Today I got my O2 tank and cranked it up to 10 liters and headed out on the paved walkways around the complex where we are staying. It is a really nice hotel complex, made up of numerous buildings with several rooms to each one. My friend Jess is in a building behind me. I have yet to meet her, but I hope to change that tomorrow. I met a nice man and his family on one of my walk abouts. He had his double lung transplant less than a month ago and is recupperating well. I hope to meet him again soon. Of course pulmonary rehab was mentioned and he did say that we would definately see each other there. What is it with this rehab? I'm almost curious to the point that it doesn't scare me anymore. I want to be a part of it too, lol! I don't want to be the outsider, let me in on the action. Those words could come back to bite me in the butt, but for now I just want to know.
It is amazing how I could have been walking and exercising all this time if someone had given me enough O2. My doctor back home tried to keep me from using too much O2 because of my body retaining CO2, but now I have a bipap machine that I use at night to help expel the CO2. When I was in the hospital here at Duke, the physical therapist said however much O2 it took is what I would get in order to be able to exercise and sustain an oxygen saturation in my blood of at least 90%. In the hospital I pushed myself pretty hard and it took 25 liters of oxygen. Today on my stroll, I was taking my time so it only took 10 liters. I still got a little short of breath, but no more than anyone else who was just out of shape. It felt good to not be a couch potato. I am here and determined to give it my all. This is going to be a new beginning for me. The Lord has seen me to it and now he will see me through it. God Is Great!
My fellow Cyster, Piper, that got her call earlier today, her surgery went well and she is recovering as I write this. Please continue to pray for Piper a speedy recovery.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
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Pam, I'm excited to see you made it to Duke as well. Need to read all your past posts so I can catch up. Finally got a chance to use the business computers tonight at the hotel...yipee. I'm glad you get to walk-about. I won't complain about all the walking I'm doing because as you know, walking is a privlege and harder than most people think. My heartrate goes ballistic when I walk with any kind of speed or walk on anything that looks even the tiniest bit uphill. So weird. Since I can't walk near this much at the Denver altitude, my legs are so out of shape. They like to cramp up on me on the hills and the most evil of all...the stairs. Luckily for me, most places here have escalators or elevators which I use with wild abandon.
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