Who Would Have Thought?

While trying to prepare myself for the possibility of having a double lung transplant, I was told that one of the requirements for lung recipients at the Toronto General was to be physically fit with a very strong heart.  They would expect me to be on a strict exercise program,  I was aghast, how could I withstand the rigors of exercise when I couldn't walk from room to room in my home without being breathless?  I truly believed these people must be loco.  However,  I will give it a try and hope they know what they are doing.

The following week I had a meeting with the educator with the Prince County Asthma/COPD Education Center.I found this meeting to be very informative.  We discussed everything from how best to take medications, early signs to look for lung infections, actions I should take for lung infections. How to handle stressful situations, air pollutants, and  sudden weather changes.  She also registered me for Rehab exercise classes.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation Classes were held at the Prince County Hospital for one hour a day, three days a week, for six weeks. Classes consisted of warm up and stretching exercises, 10 minutes on the treadmill, 10 minutes on the exercise bike and 5 minutes on the elliptical to work my arms and upper body.  On the second week of classes we added in some weight resistance training. It was very comforting to be exercising with respiratory technicians taking your heart rate and oxygen level every 5 minutes.   However, classes ended for me after three weeks when I developed pneumonia.

 Some very important things I learned during rehab classes were don't pay any attention to the people next to you.  Don't let yourself get anxious or upset if that person is in better shape than you because even if we all are copd patients everyone is at different stages of the disease. Another very important lesson I learned was that any amount of exercise helps.  Just start out a little at a time and increase it when you feel comfortable.  It might even mean walking out to your driveway and back at first and each day increase it a few more steps.  Another lesson for me was my oxygen level could be perfect one minute and then drop drastically the next, so it's important for me to have an pulse oximeter which allows me to measure my own heart rate and oxygen levels while exercising at home. Once oxygen levels drop below 85 it starts putting more pressure on the heart until eventually it will begin to do damage. When I notice my levels dropping, I'll take a little break, get my breathing under control and then start exercising again.
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Ideally some breathing and stretching exercise for starters then add some type of aerobics,such as walking or biking. Eventually, add in some resistance training with the weights and you will have the perfect balance. I lucked into a COPD exercise Instruction dvd given to me by my copd educator.  This dvd comes directly from the West Park Health Center in Toronto, which is known world wide for excellence in Respiratory Medicine particularly  in Respiratory Rehabilitation.  These particular exercises reinforce proper breathing techniques,  improve general flexibly and helps to clear lung secretions. The dvd is 30 minutes long and they recommend you do it  every morning.  Plus I add in my aerobics and weights 3 days a week. http://www.westpark.org/

 Who would have thought but eventually you will start to feel better. The more exercise you do the more energy you will have, the more energy you have the better you will feel and the longer it will take before coming short of breath.  I believe most copders lose muscle tone very quickly, and for this reason it is very important to keep exercising.  It really has been working for me!!!!