Fitness is very slow for me. When I told Doctor I wanted to get back to excercising, he told me OK, but you need to take it easy - your heart has been through a lot.
So I do take it easy. Work for about 20 minutes and rest for awhile, and then work another 20 minutes. Try to walk up the hill and back once a day when the weather is nice.
I can tell that I am better and stronger, but I am not back to baseline which wasn’t that great to begin with.
You are absolutely doing the right approach, imho! Getting back to a base line can certainly be a frustrating proposition, but it is all too easy to give up. You seem to have the humor and patience that it requires. Keep on doing your daily what-you-cans, and continue following your doc’s instructions!
Hang in there!....and I’m hanging too!