Motivation

Horrible wet, cold day here today.  But I actually went out for a walk as well as doing Wii Fit.  So today I did 63 mins on Wii and a 45 min walk!!! And I'm going to go walking again tomorrow - must do it early because I have to take mum for a dental check up, (I'm having one too, I really hope all I need is a clean and polish).

Kmmd & Joy: Thanks for the hugs - sometimes it's just what is needed!!

Allie - I suppose some of it is my own fault, I don't step back as I'm a bit of a control freak.

Deanna - I'm really pleased to be getting the port out before the end of the year - now everything to do with the initial dx and treatment will all have happened in 2009 and I can try and put it behind me and just deal with Tamox, Lyricia and follow up check ups next year!!  Sounds like you are doing some excellent walks!!

Spring - I use to do Hatha Yoga and really enjoyed it. I really hope a class will start near me soon as I think it would be a great de-stresser.

Flower - I hope your back is okay - mind yourself.  Sounds like you are really working out these days too.

Anne - You got to half marathon in 8 weeks - that's brilliant.  I could never imagine doing that!!

Kari I hope DH's toe is ok......... and by the way...........if someone asks again is the cancer gone why not answer by saying............ gone!! where??? LOL

I'm sitting here in front of a lovely fire with a bowl of strawberries next to me, waiting for DH to get home.

Hugs to all and thanks for all the support.

Anne26, that is certainly the motivational story of the week.  How'd you find a trainer you liked so well, just out of curiosity, did insurance cover your trainer?

AINM hoping this week is better

5lb on a toe makes mine hurt just hearing about it, even if its not broken bet it slows him down for awhile 

Ainm--I know about stepping back--I can't do it either...but it's good advice to give to others, right?? Stay warm and dry and enjoy the strawberries!

Deanna--enjoy the new wheels! Very fun...what did you get if you don't mind me asking...I have to get a new car next year. 

DH toe is not broken but very painful and sore.  He took a photo and emailed me and then we Skyped each other...it looks just awful and broke the skin as well.  Poor guy.  We have a trip to Cabo planned in a couple weeks, hope he can hobble around ok by then!!

Pilates before work, and off to DD's after work to watch Top Chef!  Will walk her pups, she won't be home til later so not sure if we will connect or not.  

Joy, what concert are you going to?

Deanna, yes, what kind of SUV?

Spring, it is soooo hard sometimes to balance it all...work, exercise, etc. but you are doing so great!  hope your dr. appt. goes well!

Hi All!! 

Brenda--we love to have you whenever you make it here!

Am also loving Top Chef!! And happy that I have another Mad Men to watch--somehow my DVR dropped the last one so I am going to go watch as DH has a dinner mtg tonight.

Didn't make it to the gym today but did the 2.5 mile loop with the doggie...it gets dark so early now have to go out at 4:00 with him... 

Hi everybody.  I'm still working out daily and my back alignment seems to be holding better this week than last.  I see the chiropractor again this Friday.  Yesterday I did my full 10K, but had some issues with legs feeling tingly (which is not surprising given the way I managed to twist myself up).  I did make 10,030 steps yesterday but it took longer than usual.  I normally can make it around the lake in about 18 minutes (its a mile walking trail), but was doing 23 minutes yesterday..... but I did it.  Today I felt better and did my dance tape and then took a walk with Carl ... I make 16 K +.  Woohoo!

My latest motivator is Carl.  He dislocated his shoulder about 3 weeks ago and can't do his normal play.  So he's hanging around the house bothering me (yes, he KNOWS he is bothering me).  This will be going on forever!   Well, not really, but it seems like it.  He tore a couple of tendons in his fall and now needs surgery.  Surgery looks like it will be in December due to the doctor's availablity.  Then a 3 month recovery......(sigh).  This will make me do more exercise.  I've been doing a lot of stuff he normally would do.  We are also taking more walks (like the 4 miles today).  I get to do the last lawn mowing of the year and I get to clean the house by myself (and its a BIG house) and, when it snows, I'll get to plow it myself.  But the real problem is that I have to drive our mom (his mom) around since she needs assistance getting in and out of his van and she can get in and out of my car.  Rose is 97! and she is going strong, but having problems walking.  Between the two of them, I'm getting a lot of exercise while slowly going crazy. 

I also tend to use exercise as a coping mechanism so I'm doing more than usual just to escape the world for a while.  It worked last year through the radiation and the scary thoughts.  It works whenever those scary monsters get out of the closet so I hope it works to keep me sane while dealing with Carl as he goes stir-crazy not being able to play with the boys.

I'd rather be in Hawaii, sipping a drink with an umbrella on the beach, but, gosh, life just won't let me do that.....

Take care all and keep up with the good work and positive thoughts.  You guys are the greatest motivators of all.

Hi, all ~   Didn't walk this a.m. because I went over to my antique space in Temecula, which is 85 miles away, and worked all day, cleaning, rehanging paintings, rearranging furniture -- quite a workout.  It took me 4 hrs. (plus almost 2 hrs. of driving each way), so I'm pooped tonight!   

Joy, I never could get into that magazine website to see pictures of your DS.  I'll have to go back and try it again.  Anyway, it's great that you can see him for his birthday.  The two of you sound very close.

Mandy, my PCP ordered a bone density scan for me, but your onc would probably do, too.  Are you on Tamox or an A/I? 

FlowerArtist, were you always a couch potato, or was that just since bc?  I'm asking because your turnaround sounds remarkable, so I'm wondering if you were active and in good shape pre-bc and maybe just needed to get back into it?  Otherwise, an 8-week transformation is incredible!

Allie and Kari, I got the Acura RDX this time, and I love it!   Black on black.  First time I've had Sirius XM radio, and I listened to Broadway show tunes today, and sang along at the top of my lungs.  It was great!   

Night all ~   Deanna

Meg, sorry to hear you're down.  Must be a lot of stress and strain, because we've sure seen you be a rock through a lot.  Hope it gets better soon and you can keep watching out for yourself through all of this

Hi, Penny ~ Glad to see you posting, and I know just what you mean about finding time to exercise.  I find if I don't do it first thing in the a.m., no matter how often I think about it later, I rarely get it done.  And I'm sure it's much harder to get out there first thing in cold climates like yours. 

Meg ~ Allie makes an excellent point about your hormones having had a major disruption.  I think it's also kind of depressing when we are at our weakest physically, like after surgery, to realize how fleeting health can be, and how fragile our bodies can be.  But I can hear the wisdom and determination in your post that this is temporary and will change.  I'm also going to PM you.

And Allie, I'll have to look for those 2 stations.  Thanks for telling me about them.

Where's mumayan these days?  Mum, are you on another trip???

Deanna

I don't know how I managed it, but I actually walked about 40-45 minutes this afternoon when I returned home from work. I was so tired, but I made myself do it--thanks to my DH for being a companion--and I feel a little less tired now. I typically work out in the mornings, and then add the afternoon activity if I am able and willing. I have NEVER been a morning person--would do anything possible to get just a couple of extra minutes sleep--but now I get up 45 minutes early each day to do a 30-40 minute workout. I hope I can keep it up!

 Meg-With regard to your down mood, I agree with the comment about the hormones. And I hope that you will return to feeling more upbeat. However, I also think that we are too quick at times to expect or hope for no down moods, when actually that's just a normal part of our emotional experience. I don't necessarily think that they are "bad" unless they are more than temporary and they affect how we function in some major ways; then, of course, being down can be a real problem. I have occasional melancholy periods, and I will try to sort out the trigger, what I can learn from that or change, what I just have to endure for a little while until I get back to other mood states. Sometimes those periods for me bring greater understanding and compassion for myself.

pk, I have had very positive responses to acupuncture in the past, but I have not really needed any major intervention (at least after just 3 mos on Tamox) to deal with those intensely hot surges.

 Deanna & Allie--I love satellite radio! My faves are The Loft (XM channel 50), Spectrum and The Coffeehouse. I also listen to chill (XM 84)on occasion, when I need to relax and my brain is over-working; there's also a soft jazz station that's great for that (XM 71, I think).

 I, too, developed osteopenia after rads/chemo/early chemopause. I have since developed problems in my lumbar region (L4-L5), but I have also had some really helpful PT, which yielded a good back routine that has really helped me. I also use an osteopenia DVD from time to time, just to stay on track with weight bearing.

Good evening/day to all!

Hi all:

I've logged another 10K day.  I wonder how long I'll keep this up?  Answer to earlier question....no I've never been much of a couch potato.  Last year BEFORE BC was found, I went to my regular dr. for normal check-up and got on the scale.  Didn't like it in excess of 140, the dr. didn't worry about it, but I've always been small and that isn't small to me.  (I'm 5'6" so its OK, but not to me.) That was when I went on to the more consistent exercise routine -- an hour a day, 4 or 5 days a week.  The BC added motivation, especially since my appitite completely went away for about 3 weeks.  I lost about 15 pounds or so and I'm back to small.

Now that I've had my first good post BC mammo I noticed that my motivation was drying up and I have begun to try to slack off.  And, then I found this site and other people fighting the same kind of engergy/motivation problems that I have.  And now Carl is hurt so I'm using my exercise as a coping devise to keep myself together while he heals.

Unlike so many of you, I'm fortunate enough to have the freedom to exercise because I've graduated from the corporate world.  I still find, though, if I don't do it first thing in the morning, I don't do it.  So, my 'law' is I put on my exercise togs and I don't eat breakfast or change into real clothes until I've at least done something.  Usually, it works.

Thank you all for being here and sharing your thought, feelings and love.  I'm lucky to have found you.  Keep up the good work and keep right on motivating me and each other.

Isn't it terrible how work gets in the way of our life! Wish I could win the lottery, not a huge amount, would be happy with $1 million. Guess I shouldn't wish my life away though.

Wow, I've missed a lot!  let's see if I can remember what I wanted to say...

Penny, I hope Acupuncture helps your hot flashes!  I was referred to acupuncture by my pcp for my low back pain...I go again Dec 9 and then she said we'll take a break.  It didn't help much last time, but one interesting thing was that on my last visit she had to leave the room to get the face cradle and I looked at the computer (small small room and the computer faces me) and it said some weird codes, I did my best to remember what I read and when I got back to work I googled it and the translation was kidney deficiency causing my chi to be off balance.  And when you read into this further (cold hands/feet theory)...if you are off balance and have cold feet it can cause disease....VERY INTERESTING.  I am going to ask the acupuncturist about this next visit.  She's usually in such a hurry, as this is through Kaiser and patients are stacked up and she's soooo busy when I'm there.  And I made my mammographer cry last visit!  Not in a bad way...but she didn't realize I didn't have a boob on one side and asked about my story...I was very upbeat and smiling and told her and she started crying and I had to console her!  She was THE sweetest person. 

Meg, sorry you were down, but you got some great insight from the ladies here, and glad it helped you!!  

Deanna, nice ride!!  enjoy  That made me smile about you singing the broadway tunes at the top of your lungs!  Now that's wonderful!!

Osteopenia caused by chemo/rads....maybe that's what's going on with me?????? I have to talk to my onc about that next week.

Joy, sorry you had to endure domestic violence, simply horrifying!!  You are such a strong independent graceful lady, and I adore you!  I hope you have a terrific time at the concert!!

Mandy, how's that back pain?

Brenda, you are ROCKIN the workouts! 

I went to accupuncture for leg and back pain from AI, It has work great, Does not hurt, I will continue to use it for my pain. My therapist is going to do some prep work for my reconstruction to prevent pain and ease recovery. good luck, anne 26

Hi everybody! Just stopped in to say hi. The sun is shining so going to go out and enjoy it . Tonight I am going to yet another reunion, this time it is for the Diagnostic Imaging Dept where I trained. Excited to see people I haven't seen for awhile!

Wishing you all the same sunny day we are having and a great weekend!