Hello, wonderful ones!
UPMC pulmonary rehabilitation is now in session! Every Tuesday and Thursday until the end of December, lunchtime will find me with a group of fellow pre-lung transplant patients, hoping to mitigate the effects of our disease process. In twelve weeks the program attempts to improve a patient's quality of life by enhancing overall functional status and ability to perform activities of daily living. Chronic lung disease patients, those with illnesses such as COPD, cystic fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension, quickly learn to dread shortness of breath and the accompanying panic that "I can't breathe!" We'd do almost anything to avoid it: skip stairs, avoid even slight inclines, skip beach trips to avoid the extra effort of walking on sand. But curtailing activities only worsens endurance and muscle strength, making each action even more energy consuming. A primary goal of pulmonary rehab is improved activity tolerance and resulting shortness of breath. Each ninety minute session includes education and exercise, stretching, weight and resistance training, treadmill, and seated elliptical, under the supervision and guidance of an exercise physiologist and a respiratory therapist. Multiple patients complete the exercise program during their scheduled time slot, each with instructions tailored to his or her disease process and physical fitness level.
I was a little nervous to start an intensive exercise program, even one as individually tailored as this one. My first day included a reverse speed bag exercise that risked knocking myself out with uncoordinated punches. Fortunately my worst complaint was mild shoulder soreness. The next few sessions have been similar. Adequate tolerance of each rehab appointment means slightly longer or more intense sessions on the treadmill and elliptical and more repetitions of the other exercises at the next one. I'm always ready for a lengthy nap afterward, and my energy level for the remainder of the day ranges from slightly less peppy to exhausted. Progress is tricky, following the tradition of the tortoise, not the hare. Years of twelve hour labor and delivery shifts left me with good enough muscle tone to jump right in after nine months of physical activity confined to daily walks. However pulmonary hypertension can have the paradoxical effect of lowering blood pressure with physical exertion; my blood pressure can even continue to drop after I stop to catch my breath. I'm now up to twelve minutes on the treadmill but might have to switch to hallway walks, since moving treadmills and potential fainting spells are a risky combination. Even so, I'm enjoying the sessions. The repetitive actions are soothing, even meditative, a reminder that most of my body works pretty well. And I'm slowly adapting to the extra energy expenditure. Last night, Peter and I finally were able to reinstute date night, our beloved weekly tradition. The dinner at Piccolo Forno was satisfying. Even better was enjoying an evening conversation with my husband in a beautiful public space without fighting waves of drowsiness.
A double lung transplant is a risky and potentially life-threatening procedure. If my diligence at pulmonary rehab facilitates a rapid and strong recovery from the surgery, then it's well worth the effort. The health benefits and eventual extra energy I reap now are a welcome bonus.
PSA: Flu season is upon us and lasts through spring. If you are able, please get your flu shot! Even if you're healthy enough to fight off the virus with no ill effects, others you may expose, especially those medically unable to receive the vaccine, may not fare so well. Please care for your health! It's an irreplaceable gift.
UPMC pulmonary rehabilitation is now in session! Every Tuesday and Thursday until the end of December, lunchtime will find me with a group of fellow pre-lung transplant patients, hoping to mitigate the effects of our disease process. In twelve weeks the program attempts to improve a patient's quality of life by enhancing overall functional status and ability to perform activities of daily living. Chronic lung disease patients, those with illnesses such as COPD, cystic fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension, quickly learn to dread shortness of breath and the accompanying panic that "I can't breathe!" We'd do almost anything to avoid it: skip stairs, avoid even slight inclines, skip beach trips to avoid the extra effort of walking on sand. But curtailing activities only worsens endurance and muscle strength, making each action even more energy consuming. A primary goal of pulmonary rehab is improved activity tolerance and resulting shortness of breath. Each ninety minute session includes education and exercise, stretching, weight and resistance training, treadmill, and seated elliptical, under the supervision and guidance of an exercise physiologist and a respiratory therapist. Multiple patients complete the exercise program during their scheduled time slot, each with instructions tailored to his or her disease process and physical fitness level.
I was a little nervous to start an intensive exercise program, even one as individually tailored as this one. My first day included a reverse speed bag exercise that risked knocking myself out with uncoordinated punches. Fortunately my worst complaint was mild shoulder soreness. The next few sessions have been similar. Adequate tolerance of each rehab appointment means slightly longer or more intense sessions on the treadmill and elliptical and more repetitions of the other exercises at the next one. I'm always ready for a lengthy nap afterward, and my energy level for the remainder of the day ranges from slightly less peppy to exhausted. Progress is tricky, following the tradition of the tortoise, not the hare. Years of twelve hour labor and delivery shifts left me with good enough muscle tone to jump right in after nine months of physical activity confined to daily walks. However pulmonary hypertension can have the paradoxical effect of lowering blood pressure with physical exertion; my blood pressure can even continue to drop after I stop to catch my breath. I'm now up to twelve minutes on the treadmill but might have to switch to hallway walks, since moving treadmills and potential fainting spells are a risky combination. Even so, I'm enjoying the sessions. The repetitive actions are soothing, even meditative, a reminder that most of my body works pretty well. And I'm slowly adapting to the extra energy expenditure. Last night, Peter and I finally were able to reinstute date night, our beloved weekly tradition. The dinner at Piccolo Forno was satisfying. Even better was enjoying an evening conversation with my husband in a beautiful public space without fighting waves of drowsiness.
A double lung transplant is a risky and potentially life-threatening procedure. If my diligence at pulmonary rehab facilitates a rapid and strong recovery from the surgery, then it's well worth the effort. The health benefits and eventual extra energy I reap now are a welcome bonus.
PSA: Flu season is upon us and lasts through spring. If you are able, please get your flu shot! Even if you're healthy enough to fight off the virus with no ill effects, others you may expose, especially those medically unable to receive the vaccine, may not fare so well. Please care for your health! It's an irreplaceable gift.
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| Pittsburgh evening clouds |
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| Looking homeward from the 16th Street Bridge |
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