Exercise. Who me? No way!

Today was my first proper session at the lung diseases physiotherapy clinic.

Many years ago I played Squash and swam quite a lot.  Though not at the same time.

Then I was pregnant for the next . what seemed like, ten years.  And, for some time after that, exercise was chasing kids around.  Or vice versa.

I  could race up the road with a double buggy and a child hanging on on each side in a force 10 gale.  Do the egg and spoon at school sports. Be in charge of 20 toddlers at a playschool,now anyone ever done this knows how physically taxing this can be, never mind the effort required in beating them into submission.

Later years it was moving kids into student accommodation, usually up at least three flights of stairs...

Gardening.  Painting and Decorating.  Making beds and cleaning guest rooms and ensuites in the latter years and walking miles up and down corridors in our b&b.

Then you get told a) You have swine flu (and smoking since you were 10 hasnt helped.) and you now have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Now most people pack up, pack in everything.  But I didnt know this.  And carried on.  And gradually got slower and slower.  COPD doesnt kill you it is "Life limiting".  Hmm.  But nobody told me that I could do something about this.  Until now.

 So today I walked,I did steps,I did cycling,though I didn't go anywhere,I did arm stretches and knee bends and lots of other things with WEIGHTS on legs, arms and had to lift the bloody things as well, apparently this is what air hostesses do?  No, that one puzzled me too. As I dont know any air hostesses.  We also warmed up and then warmed down.

 Now I have to say I was very humbled.  There were other people on the course.  Lovely, lovely people.  Three had their own oxygen supply that they carried around with them, like a handbag.  There were people who began the exercise and could not finish.  Struggling to breathe.  But we all got to the end.

I absolutely loved it all.  And we all felt so great at the end. 

I met the DP for coffee at the Lighthouse Museum later and I went up the stairs to the cafe without hauling myself up the banister and then spending 5 minutes gasping for air.  

Apparently he and the Manager are now planning me doing a sponsored climb of Ben Nevis in aid of the Lighthouse.  What???????