Ready! Set! Pass Out!

You can't turn your back on the clock, 

But you sure can wind it up again.

                                                      Author Unkown

Well, what can I say my first outing to the gym was, hmm, an experience.  I seem to be having a lot of these lately. But, I'm still smiling and learning!  We went to the gym yesterday and I started off on the treadmill.  It's hard to know where to gauge how fast you should be walking so I started a 2 miles an hour and eventually moved it to 2.5.  Seemed like a good pace for the energy level I had.  I walked 30 minutes.  Boy I was really getting tired in the last 5 but was determined to make it to the end.

I rested a minute, took some water and went to the weights, as I'd said before I'd been cleared for these by Dr. Speakman as long as I started way low and worked myself back up.  I did the one for low back which basically you just sit in the chair and lean back, it really helps my lower back.  I usually do it at the 4 or 5 weight level and I started at 1 which was nothing so moved to 2.  I only did three sets of 10, very minimal or so I thought.

I tried a couple of other machines and the weight was just too much yet even at 1 or 0.  So I moved to one where you just push the arms up and down and it goes forward and back as you do it, I did it with no weights and still it was hard.  Wow I need to build my strength.

I moved on to what I would call the butterfly, I'm not a good gym person so I have no idea the real name is.  You sit facing forward grab the arms with your hands and pull them forward. Well about that time Paul showed up and said he thought I'd done enough for one day and that's when it hit.  The room started swimming and the blacks spots started growing.  Oh Lordy I wasn't going to pass out was I????

I made it to the bench where my water and towel was and hung my head deep breathing and talking to myself.  You're gonna be fine, you're gonna be fine, you know that power of positive thinking! Paul must have been watching because it seemed like no time he was there just telling me to take deeps breathes.

Nothing seemed to work the elevator stood not 10 feet straight in front of us and yet I knew I couldn't make it to the lower floor without landing on the floor myself.  The stairs were an absolute NO WAY!

After about 15-20 minutes we talked to one of the office guys who was with one of the maintenance people and asked if they had a wheel chair.  I thought Paul could push me to the car.  Now for any of you that know me you will know I really had to be desperate to even consider such a thing.  I began to think I was going to have to lay down on the bench the room was still acting like an ocean and the spots were still floating every which way.

The guy said they didn't the other guy said perhaps they should call the paramedics.  Amazing what fear can do as I adamantly said NO WAY!!!  I asked if he could walk on one side while Paul walked on the other and get me down the elevator.  Directly in front of the elevator on the first floor is another bench I headed to it still upright.  We waited while the gym guy ran back upstairs for a moment and I caught my breath and tried to reassure myself I WAS NOT going to pass out.  They helped me to the lobby as Paul ran out and moved the car to directly in front of the doors.  

The gym guy had disappeared and by this time I felt confident to make it to the car on my own.  I rolled the window down and stuck my head out just like a doggy.  Paul helped me inside and I flopped in the recliner as he parked the car in the garage and then he helped me to the bed. I crashed!  Two and a half hours later I emerged a little shaky but back to myself again.

Then I got the lecture you are just overdoing it, you have to take it easier, you can't do as much so soon.  Well, geez it didn't seem like that much.  But I had been sick the two days prior and I know I didn't get my water in so probably a mild case of dehydration with minimal food doesn't allow a lot of stamina for a person of my size to exercise.

All I could think about was what if I had passed out, what if they had called the paramedics what if, what if, what if.  SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I guess going forward I will go slower, I will pace myself better.  I can't remember the last time I was this dizzy, if ever.  And let me tell you I would have been mortified to have passed out at the gym. So slower, in my case, is better at least for now.

I haven't gotten on the scales this morning, waiting until I pop in the shower but come on after all this wouldn't you think they'd be kind enough to budge a little?????