cough up my spleen.

I tried not to disturb all that dust and dog hair, but it was kind of impossible. At least it's all mostly vacuumed up now.

Now all I'm dealing with is a ton of drywall dust because the electricians had to cut a hole in my ceiling to gain access to add 3 or 4 new outlets for my new desk. There's a fine patina of dust on everything in here (again!)

At least I had the presence of mind to cover my tv to try to protect it from the dust. Too bad everything else is dusty enough that I can write my name in the dust.

Just more horse riding for me which is harder work than just sitting on it :D
We're in a bit of a training mode and it's going really well. i'm finding i have a better and kinder horse than i ever imagined. :yahoo:

Hi Pud: "just"? there is nothing "just about it"> That is hard to do! nice going.

Hi Sabi, managing a McDonalds must be tough work. I couldnt do it!

Hi Erin, get better soon and stay away from tha debris.

I swam a mile today :)

Right now, house cleaning is the best exercise..:D

BBS, I am having troubles doing it! and struggle often. I do well at work, but then come home in pain.

I did do yoga this morning, more to try to ease the lower back pain I am having... hurts just laying down... tends to hurt more down then if up and about... sucks...

hugssss,sarah