Just the facts

I haven't written about my health of late. I thought it was about time to update what is going on in that area.
I saw my dietician today and am down 2 more pounds. (And that is covering Thanksgiving!)
I mentioned a while ago that I was going to have another sleep apnea test to try out a new machine. My sleep doctor now has a sleep clinic where he wanted me to have the test done. My insurance will not cover it at his place. I have to return to St Mary's hospital, which is where I had them done last March. The test will be on Monday night January 12th.
For the most part, my congestion is still clear. Today I did cough some, but not much.
My friend has given me a free week trial at her gym. I have gone five times already and have three more by the end of the week. The gym is not too far from my house, which is good. Until tonight, I have gone with her each time. It is better having someone with you. We spur each other on to do more things.
With my back pain and problems, I am limited in what I can do at the gym. I have to be careful that I do not worsen my back situation. From physical therapy this past summer, I knew I could do the recumbent bike and the treadmill. Now, mind you, I do not go fast on either one. I keep a nice steady slow pace (about 2 on each). But I can do them for twenty minutes. The treadmill for twenty minutes is a biggie for me. At physical therapy I could only do from 3 to 10 minutes on the treadmill before my leg began to hurt and I had to stop. SO twenty minutes is wonderful.
There is a track which once around is an eighth of a mile. Walking it without having anything to hold onto (like I have on the treadmill) I get about halfway around and my back starts to hurt. After once around I stop and do my backbends, then go for another round. The fact that my back hurts and not my leg is another biggie. One of the goals of physical therapy, they told me, was to get the pain out of my leg and into my back where it belongs. SO the fact that my back and not my leg hurts is great.
I use a machine that works on the lower back and it feels great. Each day I add a little more weight to it.
When I saw my chiropractor on Tuesday I asked him what other equipment I could use that would not negatively impact my back, and he suggested one that strengthens the abdomen. SO I added that one last night. I have also tried the thigh machines.
At the end of the session, my friend and I go into a room and do cool down exercises and use some weights. Unfortunately standing makes my back hurt and I cannot do too much with the weights yet. My dietician suggested strength training with machines where I sit while using them.
Running a marathon is not my goal here. What I want to do is to get moving. I have not been able to walk or stand or do much of anything because of back pain for a long, long time. So just the fact that I can get on these machines and move my muscles is huge for me. I am hoping when my free week is over I can join this gym and go several times a week to keep up the strengthening process.
Now if I could only get some of my Christmas stuff started...