Today, rather unexpectedly, I graduate from physical therapy. I’ve just arrived for one of my usual sessions – which have grown rather routine – when I ask at the reception desk about getting a few more therapy dates on the calendar. Let’s wait and see what Marcia says, the scheduling person tells me (Marcia’s one of the senior physical therapists, who seems to do a lot of the patient evaluations).As it turns out, Marcia takes me downstairs, to the fitness center where I’ve been a not-so-conscientious member in the past. It’s time, she tells me with a smile, that I transition from the highly-supervised program upstairs to the more self-directed activities on the first floor. She leads me over to a few of the exercise machines, some of which I’ve worked on before, and others of which are new to me. Even on the ones I’m familiar with, she sets the number of metal weights a good bit lower than what I’ve been used to in the past. “Slow and steady” seems to be the physical-therapy motto. She records all the instructions on a paper chart, and shows me the file drawer where it will be kept. I’m supposed to take it out and refer to it, as I repeat the exercise routine in the future.
We walk back upstairs afterwards, and after we reach the top, Marcia tells me she notices a big difference in me. When I first started, she recalls, there was no way I could have walked up that flight of stairs without getting completely out of breath. Now, I climb them rather easily. The progress has been so gradual, I haven’t really noticed. But I suppose that’s the best kind of progress, for someone in my situation – slow and steady.Marcia hands me a wallet card for two weeks of free, “step-up” access to the fitness center. After that, medical insurance will no longer pay for my admission to the place. I’ll probably pony up the membership fee myself – although I’m considering going to another local fitness place, instead, that offers much more elaborate facilities, including a swimming pool.
Maybe it’s worth paying a little more – maybe even a lot more – for a place I’ll be more eager to go to. As always, when it comes to exercise, the hardest thing for me is getting started. Yet I’m even more aware, now – this side of my cancer treatments – of how important exercise is to my health.
