Good morning world. Happy Monday. It’s a dreary one here in NY, raining. That’s ok I was home today anyway. I am about to doing of my exercise programs and I’m still deciding which one to do. I might let my aid pick since I force her to exercise with me when I exercise in the house. Sometimes I purposely don’t go swimming because I want her to exercise. However I have to admit something about swimming, it’s been getting difficult. Not the swimming part, that part I love. It is everything else. It is getting out of the pool, showering right after and changing. The tasks are becoming so hard I’ve avoided the pool and opted to do my other exercise programs.

Getting out of the pool started becoming so hard that my aid actually had, on more than one occasion, come onto the pool steps to lift my feet. I couldn’t get myself up the steps to get out of the water. I wish there was one of those hydro chair lifts like some pools have but my condo doesn’t have that. Not enough people use the pool and there certainly isn’t enough handicap accessible people that would warrant the equipment. Every time I’ve made it back into my wheelchair I always did so with a sigh of relief and a frustration at the effort. Yet I still have to shower and get dressed and my energy level is beyond exceeded. I am spent for the day unable to do much of anything. Especially as the evening sets in and I’m alone. I haven’t given up on the pool by any means but what was once my primary source of exercise can’t be anymore.

I have turned back to my Zumba and various exercises through Beachbody https://www.beachbody.com/. I’ve been a member for many years and own many videos. I love the on Demand and have the App on my TV. I have recently added weighted gloves to my workouts and track everything on my Apple Watch. I still fatigue after a workout but I recover in my chair before a shower or even moving. I may still be knocked out by the evening from the exercise but I am certainly less fatigued then swimming. I’ve had to make concessions.

It doesn’t get easier but I am determined as I’ve always been to push forward and not give in to Multiple Sclerosis. I make the necessary adjustments to make working out work for me through every stage of my disease. I will still be in the pool but hour long swims are probably not happening. I will be able to swim but only up to a point where my body isn’t too fatigued. Like everything else I have to accept and adapt this activity too.