I’m grateful for a lot of things, but this Thanksgiving I am extremely thankful for mobility. Having the ability to move my arms and legs and maneuver around is something I'm forever grateful for.
Just a few months ago, I was bed bound and using a walker for assistance. I still have a long way to go, but I'm happy I no longer need a walker. According to my mom, I'm still walking like a robot and need to loosen up... :/ She's right. There's still a lot of stiffness in my neck and when I turn my head, I use extra caution. I'm basically a robot lol. My incision is 100% healed so there's no need for me to continue to tip-toe around. I don't know why I do it.
Now that I'm back on my feet and now that my balance is improving, I'm trying my best to get back in shape. The medicines prescribed to me caused me to gain some weight and the recovery process has me de-conditioned. I find myself running out of breath after walking up a flight of stairs, which is so not like me. I was also prescribed an additional blood pressure medication while I was in the emergency room. It slowed my heart rate down and made it difficult to get a good work-out in. My heart rate would stay low, no matter how hard I worked out (I'm so happy I no longer take that medicine).
So I signed up and got a personal trainer. I remember crying during my first few sessions. He had me do an exercise that required a lot of balance. For example,I had to hold myself in a plank position while using a huge bouncy ball. Although the gym is plastered with "You can do it" jargon, I remember telling him I couldn't. I wanted to give up! I don't remember his exact words, but I remember crying as he encouraged me to keep going. I'm such a cry baby sometimes!
I didn't even know I had lost so much confidence in myself until that work-out. That day, he helped me re-believe in myself. I ended up holding the plank just fine, and I walked away feeling like a G.
I would love to lose the weight I've gained but working out has become much more to me. It's a part of my recovery journey. It's sort of like physical therapy, pushing myself to the limits and seeing what my body is actually capable of, especially after such a major surgery.
I'm really looking forward to my next sessions. This guy had helped with my mobility so much.
When you go thru a surgery like this one, they give you a lot of pills to help with the pain and recovery. Many of which have crazy side effects. Just remember that you can beat the medicine and you won't have to take them forever. Have patience!
❤