Motivation

Ladies I have had the reconstuction Stage 1 and had to go back for a second surgery. My question is I still feel like crap. What sort of exercise can I do when my insides(stomach area feels like jello) And still hurts when I go over a bump or pot hole while driving. I am large and with the reconstruction my stomach is now flat and I want to loose some weight to feel better about myself before Stage 2 but not sure how. Any suggestions? Thanks

sallym welcome to our forum! The only exercise I was allowed to do was walk, and boy do I.  Ask your doctor what he'll clear you for.  Just remember, baby steps.   Don't push it!

I went to Zumba tonight, I was so excited, I even remembered a lot of the routines. 

kari, your dd is in my thoughts.  diane

Welcome Sally M!!

Raining here today. Pooh! Maybe to the gym??? 

kmmd-congrats, hope your son and DIL to be have a very long happy life together.

Kari- wishing your daughter and babe all the best. So unfortunate to have something like this happen when it should be some of the happiest days of her life.

Val- enjoy those grandbabies.

Spring- you show those young puppies that there is something to us "middle" aged women and that they should beware!

Harley- gotta love a good CXR!

Diane-come on up here weather is fine! (for now, someone called for snow again Friday, who are they kidding!)

Just getting ready for our big weekend, DS graduates from high school!!!

So big hi to all and hope you are all having a great week.

p 

Walked 2.3 miles yesterday (I'd delayed and then didn't have much time after dinner), and 5.8 miles this a.m.

Welcome, Sally!  As others have said, don't push yourself at first.  Just try to do a little something every day, even if it's just getting out there for a 10 minute walk to start.  A pedometer is also a great little gadget to help you become more aware of how much you're moving and how much you need to add.  10,000 steps a day is recommended for good health, and it can be an eye-opener to realize how much less than that many of us do in a normal day's activities.  And as far as losing weight, I firmly believe that diets don't work (at least not in the long run) and that focusing on making the most healthy food choices and getting more exercise will accomplish that naturally.  And there are several good books (mentioned throughout BCO) that talk about healthful eating post-cancer tx.  Let us know if you'd like some specific recommendations.

kmmd ~ It sounds like you've turned a bit of a corner re. feeling better overall!  Good for you!!!  Sometimes I think our docs should tell us how long recovering from tx can take, but, then again, I suppose it might make it even harder if we knew going into it.

Kari, how is your DD doing?     Deanna 

Sally, a little at a time! don't give up! 

Walked yesterday after work (the rain stopped!) and this afternoon, 2 miles each. Yoga tonight! I am thinking I need to get to the weights tomorrow to keep the lymphedema at bay... I hope I can fit it in!

How is the bubble in DD's eye Kari? I bet that is getting really old about now... 

No walking or gym for me today, although I did spend an hour at the gym last night.  Instead, this morning I decided to go and get the annual bloodwork my PCP had ordered.  I so dread being poked with needles anymore, I try to piggyback all the blood test requests (PCP, onc & now integrative doc) in one session, which meant more than a dozen vials today.  It's been exactly a year since I last had everything done, and I am really interested (and hopeful) to see what has happened in that time.  Last year, I had horrible homocysteine and cholesterol levels, which everyone assured me was due to chemo & RT and should be temporary.  And I'm especially concerned to see where my estrogen levels are, since I chose not to do Tamox or an A/I.  Plus, the integrative doc added some new tests, like one that determines your stores of B12, I think.  So, we'll see...

Harley, I would put Anti-Cancer, A New Way Of Life by Dr. David Servan-Schreiber at the top of the list for post-bc must-reads.  Others include Beating Cancer With Nutrition by Patrick Quillin, PhD, RD, CNS (he's a former Director of Nutrition for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America); also Life Over Cancer by Keith Block, M.D.  I'm currently reading Grow Younger, Live Longer by Deepak Chopra, M.D.  So many anti-aging strategies, like eliminating toxins (both food and emotional) from our lives and detoxifying, are especially important to us now.

Kari, you and your DD are uppermost in my thoughts this week.  Continued prayers that things are going well ~  Deanna

OMG!  Finally checking in, Thanks for the support for Krystle.  Her OB appt. went well!!  The dr. said if anything were going to happen to the baby it would have happened in the first 2 days and he said there is a cushion of time that is ok for the baby and the surgery happened during that time, and also the 2nd trimester is a good time (well good not being good but you get the drift), something about the calcium at this early stage, hmmm can't remember exactly what he said now.  So he gave a due date of 1/16/11.  Krystle didn't look good, very pale and nauseas and her neck/shoulders are killing her.  I tried to mini massage her in the waiting room, boy she's got some knots!   The retina dr's office sent an appt confirmation for today @ 3:20 so I will take her to that appt.  She wouldn't come home with me.  She's all set up at her house and Mike (her DH) took one of the pups with him so she has Chip, her dog, and he knows something is wrong, he won't leave her side.  I love Chip, he's my favorite too!   More drama in the office, holy crap, I will spare you the details, it has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with my coworker.  She was told she is the worst employee ever.  She popped off to one of our agents last Friday and said the "F" word to him 2 times.  Unacceptable!!!!!  The big boss wanted to fire her, but she said she puts up with his abuse. Then another staff girl whom I'm friends with in our Sacramento office, her dad had cancer treatment 7 years ago, and she was so supportive during my treatment, well her dad's cancer is back, this is an excerpt from her email to me yesterday:

"Thanks Kari.........yes we found out on Thursday that his cancer is back.........really has thrown us all for a loop. We figured since 7 years had passed and nothing...that we were out of the woods. My mom is a wreck and my dad is trying to stay strong for her. I told my daughter on Monday and she was really upset....I think the first thing she thought was he was lying in a bed sick so she asked "is that why he didn't come to my soccer on Saturday?" As we were talking on the couch together she got up and grabbed a paper cup, when I asked her what she was doing she said "I'm putting my tears in the cup so I can give them to Papi".........broke my heart.

They are running more tests to see if the cancer has spread so we'll find out more then. Apparently the paperwork the doctor gave my mom didn't give the greatest prognosis because this type of cancer is so aggressive. We're all keeping our fingers crossed and hoping it hasn't spread."

Went to my Onc appt. yesterday morning.  All went well.  She did a thorough breast exam and said my lab work looked good. But I asked her about my AST level, normal high is 36 and mine was 44.  She said my levels have been up and down since chemo, but she knows I freak out about stuff, so she ordered further blood tests and said not to drink anything alcoholic til we get the results next time.  I need a mammogram too on or after June 17th so I will get the blood done then for my estrogen check and I told her to re-check my vit. D.  She said the vit. D will probably be low, it seems like everyone's is low.  I asked again about Zometa, and she said Zometa is in clinical trials and she doesn't know for sure if it helps in recurrence.  She said after one year on Arimidex she will check my bone density.  I asked about some soreness on my ribs, she said my bra hits there and there is no tissue so the rib takes the pain.  She said I look great and laughed about seeing me at Trader Joe's when her son knocked everything off the shelf.  I love her.  

I haven't exercised much at all this week!  UGH, the GUNK is really building up!  But I have done some mini routines and incorporated free weights (thanks Springie)!

Val-boy did your talk of the grandbabies make me smile!!

Happy Friday and long weekend!!!  love to all!

Maura hugs.  I have remained very grateful to those of you who spoke out about taxotere and hair loss.  My Onc said  "never heard of i"t when I asked before starting.  I felt like at least I went into it knowing it was possible due to this site.  He's now saying its possible.  That is only happening because of you and the other women willing to talk about it and make everyone aware of it. 

Kari, thanks for updating us about DD, we've all been worried.

Diane, you said it so well, in our hearts and in our minds. 

Ainm, you are my inspiration

Deanna,

Thanks for the info. about the books I should read.  I hope to get them...  are any of them at the library yet... LOL   I guess not...  

Well, I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend.  I have to work tomorrow....

Kari,
Glad your dd is doing better.  I'm keeping her in my thoughts.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Weekend!!

Harley

Happy June everyone!   So glad to hear that Crystal is doing well, Kari.  Continued prayers that everything will be okay.

Sounds like a great trip, Diane!  Glad it wasn't as rough as you might have imagined!

I ran around a lot this weekend, but didn't do any structured exercise.  So I felt a real need to get out there and walk this morning, which I just did -- 6.1 miles.  Now I'm sitting here dripping toxins, which is good! 

Aimn, where will your son be while he's in the US?

Hope everyone had a relaxing, safe, fun weekend.    Deanna

Maura ~ Keep us posted on how you like Curves.  I'd thought about looking into that before we joined 24-Hour Fitness because someone I know had gotten great results there.  I remember the first time I saw her after she'd only been going for maybe a month or two, I couldn't believe how buff & shapely she'd gotten.  I'm sure you'll have great results too!  And I'm really sorry about your hair.  I suppose you've tried all the usual remedies for hair growth?  Have your doctors been able to give you any hope that your hair might still regenerate with time, as other SEs seem to improve?   

So I actually went to the gym last night and did about 30 mins. on a bicycle and another 15 on a treadmill.  I was just about to start some upper body work when DH wanted to leave.  I thought I'd be too pooped to move this a.m., but I actually felt invigorated once I got out there and had a great 5.8 mile walk. 

Kari, I hope you like the heat!  http://www.psview.com/weather/    

Deanna, I checked the weather this morning!  OUCH!  I was just talking to my cube mate about the weather we expect on our trip...hmmm  A low of 80! I don't know how you do it walking to much in the heat!!!!!!!

Maura, Curves sounds like fun!  

I went to see my DD Krystle on my lunch hour.  She's doing much better and happier too! Played with the pups and laughed before heading back.

Did Yoga after work last night.  Felt great.