My pulmonary rehab at my local hospital is twice a week. Those sessions are around an hour or hour & half.  I recently asked permission to get some extra time in somewhere.  I heard them talk about the fitness center at my local hospital.

There’s a respiratory therapist who is the director there & is certified in exercise as well. Once I found this out,  I asked my respiratory therapist if she could give me a referral over there for another 1-2 days a week.  She agreed it was a good idea & did.

I met with him & after a short ramp up time I had my first session.  It felt good but I was nervous because I wasn’t sure how much oxygen  I’d need to take with me.  (They don’t supply it like my rehab center does).

Recently I had another session (my second) & was paying attention to my numbers of what I was lifting.

Not great, but considering around this time last year I had a car accident & was struggling with 15 lb weights on my ankles for 5 minutes in inpatient rehab I was pretty impressed with what I could do for being so severely under-muscled.

I know this will pay off.  I might not build up as much as I like before transplant, but it will all help.

I also like it gets me out of the house a bit more & I always breathe better after a session even when it wears me out.

I also had a very nice exchange before one of my sessions with a lady who is a nurse at the local hospital.

She told me the story about how her mom wished to donate her organs & how she followed through with that after she passed & the lives her mom saved.

We had a pretty emotional  & heartfelt exchange.

I asked her for a hug afterwards even though she she said she was a little sweaty, I didn’t care. I sensed it just seemed fitting.

I just felt for as much as she shared with me (as deeply personal & emotional) as it was that if it was OK with her I’d like to give her one.

I am not generally a hugg-y type either but in these situations I am compelled to ask each time because I can sense both the healing & the pain that comes from the donor family members.

That seems to happen more & more these days & it doesn’t get any less emotional for me when it does.

It really does move me.