Alligatorob's Diary

[alligatorob]

Yesterday was not a bad day, but I was up late and did not get around to posting till this morning. I ate reasonably, too many corn chips at dinner and I ordered a fajita salad that was not much salad, mostly beans, meat, and grease. Ate less than half of it, made for a happy dog when we got home. Calories were not bad.

Cycling while standing up and/or going as hard as you can against high resistance is 100% not what people are talking about when they say cycling is good for your knees. But if it doesn't hurt afterwards (your knees, not just tired muscles) you should be ok.

Thanks Llama, I don't use much resistance at all, only turn it up a bit to stand. Standing does hurt my knees a little while doing it, but not afterwards. That's a big contrast to before surgery, after standing on the bike my knees hurt for days... Actually nothing I do now seems to hurt my knees for long, evenings are the worst, its mostly gone by morning. And the worst is slowly getting better.

Unless physical therapists aren't legally considered healthcare providers or they have permission from the people they talk about it's at least a clear HIPAA violation.

Of course physical therapists are considered healthcare providers, probably the same as where you are. You seem to know our laws better than I do, and you are probably right about the HIPAA violation. It's hard not to talk about people in the setting, the physical therapy gym is small and a bit of a social gathering. All that I can recall has been positive, about how well so and so is doing, usually mixed with talk of things outside of therapy, kids, vacations, church, etc. This place is 90+% Mormon so all social talk involves church things, except with me, LOL. I think that helps people more than hurts.

 

[alligatorob]

Struggling a little this morning, I find not going to the gym makes it harder. It's a little after 10 am and I am at about 400 calories, not awful, but I want more...

I am finding these postings during the day help.

 

[liza3]

Struggling a little this morning, I find not going to the gym makes it harder. It's a little after 10 am and I am at about 400 calories, not awful, but I want more...

I am finding these postings during the day help.

Good for you posting and noticing the struggle Rob--wishing you strength as you move on with your day....

 

[Llama]

400 calories by 10 am sounds fine to me. Stay the course, friend!

And the worst is slowly getting worse.

Worse?

It's hard not to talk about people in the setting, the physical therapy gym is small and a bit of a social gathering.

And that's exactly why they shouldn't. It wouldn't be a problem if nobody knew who they were talking about. Especially in a close social setting anything people want others to know about themselves they can tell them personally.
Generally it probably isn't a problem but it's a lot easier to never tell people about your patients than to stop and think whether or not each specific instance is ok. And possibly risk legal trouble when you guess wrong.

 

[alligatorob]

Worse?

A purely (I think) unintentional typo. Now corrected:

And the worst is slowly getting better.

And that's exactly why they shouldn't.

That makes sense, but it doesn't work that way in our small town environment. Another example is my doctor, GP, he is a lifelong friend of the trainer I use in the gym. They talk all the time, about me and I suspect a lot of other people. He knows how often I go to the gym, without my telling him. Don't think he gives away any deep dark secrets... not that I have any. Maybe its partly the Mormon culture where to some extent people are supposed to watch each other and report problems to others... Any I can't change it, and so far it seems harmless enough to me.

Good for you posting and noticing the struggle Rob--wishing you strength as you move on with your day....

Thanks Liza, back doing it again. Getting ready for lunch, nothing planned will have to scrounge a bit...

 

[Llama]

We're generally allowed to exchange information about patients with other healthcare providers, so if the laws are similar they may be perfectly fine talking to your GP. That said: most therapists don't stick to the rules here either. And it annoys me so much! But that might be because it was considered a lot more important back home.

Glad "worse" was a typo! I assumed it was but I wanted to make sure.

How's the food situation developing today?

 

[Cate]

It does sound like how things used to be in a small community. Does anyone try to convert you, Rob? Is the gym shut on Sundays (& Saturdays)? Hope you got through Sunday relatively unscathed.

 

[alligatorob]

Well I got through the day without a binge, can't say I feel great about my food, but its not terrible. No exercise today, not even much PT. I try to take Sundays off. Have to say my knees feel a lot better tonight after a day off.

We're generally allowed to exchange information about patients with other healthcare providers, so if the laws are similar they may be perfectly fine talking to your GP. That said: most therapists don't stick to the rules here either. And it annoys me so much! But that might be because it was considered a lot more important back home.

It's the trainer at the gym the GP talks to. Maybe she would be considered a healthcare professional, but I had not thought so. Oh well, no big deal, if asked I probably would have given permission. I do however believe people should be able to rely on confidentiality with health care folks, for some people I think that makes them more willing to talk about their conditions...

Made it through the day ok, not the best but no binge. Thanks for asking!

Does anyone try to convert you, Rob?

Yes and no, the Mormons are pretty organized about it and I am sure have a file on me that says "watch for now" or something like that. We do get visited on occasion by members of the local ward, usually bring something like homemade bread, and we often get invited to functions. We are always gracious in accepting the gifts, but never the invitations. My wife is a Utah native and about half her relatives are Mormon, they know her even better than me. We don't get the missionaries you may get, they know us too well. Living behind the "Zion Curtain" isn't too bad, LOL.

Is the gym shut on Sundays (& Saturdays)?

No, its open 24/7, never closes. We have key codes to get in, the office is only open a few hours on weekdays. Mostly just us members. I have just decided to take Sundays off. And the scathing wasn't too bad, thanks for asking.

 

[Llama]

On a good day I'd probably add some veggies (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, carrot ribbons, bell pepper, pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi...) to those sandwiches and maybe exchange one or two of the cookies for fresh fruit but the calories are good. Definitely better than a binge and better than my Sunday count!

 

[Lingwo]

Do you think adding to your protein will keep you feeling fuller during the day? I find when I have at least 30g of protein with each meal I feel satiated for a lot longer

 

[liza3]

Well I got through the day without a binge, can't say I feel great about my food, but its not terrible.

Good for you Rob! Getting through without a binge is always a win!

 

[Cate]

The Mormons here don't push their religion these days or come door-knocking like they once did. The local church offers genealogy information which is a more subtle way of getting people through their gates. We have lots of different religions in our local town. You name it I think they're there.
I'm glad your scathing wasn't too harsh.

 

[alligatorob]

Today was a pretty good day. I ate well, probably had a few more calories than the MFP thing shows, but not too many. And I got in 3 hours at the gym and feel good. Not too much knee pain tonight.

On a good day I'd probably add some veggies (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, carrot ribbons, bell pepper, pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi...) to those sandwiches and maybe exchange one or two of the cookies for fresh fruit but the calories are good.

Thanks Llama, and I did sort of do that today. It feels better. Sorry to hear about your Sunday, but that's past now.

Do you think adding to your protein will keep you feeling fuller during the day? I find when I have at least 30g of protein with each meal I feel satiated for a lot longer

That is probably true Lingwo. Today was a better protein day, but getting 30 g per meal would be hard for me. I know I should keep the protein up. Thanks for your note, advice is always appreciated!

Getting through without a binge is always a win!

It really is, if I could stop the binge I suspect my weight would take care of itself... and if wishes were fishes...

The Mormons here don't push their religion these days or come door-knocking like they once did.

I'd be happy to send you some, LOL! Utah was settled by the Mormons and is ground zero for them still, but they are not bad people I don't mind living amongst them. Does take a little getting used to, but not bad.

The local church offers genealogy information which is a more subtle way of getting people through their gates.

I use their genealogy website ( https://www.familysearch.org/ ), it is quite good, free and has not resulted in a visit. You don't have to give any contact info to use it. It's complicated but genealogy is a part of their religion.

We have lots of different religions in our local town. You name it I think they're there.

We do also, they are just a small minority and newcomers. In Utah non-Mormons are called gentiles, a Jewish friend always joked this is the only place he can go and be gentile...

 

[Llama]

getting 30 g per meal would be hard for me.

Makes sense at your calorie level. You managed it (on average) today though!

probably had a few more calories than the MFP thing shows

I hope so

 

[Emilyrose]

I’m happy to read that Sunday is a day of rest! That’s important too.

 

[alligatorob]

Today was a good day, ate pretty well, got over 3 hours at the gym and I feel good tonight.

Makes sense at your calorie level. You managed it (on average) today though!

Better today, both in calories and protein.

I’m happy to read that Sunday is a day of rest! That’s important too.

Thanks, I think so.

 

[Llama]

Much better on the calories and so much protein! I hope you just neglected to add in the fruit you had with breakfast and the veggies with both fish meals.

 

[alligatorob]

So far so good. Eating dinner soon and at a good calorie count. Did an hour and a half in the gym and the same in Physical therapy.

I hope you just neglected to add in the fruit you had with breakfast and the veggies with both fish meals.

LOL, no I just didn't eat any. Trying harder today...

This is what I call the torture rack at PT. You push forward on the levers forcing the knees to bend. On the left side if I push with all my strength I can get the knees where I want them. On the right I need to use both hands. It hurts a lot, but I think its done me a lot of good. However the end may be in sight, for this device anyway...

 

[Llama]

Ouch! I like the picture though: you're looking good. No longer doing a thing that hurts a lot when you reached your flexion goals weeks ago anyway sounds great to me

 

[alligatorob]

Today was a good day, I ate better, exercised, however not feeling real great tonight... Found out this morning that the trainer/instructor at the gym has Covid, and I am feeling a little symptomy tonight. Dry cough and a few aches... Guess we will see what morning brings... I have had 5 shots, the latest one supposedly upgraded to include the new variants, and been exposed to people with it before so maybe nothing.

No longer doing a thing that hurts a lot when you reached your flexion goals weeks ago anyway sounds great to me

That chair is like hitting yourself on the head with a hammer, feels so good when you stop, LOL! Maybe it is time to slow some of that down. I know I still need to strengthen things, the therapist says much of the pain I have now is due to weaknesses.