There's Something Bad in the Air

My pulmo describe my asthma as mild, but it can be easily triggered by a number of things. I noticed I've been having asthma attacks almost everyday for the past week. I even had it twice last Sunday.

Ugh. I abhor it when I have prolonged attacks especially when I'm outside. It easily dissipates when I'm home since all my remedies are within reach. Good thing I bring my inhaler whenever we go out. I've been doing this since the haze from Indonesia has been oddly reaching our shores.

I've been careful with food, avoid areas where people smoke, and I use a mask whenever I'm out (and even while gardening). The one thing unavoidable is heat. It hits me fast. Yup, I need to always be in a cool place since I had heart surgery. 

Oh well, I hope things will be better in the next few days. I had a relatively good days and survived our meeting with architect. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

In Power Saving Mode

After running errands back to back for two days, my energy was depleted. I was too brave and attended pulmo rehab. I barely made it out alive, haha.

I've been ordered to rest and that's what I'll do. 

Zzzzz.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Improvement Due to Pulmo Rehab

I re-started my pulmo rehab sessions last January. I preferred it over physiotherapy for my knee. I've also been consistently using my spirometer everyday.

The annual PE included a chest x-ray. I put my previous x-ray side by side with the new one and was surprised to see some improvements. I have no idea how to interpret x-rays, but my right chest looked clearer than last time. The head pulmo rehab therapists also told me my lungs looked better. 

I was supposed to see my doctors yesterday, but I wasn't feeling well so I had to reschedule. Our priority is to keep the healthy parts of my lungs stable, so any improvement is a big plus. My heart though is bonkers. Oh well.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Weekly Pulmo Rehab Grind

I've been trying my best to consistently attend my pulmo rehab sessions. Miggy also goes to the gym twice a week, so I took the opportunity to schedule my sessions when he goes.

I super love my therapists. TBH, I was supposed to continue my knee PT, but I told my doctor I prefer to have my pulmo rehab therapists take care of my exercises. The physiotherapists were really good. It was their reception area that turned me off. I already gave feedback to them through the form and hope they take it constructively. 

Anyway, I always look forward to my sessions. My therapists are fun and they take care of me well. Please help me pray for one of my dear pulmo rehab therapists. He's confined again due to an illness. I'm praying he'll get well soon 🙏

#BeKind #StaySafe

Is In-Person Pulmo Rehab Better?

I just had my second pulmo rehab session. There's almost no difference from doing it online, but I noticed it runs quicker than when we do it online.

I like doing the sessions better in-person. I get to interact with my therapists (there's usually an assistant). They are also able to correct my form if needed. 

We did more this week and I was happy that leg exercises were included. I have to do the leg exercises thrice a week to regain my knee strength. It still hurts every so often.

I'll try to bake this weekend. I want to bring some goodies for my pulmo rehab team. Gotta save my lungs. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Back to Pulmo Rehab

I'm so glad my Ortho doctor allowed me to go back to pulmo rehab instead of re-enrolling in physiotherapy. I feel at this point I can do my knee and ankle exercises on my own several times a week. 

I need to get back on track to save the healthy part of my lungs. My therapist said we'll take it slow. We did and skipped the leg exercises. Ahh, it felt so good to do the breathing exercises and be with the team who's be taking care of me for almost two years now.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Yet Another Day with My Cats + Pulmo Rehab

I managed to sleep well last night. I was able to pinpoint where the forearm pain stemmed from. It's likely a pinched nerve somewhere in my neck. I haven't been able to see my doctor since she's out, so I looked for a home solution. I found one last night taught by a chiropractor and I had instant relief! The pain is still there, but at least I was able to sleep without taking a pain reliever (Dr. Koo always cautioned not to get addicted to pain relievers!). 

Anyway, I was able to attend my pulmo rehab session today. My therapist congratulated me for making it for four straight weeks! That's a rare occurrence since sometimes I wake up with a headache or I'm not able to sleep well. I learned my lesson and make sure I'm well rested the day before my session. No extraordinary activities! 

I fell asleep after eating lunch. The exercises were the same, but I used heavier dumb bells for some of the exercises. That probably required a lot more effort. I immediately went to the pocket garden when I woke up. Anakin, Bailey and Grogu soon appeared and asked for belly rubs. Meredith followed and also asked for scratches. They've been so sweet lately and I can't imagine not having them around.

Kaley and Grey have been missing for 2 to 3 months now. We have no idea where they've gone. We can only hope that they found someone to care for them. It's not the first time we lost feral cats. We also never saw Cheyenne and Sandra again. Maybe they also found their fur-ever homes. 

I also realized Christmas is less than a month away now! We honestly haven't done anything yet. Maybe we'll put up our trees this weekend :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Conked Out After Pulmo Rehab

I managed to sleep better the past two nights. There was some disturbance in the force the past two weeks and I had very dismal sleep. I researched for home remedies and it worked even though I have not been able to do my usual gardening exercise. 

I had a hard time during pulmo rehab last week. I didn't have much rest, plus my tonsils were still inflamed. My therapist said I looked much better today. I told him I was able to sleep and I've been consistent with moisturizing. 

I volunteered to use my heavier dumb bells today since I couldn't feel anything from the 1 pound set. I was good the first two exercises, but started to feel the difference by the third exercise. I had back pain too, so I thought it would help. I managed to finish the session with the heavier dumbbells. I finished strong with wall push-ups. 

I was exhausted when we finished and I forced myself to finish my lunch before conking out, haha. I was out once my head hit the pillow on the sofa. I napped for two hours and I'm now gathering some strength to visit the cats. I can't let a day pass without visiting them. They will surely help heal me from today's session. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Adjusting Wellness Goals

I experienced a huge setback to my wellness goals. I was progressing nicely with my spinning time. Last time I had pulmo rehab I reached 12 minutes. I've slid back down to 5.5 minutes since I had COVID-19. I will resume pulmo rehab this week provided I feel well enough. 

My main goal this year is to be able to go biking outdoors. It is my one favorite sport. I don't have a bicycle yet. I will only get one once my therapist tells me it's safe for me. My boys want me to have a bike and full protection gear. When I used to bike around our village I never wore any protection. Well, I shall wear protection just to be sure. I just need to graduate with flying colors from my current pulmo rehab program. 

It's probably taking me longer to regain my strength because of the virus. Ugh. I feel so annoyed. I tried making baked sushi the other day and felt really tired after preparing the tuna. Good thing Miggy knows what to do, so he finished preparing the meal. 

Last night I did some gardening. I just added soil on some plants. Ended up really tired and just watched TV the rest of the night. I know I should give myself some slack. I just feel a bit down because of the setback. I have to focus on being grateful that the illness did not get worse. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Achieved New Biking Time!

I'm so pleased with myself. I achieved 11 minutes and 49 seconds of spinning today. Yay! I thought we were doing just 10 minutes, but my PT said he dupped me and set it to 12 minutes. It helps that I'm able to talk while exercising. 

My PT said I'm on schedule to reach my "biking outdoors goal". We're taking it slowly since it's too hot anyway to go out. I also don't have a bike yet, haha. I only have the bell (the that goes kringkriinngg!) which I got from Daiso in Japan many years ago. Yup, that's how long I've wanted to go biking again. 

In time I will!

#BeKind #StaySafe

10 Minutes!

Achieved 10 minutes on the stationary bike today! I clocked in 9 minutes during my last pulmo rehab and could barely speak while spinning. Today, I managed 10 minutes while chatting with my therapist. 

I was worried I would have a hard time since I had been busy packing all week. I was too tired to practice spinning. Lo and behold! Being on my feet for several hours a day helped! And even though I was feeling a bit unwell today my body managed the session very well. Whew!

I'm so happy I made some progress. How I wish it could also translate to increased heat tolerance! Unfortunately, I had to spend a few minutes downstairs to check something. I had to run back upstairs since it was too hot. I promptly fell asleep, haha.

Oh well, just need to make sure I stay hydrated!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Pulmo Rehab Masterals, New Goals

My PT changed up my regime on my second pulmo rehab session. We started with spinning and I was able to do 9 minutes! I felt fine after and my stats quickly stabilized. I still had a bit of energy so we went ahead with the other exercises. 

By the 45th minute I was tired and just sluggishly tried to complete all the exercise. My PT though is really good, he can tell when I'm already tired. My perky self disappears and it takes longer for me to lift arms or legs, haha. I still luckily finished the session in one piece.

My problem is I only feel I'm really tired after a few hours. Delayed reaction! I felt really tired after eating lunch and I rested for a few hours. Since I felt better I thought I had the energy to plant some seeds. I just sowed the seeds since the pots already had soil. 

That was a bad move on my end. I should have just rested the whole day. I felt really, really tired after dinner. I went to bed early and I rested the next few days. We're still working on my endurance. We probably need to adjust the exercise and no overdo it. 

I really want to improve and be able to bike around our village. For now my bike won't bring me anywhere since it's a stationary bike, haha. I just need to work up to 5 minutes of spinning per day. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Started Pulmo Rehab Masterals

Just started taking my pulmo rehab "masterals", haha. I will just do it once a week now. I started a few days ago. We did the usual breathing and stretching exercises. My physiotherapist, Ronald, cut it down so I would have time to go spinning. 

We originally targeted 10 minutes, but I was already having trouble by the third minute. Ronald adjusted it to five minutes. Since I was tired already we used the extra 5 minutes for me to rest. The session ended with some cool down exercises. 

I signed up for yoga through an app. I was supposed to start this week, but I've been unstable due to the heat. I had to cancel a doctor's appointment because I spent the entire Monday lying down. It's really tricky, I have to do stuff in the kitchen really fast so the heat doesn't bite me (fans aren't enough). 

Oh well, that's just me, I have to be kept at temperatures below 30'C to be stable. :')

#BeKind #StaySafe 

A Different Kind of Graduation (Pulmo Rehab Journey)

My doctor said I'm lucky I'm still able to walk around without lugging around an oxygen tank. He said he has a patient who only has one ailment, but needs oxygen already. My stats are way worse than her, but I'm still able to function quite normally. Thank you Lord! 

I was in very bad shape last year. My breathing was incapacitated and I had very low tolerance to bad air quality. I could barely do regular activities like watering plants or cooking. My stamina had gone on permanent vacation. I was so frustrated because my quality of life was really bad. It was my cardiologist who recommended for me to do pulmo rehab. This was approved by my pulmonologist.

I started doing pulmo rehab in late September. The 16 sessions should have been completed by November. Well, it dragged on since there were days I was unstable and had to cancel my session. I went through 4 therapists, Cyril, Amira, Jeff and Ronald. It was Ronald who's been taking care of me now since he also specialized in cardiac therapy. He's been able to make sure I'm still able to function after a session. Sometimes I end up in bed the rest of the day, haha. 

My pulmo rehab team :)

At the beginning of my sessions we set goals. I told them I wanted to be able to do at least two major things a day. When I started the boys had to take over watering my plants and I stopped cooking for a long time. I could only reach up to 1,500 in my spirometer. Slowly, but surely my stamina improved. I could walk up the stairs without huffing and puffing. I can regularly reach 3,000 to 3,500 in my spirometer. I'm able to spend 30 to 60 minutes everyday watering plants and cook, if my energy allows it. 

After 5 months, I finally completed the first course. The team insisted I have a proper graduation probably because I was a difficult patient to take care of. My former PT, Wendy, would wholeheartedly agree. They'd all agree also I have bad coordination and my timing is always off, haha. 

My rehab spotters, Sweetie and Miggy.
They have to watch over me during sessions to make sure I don't keel over, haha.

I saw my pulmonologist yesterday and after that I visited the pulmo rehab center to visit the team. I was so surprised because they even played graduation music the whole time I was there. I was given a "diploma" and we had a good laugh over the last few months. 

I will start my "masterals" on Friday. I'm excited because Ronald mentioned I will start using the stationary bike again. I eventually want to be able to bike around our neighborhood. I don't have one yet at this time, but when I'm able to stay on the exercise bike that's when I'll probably get a bike. 

Breathe, My Pulmo Rehab Journey

Breathing well whether asleep or awake has worked wonders for me. I started pulmo rehab last September. I'm expected to finish my first set by next week. I should have been done in November, but I got sick and missed 2 months of rehab. I resumed last week. 

My lungs are scarred due to various illnesses I had in the past. It started in 2008 when I had pneumonia. Five years later my doctor said after OHS my lungs looked like it had gone through surgery. It got worse after I had two PEs. I was lucky because my former physiotherapist who was working on my back is also an expert on pulmo rehab. She had to work on my breathing before we could do any exercise for my back. Even though it wasn't the focus of our sessions, the exercises for my lungs helped me a lot. 

I've been advising friends who had COVID to get their lungs checked. I send them the post-PE exercise video which I followed before. Exercising your lungs will help prevent scars. Scars in your lungs cannot be removed. The best way is to save and strengthen the healthy part of your lungs. That's what our focus is on right now for me. 

My stamina dwindled since mid-2022. My body went through a lot and it was frustrating because I could barely do anything. I can't cook. Can't clean. Can't do any gardening. Going out is a huge challenge. So I asked my doctors what should I do to improve my stamina. They prescribed pulmo rehab, had me do a sleep test, and work on my nutrition. 

It's been a lot of work, but I'm seeing the fruits of our labor. Sweetie and Miggy play a big role in my health activities. They take turns to spot me while I do my pulmo rehab sessions. Make sure I eat well and on time. Miggy has been strict about getting us to the bedroom earlier (he has to because Sweetie and I tend to hang out downstairs past midnight). 

What changed my game was when I started using a CPAP machine. Pulmo rehab + better nutrition helps, but I needed better sleep. My doctor explained that breathing well in your sleep is important to restore your body. Good sleep + my daily gardening exercise has so far kept me stable and I've become more active at home again. Maybe this year I'll finally be able to organize our home better (together with my boys of course). 

 "Even as little as 10 to 15 minutes a day to deep breathing can help reduce stress and tension, lower blood pressure." - Harefuah Medical Journal#BeKind #StaySafe

How My Stamina Improved!

I finally resumed pulmo rehab yesterday. My PT asked for updates first. I haven't seen her since the first week of November, just before I got very sick! My doctor had me rest first before I resumed. I told my PT I improved a lot after Christmas. Here's what I've been doing since mid-December which helped improve my stamina:

(1) Use the CPAP machine - I've been using it for 6 to 8 hours daily. My doctor explained, it's been helping me get the right amount of oxygen while I sleep. Getting proper sleep helps the restorative process. My Fitbit sleep score has improved a lot too. 

(2) Meal plan - I'm on a 1200 calorie deficit diet. I chose the heart meal to ensure I'm eating the right kind of food. Eating kutsinta sized brown rice shocked me in the beginning. My tummy has since shrank, the tiny sized rice has since become very filling! 

(3) Daily exercise - my neuro advised me to exercise. She said, "Do something you like doing." I'm doing pulmo rehab so I could progress to biking. I'm months away from reaching that goal, so I garden daily for now. I started watering plants for 15 minutes in mid-December, I now garden at least an hour everyday. I read it's a good workout since you use most of your muscles while working. 

(4) Doctor added supplements - aside from vitamin D3, my doctor added vitamin B to my daily supplements. It's helped me be more stable. The late afternoon gardening sessions also help with my vitamin D insufficiency. 

(5) Grow in faith - I still get stressed out sometimes. It's usually from things I cannot control. I'm practicing mindfulness and so I could control how I react to things. Read more about it here.

My quality of life has improved a bit. I'm able to do a bit more stuff everyday. My doctor reminded me to check my oxygen saturation especially when I'm gardening. This is to make sure I'm okay, so I could stop when needed. Miggy has been on-point when it comes to stopping me from over-working. He's very strict and I appreciate that since I have a tendency to keep doing stuff when I feel I have more energy, haha. 

I'm happy with the improvement. I have to ensure I stay stable so I can improve more :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

My Pulmo Rehab Journey

My therapists suggested I should blog about my pulmo rehab journey. I'm supposed to complete 16 sessions within two months. It's been a month since I started and I have not met the target. My immune system and stamina hasn't been able to keep up, so there were weeks I was only able to do one session. 

I had done cardiac rehab after heart surgery, rehab for my shoulder, and rehab for my back. Pulmo rehab is the "lightest" kind of rehab I've experienced. Light because it's mostly breathing exercises targeted to expand your lungs. The goal is to strengthen my lungs and save the good parts. The exercises look easy to do, but they wipe me out. 

Three out of the five sessions I've done rendered me useless for the rest of the day, haha. I have four therapists who switch with each other depending on how I did previously. Yesterday, Ronald took charge of my session. He said he used to do cardiac therapy. My other therapists, Jeff and Ameera, popped in during my session to say hello. 

Jeff mentioned that I have a classmate who's just like me. They have to adjust our exercises to match our endurance. I'm glad they did because I was able to function the rest of the day. I even got to do some light gardening. Yaaas!

I reported to my pulmo doctor last week that the handful of sessions I've done have improved my endurance. I fell ill again though with a viral infection and missed a session. I decided to see my doctor because I've been feeling unwell and lethargic. He said I just needed to rest and drink more water. I oftentimes feel guilty when I miss sessions, but it seems common for people like me.

Pushed myself to attend yesterday's session. I wanted to rest more, but I didn't want to fall behind on my sessions. I do some of the exercises everyday. I have to remember though not to overdo things so I can improve steadily. I'm just so far happy that I have more good days now than bad days. 

If your doctor recommends you to do pulmo rehab, do it! I realized I'm 5 years late for it. I should have probably been recommended to do it back in 2018 when I had my first PE. And probably more cardiac rehab after my heart surgery. But, it's never really too late to start. Just keep going! :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Pulmo Rehab

Had my fourth pulmo rehab session yesterday. I guess the center thought it was time to level up my exercises. We did last Thursday's one hour session in 30 minutes and I was taught new exercises in the second half. We are working on increasing my endurance since I am limited to doing one activity per day. 

Ended up resting the rest of the day. I took two long naps after. I was winded since we also went out yesterday. I did 3x the usual steps I make. Usually it takes a couple of days to recover whenever I go out. My cardio and pulmo worked in tandem to have me do pulmo rehab. They said it should help strengthen my lungs and reinforce the healthy parts. 

I've been doing my pulmo rehab online. I originally wanted to do it in person so the PT can gauge my capacity better. Ended up doing it online which is fine since I don't have to travel to the hospital. Saves me time, energy and gas. 

Been in touch with my former PT. She's back in London and has been busy teaching. She was really good to me. I was sent to her to do PT for my back, but she realized she had to deal with my lungs first before I could do any of the back exercises. The sessions were excruciating and I'm really lucky she was very patient with me. We developed a friendship and have been in touch since I last did a session with her in 2021. 

I have so far experienced 3 PTs now. I think they switch around depending on your progress. They are all efficient and kind and I'm surprised they keep tabs on what you go through. They also don't shy away from questions because I raised the issue about climbing stairs. Told my PT yesterday I encountered steep stairs last Monday and it was really hard for me. He taught me how to deal with it. I'm going to practice it when I've recovered. 

I have 12 more sessions and have to see my doctors midway to check on my improvement. I think it's so far been very helpful. How I wish I did this sooner (like since 2018). I could have probably avoided gaining more scars and lung issues, but doctors have different schools of thought. My PT told me yesterday, "Well at least you know you're one of a kind." Haha, yes, indeed. 

#BeKind #StaySafe