Great weekend, with a little spooky thrown in....

[Fluffysmom]

I decided I'd recovered from my first return to water aerobics on Wednesday enough to go again today.  The Sunday instructor has been a favorite for years, makes everyone laugh, and understands that different people perform at different levels.

Last night, I checked my e-mail, and found one from her!  She said she had been thinking about me, hadn't seen me for quite a while, and wondered how I was doing

I wrote back and asked if she was psychic, or if someone had told her I'd been to class on Wed., since I haven't been to  her class or any classes for a year and a half.  I updated her on my health situation to let her know I'd be taking it kind of easy.

She wrote back that she was just psychic; had been thinking about me for a couple weeks, and had thought of me while her computer was on and wrote me a note.  (that's the little spooky part, :o)

So, I went today and had a great time.  Several people were glad to see me back, including one that I always worked out next to, and consider my friend, though I haven't seen her for so long, except one day outside Walgreen's.

The instructor had us laughing, we joked about how much Halloween candy (or her peanut butter fudge) was being burned off in the hour class.  Her husband had been hanging out, but decided to join the fun and got in the pool with us.  I kept reminding myself to take it easy, go slow, not do several things, just moved gently.  I even said a few things that got the whole class laughing!  

Big smiles!

Kathy

[Fluffysmom]

I had been doing water aerobics for years before I herniated a disk in my lumbar spine, then a few months later my neurological stuff, mainly the fatigue, interefered with me going.  

The group I saw today had a bunch that would go out for Chinese food for lunch right after class, though I didn't get around to joining them; still had a great time chatting in class.

I have bad knees, and the water has always been a great place for me.

I've taken warm water classes, and they sapped my strength and the chlorine was too intense.  I joined 24 hour fitness, and have gone to classes all over.  The water is generally too cool for me, so that I get muscle cramps.  I solved that by wearing a rash guard shirt over my bathing suit, which keeps my shoulders and arms warm.

I guess the trick to finding the balance is to give it a careful try.  I tend to enjoy it so much that I get too involved, like I did this past Wednesday, and then I pay for it with pain or increased neurological symptoms.  Today I took it much easier; paid attention to whether or not I was feeling too warm, and backed off if I felt like I was doing too much.

It's been a good afternoon; none of the fatigue and mental numbness and all that jazz that I experienced for a couple days after Wednesday's efforts.

Lulu, hope you can start in January; it's awesome: much better than peanut butter fudge; even better than hazelnut chocolate fudge!

Julie, no donuts for me (though your memories do sound wonderful)!  I went to the Bauman Farm's Harvest Festival yesterday, and they had samples of their fresh apple cider donuts, so I tried a small piece.  Indigestion!  So, I go and buy some zucchini muffins with cream cheese frosting and some pumpkin chocolate chip scones, as well as bunches of great fresh produce.   :o)  Haven't ate much of the produce yet, lol!

Here's to living well!

Kathy

[Sarahsmom46]

Awesome and sounds like so much fun.  I remember when I did water aerobics with my buds when I lived overseas.  We were a bunch of ladies who didn't work and had such a wonderful social time in the pool.  Afterwards, we'd head over to the snack bar for donuts and coffee.  Sounds ridiculous, eh!!!  Our motto about deciding not to work was becaus it interferred with our social lives.  I have such good memories of that.  

I hope you stick with it as it is great, and I mean GREAT exercise.  My advice, don't do what we did and get donuts afterwards :)

Julie

[Guitar_grrrl]

WooHoo!!  I'm so happy for you!

Keep living well!
Guitar_grrrl

[twopack]

I had been doing aquatic exercises after a knee replacement and exacerbated back pain but got distracted during the summer.  I went back two weeks ago.  Boy did that warm water feel good on my joints and allow me to move around easy.

An hour later.......I climb the steps to exit the pool and have to hug the wall to stay standing!  I was pretty sure at that point that my MS evaluation was going to end with a diagnosis.

I've been afraid I would be told to give up the warm water exercise that has helped keep my joints functional.  How do you figure out the balance between just enough, but not too much, of a good thing?

~Mary

[Lulu54]

Kathy,
its so good to hear you are back in the swim again!  

The water aerobics class is too late for me this term, but I spoke with the instructor this week and she is trying to get it bumped to an earlier time slot in January.  I'm holding out hope that it happens.

I love the aerobics in the water - it is so much easier on the body, and everyone can do like you and move at their own pace.

And I think every MS neuro would strongly encourage their patients to get in the water and exercise - it is one of the best workouts we can do.


Peanut butter fudge sounds good, but water aerobics sounds great!  

Keep moving,
Lulu