My heart just doesn’t hold up like it should, and my breath is just too short for me to walk very far at a time any more. I miss walking, and am hoping that this will help me build my capabilities up again.
@Yvonne Smith ,I understand about the walking. This year it had become harder for me to walk hard or long. I keep doing the peddler bike to least keep blood flow going. August 12 I will become a volunteer at the Salvation Army on Monday and Tuesdays. Will work in the office I am hoping this helps also, as will not be seated for long. I do all my shopping and get back home but noon- can't handle the heat and breathe good. New glad when the cooler weather sets in.
That is me exactly, @Gloria Mitchell ! I have always been a vary active person, and in the evenings after a long day (walking and standing) at work, I would come home, take care of the horses and other livestock, do my “farm chores”, and then ride my bike and/or go for a 3-4 mile walk with my dog. When the heart gave out, I went from doing that, to not being able to walk out to the mailbox and get the mail, basically overnight. That was when I was in my 50’s, and because I had no health insurance until I turned 65, the heart just continued on its downhill course for all of those years. Now, I have been trying for the last 2-3 years to build it back up, but it is slow going, and often, just breaking even is a winner anymore. I was talking with Bobby about the little exercise minutes, and today, I am going to walk some and ride the exercise bike some, and see if I can get a variety of exercise going instead of the pacing back and forth through the house every hour. I was definitely tired last night !
Here it is 9:30 AM on a Thursday morning and I have been up since 4:30 AM. I went to bed at 8 PM last night. I have had my shower, eaten breakfast, washed a few personal items just to pass time. Took several short walks of 10 minutes with my walker to keep my legs and feet as limber as possible. I will read for a while, answer some email and watch some news on TV. I try to stay busy but it seems like time just Draaaaaags.
I can imagine that not having enough to do would make the day seem very long for you, Lon... When you're used to being able to get up and out and about, and now being limited to how far you can walk etc, so spontaneity is pretty much gone, where you can't just get up and go do something new, or visit friends, when the fancy takes you. What about doing something online? perhaps ''google hobbies to do online..''... and see if there's something that takes your fancy which would help fill the day...
Usually my days go by faster than I wished, but when they don't, it's usually because I need to do something out of routine or just get out of the house. A draggy day is a sign of boredom. You are an intelligent man and probably aren't as entertained by just watching TV all day like some other of the residents are. I think @Holly Saunders has a great idea. It's time for you to find a hobby or something you can volunteer at. This will help break up a long day.
I think Lon needs some mental challenges. He has an extremely intelligent mind. He is bored because he isn't getting enough chances to use it. The people in the assisted living home probably are not his equals as far as intellect. If I was close by, I would challenge him to at chess and beat him every time.
I agree with you and with @Holly Saunders again. Maybe @Lon Tanner should think about joining a fun game group. It's a fun way to meet people. Sometimes my daughter and I play scrabble online, which is only weird since she lives across the street.
That or something akin to that is an excellent suggestion Holly! @Lon Tanner isn’t having a lot of success with his hearing problems so searching out groups of people to interact with has some limitations. There is more than ample evidence that the only real thing Lon has to look forward to are his meals and yes, this forum so doing something on-line to satisfy the more competitive part of human nature might be just the thing for him.
Didn't you have a blog at one time? Do you keep up with it? Maybe you could fill in some details. Your great grandchildren would enjoy reading it one day. At least I would, if I were they.