I’ so glad!!! You are indeed stellar! 
Today is a rotten day weather-wise, but reading about your wonderful swim brightens this rainy day for me!! 
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All I can say DM is You Rock! I am a swimmer TD-whatever most of pancreas chopped out ten years ago and dealing with any change like illness throws me into crazyville. I am so glad you are able to get back to swimming, it is our Nirvana!
Glenys
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Jeeze Louise…
I wish I could say that swimming has been wonderful, but here in Bklyn there is nothing open. no stores, no restaurants, no Starbucks, no schools, no minor surgeries, no gatherings of more than 10 people ( each of whom must stand at least 10 feet apart from one another.) And certainly, no YMCAs (or other such environments). the only things we have here that have remained open are banks, transportation, pharmacies, and grocery stores. Thats it. it is apocalyptic. and almost all of us are seen wearing face masks, surgical gloves and more (my husband even ordered hasmak suits on-line from AMAZON). I don’t go anywhere, except for a walk, unless desperation calls (grocery; pharmacy will deliver) but I do try and get that exercise in every day.
how has this effected my D? well, my body needs 20% more basal and more ICR. my body is just not used to being this stagnant.
What’s happening in your neck of the woods?
Its better to be safe than dead. IMHO.
signing out,
DM
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While your body may suffer, and I am sorry about that, your mind is free to grow through reading and movies etc! Hopefully there is some positives. Around my house we have a schedule that we publish so that everyone knows what time dinner will be and then we watch an old movie we have recorded. I can’t help but enjoy having all my children around and watching a movie together every night knowing that this is certainly the last gasp of complete “family” togetherness before my kids launch into the world. Tonight is going to be roasted moose backstrap with a mushroom and horseradish butter sauce followed by watching Dances with wolves.
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you’re one lucky guy!
I love how we all know how to spin what might, to others, seem like a terrible situation, and turn it into something so wonderfully precious. Us FUD members are truly the lucky ones!!!
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I wanted to see if anyone is still involved in swimming on a regular basis after pools re-opened. The community pool near my house opened in July 2020. After not swimming for months, I had a very hard time getting my endurance back up to a reasonable level and my technique in better shape. Before the shutdown I was doing 500 yd and 1000 yd sets mostly on 120 sec per 100 yd intervals freestyle. I would do mostly freestyle and backstroke and complete 5000 yds a day.
Since getting back into the pool things have gotten better, but I have lost a lot. My best times are 132 sec per 100 yd intervals for 500 yds freestyle. No matter how good I feel, how much I try, how many technique sets I do, I cannot get below that number.
Further, my backstroke is now a complete disaster. I find doing 500 yds in a workout about as much backstroke as I can take. As a result, I am now doing more freestyle.
Has any of the other swimmers had these sorts of problems?
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yup!
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THE LATEST IN LEG LIFTS:
And to think that just 2 months ago I could not lift this leg more than 2 inches off the ground, much less balance myself in this absurd pose.
Still in a lot of pain, but its Progress, not perfection 
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@daisymae, you photos are really hilarious. Keep them coming. Between the nail polish, the NY garb and the great facial expression I am laughing. Sorry about the pain though.
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Thats the whole point!!! Yay, keep on laugh’in. (and btw, I didnt think anyone would or could notice my navy nail polish from this picture…but yes, I am NYC peculiar .)
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Love these pics of you!!! Wow, you’ve come a long way on recovery in a short time. So happy for you and I know much of the recovery is due to your absolute attention to details and perseverance. Keep it up, DM!!! Love seeing your progress, and can’t wait for your swimming 
posts!
Love your NYC attire in early winter! I’m dressed the same these days! I have to say, I didn’t notice your blue nail polish, so good for you, Chris!!! 
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POSSIBLE THAT THE POOL WILL CLOSE AGAIN: 
So as most of you must be aware, the CoVid variants are arriving in full force even in the USA. They have travelled quickly, and they are consuming NYC just as fast. Many places that had reopened are now shutting their doors again.
My husband goes to Temple every Shabis in the mornings for prayer, and just this morning received a text that a member of his congregation (who was asymptomatic at the time) tested positive for CoVid just yesterday. And this is despite social distancing, mask wearing, and proper hygiene.
There are lines around the block of people waiting to get tested ( especially because of the holidays and upcoming gatherings and fears of contraction). The take home rapid tests are sold out in stores and pharmacies. And the people who otherwise weren’t getting their vaccinations and booster shots are now lining up in droves to get theirs.
So, back to the pool situation. For the moment, there is talk that this surge of infections may pass in a couple of months. But, on the other hand, their is talk that this will become the “new normal,” and that we must begin to accommodate our safety. The YMCA is still in debate over their decision to close again. They have only been reopened for a brief period so this is absolutely very sad and unexpected news.
I am only writing this as fair warning for everyone’s safety. To consider carefully your decisions and your choices. Personally, I have just reached the 5 month mark post-op and have been really looking forward to jumping back into that pool that I cherish so much. I may not have that option available to me, so I am going to have to get creative. Running is not on the table. For me it is 100% out of the question. I may have to return to speed walking. I may have to pick up something like Yoga (ick).
Any suggestions are welcome. Nothing is too crazy that I won’t try it if it is physically safe for my body. Please chime in!!!
Stay safe, healthy, and enjoy the happiest of holidays!!!
signing out,
DM
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I like to do Yoga in moderation, if that isn’t up to your liking, perhaps you could try some light weightlifting, or body weight exercises? My gym has us do a number of weighted and unweighted exercises and it always hurts so good.
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@daisymae from what it’s looking like omicron hits like a tsunami and then crashes just as fast. I would guess the YMCA will be reopening in a month or two, if I had to guess.
Also, as far as your personal comfort level if/when YMCA does return, just know the air change rate in public pools is quite high. The high humidity air damages stuff, so they need to filter out that humidity, and they use such high levels of chlorine to make sure no communicable diseases are spread via the water, and they need to make sure you’re not breathing in dangerous levels of chlorine gas. That means they need more ventilation than a normal room.
So people who are actively swimming, I feel, are probably safer than, say, people in a gym who are working out. Not totally safe but on the spectrum of indoor public exercise it’s on the higher end.
Good luck finding an alternative method of exercise!
I’ve seen some people out there using these wonky “roller skis” on the roadways; it’s probably for people who are training to do cross country skiing in the winter. To be honest, it looks a bit ridiculous. And I have no idea if it would be detrimental to your back. But, it probably is a good cardio workout!
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Ick? Why?
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When I was in the Army, I witnessed a funny thing, daily…one of our Majors on the post went EVERYWHERE on those roller skis. Up and down the streets on the post, INSIDE OF BUILDINGS, up and down the hallways in said buildings, everywhere…he never took them off. It was the funniest thing to watch. 
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Sounds a lot like an observational experience during a trip to Central Park in NYC. 
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Yeah, but this guy was doing it DURING WORK HOURS in his BDUs!
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I am physically challenged. I have absolutely no sense of balance 
(nothing specifically against yoga; my mother takes yoga classes 5 days a week and loves every second of them. ) Its just never caught on for me. However, on the other hand, I do enjoy the spiritual aspects of it. I truly enjoy meditation in many forms. I believe that is one of the greatest things I got from swimming laps: a complete dissociation from my body and mind (thoughts), and just a sense of utter peace. And in this crazy world, utter peace is absolutely priceless 
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This must be a man who is a former New Yorker. Sounds like an every day affair for life in this city !
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