And so, a bit more progress as was hoped, since the last post there was the motivation but now there is the action is starting to take place. Firstly, it started with a few short walks to gradually build things up, pretty much a few hundred meters down the road and back, it's not much but it's a direction and the right one.
I increased the frequency and had no issues so quickly increased the distance, well doubled the distance and to add to the motivation of it I also set up a route on Pokemon Go. An added bonus objective and side quest to do while improving. I then increased the frequency of this route to a few times a day and seem quite able to do it.
I have started to have a few issues with leg and knee pains though, I knew it wouldn’t just be plain sailing and there would be a few things that would crop up. Another is my lungs, due to the inactivity, surgery and repeated infections there is a weakness and a restriction there. I get about half way round the walk and I can notice that it just isn’t right but I’m pretty sure if I keep at it that will improve and I’ll be able to get my breath a lot better.
The knee and leg pain is a bit different, I’m hoping it’s just down to the surgery and things getting working again but I have a sneaky feeling there may be more to it than that. The knee pain I’ve had for years, and it is quite debilitating at times. I hope… it is maybe just a temporary thing until things settle down and everything gets into place as it should.
Anyway, minor potential blip but at least if I time the meds right I’m pretty much able when I need to be which means I can actually plan to do things, which is nice for a change. I had a GP appointment last week and was able to drive to it with no issues and even fill up the tyres as the car hadn’t been used in a few weeks and with the cool weather causing the pressure to go down.
A couple days ago I thought it would be nice to get out for a while for a proper drive, it was a bit of a stinker of a day so was perfect weather for it. I wasn’t out for too long but went on a nice loop out to Killyleagh via Ballygowan and round to Downpatrick, Crossgar, back to Ballygowan and on home after.
It’s the first recreational outing I’ve had for quite some time and I really enjoyed it. I didn’t stop and get out for a walk or anything at any point, but I don’t think I’d be able to manage that at the moment.
Yesterday I had to go out again to the GP as some of the results were off, tbh I don’t think there’s a time when there’s not something that’s off. And got the bloods repeated, but any time they have wanted to do something in the past they’ve always had to confirm any changes with hospital, even though hospital are the ones that are on top of most of these things anyway.
But one more night of the clexane after the surgery and I’ll hopefully start to sleep a little better again still. When I was at my parents my sleep was really bad, I kept having dreams and I think it was whatever way the mattress was and allowing more blood to my brain, I vaguely remember the last time I had dreams there too. Once I got home and into my own bed the dreams stopped and I started the sleep a bit better again.
I’ve been able to push myself bore on the exercise bike than I had been able to before. There was always a limit to what I could do there were movements that were just too painful before. Now I’m able to be more comfortable, my back and chest still play up but the legs are doing much better on it and it seems to help them and the lungs too.
I’m tempted to go out for a drive this afternoon. I always love being up in Portrush at Christmas and I’ve not been able to be up there for quite a while but I don’t know if I’m ready for it or not and if the effort that will be involved will be worth it but if I am to go it will have to be soon enough so I can make the most of the sunlight and get there just as it’s getting dark.