Exercise and well being during chemo and radiation
Comments
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Thanks Susan- I am toasting all of you tonight with the last of my last batch:
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does walking around the mall for three hours count? Too hot to do anything else here, and by the end I felt like I was walking on my ankle bones!
I need my bike, this heat better break soon
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T- it counts
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it better, I'm trashed, and Herceptin tomorrow
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Totally counts. Go to many malls an hour before stores open--they're full of indoor walkers.
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9/10:
- Fitbit steps [incl. long walk]
- 1 hr T (2.2 MPH avg)
= 14.08 miles
I think the Fitbit is overestimating my treadmill stride.
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Katy, what littleblueflowers said! and I love limoncello..hint. hint :-)
So, a few weeks ago when I told a friend I was having chemo, she just answered, 'oh, you will sail through it..' and I was hurt that she would shake off my worry with such a dismissive statement. How the hell could she be so sure of that? But..she can't be right, can she?
Day one post tx one: After my walk I put in a full day at work today and got a lot done, including several meetings I thought I'd have to cancel...no GI problems so far (which I expected to get), no nausea (which wasn't a surprise, as I never get that particular nasty symptom)...no pain from neuprogen yet (I did take claritin) and of course, COCONUT OIL on everything!!! I was having a bit of an issue swallowing last night, and intended to call the MO to report it, but it resolved itself by lunch today, and no problem at dinner either.
Regardless, I am going to try and walk every day, and Katy, I am older than you, not in great shape and a bit of a basket case. Granny yoga sounds good, where do I sign up?
Octogirl
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Against my better judgement I had a Vietnamese coffee tonight with dinner which explains why I'm up so late finding potential LE exercise routines. Had to share this one, stick with it to the end, you won't want to miss the ketchup sequence. I'm pretty sure there's something for everyone here.
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Sloth- that's not good what the Vietnamese coffee did to you. I can't believe you made it to the ketchup. Without your promise of something good I wouldn't have. Haha. Really? For lymphedema? Or did you get sidetracked?
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Octo- I don't think I can ship it.. ;-(
You'll have to come to Oregon and sip under the wisteria with me!
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I'm there, Katy. Just tell me when it's ready and the wisteria turns purple....
Woke up after five hours sleep (woohoo) feeling great, till blessed hubby brought me coffee in bed. Shades of morning sickness...the toast he brought after did the trick however. Note to self: smell of coffee is a trigger.
Feel good enough to walk .( that mojo is working!) but my eyes are watery and throat a little sore. Temp normal, it's the fires, my typical reaction. Argh. I need to be by the ocean today. Rain can't come soon enough for me or any of us.
Think I will walk anyway...
Octogirl.
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Octogirl, walk anyway. Made and continues to make a huge difference for me. Just one foot in front of the other on the bad days, and on the good days it feels great. (Days with big D were an exception, and I stayed home, but I hope you can skip that SE.)
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Octo- FWIW, I had sore throat and swollen glands every single time. Usually day 3-4. I have a history of respiratory problems, so as it got worse, I finally succumbed to pneumonia. They had to delay my 5th. But I got through in the end. Just think about future happy times sipping limoncello while walking. Do your best, as your best is great. You have indicated some respiratory sensitivity, so if you detect any worsening on this or any future chemo, get right on it with your MO.
You probably realize I didn't mean we'd be walking while drinking. Just that you'd be thinking about future sipping while walking now. As a distraction, haha..
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Octogirl: my sympathies re. the coffee! While I haven't had chemo, my digestive system expresses itself quite forcefully when presented with stressors, and coffee's a trigger for me. When all's cheery bye I can drink straight espresso with no ill effects. Is a mild-smelling/tasting tea an option for you?
Jackbirdie: raises a glass way over here.
Italy: it definitely counts, but you've been apprised of that.
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Fortunately, QMC, it is just a very early morning thing...and I can drink the coffee once something is in my stomach. My hubby loves tea and we are blessed to have a friend who travels regularly to China to see her family and always brings us back incredible stuff...so that is a fall back...coffee is still my am drink of choice though.
Walked anyway. 1.4 miles. Feeing good. My sister the optometrist gave me a good rec for artificial tears for my red eyes, which she says could be the chemo and could be the smoke, or could be both. And thanks for the reminder to stay on top of it Katy!
See you all later, and remember, yes it all counts!
Octogirl
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Octo - I also had sore throats following each infusion. Taxotere can jack up your eyes - use the artificial tears.
Yesterday I hit 10k steps for the first time in a long time. I discovered that there's a public library 3/4 of a mile from my house so (for some reason in the hottest part of the day) I wandered over. I haven't gone to the library in years. I was very excited to get a new card & grab some books. I plan to make that a regular trek. I like walking to somewhere as opposed to just walking so this should help.
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Octo- my eyes were so dry after the first infusion they dried shut one night. I had to be very careful trying to get them open! Sounds silly, but true. After that I used artificial tears several times throughout the day. Some girls in our chemo group reported excessive tearing to their MOs, then eye doctors, and strangely enough that was also attributed to dry eyes.
E- super about the library! And if you go earlier maybe it will be even more pleasant. I find libraries very soothing. I'm reading a funny book right now that I didn't think I'd like. A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore. Wicked sense of humor. You might be just warped enough to like it too, haha. Set in San Francisco. Pay no attention to the cover. It's strange. But an interesting take on souls and where they go in the modern, disrupted world.
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Swam 50 minutes--fatigue's starting to kick in, surprise surprise, though hardly a blip compared to chemo!
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attagirl QMC- that's a long time swimming!
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Popping in to say that I've been going to CrossFit classes 4-5 days a week. Loving it so far! can't wait to get my pre-BC body back.
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Crossfit...wow!!!!!
I walked 5.25 miles today. My long run/walk will be this weekend, so I am saving my legs for that!
Katy, I celebrated with frozen yogurt. Of course, right now it's one of the few things I can eat because i have a hard time swallowing due to rads to the neck. I do love frozen yogurt though, so I will eat a lot of it, and probably a lot of smoothies too!
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Nice work whitney! I'm looking at starting crossfit as soon as I finish radiation. So excited!
Kbeee...sorry your throat is so thrashed. I'm getting supraclavicular as well, but gargling with honey and coconut oil really helps..
1.5 hrs on the stairmaster level 7, .5 hrs of weights. MLD is getting difficult due to chapped hide..
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Ninety minutes on the stairmaster? (boggles)
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Taking it easy today to let the chapping boost area heal more. Ate some beef (local, grass-fed, non-hormone, non-antibiotic). PT gave me a resistance band and permission to start lifting low weight on a curl bar and increase sets with hand weights to 3 sets of 10. No flies allowed yet--she's worried about causing possible rotator cuff or bursitis issues since my right shoulder is a little stiff. We'll revisit this once I'm healed enough to really stretch.
9/11:
- Fitbit steps
- stretches + 30 crunches + 125 pedals + resistance band
- 1 hr T (2.3 MPH avg)
= 5.75 miles
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Ksusan: thank you for reminding me about shoulder issues. I need to discuss that with RO when I see him next.
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I won't be exercising in the Great Central Valley today...air quality has reached unhealthy levels from the Rough Fire and Tenaya Fires in Sequoia and Yosemite NPs...it is really bad, and a true disaster. I haven't heard cause of Tenaya fire yet, but the Rough fire was caused by lightning and just going crazy in the drought. The biggest trees in Sequoia NP are now threatened, including the General Grant, believed to be second largest in the world, or something like that. Worst part: that fire is likely to burn until the rains come (it has been burning since July and is now less than 30% contained)...
and, since I have a sensitivity/allergy to wood smoke, I just emailed hubby from work yesterday and said I CAN"T STAND IT: so come hell, high water (I wish) or worse SEs than I have had from chemo, hubby and I are packing up and heading to Monterey on the coast, where it is foggy, cool, air quality is in the good zone. we have reservations at our favorite dive motel and favorite restaurant. And this evening I will walk in Pacific Grove before dinner, and tomorrow we can go for a hike at my very favorite spot in the world (well, other than Yosemite, but that seems to be burning a lot these days :-( ): Point Lobos! The whales are there, weather will be cool and foggy, and I can't wait.
Oh yeah and Day Three post first C/T Chemo report: another full day at work, no nausea, no lower GI tract issues. Neuprogren bone pain kicking in a little, especially in knees and lower back, but a combo of Claritin and Aleve help a lot. biggest issue, pumped up on steroids and can't sleep, in case you can't tell from my writing! :-) Will discuss with MO next week, but not sure I want a reduced dosage since I am doing so well otherwise...
And I really do feel like walking. One step at a time, so screw it, we are heading out. Hope you all have a happy weekend and get to breathe lots of clean air!
Octogirl
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Cancerland- the only place where green tea feels more subversive than whiskey!
Octo, I'm sorry to hear about the smoke down there. My husband may be taking a helicopter down to the Rough fire today. I do pray for the fires to go out soon, even if it means snow!
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Octo - your weekend sounds like it will be so lovely. Enjoy
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Littleblueflowers, my best wishes to your husband! Our responders and fire fighters are working so hard and it is such a tough battle...so much thanks go out to them! Keeping him in my thoughts. Snow sounds pretty good right about now!
Love your 'unsettling' remark, by the way..
Octogirl
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Octogirl, glad you can escape for a bit; it will help mentally and physically.
7 mile walk today.
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