About six months back I started an exercise for my legs, I was standing up from sitting on my bed using the back of a chair (commode) for balance. My first attempt was hard and I managed just 6, but taking my predicament into consideration I was happy. Over the coming months I gradually and painfully increased the daily total, I think managing 20 a few days later put a big smile on my face, but reaching 70 blew me away and the two carers sat on the arms to secure it didn’t tip over were pleased.
Anyway the fact that Social Services had brought a piece of equipment that enabled me to do this alone was appreciated.
It’s been more convenient and safer of that there’s no doubt, but the fact its a solid and very heavy device made it extremely difficult unless a carer moved it away from the wall closer to where I could actually use it has obviously limited its use to when a carer could help.
But… that hasn’t been the case recently, changes I’ve made…. have enabled me to manoeuvre the Rotunda to the edge of my bed alone, just the fact it weighs a ton, not literally of course, has needed a large portion of my strength before and after the specific exercise.
Doing 20.. has been my limit but as I’ve done that several times (5,or 6) everyday it’s been good from a muscle building standpoint.
I woke at 3.45 a.m. today after falling asleep shortly after the start of a movie on Netflix, anyway I decided to do my “stand up” exercise so slid my legs out of bed, shuffled down and reached over to get the “contraption” into position. Doing the exercise requires a lot of determination especially at the “butt crack of dawn” and the bloody sciatica is like a big spike piercing my butt cheek and going into the bone, it’s freaking excruciating… but I was determined to do it, after 20 times my legs were tired. I persevered over the following 30 mins and managed to get to my previous record of 76 at which point my shoulders, my legs and my ass were all crying out for me to stop and get back into bed. At this point the “Motiversity” YouTube video was screaming at me to “Never give up” !!!! so I didn’t… I kept going because I had to, it didn’t matter that I was exhausted, in pain and emotionally drained but that special number was in sight, not close but achievable so that’s what I did, for me it was a milestone and I’m so proud of myself knowing that I managed one hundred, I’m knackered, true but so proud of myself…