I want to proclaim to you the miracle that has happened to me. Let me preface by saying that I have never cared for swimming. It is boring, to the max. Well, guess what, after you haven't really walked for five or six years, walking in water is the most awesome, amazing, feel-good thing-that-is-good-for-me I can imagine.
It took my son a whole year to talk me into going into the pool. First of all, I was pretty concerned about getting in and out of the pool. They have a lift at the pool I go to, but I actually do the stairs like a 2-year-old; I step down once or twice and slide the rest of the way down on my butt!
Secondly, I thought I would be self-conscious, but I wasn't. I guess getting naked for every doctor and nurse and student in the tri-state area has cured me of modesty. Thirdly, I didn't think I'd be able to do much. On a bad day, I can hardly walk 10 feet. I did 10 laps in the pool (water-walking) my first day. That is three-tenths of a mile! And fourthly, it makes me feel pretty hot-damn good. In 2 weeks it has already vastly improved my walking on land, and my ability to stand in one place. I'm sleeping better (I am a raving insomniac, as you can tell by the time of my posts). I have gotten more benefit from 2 weeks in the water than I did from a whole year of lifting weights and doing a recumbent bike.
Fifthly, it is nearly pain-free. I do have a bit of lumbar pain, but I'm pretty sure that is just because I haven't been able to stand straight for a long time, and I'm working muscles I haven't used in a while. The reason I tried the pool was because I was really trying to increase my cardio, and I maxed out on my bike--it hurt so bad I just could not do any more. That's not a problem in the water.
Some stuff to beware of--it is VERY easy to overdo, and not know it until later, especially if you are a cardio and pulmonary patient like myself. The hot whirlpool and arthritis pool felt great when I was in them, but afterwards sometimes I did not feel so good. I think that heat is not good for someone like me--at least not yet. I'm gonna stick to the swimming pool for while. I have been going 3 times a week, but after the first month I will probably start going every day; that's how much I love it.
Be sure to check with your doctor before you start anything like this, because there can be unexpected pit traps--for instance, one minute in the steam room nearly keeled me over, hehe. That humidity just sucks the air right out of me. It is very easy to get dehydrated. Be sure to drink lots, if that is appropriate for you. Water-walking makes my Lasix way more effective and I actually had to cut my dose in half this week.
