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Simply Adult Ballet: the progress of one adult dancer who took up ballet later in life


Michelle_Richer

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So sorry to hear about your health problems. I got diagnosed with heart problems during lockdown - left bundle branch block, dilated cardiomyopathy and left ventricular failure. I empathise with you about what a total shock this can be especially when you've previously known nothing about it. I did a cardiac rehab course via the NHS which was amazing as it gave me the confidence to understand what level I can safely work at and how far I can push etc. I am also on a beta blocker and a blood pressure reducing medication - they do cause tiredness so with you there! I still do as much ballet as I can but just have to be aware of too much allegro etc and make sure I stop for rests when I need to. Best wishes for your recovery, hope you see some improvement and can still enjoy dancing x

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Thank you all for your kind comments, as it is I haven't quite given up, I'm a bit in no man’s land as I really don’t know what the future holds or what to expect from those that could possibly help.

About 3 weeks ago My GP said she would try and pull my 3 months follow-up appointment forward, I didn’t hear any thing from that. The three months is now passed, so last Monday I contacted my consultants office, they had no record of my follow-up, they advised me to contact the clerk at the Intensive cardiac unit at the hospital I had the Angioplasty at. I contacted them and clerk assured me that my consultants office had been notified, however she did say she would pass the info through again and someone would telephone me on Tuesday to arrange the follow-up appointment. You guessed it, it didn’t happen, Wednesday I called my consultants office again and my details still hadn't arrived, I said I would check the following Monday and if they still hadn't arrive, I would call a Lincoln hospital the following Thursday and walk them through the system myself. I received a phone call today from the secretary of my consultant, they now have the info but they cannot do the follow-up appointment until April and that is a long time to wait for answers to questions I have.

On 13/02/2024 at 08:45, NeverTooOld said:

So sorry to hear about your health problems. I got diagnosed with heart problems during lockdown - left bundle branch block, dilated cardiomyopathy and left ventricular failure. I empathise with you about what a total shock this can be especially when you've previously known nothing about it. I did a cardiac rehab course via the NHS which was amazing as it gave me the confidence to understand what level I can safely work at and how far I can push etc. I am also on a beta blocker and a blood pressure reducing medication - they do cause tiredness so with you there! I still do as much ballet as I can but just have to be aware of too much allegro etc and make sure I stop for rests when I need to. Best wishes for your recovery, hope you see some improvement and can still enjoy dancing x

Hi NeverTooOld

That's fantastic that you already have experienced some of what I am going through, I guess the only difference is my rehab nurse said she couldn’t offer me the sort of exercise program that they normally offer as I was already doing more than enough( training 5 days a week).

 

However I wonder if I can pick your brains, and ask if you don’t mind to share your experience of the following:

How long did it take you before you started to see an improvement in stamina?

Is there anything specifically that you have found that improves stamina?

How long were you before you started to do grand allegro in class?

Do you use GTN spray, if so how often do you use it?

Do you use the GTN spray in anticipation of exertion in class?

Do you only use it, if you get Angina chest pains?

Do you know what the maximum pulse rate you have experienced during exertion in class or rehab exercises?.

 

Many thanks x

 

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Thank you for the updates Michelle. What a traumatic time you and Adrian have been through of late. I was so sorry to hear of your heart attack and angioplasty and I wish you a speedy and complete recovery. Your dedication to ballet and keeping up pointe is such an inspiration. I can identify with pointe being a hard hill to climb though. Im back at it for just half an hour a week after a 6 month break and even that little bit is hard. I’m glad Adriana eye tumour is shrinking. Will be thinking of you both. 
 

PS I agree with your assessment of the ache/left arm pain being angina (I’ve been a medical doctor since 2001, but I’m in pathology so don’t deal with cardiology but I think your assessment there and use of GTN for the arm pain is spot on)

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Hi Michelle as you know when we met in November at the Chelsea Ballet annual show …amazingly so soon after your big op….I did say don’t push it too much initially on physical activity like ballet even though I got one of your looks…what me push it? 
I don’t think all is lost at all regards you  being able to continue with ballet but you’ve just been through a huge event for the body and have to take things …gradually…

I know you weren’t keen to take the NHS standard classes offered after such an event but I wish you had!! 
Of course this would have been nothing compared with what you were doing before but after a heart attack

you don’t need to prove anything not even to yourself ….just gently get back into shape…

Its a lot to contend with not being sure how far to push yourself and how to use the spray you’ve been given etc .  but as with any “injury”  in the end you just have to be patient if you want longevity of return.
I know you are worried about losing your pointework skills so recently gained but really I wouldn’t give this a priority just at the moment …just a small amount at the barre ( not more than 10-15 mins)  to keep the feet used to the pointe shoes but just doing a normal ballet barre of about 40-45 mins ….without any centre work…

may be enough ballet at the moment. 

It’s very disappointing when you have major setbacks. I knew with my serious ankle injury back in 2019 and with just not having the degree of breath from normal older age ( we are both mid 70’s after all!!!) that I wouldn’t be able to join certain classes  anymore. But that hasn’t stopped me finding a way to practise and enjoy ballet and as I told you in November I’m loving it more now as a Silver Swan than at almost any other time. 
Im not saying you should become a Silver Swan but just be patient with yourself and take a little time for the moment just to improve the basics …enjoy dancing the barre….while you are re building your stamina and strength. You don’t want to end up pushing yourself into a situation where your body starts failing you and you feel you have to give everything up! 

Weve had some wonderful ballet experiences together …probably St Petersburg will remain the highlight …how many adult ballet dancers have had that opportunity….and you were such an intrepid support and a laugh while we found ourselves in small local  cafes where not a word of English was spoken and we hadn’t a clue what was on the picture less menu lol!! 
Take it easy Michelle ( though I know you hate that idea) and we might just make another last adventure we both couldn’t make this year…on that Coli stage next December!! ❤️

 


 

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On 16/02/2024 at 18:46, Michelle_Richer said:

Thank you all for your kind comments, as it is I haven't quite given up, I'm a bit in no man’s land as I really don’t know what the future holds or what to expect from those that could possibly help.

About 3 weeks ago My GP said she would try and pull my 3 months follow-up appointment forward, I didn’t hear any thing from that. The three months is now passed, so last Monday I contacted my consultants office, they had no record of my follow-up, they advised me to contact the clerk at the Intensive cardiac unit at the hospital I had the Angioplasty at. I contacted them and clerk assured me that my consultants office had been notified, however she did say she would pass the info through again and someone would telephone me on Tuesday to arrange the follow-up appointment. You guessed it, it didn’t happen, Wednesday I called my consultants office again and my details still hadn't arrived, I said I would check the following Monday and if they still hadn't arrive, I would call a Lincoln hospital the following Thursday and walk them through the system myself. I received a phone call today from the secretary of my consultant, they now have the info but they cannot do the follow-up appointment until April and that is a long time to wait for answers to questions I have.

Hi NeverTooOld

That's fantastic that you already have experienced some of what I am going through, I guess the only difference is my rehab nurse said she couldn’t offer me the sort of exercise program that they normally offer as I was already doing more than enough( training 5 days a week).

 

However I wonder if I can pick your brains, and ask if you don’t mind to share your experience of the following:

How long did it take you before you started to see an improvement in stamina?

Is there anything specifically that you have found that improves stamina?

How long were you before you started to do grand allegro in class?

Do you use GTN spray, if so how often do you use it?

Do you use the GTN spray in anticipation of exertion in class?

Do you only use it, if you get Angina chest pains?

Do you know what the maximum pulse rate you have experienced during exertion in class or rehab exercises?.

 

Many thanks x

 

Totally happy to share so feel free to ask anything you want to :)

 

Answers as follows:

 

How long did it take you before you started to see an improvement in stamina? Since diagnosis, I've actually gone backwards a bit here. I had covid year before last which affected my stamina and it hasn't recovered fully yet from that. I struggle particularly with hills (or any incline!) and carrying heavy things but am much better on flat ground. I think I've just learned to work around it to be honest.

Is there anything specifically that you have found that improves stamina? Nothing specific but just trying to keep active as obviously the heart is a muscle so hopefully will get stronger with more use.

How long were you before you started to do grand allegro in class? I didn't actually stop doing grand allegro completely but did make sure I was careful to stop before I pushed too far. I had explained it all to my teacher so she was totally supportive of any extra rests I needed or if I needed to stop doing an exercise part way through.

Do you use GTN spray, if so how often do you use it? No, not been prescribed one.

Do you know what the maximum pulse rate you have experienced during exertion in class or rehab exercises?. During the rehab classes, I reached 120 at one point and the nurses were quite insistent that I didn't let it go any further. They used some sort of scale but can't remember what it was called. It said you should work 'reasonably hard' which meant you should still have enough breath to talk to someone but not enough to sing. I tend to use that as my guide now - if I am breathing heavily but I can still speak then I'm fine at that level but shouldn't push it up any further.

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Hi Angela

Thanks for your comment in your last paragraph, great minds think alike.

 

Hi Linda

As for joining the Silver Swans, bless them, they wont have me.

 

In any case although I'm not making any real progress I have been doing a hour and a half pointe work session with Kim my ballet coach for most weeks as I suspended working on the La Bayadere Rep. You could probably add another 5 or 6 hours at least of steady pointe work in my own studio each week. So just doing your 10 to 15mins pointe at the barre isn't really practical.

As you know my real passion is performing rep, rather than doing 45mintes at the barre or attending a Silver Swans type of ballet class.

 

However about 3 or 4 weeks ago I was inspired by Giselle at Ballet in Cinema, particularly the first pas de deux, which appeared to be quite gentle in spite of a few soft grand jetes. Kim and I decided to see how feasible it would be for me to dance the most significant steps, our first session didn’t go too badly, this last week we danced it up to and just past the ballottes a couple of times before I was exhausted. Kim my teacher thought my stamina had improved from previous weeks but was still along way short of what I need to dance it from end to end. I really do think it has possibilities, although I know it will be a bit of a struggle at first. At least its captured my imagination out of the doldrum for the time being.

To be fair I don’t think Adrian and I would have sufficient Giselle rep ready for our annual showcase this year, so we can take our time to develop it slowly as my body starts to mend, hopefully it may.

After Thursday I thought thing were beginning to go really well. However Friday morning that feeling was soon dashed as I had one of my regular physio sessions, unfortunately it about 10mines walk from the town car park. I was reasonably ok walking there after a couple of stops to catch my breath, but the return journey wasn't as nice, I was seriously very breathless by the time I got back to the car, in-spite of using the GTN spray on the way, probably made worse with the very cold weather.

 

Hi NeverTooOld

Thank you for answering my questions, not an awful lot I can hang my hat on. However I find it quite interesting that your pulse rate managed to reach 120bpm, when my Rehab nurse advised 107 was the aiming point and especially as you are on Beta Blockers too. When Kim my pointe teacher and I was measuring responses against exercises I reached 120 doing Echappe en croix for a full music track, as we do for most pointe work exercises.

 

 

New updates

Whilst having a conversation with my Cariology consultant's secretary, I manage to get an email address so I could email in 4 pages of questions for my consultant. I managed to do that and got an acknowledgement from his secretary, but no reply from him to-date. However my GP received a request from my consultant from Cardiology to issue some new medication “isosorbide mononitrate”. Reading up one it, its slow release tablets for preventing angina rather than reacting too it. I haven't got any yet or instructions associated with it, but I’m presuming it may replace the GTN spray.

 

The results of my latest blood test are showing things up since the op which needless to say I'm not happy about:

1) My glucose level is a couple of points too high indicating I may be at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

2) My Serum ferritin level is very low, so I have been prescribe iron tablets twice a day.

3) There are 5 levels associated with my Full blood count that are low, according to a telephone conversation with my GP I could be loosing blood somewhere, consequently I have to submit a stool sample to see if there is any blood in my poo.

 

So things are not going as well as I first thought.

 

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13 hours ago, Michelle_Richer said:

Hi NeverTooOld

Thank you for answering my questions, not an awful lot I can hang my hat on. However I find it quite interesting that your pulse rate managed to reach 120bpm, when my Rehab nurse advised 107 was the aiming point and especially as you are on Beta Blockers too. When Kim my pointe teacher and I was measuring responses against exercises I reached 120 doing Echappe en croix for a full music track, as we do for most pointe work exercises.

 

Sorry to hear your latest test results were not what you were hoping for - I hope they get it sorted for you soon. With regards to the above, it was towards the end of an exercise and the fitness trainer wanted me to finish it although the nurses were getting concerned with me hitting 120! They let me finish as it was nearly the end but that does explain why the nurses were a bit worried! As I mentioned, I always tend to work to the still being able to speak measurement but it would be useful to know the actual numbers. I'll have to take my oximeter to class this week and measure when I finish allegro!

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'm still hanging in there doing pointe work, even though I don’t seem to be progressing very much, I am at least holding my own.

 

The new meds “isosorbide mononitrate”,with their slow release do seam to be helping as it extends to 10hours, yes I do notice the difference then and especially at bed time when the effect is really depleted. That said, although I still get the arm angina, the pain is somewhat less than it was but I still get the breathlessness with exertion. Also since I’ve been on the new meds, I’ve stopped taking the GTN spray and that is now reserved for real emergencies.

 

I have finally got an appointment for my 3 month follow-up with my Cardiologist specialist at 5 months, even though the appointment letter has lots of false assumption in it, it clearly was constructed in a hurry, but alas that's been taken over by more recent events.

 

My original stool test was rejected by the labs as I think the container leaked and I had a second FIT (Faecal Immunochemical Test) to do, the result from that was positive, that together with my iron deficiency I guess flagged up the possibility bleeding due to Cancer.

Last Friday evening I got a phone call from my GP telling me of the result, and making it clear I was at risk of cancer. He ask me to call into the surgery Monday morning to pickup a 2 week urgent referral letter, and someone from the Hospital would be getting in touch with me by phone. I have no other brief than that.

 

Oh poo, there is a conflict at the end week 2, Adrian and I will be in Liverpool. My referral letter has a phone number for me to ring, if no one has contacted me during week 1, I have to ring on Monday of week 2, however I tried today to try and get things in before Adrian and I go to Liverpool, but without success.

 

As I have very little to go one as its virtually impossible to get a face to face with my GP, I have to do my own homework and try and make sensible assumptions.

If a FIT test is positive and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) The British Gastroenterology Society recommends that IDA should be investigated with both upper and lower GI endoscopy.

 

The lower GI endoscopy otherwise known as Colonoscopy requires a 4 day prep before the procedure according to the NHS Guys and St Thomas's Guidelines, I'm really not sure how the NHS this end will handle this with the 2 week referral, especially if the documents are sent out by post.

 

Lets just hope what they find is not down to the big “C”, but something that's more treatable, fingers crossed.

 

 

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Fingers crossed it isn’t the big C Michelle but even this is treatable. 
I believe if it’s caught early it’s completely curable. So hoping that’s the case for you. 

I hope we can meet up before November!! 
 

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2 hours ago, Michelle_Richer said:

 

 

The lower GI endoscopy otherwise known as Colonoscopy requires a 4 day prep before the procedure according to the NHS Guys and St Thomas's Guidelines, I'm really not sure how the NHS this end will handle this with the 2 week referral, especially if the documents are sent out by post.

 

Lets just hope what they find is not down to the big “C”, but something that's more treatable, fingers crossed.

 

 

 

It was only a 24hr prep for me when I had a colonoscopy last October drinking those awful sachets to clear you out.

 

Fingers crossed for you Michelle.  Jxx

 

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Hopefully there will be no sign of the C word Michelle, but even so many cancers are completely curable nowadays. Still sucks for it to even be on the cards though - you must be worried sick. I’ve also had a colonoscopy and the prep was 24hours. Top tip - avoid curry the few days prior - I am speaking from experience 🤣😭. Glad to hear the isosorbide is helping though. And yes I think it is safe to assume the positive FIT will be investigated with an endoscopy. Thinking of you and wishing you all the best of luck ❤️

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6 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

It was only a 24hr prep for me when I had a colonoscopy last October drinking those awful sachets to clear you out.

 

Fingers crossed for you Michelle.  Jxx

 

Hi Janet

I think it depends what meds you are on, this is shortened version of the NHS Guys and Saint Thomas's guidelines:

 

4 days before your colonoscopy
Stop taking any medicines that contain iron, I take 300mg twice a day
Continue to take all other medicines as usual.
Eat and drink as normal.

 

3 days before your colonoscopy
Stop taking any medicines that contain codeine phosphate (which is used to treat pain,a cough and diarrhoea).
Stop taking any medicines that contain loperamide (which is used to treat diarrhoea).

Im not sure but this may apply to Aspirin which I take as a blood thinner.

 

2 days before your colonoscopy
It is important to drink plenty of fluids. Try to drink 2 litres (about 8 to 10 glasses) in aday.
You need to start having smaller meals. The things that you can eat or drink are listedbelow. This helps the bowel preparation solution to work properly.
Do not eat foods containing fibre. This is found in fruit, vegetables, pulses and grains,such as wholemeal bread and cereals.

 

1 day before your colonoscopy
Medicines
Take your regular morning medicines, unless you have been instructed otherwise.
Try to take your usual morning medicines before 10am and your evening medicinesafter 9pm. Your body may not fully take in medicines between these times. This isbecause of the bowel preparation solution that you will have.
Stop taking any bulk-forming laxatives (which create a heavy, more liquid-like poo thatis softer and easier to pass). These include:
isphaghula husk (such as Fybogel®)
methylcellulose (Celevac®)
bran
sterculia (Normacol®)

Food and drink
Have a light breakfast, such as boiled egg on toast (white bread), no later than 9am.
After breakfast, do not eat any solid food until after your test.
Drink clear fluids only today.
Try to drink 2 litres (about 8 to 10 glasses) in total throughout the day (not includingthe bowel preparation solution).
You can drink tea or coffee with a small splash of milk. Do not drink alcohol.

Bowel preparation
You need to start taking bowel preparation solution the day before your colonoscopy.
Follow the instructions and timetable you are given for the solution that you are taking.Do not follow the instructions on the packet.
The solutions taste better if they are served chilled. You may want to mix the solutionsin advance and keep them in the fridge. You need to use them within 24 hours ofbeing prepared.

 

The day of your colonoscopy
Food and drink
Drink plenty of clear fluid. You can drink up to 3 hours before your colonoscopy.
Do not eat anything.


Bowel preparation
It's important to take your bowel preparation solution at the right time. This dependson if you have your colonoscopy in the morning or the afternoon.
If your colonoscopy is in the morning, take your bowel preparation solution at 6am.
If your colonoscopy is in the afternoon, take your bowel preparation solution at 10am

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Fingers crossed for you that it isn't the big C and that you get a good result. My Mum and my uncle both had a colonoscopy done after a positive test and both times ended up being polyps which were removed during the procedure and non cancerous so hopefully yours will be straight forward too. Best wishes and take care

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