I'm fially coming out of the closet as a slouch.

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weesa
weesa Member Posts: 707
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

I have bags and bags of  unused supplements, fifty books on my kindle telling me how to survive breast cancer, breast cancer walking shoes, weights,yet never seem to really possess all this with a passion like so many of my stage 3 sisters do.While you are out cycling I am sitting on my porch snarfing down gin and tonics at the end of a hot day. Does anybody else feel like this?

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  • diana50
    diana50 Member Posts: 2,134
    edited July 2011

    wessa

    i am not reading any more books on surviving cancer....and i eat pretty much what i want .  i do try to get the veggies and fruits in; but i eat meat...onion rings...and ice cream. 

    the cycling i do is what i did before breast cancer; and i just love the cycling and never have given it up.  since i am retired and have more time; i am able to get longer rides in.

    oh yes, not a gin and tonic fan, but i do have my wine cocktails because i enjoy wine.

    i take my multivitamin, vit D, B complex and fish oil.  but once again, i was doing that before cancer.

    there is a point where...for me...i want to live my life without being so controlled by the cancer diagnosis.  we are both 9 years out. i have pretty much resolved in my mind; that if the cancer comes back; it is just what it is.  i spent the first few years making myself crazy thinking  i could control if it comes back or not.  however, i do think that within reason; taking care of myself on some level is important. 

    maybe wisdom is living your life and enjoying a gin and tonic on a hot day*

    hugs

    diana

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  • Romansma
    Romansma Member Posts: 1,515
    edited July 2011

    Your post made me smile this morning as I sit here reading instead of getting out for my morning 3 mile walk. I've always enjoyed reading so much more than any activity.......and gin and tonic is one of my favorites. I've resolved to try my best to get some exercise each day, to eat fresh, healthy food that tastes good, and to have a drink once in a while. Beating ourselves up for not doing what "they" say we should do won't make this life any better. I like to find a little enjoyment each day.

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  • Kay_G
    Kay_G Member Posts: 3,345
    edited July 2011

    I agree.  I'm pretty new to the cancer.  Haven't even had my surgery yet (Aug.17) and still have one more chemo to do.  I am getting (at least usually) a walk in every day and trying to get a little more exercise in as well as eating more healthy.  The eating part is easier since I'm not working now.  I haven't had fast food since I've been diagnosed.  I still enjoy pizza and ice cream though.  I think Diana is right.  We have to try to take care of ourselves, but if we cut off everything we enjoy, then it's kind of defeating the purpose.  Don't beat yourself up.  If I get to 9 years, it will be interesting to see how good I'm still being.  Congrats to you and I hope you have 9 times 9 more years cancer free!

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  • jennyboog
    jennyboog Member Posts: 1,322
    edited July 2011

    I could do better myself weesa....it's the "Carolina girl" in us Smile  I did better right after dx. but have since moved home where it's hot, I'm with family and yummy southern food is all around me.  I do try to eat my fruits & veggies and have cut the alcohol down but I'll go several day off track.  I can see the futher I get away from dx the harder it is to be good too.

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  • Celtic_Spirit
    Celtic_Spirit Member Posts: 748
    edited July 2011

    I'm kinda like a shark...if I stop moving, I'll die. That's just me, and it's how I've always been. I think I'm more active post-cancer because I don't have my awful Dolly Parton-size boobs weighing me down anymore!

    That said, I have no trouble being still for a few hours while drinking a Guinness at a nice pub on the main drag of a small, North Carolina town with the pub's most excellent proprietress! Wink

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  • Lee64
    Lee64 Member Posts: 184
    edited July 2011

    Amen to the above. It seems I did everythiing "right" all my life and I still got cancer with absolutely no breast cancer history in my family. I think one could go crazy reading all the labels on shampoo, cosmetics etc., not to mention all the food labels. I think if  anything is an absolute "no-no" the doctors would say so.

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  • jennyboog
    jennyboog Member Posts: 1,322
    edited July 2011

    Too funny Celtic-spirit!  I had a set of Dollies too.  & Amen Lee64, no family hx here either.

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  • apple
    apple Member Posts: 7,799
    edited July 2011

    one word or 8...

    yum, but can I order a Bloody Mary

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited July 2011

    Apple, of course you can have a Bloody Mary. I sometimes make them from scratch when the tomatoes are ripe and abundant. What can be more perfect from a nutition perspective! All your major food groups--the crunch group (celery) the hot spicy group, the grain group (vodka) not to even mention the fresh 'maters. I'm going to make you one right now.

    Celtic Spirit--when are you going to visit that little pub in the mountains again? The proprietess misses you. Would love to knock down a pint or two with you. And polish it off with some pub food that is greasy and unredeeming.

    Diana, you are always such a good voice of reasonableness. Thank you for making me feel more kindly towards my slouchiness.

     

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  • Celtic_Spirit
    Celtic_Spirit Member Posts: 748
    edited July 2011

    Weesa - I'm hoping to head your way in mid-October. We will DEFINITELY knock down a few and eat lots of naughty food!

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  • thenewme
    thenewme Member Posts: 1,611
    edited July 2011

    Hi Weesa,

    Your post made me laugh out loud!   I can totally relate, except for the gin-and-tonic!  I'm more of a beer or rum-and-coke gal myself, LOL!  

    I read about some of the other posters exercise adventures and just live vicariously through their posts!  The one thing I am doing, and really excited about, is getting into the ENERGY trial - have you heard of it?  Its mission is to "...learn more about the effects of a program aimed to modify physical activity patterns and eating attitudes and behavior on weight change in women who are breast cancer survivors."   I'm hoping that participating in this study will help to drag me out of that slouch closet! 

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  • elmcity69
    elmcity69 Member Posts: 998
    edited July 2011

    you know why? because we just want to live our lives without 5,000 methods/suggestions/protocols etc etc. well meaning folks from all circles of my life gave me books: books on Beating Cancer Sassily. Beating Cancer Naturally. The Girl Who Kicked Cancer's Ass. I mean, as if I wasn't up to you-know-where with cancer - we live, breathe, eat it!

    We all have our failings. I eat way too much sugar. As I write this, I know I will succumb to the 10pm munchies (at work) and gobble 10-20 Oreos...and then meditate obsessively on the cancer/sugar link. Then, of course, I worry that my obsessing is going to cause...cancer! and don't get me started about the neverending stream of articles that basically say we chubbier types might relapse more often. O.M.G.!

    and i should do more cardio, but i don't. running gives me the willies. it's yoga or nothing (which is pretty darn hard, actually!)

    i say: stack those books into a table for your gin and tonic. :)

    xo

    j

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  • sweetbean
    sweetbean Member Posts: 1,931
    edited July 2011

    LOL...elmcity69!  You're hilarious!

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  • everyminute
    everyminute Member Posts: 1,805
    edited July 2011

    Hey - I wanna come too!  Ill be the designated driver - you guys can try to corrupt me out of going for a run! 

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  • pupfoster1
    pupfoster1 Member Posts: 1,484
    edited July 2011

    Weesa,

    Dag, I get it!  I used to be a work-out-aholic before my dx.  Now I have trouble getting myself out of bed in the morning.  I know some of that is depression and I am working on that, but also I am just not sleeping well at night.  I did force myself out the door today---late---at 11:00 to the gym and once I got started it felt great.  It's just getting there that's been hard for me!

    As far as the G&T----maybe switch to gin and soda water with a lime (I used to do V&T) or the occasional diet tonic (I know those damn artificial sweeteners) if it makes you feel better.  But DON'T deprive yourself entirely!  NOW, I could use one of those homemade Bloody Mary's............Smile

    Sharon

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  • Bugs
    Bugs Member Posts: 1,719
    edited July 2011

    I like beer, hate gin (mosquito spray), drink wine and even had some home made hooch last weekend.  Before you all think I'm a lush...it's really not everyday like weesa does Tongue out

    Right now...I'm eating maple nut fudge from Beth's Fudge shop.  Good thing Beth's shop is up on the north shore of Lake Superior or I'd be visiting her place more often.

    I just got home from a long day of work and my son's baseball game.  Lately, the most exercise I get is to park in the back 40 at work so I at least have to walk a bit.

    There...feel better, Weesa? hehe 

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  • lauri
    lauri Member Posts: 267
    edited July 2011

    Thanks, Weesa -- I'm slouching here on the couch after nodding off for a mid-day nap.  My support group sisters talk about their supplements and exercise programs -- I tell them my supplement/antidepressant is a hot mug of Ovalltine before bed, with an occasional Hershey bar, and my exercise program is running up and down two flights of stairs to do the laundry.   Nice to know I'm not alone !!

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  • Claire_in_Seattle
    Claire_in_Seattle Member Posts: 4,570
    edited July 2011

    Love this thread Weesa!

    I just told myself a couple of weeks ago that my tonic stash was getting stale, so time to fix that one.  Nothing like a good Boodles & Tonic on a summer day!!!  I won't turn down Bombay, or Tanqueray either.

    I believe in hitting the basics, so yes, I exercise every day, and I cover the basics in terms of supplements.  Cover the basics in terms of fruits and vegetables too.  This is so I can live the rest of my life.

    Life is for living, and one of the reasons I cycle/work out is so I can do things like trips to the pastry shop and drink good wine. 

    I didn't buy any BC books either.  Figured the info I needed was on the Internet.  It was.

    Time is much better spent in a hammock with a G&T and a steamy novel.

    That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.  Thanks again for the laugh........ - Claire

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  • faithfulheart
    faithfulheart Member Posts: 544
    edited July 2011

    Hey Weesa,

    I feel so much better!!  I posted a couple of days ago how I drank to Much at a wedding saterday

    night!!!!!  It's soooooooo nice to know I am not alone!!  I love your honesty, you are a hoot!!!!

    live laugh love!!!!

    I want one of your bloody mary's,Yummy!!!!!!!!!!

    I think we are all just  doing the best we can right???????????????

    Hugssss and Cheers!

    Steph

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  • Nikisezz
    Nikisezz Member Posts: 14
    edited July 2011

    Yikes! You mean we're not supposed to drink??!? ;)

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  • Octobergirl
    Octobergirl Member Posts: 334
    edited July 2011

    I love a cool gin and tonic at sunset in summer, a spicy Bloody Mary anyday anytime anywhere, wine to inspire cooking and stout dark ale at the Irish Pub. Uh oh, craving your corned beef, potatoes and carrots now!  I limit drinking frequency now and await the Definitive Research which shows alcohol kills cancer cells.

    The things I do for my health everyday I do because I want to not because I think I have to. My non-cancer girlfriend takes way more supplements than I.  No cycling for me cause I don't like how adults turn cycling into hard and competitive work. I don't like the special wardrobe and doubt I could master all those gears with a smile on my face. We live on a popular and steep bike route and most of the poor souls appear to be in utter misery.  I did walk a lot until bears became a big issue. So....I resort to sitting on the deck thinking I should exercise more just as you ponder all the equipment in your closet. Lately, I've been packing to move. The daily loadbearing exercise with a grimace...I hate moving..resonates with my early Southern religious mistraining that we suffer now to earn the big reward in the sky.

    I believe one of the most important things I could do to prevent recurrence is take Metformin but oncs are reluctant to prescribe that fairly benign pill. The bottom line is  cancer is truly a crapshoot. And, Weesa, you're winning.  I want an outcome like yours!

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  • NancyD
    NancyD Member Posts: 3,562
    edited July 2011

    I'm chiming in with my lifestyle concerns. Just before dx, I did a half marathon and swore it was my last. I've stuck to my vow.

    But I still do a lot of walking. And for the last three months I've been doing a self-move to my new condo, so my exercise, although not systematic, has been higher than before bc.

    My diet has improved, but not because I've made any great effort. When I was living with my father, two brothers, and my daughter, the meals I prepared were geared more towards their tastes. And there was never a final head count until we sat down at the table, so I would never know if I was cooking for five or one. Having lots of food on the table led to massive overeating, lol.

    Now, it's never more than one or two (unless we have an invited guest), and an extra portion can always be put away to take for lunch the next day. The meals are much more geared to my own preference...lighter and less. This has led to a 13 pound loss in the last three months (yay!).

    I average 4-5 glasses of wine a week. Some weeks more (when relatives are visiting--we're a wine drinking bunch), some weeks less. The alcohol might be the same as in spirits, but I have a belief that the fermentation process is more natural than the distillation process, so if I'm going to drink (and I will), wine is better. And that's MY story and I'm sticking to it.

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  • faithfulheart
    faithfulheart Member Posts: 544
    edited July 2011

    This is an Awesome thread, I feel like we can all be sooo honest and not judged!!!!

    My family will watch me at family gatherings, I swear!!! I come from a big catholic Italian family,

    they all drink like fish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The wine is flowing !!! However, I think my sister's count if I have more then one glass! Then I hear through the grape vine,  ha ha, that stephanie should not have any wine ! Really?  They all sit around the kitchen with the wine, cheese and cracker's. I guess I should just bring my little bag of aspargus and carrot juice to the next gathering!! ! Don't get me wrong , I love my 5 brothers and sister's, but they sooooooooooooooo don't get it!

    No one talks about my bc, it's over, now move on!!!  I hate it because sometimes I really need to talk with them, but they just get upset with me, like i'm not moving forward.

    I'm very thankful I have my SISTAH'S

    Luv ya !!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Steph

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  • Claire_in_Seattle
    Claire_in_Seattle Member Posts: 4,570
    edited July 2011

    Steph......I would bring a particularly vile looking veggie juice combination and slurp it down in front of them.  I recommend something that is an orange-greenish sludge.

    Then tell them you have "reformed" and how amazing you feel now that you have foresworn wine!!!

    Finally, the reveal.......time to join the world!!!  You HAD breast cancer, and one of the benefits of being able to say "had" is that it's over.  So back to life and living.

    (You can then ceremoniously pour the remainder of the vile sludge down the drain and pour yourself a glass of good wine to get rid of the taste.)

    Good luck! - Claire

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited July 2011

    Dear Girls, I feel so much better now about being a reprobate..I feel like celebrating my new found self-acceptance.

    I'm planning a party at my little Irish pub in the mountains of Western Carolina. EveryMinute will be our designated driver. I'm renting a school bus to fit us all in. Hope EveryMinute can drive a stick shift. A big stick shift.

    Let's see, I will have made Bloody Mary's for Apple the day before., and enough for PupFoster, too. Faithfulheart gets a carafe of vino just for herself. No carrot juice or asparagus is permitted to attend.Another carafe for NancyD. Vodka and tonic will be on hand with lots of fresh mint for SherriG. A stout ale for OctoberGrace , who is reputed to have already been to the pub, and maybe a corned beef platter too.For Claire, only the best top shelf gin we have.No brown-orange sludge permitted to join us.Kay will share G and T's with Claire... For Lauri, a Lady Godiva martini (better than ovaltine.)For Bugs, 200 beers to choose from in a frosty mug. (Sorry we don't have any home made hooch as we'd lose our liquor license.) Rum and Coke for the New Me, and she will tell us all about her new trial.

    Celtic-Spirit, also known to visit this little pub, will hike here from Calif to have several pints of Guiness. JennyBoog, I'm going to make you a KnockYouNaked Marguerita and some fried okra.ElmCity 69, we will invent a sugar free drink for you, which is going to be tricky, so you can repent from past debauchery. ElmCity  will be our dinner speaker because she is so dang funny. I'll probably skip my usual G and T and have a drink called a "Screaming Orgasm." or maybe a drink called a Klondike Bar, or Sex on the Beach..

    Dozens of wine cocktails for Diana and more G and T's for Romansma. We will all dine on greasy pub food that has no nutritional value of any type.EveryMinute will pour us out of there and herd us back on the school bus where she has thoughtfully provided pillows and blankets and bottled water.

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  • jennyboog
    jennyboog Member Posts: 1,322
    edited July 2011

    Hahaha...I love ya'll so much!

    I'm on my way weesa, see you in about 3 hours....let me quit drinking now so I can drive :)  You speakin' my language, I love me some fried okra & the knockyounaked sounds sooooo good.

    Everyminute will probably make us run with her the next day with our hangovers....ouch!

    PS.  Everytime I see your name it reminds me of Weesa off Steel Magnolias Smile

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  • AnacortesGirl
    AnacortesGirl Member Posts: 1,758
    edited July 2011

    Can I join??  Whiskey on the rocks, please.  No justification on it's potential benifits -- it's just the drink that I enjoy the most.

     Just got back from a vacation so I'm trying to catch up on the posts.

    I'm really frustrated with the exercising bit.  I love being in my flower gardems and that is where I get most of my exercising.  But for the last two months if I spend too much time in my gardens then the next day I'm zapped.  In pain.  Fatigued.  Nada.

    So I'm confused.  Exercise is suppose to be good.  I'm doing what I love to do.  But it doesn't feel right the next day??  I always thought that I'd be that 99 year old neighbor out there working in her yard. 

    I'm not so sure that exercise is the answer for all of us.

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  • Kay_G
    Kay_G Member Posts: 3,345
    edited July 2011

    Woo Hoo!!  This sounds like fun.  I am a beer drinker though.  I think I'll snitch a few of those frosty mug beers from Bugs (she can't possibly miss a few out of 200, right?) and pass on the G and T's.  Sounds like a partay that is worth the trip!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2011

    Hey ladies, I want in! 

    I have been looking at my treadmill everyday and have yet to muster the motivation to hop on.  I did it before dx, but since dx I just can't seem to ge there. 

    I love Bloody Marys and North Carolina!  Please count me in!!

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited July 2011

    Anacortes and Kay, we've got room--have just reserved the large party area and lined up a couple of servers who've signed confidentiality agreements. And EveryMinute says the bus isn't packed solid yet. (By the way, that girl really knows her away around the mountains here and is reputed to have visited the pub on at least one occasion to celebrate getting her tatoos.)

    Oops, didn't realize we've added a second page-Marcya, I'm making a bathtub full of Bloody Marys (with long straws) so be sure to come!

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