I just returned from an eleven day trip to Vancouver and Alaska. Thus, I am trying to get back into the “flow”. My biggest goal is to get the kids ready for “back to school” and to get myself into top shape. Fortunately, getting the kids back into the groove is not too difficult; however, getting myself back into top shape is a constant challenge.
Chemo drugs can be brutal on weight gain. They can make you feel like you need to eat five meals a day. For someone who is used to being in shape, this is one of the hardest parts of cancer; however, I am slowly starting to make a “dent”. After my chemo treatments, I quickly gained 30 pounds. It is one thing to want to eat all of the time, but the real issue is not being healthy enough to counteract the desire for food with ample exercise.
However, things have improved and I started exercising right after Christmas. As I have stated in previous articles, I have a chunk of lung that has been removed and I have a metal rod in my right humerus. The cancer also spread from my lungs to a vertebrae in my back and into my right knee. I had a huge hole in the vertebrae. I had radiation a year ago and take a daily chemo pill. The miracle of modern medicine helped grow these two bones back into place — they regenerate. Of all the things that I have been through, this is the one thing that amazes me. When cancer gets into your bones, it is incredibly painful. However, at least in my case, it was fixable.
Once the bones were healthy enough to exercise, I decided the best way to get rid of the weight gain was to exercise. I joined Orange Theory which consists of running on a treadmill, rowing on a rower and lifting hand weights. When I first started, it was a real challenge to breathe. In fact it took me 5.5 months before I could run on the treadmill. Unfortunately, I also had two big falls on the treadmill. In both cases the person using the treadmill before me did not turn it off . . . I was tired and did not notice that it was still running and stepped on it and “face planted” both times. Fortunately, my brain somehow kicked in and managed to turn to my left side in mid-air so that I fell on my left arm and not my right arm that already has a rod in it.
When I first started, I could only work out three times a week. I am now up to five times a week. Furthermore, I also could not lift any weight with my right arm nor do any push-ups due to the rod in my arm. I can now lift 10 pounds with my right arm and I am able to do “modified” push-ups.
The other big issue with Stage 4 cancer is that it can be very depressing. However, exercise does wonders for the mind. In the beginning they put me on an antidepressant which also contributed to weight gain. My whole goal was to get myself to a position in which I could exercise and thus, I could stop taking the pills. I am ecstatic that I have reached that goal.
Cancer is brutal but I am very happy to have an athletic background that in many ways has been very instrumental in helping me deal with setbacks and given me the mindset to go forward. This is a big battle and all I can do is take a “go forward attitude”. I have also been very blessed with family and friends that provide unbelievable support. Stage 4 is a big opponent, but I have a ton of support and will continue to fight.