In January 2020 I caught Covid on a cruise (I was 79). I "toughed" it out (what an idiot) until it flushed out health problems that had been lurking in the background, i.e., Atrial Fibrillation, High Blood Pressure and Bronchiectasis. I had to give up work (I had planned to work till I was 85) and was devastated at being ill and having to take tablets and inhalers. The physio exercises taught me by the hospital could have been effective but were so boring I did not do them, it had never been necessary for me to deliberately exercise as I cycled and walked everywhere. After two years of exacerbations, on-and-off depression, chronic tiredness and eventually having to resort to a mobility scooter I have found two things that have changed my life. I bought two chickens as pets which rise at dawn and demand attention - 5 am in the morning and to fill the gap between 5am and 7.30am when the neighbours get up I have a cup of coffee and about an hour later do a ten-minute dance session to the Bee Gees - just Google "YouTube 10 Minute Bee Gees Workout". This changes my whole day, afterwards, I have energy, am happy and optimistic, get things done and am far more pleasant to be with. If you need more information tap into "Sounds" and Michael Moseley's broadcasts on the benefits of dancing and also Coffee. I couldn't manage the full 10 minutes the first time but have found that if I work through the "tiredness" barrier at about 3 minutes I get a second wind and can continue much easier. I hope this info helps someone.
Dance - don't just exercise - Lung Conditions C...
Dance - don't just exercise
I like to dance and often do when I’m upstairs in the bathroom. I don’t drink a lot of coffee but when I do it’s decaf. I also have Afib. I will check out You Tube. Enjoy your day and pleased you’ve turned your life around. Xxx
So long as you dancing Carol and not desperate 🤣🤣
I am desperate sometimes! 😂😂😂🩷
Gd coping strategies.perhaps do lung physio/ mucous clearance to music.its the backbone of self care with bronchiectasis.do Yr chickens lay eggs for u xxx
Yes, I have two a day, one is cream and one is dark brown. They are the biggest time waster of all time, I can sit and watch them all day long given a chance they have such a character and I love them to bits. Highly recommended as pets and you don't have to take them for a walk or put down slug deterrent (but you do have to pick up the poo).
It sounds as if you’ve gone through a lot! Thank you for the exercise tips. I will definitely use the Bee Gees dance routine once I’m mobile. I collapsed through exhaustion from caring for my husband for 3 years. I spent 10 weeks in hospital and can only walk with a zimmer frame, but I’m determined to get more mobility back.
I just wanted to say that I totally get the exhaustion caring for a partner. xx I'm in the same position. He is 73 and I am 79. I feel like I'm just a carer, nothing else. I sincerely hope you regain your mobility xx I sometimes wonder how much longer I can be nurse, taxi, cook, housekeeper, secretary, etc. etc. before I keel over.
My husband is 73 too and I’m 67. Unfortunately he’s now in a lovely care home, a decision made by myself and my 3 children. They were responsible for Mike’s care while I was in hospital, and kept telling me I should have told them how hard it was! For the first weeks after I’d come out of hospital life continued as before I went in but with carers 4 times a day because I wasn’t mobile enough to get up and down the stairs to make sure he ate and drank, but he wouldn’t do anything for the carers, so my daughter came to stay so she could do the caring. I had a good chat with my gp - he’s been my gp for over 30 years so knows me well. He pointed out that even once I was mobile I wouldn’t be able to care for Mike as I did. As a family we talked about care homes, and Mike agreed he needed to go somewhere where he could be cared for.
I'm glad that your husband obviously cared enough for you to realise that he needed to be in a care home. Mine says he'd rather end it all than end up in one. Even if he went in one I'd probably have to visit him every day so I'd never get my life back. He was admitted to hospital yesterday evening with chest pains. They can't be too careful as he's had heart problems so when they take him in for a couple of days for observation and tests it gives me a little break. xxx
Sorry you've have this burden. I care for my husband who has dementia and a crumbling knee. It's hard going, isn't it, and there is precious little help out there. I know the 'how much longer can this go on' feeling. Enjoy your break.
Well done it sounds like you’ve got things under control. I use YouTube for dancing there’s loads of 10 minute sessions on there if you want a change from the BeeGees
She does some 20 minute 70's, 80's and 90's sessions as well but I love the buzz the Bee Gees gives me. If you listen to Michael Moseley's broadcast on "Sounds" called Dance there is a release of something when you dance that blocks something in your body (can't remember the name of it) that makes you dozy and your endorphins can then work properly.
You are an inspiration! Chickens are definitely the best pets, I miss my girls daily. Such characters and strangely, really loving! I can't guarantee to be able to get out to look after them anymore so I won't replace them. I was called the "Mad Chicken Lady" by the villagers who could hear me talking to them through the hedge!! You could get them in on your exercise routine, mine loved music and one of them bounced around to it!
I am going to look out some dancercise, normal exercise is way too boring! Thank you for your lovely uplifting post 
xx
My chickens like music too and I always leave the radio on Classic FM when I go out. My neighbour complained to the Council about the noise my chickens made which surprised me as I do not have a cockerel and they are incredibly quiet except for the occasional cackle when the heron comes over. I then realised it wasn't the chickens he was complaining about it was me saying "Good Morning lovely girls" to them when I opened them up in the morning at 5.30am so I keep my voice down now and it seems to have solved the problem. I talk to them all the time during the day however and as you say they are very loving but also demanding - they eat like a horse!
Neighbours eh?! I had one girl who used to escape every day for an hour. I followed her one day and she was going to a lonely lady next door but one for biscuits! She (the lady obviously, not even my chickens could talk!) said how much she looked forward to Rosy's visits at precisely 10.45! Then there were the BBQs, where she would sit on my lap and try to eat the chicken legs, them all racing into the house to shoo away a cat who had dared to come in . . . . . . xx
I have learned so much about chickens since I got them including how to check to see if Blanche (my white chicken) was egg bound by sticking my finger up her bum! Their egg producing and digestive systems which are linked are fascinating.
Oh yes! Been there! Totally fascinating and necessary to know in order to look after them properly and keep them happy. Although a walk round the garden does wonders for their mood and ours xx
What an interesting and smashing post, generating some wonderful replies. I fully endorse the dance of the endorphins!
Good for you. I am still getting a bit better with my breathing and working towards going back to do my exercise bike and bendy thighmaster which I used to do for my upper body I.e. chest. Might help but there's only one way to find out. 😉 so glad your getting there
Just checked out the you tube video. Looks great! Will give it a go when young grandson goes home. Xx
Did the whole 10 in but with difficulty! Should get easier shouldn’t it.
It definitely does. Great news. When do you do it we could do it together and have a Bee Gees exercise class😃
Sound great thank you organic lady I’ll give it a try, the tiredness barrier rings bells, perfect advise. BERNARDINE
well done you you are certainly making the most of what you can do , i had 10 days chained to bed with drip and catheter and have lost most of my mobility. i walk to nearest layground and nearby cricket club and it has helped tremendously over time but life is not the same after covid( just isolation ) all i used to do has gone moved on whatever so have to find other interests .
but i draw the line a chickens and have no where to keep them . my dad kept them when ias young and they are characters and for years my sister had one visit her daily . this chicken lived a field away but was there regularly .
What a wonderfully uplifting post, Organiclady. Thank you for sharing your story. I love chickens, too, fascinating creatures, full of character. My dad used to keep them back when I was young. As you say, it was easy to lose time watching them. As for the dancing, I’m hopelessly uncoordinated but it doesn’t stop me having a go - the cats just put their paws over their eyes😀
All the best to you, TC
Thankyou I find you're post very encouraging I appreciate that
I was interested in the idea of breaking through the tiredness barrier. That's the point when I usually give up.
Brilliant post, OrganicLady, thank you ! I would love to have chickens, its been a long time ambition, but sadly we live next to a lovely railway bank with, from a chicken's point of view, dangerous wildlife, namely foxes. I love them but obvs not compatible with chickens.
I will listen again to Michael Moseley's dancing advice. I currently walk 15' a day with my oxygen and do a session of weight lifting twice a week to combat sarcopenia. Dancing would be a great addition if I can get the energy. Thank you again
Don't give up on the chicken ambition, we have foxes here (I'm on the Isle of Wight). I invested in a secondhand Egloo coop and run and they use that in the evenings, nights and early mornings, I let them out into the garden when I am at home and they love it. They also have an extremely sensitive alarm signal, first they freeze and look in the direction of the danger and then cackle, very loudly. It took me a couple of these alarm calls and some missing fish to realise that there was a heron visiting me which I hadn't seen as it was on my roof. They do the same with any cats that poke their head over the fence.
The dancing seems to give you energy after a while, it is magic, I hope you manage it.
I dance when I lead my singing group Breathe Better Sing Together in south Cheshire. It helps boost the exercise component, as well as being a useful tool to demonstrate tempo changes etc.
Wish we had a group like that here
Have you checked on the ALUK website? There are groups across the UK
Not having any luck put ALUK in search and all I’m getting is aluminium sites ???
Yes, we did tell them when they changed the name after two charities joined together. Here's a link to the search page: asthmaandlung.org.uk/groups...
My apologies for being so stupid my mind was elsewhere I just wasn’t thinking straight. I was on Steroids and antibiotics, running a high temperature and had just been told of a very dear friend who had passed away 😔
Have checked with AL UK before and they verified there wasn’t one in my area but thanks for the suggestion xxx
would love some chickens but don’t have a big enough garden . My neighbours were originally from London, moved to lydney to get away from the rat race and have now moved to a small holding in wales . They are loving life . I have decided tv is off in the day , music on and to keep busy & active. I will try to dance.
I Am on ambulatory oxygen so I think I could dance .
Been up since 2.00am but keeping busy 🤗
Hi Everyone
I decided to "stretch" myself and changed You Tube exercise session from Bee Gees to "The Seventies". It's a while since I have danced to YMCA, great fun, however, this video is 20 minutes long (not a good idea to attempt in this hot weather) and I managed 12 minutes but the music is great. Maybe I can manage longer when it cools down a bit. Definitely worth a try.
I miss dancing the most from my condition. My wife is a very young 62 and misses us heading out for a boogie. I have tried, don't get me wrong, but the puff just isn't thereand the whole breathlessness turning into coughing tornado cycle takes all the fun out of it. Have high hopes for physio starting next month. Will be straight into your recommended BeeGees workout if I can get some kind of breath management going. Thanks for the post.
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