On the bike again!

I climbed on the exercise bike earlier this week (since I'm wearing the TENs machine again) and pedalled away.  I managed two minutes before I'd had the biscuit.

That was Tuesday.

On Wednesday morning, I again managed two minutes (but it was a struggle to stay on that long!).

My physiotherapist was delighted to hear that I'm tolerating the TENs electrodes again and that I attempted the bike.

"Now remember," she cautioned me, "just because you can, doesn't mean you should.  Don't overdo it!  You know you have to be careful of that!"

I know that all too well.  At least, I haven't yet forgotten that lesson.

And my hips were certainly letting me know that I had to approach with caution.

Yesterday, even having had my physiotherapy treatment the day before and then going for massage before coming home, walking was very difficult.  My left hip was especially problematic, yelling at me with every step.

But as has been my usual pattern, having had that massage yesterday afternoon, I slept restfully last night (in spite of the repeated wake ups to change position).  Hence, I awoke this morning feeling quite refreshed.

Now, there is another factor that may have influenced my more "restful" sleep last night but I will have to do more tests to determine its efficacy.

As I was leaving my massage therapist's office yesterday, I mentioned to her that I was in search of "valerian tea," which I understood helped promote sleep.  She is big time into this kind of stuff and told me that she had tried the tea and it "smelled of dirty socks" so she couldn't stomach it.  But she had the valerian tincture which most people preferred to use. (I had earlier been to the health food store and had seen the tincture but had not bought it, wanting to discuss it with her first because I knew she was knowledgeable about it.) 

I bought a bottle of valerian tincture from her and took some at bedtime last night.

So how much did the tincture add to the quality of the restful sleep that I usually enjoy following my massage session?  The only way I'll find the answer to that is to take the tincture on a non-massage day, which of course I will do.

Apparently, for best effect it is recommended that you take this stuff in small dosage three times a day, every day, so the body gets used to the calming effect it offers.  But some people prefer to take the entire daily dose once, at bedtime (the tincture available at the health food store was actually labelled for once a day dose).

I do not believe in taking anything every day to promote sleep, preferring to take something, if I have to, only once in a while.  In my case, if it does in fact help me sleep, I will use it perhaps once a week on a non-massage day (say, Sunday?) so that I will conceivably enjoy two nights of restful sleep each week.

Naturally, I'm hoping that once my hips are replaced I will be able to enjoy a full night's sleep every night, without assistance of any kind.

At least, that's the long term plan.

Anyway, this morning, I managed three-and-a-half minutes on the exercise bike (yes, I was wearing the TENs machine, and yes, I pushed myself).

Two and three minutes might not sound like much to a lot of people.  But for me, that is HUGE.

I will follow my physiotherapist's sage advice and I will try not to overdo it (I don't want to sabotage my own progress).  Perhaps, by spring, I'll again be able to get outside walking with my poles.

I'd like to lose another ten pounds before my surgery.  Now that I can tolerate the TENs electrodes again, my chances of succeeding at that weight loss goal are certainly increased because as long as I'm wearing the machine, I can move without pain.