I had zoom consultation with the ILD (interstitial lung disease) nurse yesterday. It was to check up on how I was getting along with Nintedanib, a drug which slows down the progression of lung fibrosis.
The good news; I'm doing fine, and please don't lose much more weight! That was a surprise; at 5'2" short and nearly 10 stone heavy, I thought they'd be all encouraging about losing a bit more weight! But no, apparently this condition causes me to burn more calories than a similar healthy person, and 'we like you to have some reserves in case you become unwell.' Hooray! Pass me the biscuit tin, someone...
The 'bad' news;
'Please make sure you keep doing strength exercises. Especially step-ups, sit-to-stands, and arm exercises with weights.' Noooo... I hate step-ups! I loathe sit-to-stands! I suppose the arm raises and biceps curls are just about bearable.
So today I dutifully did some step-ups using the steps by the back door, and some arm raises and biceps curls with 2lb weights.
I'm still aiming for 2000+ steps per day on my watch thingy, even if it is adding chopping veg to to the count.
Reminder to myself
I've added to the Moonlight Sonata Playalong... art sources to come soon
Podcast on BBCsounds
Last night I discovered a new series (it's been going for ages); Tim Harford, the 'Behind the Numbers' man, does 'Cautionary Tales for Adults'. I listened to 'Bowie, Jazz and the unplayable piano'. Why is it that, from never having heard of the world famous jazz pianist Keith Jarret and the Koln concert until Beth introduced him to me, he now crops up everywhere? This episode was on how obstacles can cause sudden bursts of unimaginable creativity.
I shall be exploring more of these quirky programmes.
Music
One usually associates Czerny with pages of dull exercises. I remember working steadily through op 139 with one teacher... the main thing in my view was that they were short!
This is something else entirely. If I hadn't seen the description I might have thought it was Chopin;
Czerny op 740 no 14, played by Jean Frederic Neuburger.
Interesting, that Jarrett and the Koln concert have now been popping up for you. I've noticed that phenomenon in my own life - once I've become aware of something, there it is, all over the place. Many thanks for mentioning the other Tim Harford podcast - I've now located it and yes, I see it's been running for some time. I'll follow some good advice from one of my sisters and just start listening from now, rather than trying to catch up with the whole series. Now that I'm (just) closer to age 80 than age 70, some different attitudes to these things are helpful. Some good advice recently brought to my attention from Guardian writer Oliver Burkeman's book Meditations for Mortals: regard your reading list (and I'm adding podcasts here) as a river you can dip into, not as a bucket you must empty; aim to do things "dailyish", rather than beating yourself up if you're not managing a daily practice; "just do" that thing you've been wanting to do, maybe do it for 5 minutes today, rather than planning it as a big project...lots of helpful nudges and he makes a point of not promising to change one's life. I don't always comment, Kirsten - been a busy summer with family things and now my church volunteer life looms again - but I always read, and usually play the music. Thank you so much for your mostly-daily posts.
ReplyDeleteA comment as long as that is like a blogpost in itself!
DeleteWould it surprise you to know that I'm also reading Meditations for Mortals?
'Dailyish' is a much better way of doing things; I love the way my current Katherine Bowler book is called '40ish' Devotionals for a good enough life'.
Thank you for your 'occasional' comments ☺
K
Good for you for pushing through and doing the exercises. It does take willpower. Moonlight Sonata is a favourite piece of mine. I haven't played it for a long time now. Enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteI expect the exercising will all be a bit 'as and when' rather than a proper regime!
DeleteI wish I could send you some of my spare pounds! I have just sent you 2x2 #1 though [that looks like a coded message] Did you watch last night's Prom? Beethoven's 9th. Fabulous! 🎼🎼🎼
ReplyDeleteI'll maybe catch up on Beethoven's 9... my head's still full of the Aurora 9th last year!
DeleteI've still half the square to finish on 2x2... I keep getting distracted. Time to just settle down and stitch for a bit.
I laughed at you including veg chopping in your step count. May I recommend winding wool into balls? It's brilliant!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, it is! Also playing Scott Joplin piano rags...!
Delete(Although sadly playing Scott Joplin on youtube doesn't make any difference to the count at all.)
DeleteOh how I long for some one to say to me don't lose any more weight! Thank you for your kind comments after my 'to do' with the Travellator, silly me!
ReplyDeleteThat is good news for you and well done on the exercises. It is hard to do what the physio/doctor says about exercise. When I had to learn to walk again I hated hauling myself up from a wheelchair to standing holding on to parallel bars. However after lots and lots of exercises I can now walk with a stick and I try to walk at least two miles every day. It's a shame watching YouTube videos doesn't count as exercise. Regards Sue H
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on progressing from a wheelchair to just one stick; that must have taken grit and determination. And 2 miles a day! (That would take me 2 hours and two oxygen cylinders!)
DeleteI did read somewhere that doing your exercises in your mind, mindfully, showed some benefit, but I'm sure it wouldn't be enough to make a real difference 😉
Weight 'distribution' seems so unfair! I deliberately chose to lose weight very very slowly so as not to trigger hunger or the body's natural reaction to restabilise weight back up to what it thinks is 'normal'. That seems to have worked for me...100g per week doesn't look like much, only 3oz, but it's been a steady downward and more or less effortless trend over several years, limited quantities of cakes, biscuits, ice creams and sweets all included.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get your nerve back for a travellator; after all you were fine on them for years. I'm sure you will get your confidence back!
The reply above is to Chris!
DeleteEverything is proceeding in the right direction, even the exercises (as of when you started again!!) How encouraging to be told you shouldn't lose too much more weight - congratulations on managing that sensibly.
ReplyDeleteI find all encouragement is uplifting, which is one of the reasons I encourage myself through the day on quite trivial achievements! I've brushed my teeth! Hurrah! I've mended my teddy bear at last! Well done!
DeleteBut not out loud, that would be so irritating for people in earshot 😉