Everything I Learned in Pulmonary Rehab

After Friday's blog, I thought it also might helpful to understand the specifics of what was taught in pulmonary rehab. This list, complied in 2009, is what I learned during the first 8-weeks of classes and exercising, which I still follow today.

Everything I learned in rehab:

• To feel what it is to be low of oxygen. I can tell when it gets down to or below 89%. I used to try and work through it but now realize what harm it does to my heart and other organs.
• I just can’t try to ignore the disease as it must be a priority. It must be folded into our lives.
• Learned about the disease and the physiology of it.
• Flu and pneumonia shots are a must.
• Relaxation classes taught me techniques to stop, meditate and relax my body so the saturation rate increases.
• Energy conservation. This is key to keep doing activities of daily living. I can do them all just not on the same days but must plan ahead.
• Fight to maintain current activities and to continue them until I can't anymore.
• Short trips are fine but must plan for them. Oxygen must be ordered ahead to be at the destination. Through the years, we have learned to avoid high altitudes and to pace ourselves while on the road. Also, I try to take naps during traveling. It is important to stop and move at least every two hours. Try not to over-do.
• Pursed-lipped breathing and diaphragm breathing – use this while walking on flats, food shopping. This technique can slightly raise saturation rates enough to help.
• How to make the bed without being out of breath. We bought the tallest bed we could find. I don't have to lean over to make it so I am not short of breath.
• Take cooler showers because hot showers make me short of breath.
• We were advised to wear slip on shoes so leaning over doesn't cause shortness of breath. I have not had to do this yet!
• Cook dinner one night and use leftovers for the next 2 or 3 nights.
• Use paper plates – more energy conservation. This changed our lives!
• How to shop for groceries using energy conservation.
• Learned all about germs – worry about colds, flu and pneumonia. Wash hand constantly. Wipe down shopping carts with bleach wipes and keep Purel in car and use whenever returning to car. Wash my hands the moment I return home.
• Rehab grew muscles so I can stand longer and carry heavy object without being short of breath.
• When faced with a set of stairs, we learned not to panic and to purse-lip breathe through bad situations.
• The importance of slowing down – probably the hardest thing for me to learn.
• It is okay to take a nap or to take rest periods. The world won't end!