18 Month Update

[Howard]

I?m back. Sorry to be a little late with this but been busy with the weather warming up and being able to be out and about. I am feeling well and able to do a little more than before. On the treadmill I got up to 2.2 mph with 3 minute breaks every 10 minutes. I then tried something new and can now do the entire 30 minutes at 1.8 mph....almost ready to try it at 1.9. For my strength training (?Rowing? with my old Schwin Air Dyne, I do 6 sets of 40 reps each in 17 to 20 minutes. I do the treadmill and bike three times a week each at 1 Lpm O2 flow. My last visit to my pulmo gave me a FEV1 reading of 16% which disappointed me because I felt so good going in. I did the 6 minute walk (actually 6 min, 20 sec ) starting at 96 and ending at 88 so felt good about that. Susan and my nurse were with me and the Doc looked at the nurse and asked, ?Isn?t it amazing what this guy can do with these numbers?? Also, he changed my schedule from 3 month intervals to 4 months. I am on my last recertification with hospice and will lose my nurse in about a month.

 

[barbara]

Howard - Thanks for the update and yes it is amazing what you can do with what little lung function you have. A normal person would keel over doing your amount of exercising if he suddenly had most of his air supply cut off. Keep up the good work.

 

[Mysty119]

Howard

Glad to hear you are doing well. Keep it up. The exercising really does help. I know what you mean about the FEV1 readings at the doctor's. Seems, like with blood pressure, that we get a "nervousness" that we aren't really aware of when we go to the doctor's office for "a test".
I have a digital peak flow meter and take my readings regularly at home. But they don't seem to be as good when I go to the doctor and get tested! But that's okay because I keep my readings and can look back and see they have improved some. I DO know, that being lax and not exercising doesn't help us. I'd stopped for a while and I'm still trying to get back to where I was on the treadmill.
Kudos to you, Howard!!