MacHete
Hair Cropper & Chipmunk Wrangler
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2000
- Messages
- 2,559
Well, I have finished my physical therapy, and I will return to work tomorrow. It's high time I started earning my keep again.
After my surgeries, my core muscles were shot, and I had all the endurance of a two toed sloth with a hangnail.
It is very strange for me to not have any abdominal stregth. When I was in Army Basic, doing 70 or so sit-ups in two minutes got you %100 score for that portion of the fitness test. I did 119. (I really wanted to get 120, for 1 sit-up per second.) After my surgeries, and to some extent now, I have to kick my legs to get up out of bed. Of course, the fact that my formerly steely-abs are now protected by an abundant layer of adipose tissue doesn't help much either. Also, my energy levels were so depleted that just gathering a load of laundry and putting it in the machine was enough to require a half-hour break afterwards.
As the time drew nearer for my to return to work, I shared these concerns with my doctor, and he recommended physical therapy. We have a treadmill and some dumbbells at the house, but having access to some nautilus equipment and a supervised, structured workout is really very helpful.
At my first visit to the therapy center, I was given a diagnostic fitness test based on the President's Council evaluation for adults. The result were frightening to me. I knew I was hurting, but to have my physical patheticness quantified was a real wake-up call. They asked if I wanted to come in two days a week or three. Uh- THREE, and only because they wouldn't let me do five. I had about four weeks to try to firm up the wretched tub of goo that I had become. The therapists set some reasonable goals for my fitness evaluation at the end of the therapy, but I knew I needed to be in better shape than that to survive my return to work. I had to hit it hard.
There were a few exercises they had me do that I thought fairly simulated what I would encouter at work, so I aggressively raised the reps/weight/whatever on those each visit. I nearly doubled my walking speed on the treadmill and I was pretty good about working at home on my off days. Although I am still far from being a "buff bod", I am satisfied with my progress. What's a little bothersome to me is that I put on nearly thirty pounds while I was off, and even with diet and exercise, I haven't lost anything. It may take eight hours a day of assembly line work for a while to make that happen. I wonder if they accidently removed my metabolism along with my gall bladder?
So, I am as ready to return to work as I am going to get I suppose, but I am sure the first couple weeks back are gonna be rough. I expect to live on analgesics for most of that time. I want to keep up the exercise regimen I've developed, but I work night shift, and it is very hard to come home, tired and sore, and then work out. I just need to remember the sobering, humiliating feelings I had during my fitness diagnostic. Hopefully, that will help keep me committed to NEVER getting that weak and squishy again.
Kathy pointed out to me that I have been off work longer than her summer breaks from teaching. I know it's pointless to dwell on regrets, but if I had known I was going to be off for five MONTHS instead of a few weeks, I would have made much better use of the time. I hope to take a lesson on time management from that as well.
Take care ya'll. I'll still be stopping in regularly- just not as often or as long.
After my surgeries, my core muscles were shot, and I had all the endurance of a two toed sloth with a hangnail.
It is very strange for me to not have any abdominal stregth. When I was in Army Basic, doing 70 or so sit-ups in two minutes got you %100 score for that portion of the fitness test. I did 119. (I really wanted to get 120, for 1 sit-up per second.) After my surgeries, and to some extent now, I have to kick my legs to get up out of bed. Of course, the fact that my formerly steely-abs are now protected by an abundant layer of adipose tissue doesn't help much either. Also, my energy levels were so depleted that just gathering a load of laundry and putting it in the machine was enough to require a half-hour break afterwards.
As the time drew nearer for my to return to work, I shared these concerns with my doctor, and he recommended physical therapy. We have a treadmill and some dumbbells at the house, but having access to some nautilus equipment and a supervised, structured workout is really very helpful.
At my first visit to the therapy center, I was given a diagnostic fitness test based on the President's Council evaluation for adults. The result were frightening to me. I knew I was hurting, but to have my physical patheticness quantified was a real wake-up call. They asked if I wanted to come in two days a week or three. Uh- THREE, and only because they wouldn't let me do five. I had about four weeks to try to firm up the wretched tub of goo that I had become. The therapists set some reasonable goals for my fitness evaluation at the end of the therapy, but I knew I needed to be in better shape than that to survive my return to work. I had to hit it hard.
There were a few exercises they had me do that I thought fairly simulated what I would encouter at work, so I aggressively raised the reps/weight/whatever on those each visit. I nearly doubled my walking speed on the treadmill and I was pretty good about working at home on my off days. Although I am still far from being a "buff bod", I am satisfied with my progress. What's a little bothersome to me is that I put on nearly thirty pounds while I was off, and even with diet and exercise, I haven't lost anything. It may take eight hours a day of assembly line work for a while to make that happen. I wonder if they accidently removed my metabolism along with my gall bladder?
So, I am as ready to return to work as I am going to get I suppose, but I am sure the first couple weeks back are gonna be rough. I expect to live on analgesics for most of that time. I want to keep up the exercise regimen I've developed, but I work night shift, and it is very hard to come home, tired and sore, and then work out. I just need to remember the sobering, humiliating feelings I had during my fitness diagnostic. Hopefully, that will help keep me committed to NEVER getting that weak and squishy again.
Kathy pointed out to me that I have been off work longer than her summer breaks from teaching. I know it's pointless to dwell on regrets, but if I had known I was going to be off for five MONTHS instead of a few weeks, I would have made much better use of the time. I hope to take a lesson on time management from that as well.
Take care ya'll. I'll still be stopping in regularly- just not as often or as long.
Dayshift life was easy to get used to.
After getting out of the therapy and the health club we belonged too I gained back all I had lost and the helluvit was when I was on their AMA approved diet I was always hungry so it was easy to get off it when I was no longer being monitored every week.
