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Jack R
Member
Username: Jack_r
Post Number: 192
Registered: 08-2010
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 21, 2010 - 03:46 pm: | 
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As always be guided by your Transplant Support Team.
Remember that it will take a while, not months but perhaps a year or two, to get back into shape or get into shape (for lungs and livers it is especially trying). You have surgery scars, drug side effects, and your personal discipline all will impact your exercise program. Once you are in shape the benefits, for which I will name a few at the end of this Thread, are numerous. Members such as Cisco Kid, Rise' among others, will atest how exercise helps them..
"BUT I CAN'T, I DON'T HAVE TIME" AND NUMEROUS OTHER EXCUSES leads me to share a humbling experience with you:
At our local YMCA, which I have been attending for the last 5 and 1/2 years, there is a married couple named Linda and John, .
Linda, as a toddler, was infected by the Hong Kong Flu. The result is a life of seizure disorder, a short {by 2 inches}, right leg along with atrophy of the right hand. Two or three times a week she enters the workout area bringing her beautiful smile, Linda gets on the treadmill and very slowly starts her walk followed by some minor resistive weight work to help her retain her left side strength. TO GET to the second floor gym {given this building is very old there isn't an elevator} Linda, having bad balance, sits on the first step and one at a time {she will not allow anyone to assist her} goes up 14 steps. She will return to the first floor the same way she came up.
Then there is her husband John. Eight years ago John was gainfully employed but took night work to manage costs as the Home Health care worked was less expensive, at their home, at night. Driving home, from work, one morning at 7a.m., John was broadsided by a drunk driver. John, among other injuries, incurred Brain Trauma. Upon meeting him you would notice a 6 inch scare across his brow. To control injury related seizures he also takes drugs for which the side effect causes him to be fatigued. JOHN comes to the same work outs, uses some more weight, and we always, upon entering the gym see the picture of him in his college football uniform.
Linda and John never complain and their smiles light up the room. Linda is outstanding with young children at the Y day care center and their curiosity, about her condition along with innocent questions, invigorate her. She will admit that adults can be trying and they have stopped going out to eat because of stares.
My point is this if the both of them, despite the hand that life has dealt them, can exercise why can't or won't you?
The benefits are numerous and just to name a few:
- in my case controls Type II diabetes medication induced
- weight management
- when you body is tuned up you can sense when something is amiss which, in my case, led me to feel the onset of a second rejection episode during the end of my first post transplant year..
- in the case of Heart xplants the blood work, biopsys, and stress echo results will prove to be outstanding.
- Yes you do look and feel better about yourself
- for the men - it is nice to look down and see what color shoes you are wearing.
- YOU OWE it to your Donor, their family, your caregivers, and yourself.
When at the gym please take precautions such as:
- wipe equipment down
- use workout gloves
- use hand sanitizer
- take a hand towel with you to wipe your face and head of sweat
-if someone near you is coughing or sneezing relocate away from the area.
During the most recent Transplant Olympics the competition, as always, is broken out by age groups but not specific organ groups.. In the track and pool there were fast times and slow times but by god they all finished and the fans cheered everyone who competed and at times someone would falter but there were always people present to pick them up.
"LIFE MAY NOT BE THE PARTY WE EXPECTED BUT WHILE WE ARE HERE LET'S DANCE". (author unknown).
Please do what you can for the sake of everyone.
| Cardiac history going back to 1993. Heart Transplant received in Oct. 2004. Interesting first year and have been very physically active ever since. I currently am pro-active with the SE PA. Gift of Life and a member of Johns Hopkins patient administered Heart Transplant Foundation. |
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Dottie Lessard
Forum Leader
Username: Dottie_lessard
Post Number: 119
Registered: 03-2009
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 21, 2010 - 10:46 pm: |
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LOVE THIS! GREAT post Jack!!!!!!
happy and HEALTHY New Year!!
Dottie
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CiscoKidney07
Forum Leader
Username: Gregg
Post Number: 4264
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 21, 2010 - 11:31 pm: |
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Actually, you can eat better if you exercise, too. I am living proof!
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Karen R.
Forum Leader
Username: Relivkaren
Post Number: 5101
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2010 - 12:58 am: |
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Jack:
I LOVE this!! I preach exercise all the time. I have since I was 13 years old and started taking dance class. I have Crohn's disease, Sjogren's syndrome, Grave's disease and as you all know lung disease - now I have new lungs. I truly believe that eating right, exercising consistently, and sleeping well have helped me tremendously in the management of my health.
I also believe that transplant patients especially benefit from exercise and eating well. I think the better shape your body is in the healthier your transplanted organ will be. A body out of balance is nothing but trouble. Like you said - exercising has helped you keep your diabetes and weight under control. That is huge!! Good for you.
I believe that by exercising 5-6 times a week that I have been able to keep my lungs as healthy as possible. I have also never been put on insulin for blood sugar issues. I think that eating right and exercise has really helped that.
I just love when we talk about exercise because I think it is one of the major keys in keeping our transplants healthy. I have so much respect for Cisco, Dottie, Rise, you, DAP and all the others that consistently exercise!!
I will stick by the Nike saying everytime - "Just Do It!"
God Bless!
Karen
Dx: BOOP - May 2006. Rediagnosed with Bronchiolitis Obliterans Nov. 2006
Double lung transplant on Dec. 1st, 2009
Cleveland Clinic
Ohio, USA
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. |
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Hostess Rise'
Board Administrator
Username: Rise
Post Number: 15210
Registered: 05-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2010 - 01:17 pm: |
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Hi Jack
Thank you for taking the time to share your passion. You are also living proof on how to stay healthy with exercise.
I am pushing harder than ever with my workouts and I do see results.
Great blog! I look forward to seeing more postings
Rise'
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Starla
Member
Username: Starla_sagehotmailcom
Post Number: 39
Registered: 01-2010
| | Posted on Sunday, January 02, 2011 - 08:49 pm: |
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Thanks Jack! I needed to hear this. I am guilty as I await tx. I need a kick in the
butt once in awhile to get me back on track and you did it. Thanks!
Starla
Lung Tx listed 7/19/09 -Dry runs 9/19/10, 11/15/10
Sarcoidosis 6/04/09
UW Med Center Seattle |
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Jack R
Member
Username: Jack_r
Post Number: 222
Registered: 08-2010
| | Posted on Sunday, January 02, 2011 - 09:37 pm: |
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Starla,
For your own self interest those patients receiving a transplant who, up until the operation, do some type of exercise have a better recovery.
It will also help you feel better about yourself.
We expect to hear how, post-transplant, you are doing.
| Cardiac history going back to 1993. Heart Transplant received in Oct. 2004. Interesting first year and have been very physically active ever since. I currently am pro-active with the SE PA. Gift of Life and a member of Johns Hopkins patient administered Heart Transplant Foundation. |
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Hostess Rise'
Board Administrator
Username: Rise
Post Number: 15333
Registered: 05-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 03, 2011 - 01:53 pm: |
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Hi Jack
You have encouraged me to keep a journal and now I am writing down all of my stats daily and today at the top of my page, I wrote the word Success!!
I achieved the best numbers today in every category. I write down my
blood pressure, blood glucose numbers, PFT's, weight, saturations etc and what I did for exercise during the day.
keeping a journal helps you to stay on top of your plan and builds confidence in the unknown dept. If you know what your numbers are a person can feel a sense of peace that either they are doing a great job or need some coaching in some areas.
WaY To GO Jack- love your blog!
Rise'
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CiscoKidney07
Forum Leader
Username: Gregg
Post Number: 4375
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 10:47 am: |
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So Jack, I know that you have talked about exercising. I am just curious, what do you do for your exercise? I am sure that since you participated in the Transplant Olympics, that it must be pretty good. By the way, in which of the games did you participate? Can you tell me when and where they are this year and what events they have available for participation? Sorry for all of the questions, but I am curious about this.
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Jack R
Forum Leader
Username: Jack_r
Post Number: 260
Registered: 08-2010
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 12:06 pm: |
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Hi Gregg,
When I was a lot younger I was very athletic. Then, while climbing the corporate ladder, I started with to many hours at the office, bad food etc.,
In 1993, I incurred a Heart Attack leading to a 5 way bypass. My internist told me, given the type of damage incurred, that in 8 to 10 years I would need, if I survived, a Heart transplant.
I left the high stress job and became a prodigious walker - 8 miles a day and on weekends sometimes 20+ - that kept me alive and of course we now move to post-transplant
After the first year. post-transplant, I worked my way back up to:
- use a treadmill generally at a 15% incline for 45 minutes to 1 hour, speed 3.5 up to 4.1 this is followed by the use of resistive weight machines ( keep in mind I avoid direct stomach muscle workouts given I had a Ventral Hernia repair with 10cm ceramic patch and 6 permanent sutures and free weights) - the machines I use: pectoral fly, seated leg press, standing calf, knee and leg press, chest pull, seated bench press, hip abductors (in and out), bicep curl, the weights vary ex. seated leg press 390, hip abductors 305 (but I think the cord is stretched on this machine thus the actual weight is less) down to 110 on the seated chest press - I generally do two sets of 15 (more on the hip abductors)
Every other day I swim anywhere from 1/2 to 1 mile and change. I've learned that this every other day rotation assists in avoiding muscle fatigue.
Regarding the U.S. Transplant Olympics they are held every other year and it was an amazing experience to be around 1200 participants, donor families, volunteers, in total about 6,000 (attendance was off this year given the economy and the location).
Events are segmented by age group and of course I was in the 50 to 65 grouping. They are not segmented by type of Organ received. This year was the first they held some events for Donor families and a mixed golf outing.
Greg, the games aside, it allowed, for me, to find the final missing piece of my journey. That missing piece being around the massive amount of people involved in this issue all in one place. Participants were identified by various color tags which allowed spontaneous conversations, tons of hugs, and a lot of tears.
I was primarily involved in 3 (2 team relays, 1 individual) swimming events and 1 track that being the High Jump. I did the High Jump at the last minute as we had a scratch and were, team wise, 1 medal behind the Host team. It was a dumb move on my part for I'm now waiting for the MRI results to determine how bad the damage I incurred on my plant foot knee given I did around 20 jumps before fouling out. However, on the up side, I got to send, via MD. Legacy of Life, my donor's daughter the medal.
You can Google the U.S. Transplant Olympics (they have worldwide ones every other year) or go to the National Kidney website and look up the games (NKF has the patent on the name). another venue is www.donors1.org then go to Team Philadelphia.
Like you I go to the gym 6 sometimes 7 days a week. Of late I've started slowing down a little given some arthritis but I will never stop as it is absolutly critical to keeping control of my type 2 diab.
Oh, I forgot. There are dozens of events both individual and team: basketball, volleyball, golf, track, swim and all officials and rules are NCAA.
Any more ?'s please throw them out.
Have a nice day.
Cardiac history going back to 1993. Heart Transplant received in Oct. 2004. Interesting first year and have been very physically active ever since. I currently am pro-active with the SE PA. Gift of Life and a member of Johns Hopkins patient administered Heart Transplant Foundation.
Exercise - look around you and don't tell me you can't -Blog |
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Jack R
Forum Leader
Username: Jack_r
Post Number: 261
Registered: 08-2010
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 12:15 pm: |
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Gregg,
forgot to answer one of your ?'s - the games are held every other year so the next are scheduled for 2012 with the International Games also rotating in between years. For the International games Google World Transplant Games.
So far they haven't announced were the games are to be held in 2012.
You also have to join your State team.
In thanking one of the NCAA officials (21 years doing NCAA Big Ten games), during the High Jump, he told me the officials were truly amazed at the display of sportsmanship and support for and by all participants and they had never seen anything like it before (special olympics being somewhat of an exception)
Cardiac history going back to 1993. Heart Transplant received in Oct. 2004. Interesting first year and have been very physically active ever since. I currently am pro-active with the SE PA. Gift of Life and a member of Johns Hopkins patient administered Heart Transplant Foundation.
Exercise - look around you and don't tell me you can't -Blog |
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CiscoKidney07
Forum Leader
Username: Gregg
Post Number: 4378
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 02:28 pm: |
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Thank you for the information, Jack. I think I will have to look at the list of events to see if there is anything this old man can do. Getting ready to change some of my routines or increase weight. Some I have all ready managed to do this, but some, I still need to change. For the most part, I like to use free weights or body weight.
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TransplantHELP
Member
Username: Transplanthelp
Post Number: 142
Registered: 11-2010
| | Posted on Friday, May 27, 2011 - 08:30 pm: |
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Cisco, you are RIGHT ON! You eat, drink, and do EVERYTHING better with intense exercise.
The more intensity the greater the REWARD!! |
Dottie Lessard
Forum Leader
Username: Dottie_lessard
Post Number: 153
Registered: 03-2009
| | Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2011 - 12:54 am: |
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Had to repost again on this since it came up in my email. SO RIGHT ON! WE CAN Empower Ourselves to have the outcome WE WANT! Move and Train for LIFE.
You guys all ROCK!!
Dottie
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TransplantHELP
Member
Username: Transplanthelp
Post Number: 145
Registered: 11-2010
| | Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2011 - 04:53 pm: |
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The Siteman Cancer Center recently came out with a study of how exercise can help prevent cancer! Of course it does a better a job for some cancers than others BUT the bottom line is it ONLY helps!
The American Heart Association has always stressed the benefits of exercise for the heart and we ALL know that exercise reduced blood sugar and probably more than any other disease exercise can almost guarantee you won't get type 2 diabetes! The ADA is huge proponent of getting active and fit!
But remember the more intensity you have the MORE the benefit. You gotta do more than just walk in the park unless that's all you can do.
Intense running, biking, uphill walking/running, heavy weightlifting, etc. all give you MASSIVE benefit!
So what R U waiting for?? |
CiscoKidney07
Forum Leader
Username: Gregg
Post Number: 4709
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2011 - 09:00 pm: |
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You still have to be careful. Do what you can.When I do my running and walking, I start out at 4.5 mph for the first 5 minutes. After that, I run at 6-7 mph. Then, I do cool down. My treadmill activity is usually 4-6 miles. I also will do recumbent bike for 4 or more miles. Then, I stretch. Two of the three gyms that I belong to have stretching machines. One of the gyms is closer to my house and has better treadmills, so that is where I go for most of my cardio work. On Monday and Thursday, I have a personal trainer, and on Tuesday and Saturday, I do my own thing as far as exercise is concerned. Usually on these days, I do back one day and triceps/biceps the other. I have been kind of laying off of the leg exercises lately, since I had a bout with sciatica, but will be going back to them soon.
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TransplantHELP
Member
Username: Transplanthelp
Post Number: 151
Registered: 11-2010
| | Posted on Sunday, May 29, 2011 - 12:15 pm: |
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Cisco, how long U keep up the 6 to 7 mph? I take it you don't have any high parathyroid hormone levels?
About how old R U if you don't mind? |
CiscoKidney07
Forum Leader
Username: Gregg
Post Number: 4710
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, May 29, 2011 - 02:10 pm: |
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Well, periodically, I will drop to 4.5 for about a tenth of a mile before kicking it back up. I would say that if I walk/run 6 miles, probably almost three quarters of a mile is at the slower speed. I can do six pretty much whenever I want to, but when I start getting up to 7 or 7.5, sometimes I need to go back to 4.5. I am 57 years young. I don't think I have a parathyroid issue as I have been doing this for quite some time and I am sure that if I had issues, my post transplant coordinator would let me know. She is just super.
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