Progress, One Dog Walk at a Time

Achieving Goals - One Step a Time. The photo taken on April 1, 2021 captured the first time I was able to walk my dogs. We didn’t walk far, but the key word here is walked. This was made possible by my portable oxygen regulator and mini-tank. This was one of the goals I set as part of my recovery.

While hospitalized I wondered if I would ever be able to do this let alone see them or my family. While hospitalized I set small goals like going down from 100 percent oxygen to 90 percent concentration. For physical therapy it was to first stand and march in place and then walk to the end of the bed. On home recovery it became walking the hallway a couple times a day to being able to take a shower myself. Now it has become walking my dogs once a day.

My point is when these goals are viewed independently by someone who has not been hospitalized because of COVID they seem trivial. But, when viewed within the context and from the perspective of a recovering COVID patient they are monumental. As a university professor and former military commander I set goals for my students and soldiers to achieve within the framework of a research project or a training year. We would also set measurable objectives under each goal that would allow us to monitor their progress. The expectation is that their progress would be rapid and readily visible.

This is not the case for the COVID patient. For progress to be made toward achieving the goal of a completing a simple walk, the COVID patients' lungs would to be in agreement. Most COVID patients measure progress in terms of how well they can manage the anxiety and oxygen distress caused by simple movements. Everything has to be planned and calculated within the context of oxygen supply and demand. The failure to do this can result in unintended consequences such as falls, severe headaches, and incessant coughing spells.

Thus, for the COVID patient the step taken is often more important than the next one to be taken.