Friday, July 31, 2020

Notes from my first day of Ornish Rehab

Looking east from the 3rd Floor of the Cardio care building...it probably looks a lot like the building across the parking lot. The mountains beyond are probably close to my home in Black Mountain.

A station outside the reception area offers hand sanitizers. I don't like Purell because of the after-sticky-lotion that it has. So I use a clean paper towel to wipe off my palms. Other times during the day I was happy to do 20 seconds of hand washing.

One view of the gym. I walked the track around the outside on Tues. I made it further than the distance of 0.55 miles which is the circumference at Lake Tomahawk. It was much easier to walk in an air conditioned environment. The treadmills with a yellow sign on them to not be used are to keep patients at least 6 feet away from each other (if there should be that many.)

Yep, we each wore a heart monitor as we exercised. And our fearless leader checked our blood pressure, our heart rate, and our oxygen percentage several times during the 30 minutes that we exercised today. There's also a central console which I think shows some technicians the status of our heart monitors. I am so pleased with the amount of tracking of our heart activity...this is why I feel very safe with the exercise program.

I think 16 times around on the red path of the walking track was a mile. I made 12 circuits, with a few rest stops as needed. It wasn't as hard as the day before had been at the lake. I think that's partly due to lower humidity. I'll keep trying to find a good time at the lake, because I need to have 180 minutes a week of aerobic exercise.

The chairs and mats are in the area where we'll have instructions about some of the weight training. I gauged my efforts were a bit light today.

And then we had a delicious vegetarian lunch, then talks about nutrition, stress relief and finally support groups.

I brought home a lot more reading, as well as things that I need to track. Oh dear, I'm not good at writing any more, with the nebulizer meds which give my hands the shakes. I'll do the best I can. Which was my intention for today. I did. And I was exhausted when I got home. I hope my endurance at having attention and sitting will improve as the 3 hours each afternoon will require that...Tues. and Thurs. We start with the exercise before lunch, which is good. When I get around to doing an hour's meditation I hope I can stay awake!

Today's quote:
When wealth is passed off as merit, bad luck is seen as bad character. This is how ideologues justify punishing the sick and the poor. But poverty is neither a crime nor a character flaw. Stigmatize those who let people die, not those who struggle to live. -Sarah Kendzior, journalist and author (b. 1978




12 comments:

  1. Hello,

    This rehab program sounds great, important for you to participate too. The exercise, instruction,talks and support are very helpful. Take care and stay safe! Enjoy your day, have a great weekend.

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    1. Have a great weekend yourself, Eileen! I am so glad I paced myself a bit more on the second day (yesterday) and wasn't as wiped out as the first day.

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  2. Carry on. It seems like a good and safe program.

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    1. As I mentioning in the comment on your blog, I'm changing my entire lifestyle...except having the same environment to live in. Whew. Thanks, I'm carrying on!

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  3. Good for you! Sounds like an excellent program.

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    1. Thanks for your support Vicki! I'm feeling really good about it, and better about my participation after the second day (yesterday) where I paced myself a bit more.

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  4. ...I hope that all goes well for you!

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    1. Thanks Tom...this wholistic approach to reversing heart disease does take a lot of my attention, but I think of the days, months, maybe years more to live that's possible, and I'm determined.

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  5. Looks like a really good place for rehab. I like how they have thought of everything so you can safely do it. Good luck with all of it!

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    1. I'm so thrilled that it's all considering how we are healing...and each of us has to go at our own pace. Yet we will eventually form a group that may stay in touch after the 9 weeks.

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  6. Sounds like a good program to be part of. Good luck as you go forward.

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    1. Yes, I'm pleased, but it hasn't really gotten difficult yet. Then I'm really going to need all your friendly blog support!

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There is today, more than ever, the need for a compassionate regenerative world civilization.