Let’s Go Walking! Join me for a virtual walking support group

Posted by Becky, Volunteer Mentor @becsbuddy, Feb 19, 2020

Many of you living with cancer or an autoimmune disease, like me, deal with daily fatigue. You know that exercise is so important to your health, but it’s so hard. There’s always an excuse: it’s too cold or hot, it’s going to rain or it’s raining, or it’s snowy and icy, or I just don’t want to. I, too, have all these excuses, but I have a new rescue dog who wants to go out and who doesn’t care about my excuses! And I’ve got traction devices for my boots.Now I just need a walking group who will keep me accountable. People who say, ‘let’s go for a walk.'

And I thought: What about my virtual friends on MayoClinicConnect?

Mayo Clinic has an easy 12-week walking program to get us started! Here’s the link:
- Get walking with this 12-week walking schedule https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/get-walking-with-this-12-week-walking-schedule/

So let’s form a virtual walking group. We can agree to walk every day and encourage each other through Connect. We can walk outdoors, in a mall, or in the red center, or in the hallways of our apartment building.

Who’s in? Who’s going to join me?

Come on, Let’s Go Walking!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

it rained this morning, so my husband and i took a walk after dinner. Humidity had dropped a bit, but breathing (exercise induced asthma) was still difficult on the uphills. We saw 2 deer and marveled at how they leaped over the rows of tobacco plants in a nearby field without touching a single leaf, or so it looked from our perspective.

@sabine66, Welcome to the group! We are all at varying stages of repair and the healing for anything you can imagine! We try to encourage each other along the 'walk' to improved health. Being that you are just 2 weeks post op, you are great to add walking to your daily healthy habits. I am going to guess that you used to walk with Benji before the surgery. Am I correct? I'll be interested to hear if you begin to feel less winded after repeated days of walking.

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@rosemarya

it rained this morning, so my husband and i took a walk after dinner. Humidity had dropped a bit, but breathing (exercise induced asthma) was still difficult on the uphills. We saw 2 deer and marveled at how they leaped over the rows of tobacco plants in a nearby field without touching a single leaf, or so it looked from our perspective.

@sabine66, Welcome to the group! We are all at varying stages of repair and the healing for anything you can imagine! We try to encourage each other along the 'walk' to improved health. Being that you are just 2 weeks post op, you are great to add walking to your daily healthy habits. I am going to guess that you used to walk with Benji before the surgery. Am I correct? I'll be interested to hear if you begin to feel less winded after repeated days of walking.

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Yes, our daily walks has always been something Benji and I have looked forward too. I started walking around my backyard the day after surgery, knowing how important it is to get up and move. Just frustrated that even two weeks later I am still feeling weak and was expecting to be a lot better by now! Patience has never been my strong suit, and having all these new limitations such as limited Range of motion, lifting restrictions and overall being weaker is getting to me. Making me wonder if I will ever be myself again!!

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@sabine66

I try to go for short walk about 2-3 blocks early morning and late evenings with my walking buddy “Benji”. Still get winded easily, being 2 weeks post op reconstruction surgery with fat crafting. This surge was suppose to be the easier one but I am having a hard time recovering this time around.

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@sabina66 How long ago did you have your surgery? Are you doing to much ? Don't push it Do you do deep breathing exercises? Be careful

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@lioness

@sabina66 How long ago did you have your surgery? Are you doing to much ? Don't push it Do you do deep breathing exercises? Be careful

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My surgery was two weeks ago, not doing deep breathing exercises as I should i am afraid. Was doing better after the first surgery three month ago. I believe having to wear an abdominal binder, and all the compression garments is making harder for me, feeling so constricted all the time.

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@sabine66

My surgery was two weeks ago, not doing deep breathing exercises as I should i am afraid. Was doing better after the first surgery three month ago. I believe having to wear an abdominal binder, and all the compression garments is making harder for me, feeling so constricted all the time.

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@sabina66 You are just a recent surgery . I think you are doing great to be walking that far The compression garments would make it hard to breath . Well when you don't have it on do you do deep breathing? this will certainly help the lungs. The word is patients now it takes the body time to heal don't rush it or you could hurt yourself . Take care

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@fiesty76

@jude07, Thanks for your supportive response! The dental appointment went well and the crowned troublesome tooth was extracted. However it looked as though part of the root remained. Another appt next week to discuss my "choices"...not suggested but probably a dental surgeon in my future. A difficult extraction but because my excellent dentist prioritizes making the patient as comfortable and pain free as possible both during and after procedures, the printed after care instruction sheet was unneeded. With the exceptions of applying gauze she'd sent home and ice packs initially, there was no un-numbing discomfort, prolonged bleeding or swelling which often occurs. I count myself fortunate in the extreme to have her and to be rid of the pain.

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Such a smart and person centered surgeon, nice that your experience was a positive one.

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@sabine66

My surgery was two weeks ago, not doing deep breathing exercises as I should i am afraid. Was doing better after the first surgery three month ago. I believe having to wear an abdominal binder, and all the compression garments is making harder for me, feeling so constricted all the time.

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@lioness rightly suggested that you do your deep breathing exercises. You really want to get the anesthesia out of your system and wake up your lungs! Were you given an inspirometer after surgery? If not, maybe you can call the surgeons office and ask for one. They are really lifesavers. All the compression garments are great but they can work against your lungs. Now that I have finished my nurse lecture, can I ask what your surgery was

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Today I walked around 2 big box home improvement stores, without my cane! I was just so tickled probably would have broken in to a Fred Astaire/Gene Kelly tap dance if given the chance! Took the cane with me "just in case", and could have used it to enforce social distancing ;))

There was a mother/daughter duo wearing their masks around their necks, instead of in place. I told the her, "Shame on you. Setting a poor example of following state mandates." She was p***ed at me, my husband was exasperated. Hey, you can expect that from me in those settings.
Ginger

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@becsbuddy

@lioness rightly suggested that you do your deep breathing exercises. You really want to get the anesthesia out of your system and wake up your lungs! Were you given an inspirometer after surgery? If not, maybe you can call the surgeons office and ask for one. They are really lifesavers. All the compression garments are great but they can work against your lungs. Now that I have finished my nurse lecture, can I ask what your surgery was

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@becsbuddy . I haven't had any surgery since 96 but thats what I had . Sure did help alot

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@gingerw

Today I walked around 2 big box home improvement stores, without my cane! I was just so tickled probably would have broken in to a Fred Astaire/Gene Kelly tap dance if given the chance! Took the cane with me "just in case", and could have used it to enforce social distancing ;))

There was a mother/daughter duo wearing their masks around their necks, instead of in place. I told the her, "Shame on you. Setting a poor example of following state mandates." She was p***ed at me, my husband was exasperated. Hey, you can expect that from me in those settings.
Ginger

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@gingerw, Big Congrats on your walk in store without cane! Like your idea for distance enforcement too! Hubby might have feared having to come to your bodily defense??? There are a lot of erratic behaviors out there right now but sounds like you had situations well in hand. Small toe tap in your honor!

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