Revamping

As of this week we're revamping my cardiac rehab regimen and adding exercises in physical therapy. We're finally getting to the point where I'm comfortable. Not to the point where I can push as much as I used to, but we're getting close!

The new goal in cardiac rehab is to get me doing as much on the treadmill as I can without symptoms, and the second I start getting tired or dizzy to go back to the upright bike. I got up to fifteen minutes in the last session, which pretty much means every time I've tried the treadmill I've lasted five minutes longer than the last time (walking). That's pretty good, compared to where I was when I started. And I'm sweating again!!! I know that's a strange and slightly creepy thing for me to be shouting about. Sorry. I have no boundaries, seriously. The reason I'm excited about it is it means my autonomic nervous system is finally getting back to doing what it's supposed to do. (Regulate heartbeat, produce sweat to regulate internal and external temperatures, keep me generally alive-sembling....kidding. Kind of.) Which means the nerve is getting retrained, which means Mr. Levine who came up with this protocol deserves a very big thank you. And a medal. Where do you go to get medals made? I feel like I should know this kind of thing. Something to look into.

The feisty is coming back too. Feels good.

In physical therapy we're focusing on my shoulders for now, since they're the joints that are slipping the most. I'm at the lowest intensity level (but up to two whole pounds in weights! Yeah man!) and my muscles are sore for a normal, healthy reason for the first time in, oh, years. I missed it! I missed the burn of a good workout, where your legs are shaky from running, not from your autonomic nervous system or some other nervous system eating you. That's how I imagine it at least. When I'm bored my over active imagination comes into play and I picture what my body's doing to me. And then I get mad, which is when I stop and find something distracting to do. It'll be a really good thing when I go back to school, or work at least so I have something to do besides rehab and pt. Bored and overactive imagination create some interesting scenarios. Maybe I'll start writing scripts like my mom suggests. It'd give me something to do besides writing my senators and sharing my health story in no uncertain terms. Hee.

I've heard it said that true best friends can go months without seeing each other and pick up like nothing happened. I'm lucky enough to have friends like these, and I value you more than I could ever say. I know if I email you, no matter where you are or what you're doing you'll get back to me and you know it's the same with me. You'll have a sassy, encouraging, sarcastic thing to say about whatever's going on. Missing you feels like a piece of me is gone, but picturing you kicking ass and owning the scene makes me smile.

"St. Jude, pray for us."

I'm not a Catholic, but he's the patron saint of hopeless causes and more often than not, they're the ones worth fighting for.