Tag Archives: Big Ride Across America

The Action is Hot Lungs, Harrison and Exercise – Part 3 of 3

The Heart & Vascular Center at Harrison, Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation is Ready to Go!

Good! Many of us can use help meeting our goals! How, when, where?

Mai-Lin Gonzales is Harrison Medical Center’s Interim Manager of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation – the first for Harrison. Mai-Lin is working to establish cardiopulmonary rehabilitation centers throughout Kitsap County…beginning with the established Capri Cardiopulmonary I went through over a decade ago – a great program then.

Following is what patients have to look forward to …because an exercise program can make the difference between existing and quality life living for most of us. Many studies have proved a great shining star of preventative medicine is exercise.

1. Where, when, time, type of equipment

Mai-Lin – We will be remodeling the current suite (Capri) 111 in the Bridgeview building during July. The equipment will be the same type of treadmills, bikes, nusteps, arm ergometers, etc. We will be purchasing them from CAPRI and integrating a few new pieces to make a complete set for our needs.

Me – I hope they add the recumbent elliptical stationary bike. The recumbent elliptical stationary bike is expensive but allows those of use with hip problems to exercise. I could not pedal the regular recumbent bikes but was placed on the recumbent elliptical. I could use it and over time with Anna Marx; I had magical results on it. Anna is at Silverdale’s Kitsap Physical Therapy.

2. Will a workout pool be available?

Mai-Lin – The pool at the YMCA will not be part of the maintenance program. The pool is for Y members only. It would be difficult to watch participants in the pool and on the upper cardio deck at the same time. I would be happy to pursue asking the Y to consider creating a time that the pool could be open for a rehab population but it would be separate from the Harrison programs.

3. Will maintenance rehab be available

Mai-Lin – Maintenance will be available in Poulsbo and Port Orchard (through Ultimate Fitness) and Silverdale and Bremerton (through Harrison) and Kitsap Physical Therapy has a program in place in Kingston. We are encouraging other community facilities to start maintenance classes for the cardiopulmonary population – hoping to find a fit in Belfair and Bainbridge to start with…

4. Is Harrison is interested in a DASH Diet related Support Group? Even those who have had gastric bypass surgery must be vigilant about regaining the weight lost through the operation.

Mai-Lin: I will pursue this after I get Rehab up and running.

5. Is Harrison interested in and have a use for my excellent like new condition recumbent trikes?

Maui-Lin – We are restricted on space, I will not have an answer for this until we are in the space and have the equipment laid out.

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I have had one goal for six or seven years.

http://www.cleanairadventures.org/big_ride_across_america/route_map.html

This year is the first time I set a set date, 5 June to leave on a self-tour following the same route as the Big Ride.

A long list of mishaps, bone on bone left hip, lymphedema and fat body brought ne to 1 February 2011 when Marilyn Grindrod and I began our first swim coach session. Over a two or three-month period of remarkable physical improvement, I KNEW I could pedal and ride again.

The day Marilyn and I went out to ride the trikes for the first time – my absolute confidence in being able to pedal due to the increasing physical shape, muscling and range of motion I was getting thanks to the swim sessions was knocked to the ground and stomped flat. I could not do it.

That was then, now is now and we have begun again – twice a week – and I have a recumbent delta hand cycle that does work for me – no hip pain… more later.

A Florida Trike Shop owned and operated by physically challenged recumbent trike riders told me about the pedal pendulum. I bought two – one from them and one set from Dave. They work great on my trikes, but it does not work for me. I cannot do more than a lower half pedal – too much pain to bring my leg up and over in a full pedal. I can hear and feel the left hipbones rub when my leg is crested to move up and over. We will keep working at it.

The hard lessons here sometimes- let go and move on.

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Sitting and early death.

“Too much sitting leads to early death. In a recent study from the Cooper’s Institute. The cardiovascular mortality outcomes related to sedentary behaviors of men after 21 years of follow-up showed an 82% greater risk of dying among men who reported spending more than 10 hours per week sitting in automobiles compared with men sitting in automobiles less than 4 hours per week (7).”

http://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/Fulltext/2011/01000/The_Problem_With_Too_Much_Sitting__A_Workplace.14.aspx?WT.mc_id=EMxj00x20110627xL3

Thanks for reading… Sharon O’Hara

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The Action is Hot Lungs – Part 2 of 3

Sharon O'Hara

The Action is Hot Lungs –Part 2 of 3

Harrison’s Better Breathers second speaker, Kinestiologist Aaron Norton, specialist in ‘Energy and Movement’ followed Leah Werner, Dietitian Harrison Medical Center in speaking to the crowd of pulmonary patients, COPDers and caregivers in the Rose Room at Harrison Silverdale last Wednesday.

Aaron works as an exercise coach at Sub base Bangor for the Navy and Marines to be “Mission Ready” and brought to us by Mei-Lin who is Harrison’s coordinator for the series of cardiopulmonary rehabs Harrison is establishing throughout Kitsap County.

Capri, a program I attended over a decade ago is now under the Harrison Medical Center umbrella for cardiopulmonary rehabilitation. I hope the program includes a maintenance program and has – at least – one recumbent elliptical machine – great for lung patients with hip issues. The program should include water workouts for exceptional flexibility, strengthening and aerobic.

Aaron was born with asthma and had childhood exercise induced asthma until he gradually, over a two-year period worked himself through it and over it. Aaron’s asthma is long gone and he teaches exercise, Mission Ready’ Energy and Movement’ to Navy and Marine men and women.

NOW I understand how my young Norwegian cousin, Malin managed to get over her exercise-induced asthma – she exercised through it!

“SMART Principle”–

Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely –

I failed to meet the SMART Principle. My goal of beginning a self-supported recumbent trike tour for COPD – 5 June – two weeks before the 2011 American Lung Association’s Big Ride Across American began didn’t get off the ground..no left foot to the pedal rotation..

The Big Ride Cyclists left Seattle today.

I was Specific, the intense water workouts beginning 1 February showed Measurable improvement in my left hip and leg and whole body. Attainable – Yes! (Most people do not believe I can or will make this ride) Realistic -Yes. (The issue is that my left hip will still not do a full forward pedal stroke. The issue is that my bone on bone left hip joint will not let my leg fully rotate – yet. Timely – No. The fact is I cannot pedal my regular trikes. I can get on them now, can lift my left foot on the pedal and can do a half rotation with the pedal pendulum, but cannot carry it over. Yet. Now I have a trike to use – the recumbent hand cycle trike – and will work toward leaving here on it NEXT 5 June 2012 – NEXT year..a heartfelt thanks to a great recumbent trike shop in Florida for the pedal pendulum tip ..more later.

Thank you, Aaron! It was a shock to see my personal physical goal predicament easily explained right there on the screen.

http://pugetsoundblogs.com/copd-and-other-stuff/2011/06/20/the-action-was-hot-lungs-part-1-of-3/

…Part 3 of 3 tomorrow… thanks for reading…Sharon O’Hara

Sorry for the poor photos…

Part 3 of 3 tomorrow… thanks for reading… Sharon O’Hara

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Googling for COPD Finds an Old Letter

Sharon O'Hara

I wrote the following about 2004 for the American Lung Association and re-found it goggling for COPD. I’m posting it here in hope you will see the value in early detection Spirometry testing.

“Hungry for Air: Breathing Better Together

“Living with COPD/Emphysema and Sarcoidosis was a living death. I existed. I struggled to breathe, when I moved I panted, gasped for air like a fish out of water.

As I slowly showered and dressed, ready to go somewhere, I couldn’t sit down to rest. I fell asleep.

I went from a physically active life landscaping, restoring a wonderful property in Port Townsend to a blob who existed in front of her computer.

I searched the world web to discover what COPD/Emphysema was – what Sarcoidosis was, everything, anything I could find out about my diseases and the medications I took.

I couldn’t sleep in a bed – I couldn’t breathe – I dozed sitting in a chair.

By the time I arrived at the Pulmonary Department at the University of Washington Medical Center, I believed my days were numbered. Previously diagnosed with COPD/Emphysema, an open lung biopsy showed the fibrosis and granulomas of Sarcoidosis evenly throughout both lungs.

Without energy, I felt isolated, without a purpose, a shell, a mockery of the person I used to be.

I regretted a 40-year smoking habit, but didn’t dwell on it. The single most difficult thing I’ve ever done is stop smoking. I craved cigarettes and for the first time understood a drug addict’s ‘craving’ for a drug. I craved a cigarette many times a day, then almost daily for more than two years. Even today, occasionally the urge to smoke a cigarette becomes almost overwhelming.

That is how I felt then. Today I’m energized with purpose.

I found a support group online – the non-profit EFFORTS, begun by COPD’rs, run by COPD’rs and filled with folks like me working to change the world’s awareness of COPD. I want other lung folks to know they are not alone and how they can lead the best quality of life possible.

I want to see Spirometry tests for patients. common place among physicians – to catch COPD early – before it is too late. Other than stop smoking, the single most important thing Lungers can do for themselves is exercise.

And from the time I learned of the American Lung Association® of Washington’s Big Ride Across America, it is my dream – my goal.” – Sharon”

Part 2 of 4 More later… Sharon O’Hara

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