Living/rowing with chronic disease.
Posted: August 7th, 2022, 3:53 pm
I was just wondering if there was anyone else on here who is living with a serious medical condition and who are willing to share their training/life experiences.
I have some kind of undiagnosed autoimmune disease which affects my nervous system primarily. I had the last flare up in March 21.It started with pain in my forearms and lead to me hardly being able to move properly, I had extensive paralysis along with excruciating pain. Funnily enough the flare up came shortly after my first covid jab, I think it was astrazenica.
Anyway, it took me weeks to be able to stand up and only with enormous effort. I was in hospital for two months. As it stands I have quite a bit of numbness in hands, feet, lower leg, glutes which is slowly receding. I have had autoimmune mediated hepatitis which has left me with extensive liver cirrhosis. I have quite a lot of muscle wasting. But I feel so lucky because not a day passes without me noticing some improvement somewhere. My walking is still quite laboured and my gait is not great, but it is getting better. I can get up the stairs now with only a little help from my arms although I'm very slow.
So, my consultant is happy for me to row. She is aware that I do about 30 minutes per day, which is split up into 1000 - 2000 metres at a time. I tend to go at 3 minute pace, sometimes 2.45 depending on I how I feel. I'm able to row with ( I think) reasonable form. I have been coached and have done a little rowing on the water many years ago for a short time, I'm no expert by any means. I feel reasonably strong on the erg, which I'm grateful for.
Before the last flare up, I was about halfway through the Pete Beginners plan and was doing 10k in 40 minutes, which I was pleased with. Prior to January 2019, I could do a 34.00 10k. I was very fit, but did a mixture of weight training, spinning, circuits and rowing on the erg.In late January 19 was when this whole thing started with recurrent brain seizures, I was in hospital for 2 months then too and had to learn to walk and talk again.
I'm hoping to remain stable this time.Rowing is helping with my fitness and keeping me moving and reducing ankle oedema. I like to get rid of my steroid belly as I'm only on a low dose now.
In spite of everything, my bloods have been spot on for a while now. In November 2018 I had underachieve thyroid, which. then went over active and which is now normal. My consultant said that was quite rare.
It'd be great to hear from others and I'm open to advice and tips. I hoping to overcome this, whatever it is. I believe in the power of the mind.I regularly do energy healing and self hypnosis. I have touch typed most of this, there was a time when I could hardly use my left hand at all.
Thanks so much if you've read this far.
I have some kind of undiagnosed autoimmune disease which affects my nervous system primarily. I had the last flare up in March 21.It started with pain in my forearms and lead to me hardly being able to move properly, I had extensive paralysis along with excruciating pain. Funnily enough the flare up came shortly after my first covid jab, I think it was astrazenica.
Anyway, it took me weeks to be able to stand up and only with enormous effort. I was in hospital for two months. As it stands I have quite a bit of numbness in hands, feet, lower leg, glutes which is slowly receding. I have had autoimmune mediated hepatitis which has left me with extensive liver cirrhosis. I have quite a lot of muscle wasting. But I feel so lucky because not a day passes without me noticing some improvement somewhere. My walking is still quite laboured and my gait is not great, but it is getting better. I can get up the stairs now with only a little help from my arms although I'm very slow.
So, my consultant is happy for me to row. She is aware that I do about 30 minutes per day, which is split up into 1000 - 2000 metres at a time. I tend to go at 3 minute pace, sometimes 2.45 depending on I how I feel. I'm able to row with ( I think) reasonable form. I have been coached and have done a little rowing on the water many years ago for a short time, I'm no expert by any means. I feel reasonably strong on the erg, which I'm grateful for.
Before the last flare up, I was about halfway through the Pete Beginners plan and was doing 10k in 40 minutes, which I was pleased with. Prior to January 2019, I could do a 34.00 10k. I was very fit, but did a mixture of weight training, spinning, circuits and rowing on the erg.In late January 19 was when this whole thing started with recurrent brain seizures, I was in hospital for 2 months then too and had to learn to walk and talk again.
I'm hoping to remain stable this time.Rowing is helping with my fitness and keeping me moving and reducing ankle oedema. I like to get rid of my steroid belly as I'm only on a low dose now.
In spite of everything, my bloods have been spot on for a while now. In November 2018 I had underachieve thyroid, which. then went over active and which is now normal. My consultant said that was quite rare.
It'd be great to hear from others and I'm open to advice and tips. I hoping to overcome this, whatever it is. I believe in the power of the mind.I regularly do energy healing and self hypnosis. I have touch typed most of this, there was a time when I could hardly use my left hand at all.
Thanks so much if you've read this far.
