Anyway the last ME appt was focused on GET and setting goals. I know GET, or graded exercise therapy, is a controversial topic in ME and I don`t want to get into the politics of this. I know some people have really strong feelings about it and I totally get that. However I have recovered to the point where I can manage to function fairly well; working, socialising and managing other daily activities but I need to work on my stamina and building myself up to do more fitness. It has taken me eleven years to get here, building on my progress bit by bit. So for me GET feels like its happening at the right time and I believe the routine will help me set a baseline that I can build on rather than haphazardly taking on various challenges that knock me back!
So the goals...As a nurse myself I use goal setting with all my clients but they tend to be client led. I felt that my therapist already had these goals laid out before I`d even stepped into the room! However they did seem to be in line with what I had been thinking about. I think I would have liked to have felt more involved in the process though...
As I mentioned in my last post I was keen to try Pilates and so one of her colleagues came in and did some one to one work with me. Privately I'm sure this would be quite expensive so that was definitely a bonus. Here is my goal sheet of activities I have to tick off each day:
At the moment I'm managing a 10 minute walk to the bus stop 3 x weekly which I need to try and increase to 2 x day. At the weekend I usually do a 1\2 hour walk so I've to keep this up and 5 x days a week I have to try doing stretches and my pilates exercises ( I can vary the days). Also I've to aim for relaxation twice a day. On friday I actually managed 4 x 10 minute walks and on Saturday did the Pilates and stretches without any payback. With having this viral infection I haven't managed to stick with the programme this week but its another three weeks until I see her and so hopefully I will be back on it in a few days.
In fairness she told me to listen to my body and not push myself so it didn't feel like there was any huge expectation, just to try and see how much I could manage comfortably. I`ll keep you all posted!
Interesting post, and hope you get on well with it. Shame you weren't allowed more empowerment in the decision-making, though!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jo and yes I didn't feel particularly empowered. I might add that to the evaluation form at the end of the course ;)
ReplyDeleteSods law that you get a viral infection on your week off! I hope it hasn't knocked you back too much, never nice getting a virus on top of M.E.
ReplyDeleteI'm not overly familiar with GET but I do know the controversy around it through twitter, I think as long as you're at a stage where exercise is possible it shouldn't be too bad, it's when doctors go pushing it down severely ill people it doesn't seem like a good idea. I hope you get on well with it :) xx
Thanks Hayley and yes I would agree that GET is not appropriate for more severe sufferers. I couldn't have considered it a number of years ago. It's been pretty rubbish being ill with this virus but then I suppose it's better that it had been a quiet week off with no real plans. I couldn't have gone into work and that would have impacted on my sick time.. Hope you are ok and your little dog has settled into the family :) x
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