Sometimes, I amaze myself! I’m getting over a nasty cold. The cough is gone but I’m still troubled by body aches and fatigue. Frankly, I felt like staying in bed and sleeping all day! Did you ever feel that way?
I used to advise that my patients return to exercise as soon as possible when recovering from an illness. I counseled my chronic fatigue patients, teaching them that the answer to their fatigue was exercise. My patients did not believe me. When your body is tired, wasted by disease, the last thing you want to do is exercise.
Yesterday, I did not want to go to Rock Steady, my Parkinson’s exercise class. I was convinced that if I exercised, I would collapse. I dressed to go but then told Renee I wasn’t going. Fifteen minutes later, I left the house and headed for the gym. When I got to the gym, I could barely walk in. I was in agony!
I told my instructors I would do whatever I could do. I warmed up, stretched, crawled a lap around the gym and, miracle of miracles, started to feel better. Yep, it makes no sense. Putting my socks on exhausts me to the extent that Renee has to put them on for me, yet 75 minutes performing my Rock Steady routine invigorates me. Go figure!
One thing is for sure. The advice I gave my patients over the years was good. The treatment for fatigue is exercise. Why it took me so many years to take my own advice is beyond me. I’m just thankful I finally decided to join Rock Steady. Now, to lose the weight that is weighing me down. Stay tuned.
Here’s your joke for the day:
A beautiful college professor reminds her students of the big test tomorrow.
She says, “You cannot be absent unless you are wounded, seriously ill or you have a sudden death in the family.” One boy asks, “But what about extreme fatigue from a hot night of sex?” When the class is done laughing, the professor smiles and says,
“In that case, you can write with your other hand.”
