Exercise and well being during chemo and radiation

pboi

Walked 1.6 miles today...and now suddenly in the mood for some chocolate...😊

PB

ksusan

7/24:

• 1.0 hr T (2.6 MPH avg) + stretches
• (radiation #11)
  
• .25 hr rowing (1.3 miles)

Lucky 11! That's 1/3 done!

Leighrh

Nothing for me yesterday beside some darkchoc covered almonds during Taxol # 6. I always bring treats for chemo I'll try to make the gym tonight!

ksusan

I overate carbs yesterday, which I enjoyed and won't do today.

KBeee

My stupid boot/shoe thing (more of a shoe than a boot) is getting a bit easier to walk in since I adjusted the straps. 4 miles today. Still a bit slower than normal since my foot can't bend and I feel like I am walking in a Dutch wooden shoe. You can't miss me when I'm coming!

I love dark chocolate coated almonds. Chocolate tastes horrible now, so it's not worth even trying them. Looking forward to chocolate when Taxol is done!

Jackbirdie

I took Jack for a morning walk today ( I think he was shocked!) and my app tells me I walked 1/2 mile and 1/3 of my daily goal. I also see that this is the caloric equivalent of one chocolate covered almond. Dang!

I have to remind myself that although I am overweight, always have been, and I need to lose, that my primary goal must be the exercise.

I must get core strength back and I can barely walk! One thing at a time.

Goal today 4000 steps.

queenmomcat

Think we could get the medical world to measure food/exercise in chocolate-covered almonds instead of calories? that'd inspire me to get on this exercise thing.

molly1976

"I have to remind myself that although I am overweight, always have been, and I need to lose, that my primary goal must be the exercise."

I love this, Katy - it's what I'm working on, too. I would really love to lose my extra pounds but I keep telling myself that it doesn't really matter nearly as much what happens on the scale. I have to exercise every day no matter what.

littleblueflowers

When all this started I asked my MO if anyone had done any studies comparing the rigors of chemo to the rigors of distance running- just so I could have a frame of reference as far as healing times, diet, etc. He couldn't think of any, but its seems like a valid study- anyone looking for a PHd topic???

ksusan

Thanks, but I've already done one of those suckers and don't need another doctorate.

pboi

1/2 mile = caloric intake of 1 chocolate covered almond?! Sigh!

Walked 1.7 mi today...guess I can have three?

I'll try to walk some more this afternoon, maybe work may way to a small handful of nuts!!!

Edited to add...walked another 1 mi this evening (+2 more nuts!)

PB

Jackbirdie

KS- didn't realize we should be addressing you as Dr kSusan? I'm impressed

Thank you Molly. We will do this together.

Little- it is a marathon indeed.

PB and all other chocolate almond lovers: you guys are cracking me up today! Laughing is good. Ten belly laughs lasting 1 min ea could = 1 choc covered almond? Maybe?

ksusan

Laughter is good for immune functioning and lymphatic flow, so there you go.

I tell my students that they can call me "Doctor," "Doctor Surname," or even "Ms. Surname," but there is no "Mrs. Surname" since my mother is also "Ms." I'll take "Frau Professor Doktor," though.

Jackbirdie

Dear Frau Professor Doktor- thanks for always keeping us laughing, while force feeding us things we need to know. And thank you for starting this thread.

rainnyc

I'm still not up to the level of some of you, but I'll take what I can get. AM: Brisk 15-minute walk to chemo center (12th dose of Taxol!!!). Slightly less brisk 35-minute walk home from chemo center, but 10 minutes of that was browsing in local bookstore. Good for the soul, but I didn't buy anything.

Home, lunch, chemo-crashed (that's a word, right?) for a couple of hours. Got up, slightly bleary, and hung out with teen DS for a little while, saw him off to volunteer gig (good for college applications). Then pried myself out of the house for 30-minute walk around the neighborhood that started slowly and crankily but ended rather brisk. Very quick stops at a local market for major food groups blueberries and watermelon.

Was going to take a picture of some of the beautiful flowers growing around the neighborhood but then saw this:

Stopped at ice cream stand but decided bad idea 6 hours post-chemo. Filed away melon sherbet under "good idea two days hence."

molly1976

Last Taxol, rainnyc? Congratulations!

KBeee

Congrats rainnyc! I hope it is 12 of 12!!!

Italychick

5.6 mile hike, 835 feet elevation gain. It is so beautiful right now up here at Big Bear I can't believe it.

Then a nice 2 mile stroll around town, complete with coffee and apple croissant and mountain music.

Jackbirdie

checking in with today's exercise:

4550 steps (some incline today)

Goal was 4000

47 minutes active (= 23 hrs+ inactive)

1.7 miles

I really worked hard to make this goal today. Sweating and short of breath etc. lots of bench breaks. But knowing you all are herestruggling the same way really helped me push on. Thank you all.

Tomorrow's goal is 4500 steps. And whatever comes with it.

Jackbirdie

T- your hike sounded glorious! So glad you got away and are taking life in. In big, huge, gulps

Jackbirdie

Congrats Rainy! On finishing chemoand on a pretty rockstar workout on a chemo day!

Ringing the bell and celebrating with you!

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎉🎈🎉🎈🎉🔔🔔🔔🔔🎉🎉🔔🎈🎈🔔🔔🔔

littleblueflowers

Oh man, coffee and music at Big Bear?? Sounds perfect!

Katie, you are getting your strength back soooooo fast! When you read back through your posts, you will see you are a superhero!

Congrats Rainy! I'm so impressed when people do anything besides go to bed like I do on chemo day..also, hilarious hitch cover pic!

Frau professor doktor ksusan...you kind of sound like you should be in an Indiana Jones movie! Key theme music...

kbeee...love the boot! Especially how the blind matches your toes!

Extended my jog by 2 miles today...feeling good! Also, ate 2 breakfasts and 2 dinners...

ksusan

No additional exercise today--traffic to Portland was slowed by an hour, so not a lot of time to walk, and we wound up eating sandwiches in order to be able to get something before getting our friend at the airport. Then traffic delays on the way home, so no treadmill before bed (it's in the guest room and our friend is in there, sacked out). I'll have her walk with me a lot tomorrow and Sunday.

I hope everyone has a restful weekend!

Jackbirdie

today's goal according to my "Couch to 10k" app is 4500 steps. I did a little over that yesterday, so I'm hoping this will be quite doable today.

I notice that this little get off the couch quick start program has no rest days built into it. It's not much walking, so I'm wondering if it's ok to jump start this for the ten days or two weeks or whatever it is, then when I put a more considered and permanent plan in place, allow for at least one day of rest?

Or does it not matter when the exercise is so light? So far, I'm a long way from anything other than walking.

My next goals are to integrate some stretching, then light yoga, then maybe try the recumbent bike at the PTs office. I'm far too clumsy still from chemo fog, minor neuropathy, etc, and am quite sure I'd be a hazard to myself and others biking in the road. Running will be out of the question I think. I'm too heavy to put the strain on my knees.

Thought? Suggestions? Sorry for the long post.

ksusan

Katy, I think it's fine not to take rest days as long as you rest when you need to! http://www.livescience.com/43956-walking-10000-ste...

Getting to a point where you can vary your activities is helpful for the metabolism. Many people don't take a rest day, but switch the activity they're doing instead.

I admire you very much for starting an exercise plan! It takes about 2 months to make good change in most behaviors, but exercise change takes about 6 months to really stick.

Jackbirdie

KSusan- thanks for that link. It was agood article and encouraged me that I'm on the right track.

Italychick

Katy, keep on keeping on! Trite to say, I know, but every journey starts with a single step. I have followed your determination for 5 months now (omg, has it been that long?), and I know you are persistent and will reach the 10,000 steps. My osteopath said people worry too much about intensity when they should just enjoy life, and I have always loved walking. So much to see and experience.

Happy day to everyone, doing another hike today.

Evilmidget

I just found this thread an am impressed with everyone's effort! I finished 36 sessions of radiation in April and found it was pretty much like they said it would be...I burned and peeled and then oozed, but the worst was the fatigue. I usually ride a loop about 26 miles, or do hill repeats (walking) and weight-training for my workouts which I try to do 6 days a week, but at the end and right after radiation I was sucking wind. I'd actually get nauseaus about 20 minutes into anything and it took about a month before I got my stamina back.

Now I'm back to normal. The only other hiccup I had was when I developed a blood filled seroma, probably during a TRX chest exercise, that had to be aspirated and then it bled for another 24 hours before stopping. Now I'm pretty careful about chest exercises (well, maybe not "careful" as much as "chicken").

I'm finding the SE of the hormonal therapy kind of nasty though. I've never had an issue with my knees or back, but after workouts they both ache. I've always had problems with my thumbs (3 cortisone shots at the base of each hand due to trigger thumb caused by the pressure of the handlebars on stationary bikes...I taught 6 - 8 indoor-cycling classes for 14 years) and now my hands ache all the time. Don't know what I can do about it though....I have five years to go on this stuff!

octogirl

I won't know for another week or two whether my next treatment step will be chemo or rads (will be one or the other next, decision to be made when we meet with MO next week) but wanted to get an early jump on it, so am putting in my first post here today to record my first real exercise post surgery: walked half a mile this am (at half my pre-surgery pace, but then I was walking further pre-surgery).

Felt good, yay.

Hoping to follow that up with a bit of chocolate later :-)

Jackbirdie

Great job Octogirl! Anything you do now will help later. Body and mind. Keep it up