I am very slowly getting some strength. The key word there is slowly. I knew I would need to have a lot of patience. I just thought maybe there would be a little muscle memory. Unfortunately, my problem was because of muscle atrophy, not muscle weakness. It is not so easy to rebuild muscle 24 years into your multiple sclerosis life. I couldn’t maintain the muscle I had before I ended up in the hospital. My disability always got worse each year. Trust me, I exercised all the time, trying to maintain those muscles. If anything, I believe my exercising kept my disability better than if I did nothing. That is why I am grateful that I have at least have been able to use my Bionic Gym again. I am once again sweating again increasing my heart rate.

Speaking of heart rate, mine has been very high. My vitals were so screwy when I was in the hospital. My blood oxygen was almost always fine, even though I had a pneumonia. My fevers raged. My blood pressure, which is normally around 110/70, had readings of 90/56. My heart rate was easily 120. I never felt dizzy or felt like my heart was racing but that was the crazy numbers. I thought it was maybe the IV antibiotics causing the crazy readings. The three doctors I was seeing daily never even discussed it because the pneumonia was the pressing issue. I didn’t worry. I’d rather have low blood pressure than high. I just thought the heart rate would come back in line when all the medication was done.

I came home and was still taking the oral antibiotics for another month. My heart rate was still running high. However, my blood pressure didn’t seem to have those really low dips anymore. I once again thought my heart rate would come back down. I have months and months of tracking information on my heart rate from my Apple Watch. You can see the actual date when my heart rate raised. I’ve looked at this tracking numerous times because my heart rate has never come down. It isn’t as high as it was in the hospital but it is still about an average of 107. My resting heart rate which was in the low 70 is now around 99. I don’t understand why.

I don’t particularly trust my doctor therefore I have not called her. I also wouldn’t be able to get to the doctor’s office these days. I have a list of doctors that actually come to the house. I will change my primary physician at that point. I decided to start meditating again hoping to bring down the number. I also hope that using the Bionic Gym will also help. Once again as my body slowly gets stronger, I’ll move more to help with all my vital signs. My slow recovery journey