KevRider

Stroke Survivor - male
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  1. KevRider

    Project

    By KevRider,

    Well this week I can't identify any actual improvements. Of course they can be so subtle now I have to pay attention to spot one. I do catch my self slipping back to my safe walk and find myself having to coach myself , like "Come on a bit faster" as I continue to move more as I used to. This week I have been involved with installing a big drum composter. The screwing of nuts onto bolts was an exercise they used to have me do in rehab, and I found I was flashing back to that as i had to do it a lot in this project. It certainly showed up a slight deficiency in fine motor skills in my left fingers. But I'm sure the practice did some good. The final lift of drum onto stand and its adjustment was a heavy lift and I paid the price in some stiffness yesterday. still a lot of motion in the assembly and no headiness to talk off and it was very satisfying to be back doing a real project again. 🙂
    Here we have the stand up and leveled. Below the final product.
    I am so overdue for a hair cut!!
  2. KevRider

    Pushing for Normal

    By KevRider,

    Those who may have read last weeks blog will know i'm pushing for normal. Generally its been working great! i'm estimating about an 85% rate and it feels good when I get it right as for a few minutes I fell no deficits. The slight down side it that occasionally on rougher ground i lose a little balance. and may stagger slightly for a stride or 2 it challenges my balance and may induce a little headiness. but I have not taken a fall yet, and believe that balance challenge is probably good neuro plastics learning anyhow.
    My horse came up lame 5 days ago so no riding for a few days, but took him for a quiet walk yesterday an he is sound again.
    Quarantine while... pottering in the garden and hoop house and walking regularly on the treadmill where i have increased the grade to 4.5%. I t seems to make me flex joints more than being flat.
    Hers a pic of a greens bed which is supplying Arugula and lettuce for salads.

    The pic at the top was flowering sweet potatoes which are harvested as close to the first frost as I dare  Cheers Kev
  3. KevRider

    Balance

    By KevRider,

    My recent attempts to push for normal seem to be paying off. Most of my motion lately is normal, though I still have to concentrate on doing it. Often the first couple of steps may be slightly lacking, but then i push a little, focus and its back again. This recently re-learned motion gets me into new areas of balance challenge. But only small ones which trigger a little headiness for just a moment and I seem to be learning how to re-balance and haven't been anywhere near falling yet.
    Control of my left arm ahs improved so much I have decided that my riding is good enough to restart training. I had just started the half pass when I stroked. So we started again last week.:)
    I also felt strong enough to do some heavier work, re-arranging some heavy fence panels.
    Veggie's keep growing and bed is processing and storing some, others are still going to friends , see pic below:-

  4. KevRider

    Breaking Habits

    By KevRider,

    This week its been harder to note specific improvement. Rather I seem to have realized that I may have to push beyond habits i've fallen into. I had started , and continue to run back from barn to the house every morning after feeding the horses. Yet I realized that I walk in a very steady and cautious way which has now served me for several months. One evening my wife was calling me to the bathroom to take meds and I realized I use to walk much faster in such circumstance. I increased stride and speed and had no problem! t wasn't like when I push to relearn a muscle use. I t was more like the natural movement was there waiting for me to return to it.
    I am making a resolution to day to try to move , in all things, like i used to. If nothing else I think it we redefine where my limits are.
    As Cober says; Quarantine while we continue to work in the hoop house every day which also stretches and challenges my balance. Is pretty much in full production in there.

    The first of the cucumbers have just arrived and out in the garden egg-plant abounds with sweet peppers coming soon. We are producing so much at the moment that time can't process it all so we have been feeding 5 other house holds. We pakage it up put in on a table in the garage and they come and collect it as we are still maintaining a high level of isolation.

    Thats it for this week.
  5. KevRider

    Running

    By KevRider,

    Improvement these days is in subtle increments and easily over looked. My fist consistent walk of  the day is over to the barn to feed the horses and I always use this to gauge progress. This morning I was most of the way to the barn when I realized I was thinking about something completely different and just walking naturally. Most of the time since the stoke I have to concentrate on every step I take.
    Another thing I added to my routine is I now run back from the barn , a distance of some 50meters. it actually feels more like my old self when I run as opposed to walking.
    Additionally when I do my daily treadmill exercise, I started increasing the incline just to 3% but a good start.
    Otherwise the week has passed in Covid isolation in the usual way. Ride it weather permits and gardening to follow and finish the work with a cup'o tea.

    For those more observant you will notice the beards gone. I started growing this in rehab after the stroke as my muscle spasmodity was so bad I was dangerous with a razor. LOL
    All for this week Kev
  6. KevRider

    Harvesting

    By KevRider,

    So this week I engaged in more work around the house and garden with some significant results. I offered to help with vacuuming the house. The to and thro motion of this induces a strange headiness as I transferred weight from one foot to the other. Later my walking changed to a longer stride and during my first walk of the day, which id from house to barn to feed horses, the walk felt vary natural and indistinguishable from my pre-stroke walk. It still gets a little wobbly as the day goes on and I become tired at the end of the day.
    We have also been doing a lot of harvesting and i have bee a lot more active in this.  The bending and pulling seems to be bringing more core muscles on line , though I pay for my efforts with muscular stiffness the next day. Also the other day I was harvesting potatoes with a fork and found i could actually balance on my left leg and drive the fork into the ground with my right and balance all forces concerned. Had I tried that a couple of weeks ago I would probably ended up on my *beep*.
    I still tire more easily that before but my stamina still continues to improve.
    Picture below show potatoes harvested. That's a few meals there. Lead pic is white egg plants, zucchini and winter squash. 
     

  7. KevRider

    Just another week.

    By KevRider,

    Well with Arizona been a Covid hot spot we continue our isolation, now almost 5 months. Days slide one into the other we have to mark them with meals to help keep track, Spaghetti Sunday, Wednesday Pizza and 'Friesday'. Can't complain to much were almost set up for it. I think about 60% of what we are eating comes off our land. We have plenty y of space to ride in the morning, in fact we have over 2miles of track on our own property. My stamina is slowly coming back. Used to be when I rode it was about it for the morning and I needed to sit and re-coup. The last few days after riding I have energy to do mini projects like we are trying to re-seed one of the horse pastures or working the green house. My headiness is mostly absent nd seems to be associated with balance. It comes back with new post stroke movement, like bending over and reaching for tomatoes often triggers it. I have become award that bad movements are left as somewhat of a habit. For example if i step off with my right leg I tend to swing the left thru like back at rehab when learning to walk again. So I'm triyng to take my first step with the left and subsequent steps then seem to follow more naturally. Other than that another quiet week.
  8. KevRider
    Well on Thursday last I was moving a bail of hay , which had fallen weirdly and jammed in position. I lifted with my legs but had my elbow bent slightly. Just as it started to move I felt my forearm muscles tear like breaking old sting.  The felling was sickening , both mentally and physically! So that led to 3 days off nursing the arm. Its been getting better each day but  is still to tender to risk riding. I did get back to the treadmill. On a better note I have been lengthening my walking stride back to its old level. The monsoon is on us here with heavy cloud cover through the night which keeps the temp up around 68F which is warn as we are at 5,600ft and night are usually down at 50F. Days are cooler with cloud like 80F -compared with 100F for a clear day. We are looking at thunder storms to day and lots of rain hopefully 🙂
    Harvest is abundant. We are harvestin about 10lb of tomatoes every other day along with some quash and greens. This week the grapes joined in 🙂
    Cheers Kev 
  9. KevRider

    Tomatoes

    By KevRider,

    So actually had to go out this week! We get our income form a few rentals and we had a tenant leave so we had to go out to assess clean up needs, which included taking a traitor of junk to the dump. So some interaction with others hopefully at a safe distance, wearing masks and gloves.  It felt good to be out and about but I was somewhat nervous in the interactions. Its good to be mobile enough again that I can do a lot of tasks required .,but I must admit I hired 2 guys to help with the heavy loading.
    Got lots of riding in the mornings this week and kept up regular walking on the treadmill. Noticed that getting out the small car was done naturally as of old compare with the way i got out for the first few weeks where I had to pull my self out with me arms. so still seeing small improvements.
    The garde is coming on, supplying squash, lettuce nd tomatoes. The latter suddenly coming into full yield. We have so much that we give lots away to our friends. Below yesterdays haul.

  10. KevRider

    Great Weather

    By KevRider,

    This week is one of those gaps in the weather pattern. Usually spring is windy by mid mornings so we have to ride very early while its still chilly. This week however we have had lovely sunny mornings with no wind so been riding a little later. My left leg is still a little weak but its finally strong enough to posh him side ways so I've actually got back to the traing I was doing just before my stoke, the half pass. Done correctly the horse moves both forward and side ways, crossing his legs over at the front and back with his head turned in the direction he's going. He s far from perfect at the moment but he's getting the idea. My movement in the saddle is improving but giving me a few stiff muscles as it seems i'm using them in a new way.
    I've also noticed an improvement in balance, especially when i step out the bath tub. What was a transfer of weight I used to rush to get both feet on the ground is now done at a more leisurely pace. So it nice to keep improving even if slowly,
    The traing moves take a goodly amount of effort so Deb and I have been indulging in a tea break most morning, just enjoying the garden, and regaining energy before doing the treadmill.
    We keep the place a little wild with lots of local wild flowers to encourage pollinators.
    Arizona is having a massive increase in Corvid19 so we are still isolating.
    That's it for this week! Kev
  11. KevRider
    So Wednesday around again so soon.! This week seems to be an odd job week. Which is in itself a good thing. These projects are quiet tiring as my stamina is far from what it used to me but I can balance, climb ladders (carefully ) and am dexterous enough again to handle power tools. Its also the anniversary of my stroke so its been a year. This time last year I was making a bucket list as I was not sure I would last much longer! I made Monument Valley & Carlsbad Caverns before the virus grounded me. Well onwards on day at a time.
     
    Project 1; was due to Deb having to go to the Post Office so often for little parcels, so she purchased a larger mail box and then I had to install it.

     
    Project 2; the solar system started overloading as the A/c kicks in ., but only in the hottest part of the day. So the system is mounted in a small shed , some 300 m away. So I fitted a wind turbine on the roof and put Styrofoam sheets of insulation on the wall and ceiling. The metal shed was very hot even at 9am this morning so hopefully it will help. Were hitting the mid 90s now.

     
    I've never figured out why in the middle of a semi arid deserts we see toads I 'm surprised the AZ sun doesn't roast them.
    Meanwhile getting in some riding and daily treadmill  for 20mins.
     
  12. KevRider

    A year on.

    By KevRider,

    A quiet week. Its been very windy so have passed the time more indoors. Arizona is having a major relapse with the Corona virus so we aren't going anywhere for a while. Perhaps even a long while! I was entertaining my self with planning a trip to the UK and Paris which we have been intending to take with Deb's parents for their 50th Wedding Anniversary next June 2021. Then yesterday we heard the Americans won't be allowed to fly to Europe! At the rate we are going we could still have that problem next year!
    My activity this week has been little beyond my usual 20 mins a day treadmill, so it hard to notice any improvement. So since we have just passed my stroke 1st anniversary I thought I'd give myself a reality check. My headiness (like beinga bit drunk) which was with me in rehab constantly has all but disappeared and is only around when I initiate a sudden move. My walking still takes a major effort both muscles and mental focus but most people don't notice any thing. I can even balance on my left (previously paralyzed) leg for several seconds Here is the pic from rehab when I could not walk at all, I hated this rig!!

    So I need to keep  sense of relativity and gratitude. I 'm pretty lucky to be alive!! 
    BTW title pic is me and my therapist in the pool at rehab a year ago.
  13. KevRider

    Medicare

    By KevRider,

    Its kind of sad when the most interesting topic of my week was applying for Medicare. I was covered by Deb ACA before but as she approached her 65th we have to convert over. One of the affects of getting older is that our health insurance just doubled! That seems a little crazy and even more so from some one who was brought up with Universal healthcare. Meanwhile our Blue Cross insurance still has not settled my bills form my stroke.  'Reduce your stress.' they tell me at Mayo then had me a bill for $208,000 because the insurance denied the claim because they air lifted me out of net work.  Well after nearly a year of claim review I got it down to $2,400. I made the decision that dealing with these guys every month was more stress than it was worth so I have decided to pay it myself but over the coming year at $200 per month which I can easily afford.
    Medicare part a and B and drugs part D and supplemental insurance! Why is it so complicated? Just the people to administer this must drive the price up! 
    Enough! This weeks improvement realization is that I lift my 28lb saddle up as easily as I used to. When I came back from rehab , my left arm was so week that I could just get it on my horse but would often knock his saddle blankets out of line. The other day I realized I could lift and suspend for a while above his back before descending squarely on his blankets.
    Too windy today to ride, but have a good week of chilly but sunny morning to ride.
    The tomatoes are coming on line typically 5 per day and increasing. First squash also and of course lots of greens. Doing a couple of hours a day pottering in the garden.
    Arizona has a substantial increase in the rate of Corvid infections, so Deb and I are still maintaining a very strict isolation protocol. 
    Days are Ride, Garden, treadmill and TV punctuated by zoom meetings with friends. They now sip into one another; almost forgot It was Wednesday!

  14. KevRider
    Little to note on the physical recovery this week. I haven't noticed any improvements but advancements are slight at this stage. On the other hand I have noticed a reduction in my ability to contain emotions across the full scale. This has been true since my stroke but seems to have been exacerbated by events around the Black Lives Matter protests. So I have been a bit down this week. I went looking for some comic relief  and found on Netflix 'Douglas' which was a show by an Australian comedian which was funny but I found hilarious.  also found it hard to contain to the point on laughing so hard I had trouble breathing!
    The virus continues to climb here in Arizona so Deb & I are still isolating, the days are generally coffee, breakfast , ride, garden, Treadmill, lunch, Tv and dinner then sleep, Repeat !
    The weather did a first yesterday and froze after June 1st. killing a lot of outside plants it took out a bed of squash but weirdly left one unharmed. That was a major set back! By contrast the hoop house is growing into a jungle providing lots of greens and tomatoes are starting to come in strong. Tending the plants challenges my balance and can induce some headiness but for the most part the early headiness has all but disappeared.

  15. KevRider

    Turmoil

    By KevRider,

    I find the level of turmoil in the USA rather disturbing and it tends to affect my mood. So there's little I can do about that so I try and remember to enjoy each fay and that I almost left the planet.
    Things are growing rapidly now and we are already eating produce from the hoop house. Our first tomato was harvested this week , we ate it separate from any other food. The flavor was intense after a winter of shop bought ones. Many green ones will soon ripen and follow. Gardening still takes it out of me and often challenges my balance but the headiness of old has all but disappeared. 
    6 months ago I had written off gardening completely.
    I still have moments of improvements, like mounting the other day I swung into my saddle more like old times and realized that my left leg was function like old and yesterday I stepped into a pair of pants without supporting myself on a wall, just balanced on eac leg in turn and stepped into them!
    Of course writing this blog makes me review these little things which build steadily to a pretty full recovery.
    I ride and garden each day weather allowing, which is most days now as we have some lovely mornings sunny and cool before it gets to hot. Were in the 90s now in the afternoon.
    Im very regular on the treadmill at 3mph for 20 mins, but have been shying away from the weight scales. I should wear a mask more not for safety but to stop my snacking!

     
  16. KevRider

    Warm

    By KevRider,

    At 5500ft we can get freezes as late as May 28th. but it looks like we are clear now.  47F this morning and we will go to 80s lter in the day, Every thing is blooming and the nest built in our chicken coop is now home to newly hatched chics.

    My stamina seams to be increasing slightly as I get thru more in the day with less breaks. Some lovely sunny mornings which are prefect for long rides.  Recovery is small increments now and realizations. Like I went to mount the other morning and I swung into the saddle just like pre-stroke. I hit the saddle and realized 'oh that was familiar!'
    The time of the year takes us into the garden as irrigation has to be installed for the plants going form pots in the hoop house into the ground out side.  Growing is observable on a daily basis now. 
    At the beginning of the year I didn't think I would be gardening this year but here I am already harvesting greens and our first tomatoes are ripening off. Growth is every where.
    Even after riding and working in the garden I still have energy left to hit the treadmill. That wasn't so last month. These incremental improvements keep my spirits up and my consciousness of them is facilitated by this blog.
  17. KevRider

    OK Bored Now

    By KevRider,

    So the Governor's Stay Home Edict has now expired in Arizona but out covid-19 numbers are still steadily going up, so Deb an I are just staying home. We have a lot to be grateful for.
    1. We are retired and so I don't have to work.
    2 Our income is still pretty steady.
    3 We don't have to go out much , perhaps once a week tp put trash in the dumpster and pick up mail parcels.
    4 we are on a 40 acre, with 2 miles of track for riding the horses.
    5 We have a hoop house to play in and get some of our food from it.
    6 I'm still alive and so we have each other.
    We've been doing a lot of work in the garden , which tends to use up my energy by 10am each day.  So we recoup over a cup of tea. (how British)
    Its hard to gage small improvement in recovery but there again the ability to take on more strenuous tasks is sign of improvement on its own. The work puts me in physical position that not always easy and challenging my balance. But I suspect that challenge is in itself helping my brain get better control of my body.
     
    Only did treadmill twice this week but am staying occupied.
    Cheers Kev
     
  18. KevRider

    Critter nets

    By KevRider,

    So the days slip into each other. I loose track of which is which. I couldn't tell you my regime any more I ride when the weather is good, work in the garden and walk on the treadmill it i'm not too tired. I haven't been here to the chat room for a while as it seems everyone does zoom at 1pm . Perhaps I 'll make it to day. There little improvement to note this week but the gardening pits me in more diverse movement and challenges my balance, which I think is a good thing. After my stroke I found I had more trouble containing emotions. That become more normal but I had a funky time a couple of days ago, it seemed to be triggered by a man shooting a shop security guard in the head because she wouldn't let him in to a store not wearing a mask. I couldn't get my head around that!
    I had to force myself to focus on the things I was grateful for. We are producing eggs and greens in huge quantity and it was nice to be able to share some of the excess with friends. We didn't see them they just drove by and picked then up out of the garage. So far every thing has been in the hoop house,. But this week were planting outside. We can have frost as late as May31 here so squash plant s were covered by walls of water. Lettuce had to go under nets and shade cloth otherwise it becomes a buffet for the bunnies.
     
  19. KevRider
    May day marking the advent of spring, brought temperature in the 80s this week, but with high winds. The mornings although still chilly at high 40s were sunny and not much wind, so its been a week of riding a lot. Some very long trots posting left muscles a bit fatigued but it was good to be riding out again.  The dog enjoys it too!

    Been working in the green house also where irrigation problems literally had me on my knees, as the electric are below ground. Working on my knees seemed to put me in positions I would not normally use and the challenged to my balance and induce some headiness and fatigued me more rapidly. My left arm is still unsteady but better than last fall.  My riding is still a little bumpy and it suggests that my core muscles still need to recover. Headiness has diminished to where its just lurking in the background.
    Lunches are usually salads form my own green house which is cool. Recover now is more subtle but identifiable as old challenges get to performed naturally. 
    Wed: Ride & treadmill
    Thur: Ride and garden
    Fri: Ride and treadmill
    Sat: Ride & garden
    Sun: Ride & garden
    Mon Ride and Garden
    Tue: Ride and garden
    Weight same same. too much snacking. BP 158/88 
  20. KevRider

    Asparagus & Irises

    By KevRider,

    So very suddenly were approaching summer. Yesterday we were up in the 80's and this morning was the first day of the year that the heating didn't come on. Flowers and trees are blooming all over the place. Iris are adding color to the garden. We have so much asparagus that we are giving it away to neighbors( Well not directly, we leave it at the gate) 

    The warner weather keeps drawing me outside to ride and garden. OF course being me I tend to over do it so lifting a few heavier thins Saturday resulted in my left (previously paralyzed ) arm straining a muscle and forcing Sunday off. Recovery seems to continue not notably every day more in cases of  something changing. Like my walking has been very good the other day I found I was weaving a bit and realized that where as before I would have to concentrate on each step I was walking more naturally without that focus and would therefore take the odd miss step, but also corrected the misbalance naturally 🙂 The headiness is pretty minimal and only present in exaggerated motion. So subtle but definite improvement. Stay safe guys!.
    Wed: treadmill
    Thu: treadmill
    Fri: Gardening
    Sat:Gardening
    Sun :Ouch  Day off
    Mon: Gardening
    Tue: Gardening & treadmill
    Ave BP 155/88 That's pretty normal for me at the moment weight 189 lb 
  21. KevRider

    SALADS & ZOOM

    By KevRider,

    Well last weeks record of 40mins at 3 mph was not exactly by intent. I walk watching cold West Wing episodes and loss track of time.  Paid or it with some soreness next day so I kicked back. I returned to exercise Thursday for 20 mins. I should have waited longer! I strained the same muscle and ended   up having to take 3 days to get out of pain. In fact I've decide to take the week off the treadmill. Even so the week wasn't all off as we cleaned out the chicken coop. We deep litter this so it only need digging out once a year and the digging went into the compost. It was good to be able to do some effective work. My headiness is not ascent most of the time 🙂 It does return when I challenge my balance with less usual movement ; like digging out coops where you have to work bending over.
     
    The hoop house is now providing green in abundance and it the time of year where we eat a lot of salads. It finally warm so we are riding more to. Being in the saddle is also a gage of progress and we ve been doing long trots at the post which is pushing my stamina and I must admit I m a bit wobbly when I get off and back on the ground. So busy that we hardly notice the isolation and weve ben zooming with quite a few friends including Deb's brother in Saudi. They are in house isolation no going out at all except a shopping trip for which you have to get an appointment!
     
    Wed:Recoup
    Thu: treadmill
    Fri: Ouch
    Sat:Ouch
    Sun: Day off
    Mon: Chicken coop
    Tue: Gardening
    Ave BP 156/82 That's pretty normal for me at the moment weight 189 lb 
  22. KevRider
    It seems zoom is becoming a regular thing in my life for all sorts of meetings the last one just before I wrote this with my in-laws in Saudi Arabia. There on total lock down except for shopping by appointment and of course no one argues with the King. The headiness has reduce to mild back ground now and I hardly notice it. I made a personal best on the treadmill on Monday at 40mins at 3 mph. I paid for that the following day with muscle soreness on my left leg sufficient to leave me limping around, kinda felt like I had gone back to a couple of month ago. 
    Ive been doing work in the hoop house where the first tomato has started to form:-

    These pics always insert so big!!
    DEb has been cooking up a storm; her own bread and some cookies , which definitely didn't help the weight.
    Safe & isolated, hope yall are the same
    Wed: Riding & Treadmill
    Thu: Riding & treadmill
    Fri: Treadmill & gardening
    Sat: Treadmill
    Sun: Day off
    Mon: Treadmill & gardening
    Tue: hurting took day off
    Ave BP 155/87 That's pretty normal for me at the moment weight 189 lb  😞
  23. KevRider

    Spring

    By KevRider,

    So the use of the treadmill seems to be paying off. For most of the day I can walk around and no one would notice anything wrong and I don't have to focus on movements it starts to fall off a bit as I get tired and wobbly. Also the headiness is absent around only when I make more exaggerated movement. The weather has got warmer so spending some time in the garden and on horse back, but later in the day the wind blows me back inside. 

    We are now harvesting greens as above and had our first asparagus stem (just one) bleow

    Got a bit grumpy yesterday have to watch that. Keep the post strike attitude that Im lucky to be alive!!!
    Wed: Riding & Treadmill
    Thu: Riding & treadmill
    Fri: Treadmill & gardening
    Sat: Treadmill
    Sun: Day off
    Mon: Treadmill & gardening
    Tue: Shipment unloading
    Ave BP 156/86 i'm on prescribed hyperBP weight 182 lb 🙂
     
     
  24. KevRider

    Water is Life

    By KevRider,

    Sill in isolation so tending to use my treadmill as I cant get out, Walking has suddenly become more balanced, only limping slightly when tired. So Im trying to build up the leg muscles and my stamina which is still far from my old levels. My headiness has reduced some and seems to be associate with balance in new or unusual motion. For example I had to go down om my knees while checking tire pressure this weekend, not a usual position and the headiness was induced. One of the community wells in the Navajo nation failed so they were out of water. Found out during a regular lunch meeting with friends which we converted to Zoom. They were going to buy water! Fortunately  I had a 275 gall tank I use when travelling with our horses and a another 55 gal. So I set up a trailer and filled it from my well.  A guy came early Monday and I had left the rig by our gate so o need for contact and he drove it up to the reservation. Felt good to help but better that I was capable of physically doing the work to prepare the rig.
     
    Wed:Treadmill
    Thu:Treadmill
    Fri: Treadmill
    Sat: Prepareded Water Rig
    Sun: Filled rig
    Mon: Day off
    Tue: Treadmill (40min at 2.8 mph)
    weight: 186 lbs (-4 😁) bp 5day ave 147/83 😀
  25. KevRider

    Weather Break

    By KevRider,

    Finally a break in the weather ! After a hard winter here we seem to have entered spring. There's an ornamental pear tree that w use as a kid of indicator and its starting to bloom. Spring has high wind but they come later in the day. So there is a gap early morning where the sun is shining and temperature are above freezing so I got a few rides in. Seem the yoga and physio therapies have paid off! I am riding passably, doing best since my stoke. I still finding my posting trot rather bumpy as my muscle coordination is still a bit off so im not quite with the horses motion. Im much more in the saddle now but paying a price for all this in muscle aches later. I use these things to judge my recovery, like my left leg is becoming more effective, when I rode in the fall it was just along for the ride hanging there! 
    After riding, the wind doesn't stop us working in the hoop house, so Deb and I have been doing lots of starts. Riding and gardening test my stamina which though improved I far from its pre-stroke level so by 2pm ( I get up like 4am) I crash in front of the TV wit a cup of tea.  My exercise regime suffers wit my energy going else where but I don't worry about that as im active most of the light hours.
    Wed:treadmill
    Thu: day off
    Fri: treadmill
    Sat: Ride & gardening
    Sun: Ride & gardening
    Mon: Ride & gardening
    Tue: Ride & gardening
    Ave BP 151/86 weight 190