Gina’s Blog: 2 Weeks After Surgery
August 11th, 2009
Training with Kettle Bells
So far, so good. I’m two and a half weeks into my recovery and I feel amazing! Actually, I feel too amazing. I really thought I’d feel crappy and sore for at least a few weeks, as I did with my previous surgery. Clearly, the breast reduction was less traumatic to my body than the liposuction. The next day after surgery, I woke up feeling great… tired, but feeling great. I am on a three-week restriction, or what I like to refer to it as a little “time out.â€
The first week I couldn’t raise my heart rate at all, period. That meant no cardio, no working out whatsoever. That sucked, I mean really sucked. But week two hasn’t been too bad, because I was allowed the addition of some forms of my cardio workouts, although I still can’t lift anything more than five pounds. I’ve been doing fast walking and some super light jogging because I tried to run and I felt some aching in my breast. I put a stop to that real quick. When I saw Dr. Bashioum at his office for my post-surgery exam, he said that I could increase my activity level slowly, as long as it did not cause any pain. I’ve also been doing some Kettle Bell exercises with a 5lb dumb bell… I have to keep the groove! I’m surprised and happy that I feel as great as I do but, on the flipside, because I feel so good; it’s making it really difficult for me to adhere to my restrictions. I was naughty only twice. The first offense was putting my 51.8-pound foster dog, Dexter, on his back for a time when he misbehaved.
Dexter
He’s definitely over my weight restriction I know, but it was just a spontaneous reaction. The second offense was my poor decision to go on the zip line at the playground with my 12 yr. old nephew. I was really disappointed in myself for giving in to my impatience. Sandy, Dr. Bashioum’s Patient Care Coordinator said I might have to be on “time out” longer now since I didn’t follow my recovery guidelines. If she said it to scare me into being rigid with the recovery guidelines, it worked! I definitely don’t want a longer restriction period, so I’m really trying to be good.
Gina with 2 Kettle Bells
I already notice a nice change and I know it will take at least 6 months to a year to see the full outcome. I can’t wait and I certainly don’t want to do anything to ruin my chances for a great result!
Check back to see if I can follow my own advice…
Gina’s Blog: The Price of Looking Good!
July 27th, 2009
I am giving up a lot to have this surgery done. The modifications to my life style that will have to be made are many. Let’s start professionally. I teach and train in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and during my recovery from surgery, I’ll have another instructor cover my classes for the first week. The following weeks 2- through 5, I will have another instructor helping me with the demonstration portions of class, while I instruct using verbal cues only. As far as my personal training business being affected, I will have to take a few days off. When I return to training my clients, I won’t be able to demonstrate most exercises, because I am not allowed to lift more than 5 lbs for three weeks following surgery. Again, most everything will have to be done through verbal cues alone.
Now let’s hit the personal modifications… and there’s a lot! I usually train 2-3 hrs a day, 6 days a week. I do a variety of things from Jiu-Jitsu, kettle bells, yoga, Pilates, lots of cardio (running & walking), and tons of body weight stuff. Clearly, all of this is going to have to be put on hold while I recover from surgery. Some of it will have to be put on hold a little longer than that.
Dr. Bashioum has cleared me for a slight increase in activity after the first week of surgery; I can start to raise my heart rate again (thank goodness!!) by fast walking and possibly some light jogging, if there’s no pain. Once I hit the 3 week mark, I can start to incorporate things back in to my workout routine… slowly and without pain, of course. This is by far, the hardest thing for me to give up. It’s my life, my profession and my passion.
Giving up all supplements prior to surgery has also been extremely difficult! It has affected my training and recovery time greatly. I realize how much I take my health and physical performance for granted at times. It has once again proven to me how important proper nutrition is for a body to function at its true potential.
The other lifestyle area that will be affected by my surgery is caring and playing with my dogs. We have two Boston Bulldog’s of our own and one foster dog. I will be unable to walk them, hold them, or have them play rough with me. I can have them sit in my lap, provided that I don’t pick them up.
In addition, I will be unable to some of my normal household duties without assistance from my husband and friends because of the 5-lb/3 week rule. I like to do things on my own and in my own way, so this will be challenging for me to have help. It will be interesting couple weeks for us. Although I’m complaining a lot, I will be very happy to have the symmetry of my breasts restored, when this is all over!
I do feel sorry for my husband, Brian, because he is going to have to deal with all of this during my recovery. And I know I won’t be too much fun to be around. I have one final consultation with Dr. Bashioum tomorrow, to answer any last questions that I might have. Please check back for video clips of both my consultation and my actual surgery later this week.
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