Exercise - Working Back to it After or During Treatment

I managed to walk 2 miles today. Hope to repeat that tomorrow and Sunday. I am 9 weeks post chemo, a few days since the end of rads.

The really significant thing is that I tried to walk 4 weeks ago and only got a half mile before I was dizzy, joints and muscles aching, and bone pain reminiscent of chemo. It was scary, wondering whether I would make it home (I was alone).

One of my challenges is that I live at just about the highest point in my city. No matter what direction I head out, it is downhill on the way out and a slow steady uphill all the way back.

I am scheduled to join a group from work for a 2 mile walk in 2 weeks for a charity event. Have to work up to that so that I don't embarrass myself!

Ellen

Today I walked 9/10 of a mile. I think tomorrow I will shoot for the library, weather permitting. I think it's supposed to be less rainy this week than last.

tarheel - yay for the Central Park run - I love NYC! I hope the leftovers from your scan didn't affect you too much.

curve - yay!  Good for you!  I am starting back at square one - and really can't move at all right now because I have two thinned areas of skin on the surgical site - I have to stay very quiet!  So my exercise will be TV watching.

I'm tuckered out again. I worked in my yard for about half an hour, finally, finally starting on my project of smothering the lawn in the back yard with cardboard and mulch, to convert it to planting areas. I've been intending to do it for more than a year and now I am finally doing it. I also put my cans and my neighbor's cans out at the curb for pickup tomorrow. I am just not up to dealing with this much lawn, so I asked my neighbor, if I buy the gas, will you mow the grass? He agreed. For some reason, I thought he had a riding mower and it would just be an extra two or three passes, maybe ten minutes or so of extra work for him to do my front yard. It turns out he has a gas push mower, so it was a much bigger favor I was asking than I thought! Anyway, the front got cut last week and part of the back this week, and both of the yard waste cans were very full and really heavy. 

So now it's time for a little nap.

I've decided to be a slacker tomorrow. My poor muscles are sore all over from unaccustomed use. Also, it's predicted to start raining again.

OK gritgirl, you and I will take the day off. I know it takes more "oomph" to get up and go to a class when the weather is bad than to walk around the neighborhood or do some gardening on a beautiful spring day. I hope you feel better soon and aren't coming down with a bug. There are some bad ones going around this year, I hear.

Anyone still out there? I had a cold last week, but got back to walking this week. I've covered 13 miles since Monday. Monday, Friday and today (in an event today) I covered 5K. Tuesday and Wednesday, just 2 miles each.

I am beginning to see how people get addicted to this!

Ellen

I had a chemo infusion March 20 and walked to the library the day after. I had walked there and back the previous week so I didn't expect to have any problem, but it knocked me flat, again, so here I am, almost back to square 1. Today for the first time since then I went out walking but did less than half a mile for fear of overexerting myself and ending up flat out for another week. I found out Friday the latest chemo didn't work either. I'm ER& PR+ and I plan to ask my oncologist for a non-chemo option. Physically I don't think I'm strong enough to get through another chemo drug in good enough shape to keep living independently. Maybe something less toxic will let me make a bit of headway in recovering strength and stamina even if it doesn't stop progression. I've had so many failed treatments I don't much expect anything to work, so I'm starting to look at what will do the least damage instead.

@gritgirl, I had an appointment with my oncologist yesterday but forgot to ask about clinical trials, so I sent her an email, but she hasn't replied yet. I don't even know if I'm in good enough shape to be in a clinical trial. I think I might be in a bit of denial about my "functional status" or whatever they call it. But maybe a bit of time-out from chemo will let me regain some strength. My oncologist doesn't think so, but I will give it a shot. It depends what clobbered me so badly, the chemo or the cancer. Dr W tends to think it is the cancer, I like to blame the chemo. Also she concurs that my cancer is resistant and neither chemo nor antihormonal is likely to work.

I walked around the block again today, which is less than half a mile. Back to square one.

Even though I am 3+ months out from chemo and a month or so out from radiation, I still have occasional fatigue, aching and dizziness. Surprisingly, after I come home feeling crummy after work, if I can motivate myself to get out and walk, I feel way, way better.

Did 13 miles last week, and since Monday I have done 7.5. Hoping to clock 13 to 15 miles per week. Losing a little weight (need to lose a lot more) but even without much recent weight loss ( I did lose a lot over the past year), suddenly my clothes are all too big. Like that feeling!

Ellen

love your new pic, gritgirl. Pretty!

I'm still running 1-2 a week -- run a mile, walk 1/2 mile, run 1/2 mile, etc. I'm SOOO slow. There are women who've had recent chemo and stem cell transplants who run faster than me. I'll have to stop while I recover from surgery but I'm hoping I can at least walk. 

Do try and post what you've been doing. You may be inspiring others to become or stay active. 

gritgirl, I hope your cold goes away soon. Does your treatment lower your immune system?

I hope you get some rain this week, to make weeding less like punishment. 

I'm aHaving fat-grafting reconstruction AND removal of subcutaneous malignancy under my right arm, near my breast. I could have the tumor taken out quickly in a surgeon's office here in my town, but since I was already scheduled for recon., I asked doc to handle the tumor, too. I'm hoping it won't grow back. Had one removed in Sept. and this 2nd one took its place.