TO EXERCISE OR NOT TO EXERCISE

Hi pink ladies

I thought I would share with you what I have decided to do about this dilemma I am having of fatigue and exerice etc.

I have decided I am going to make up a list and put it on the fridge and every day I am going to write down what I have achieved today no matter how big or small.

Hopefully that will make me feel better about myself.

Good idea, or not?

Mich xo

Thank you so much Penny and a huge congrats for finishing that radiation.  I still have Taxotere and radiotherapy ahead of me.

You must be so pleased to have that behind you and like you say to be able to give yourself some much needed time to recover. 

I am soooooo looking forward to that stage when it finally arrives.

Relax and enjoy.

LOL

Mich xo

Hey Jaci

Thank you for your support and great advice.

I so want to be able to walk on our beautiful beach with my beautiful pooch but I am lucky to walk to the letterbox.  I have managed a walk around the block cause those pleading eyes of hers got the better of me.  I stopped 3 times and didn't think I was gunna make it back home.  I had also made the silliest of mistakes by leaving my mobile at home.  Anyway we got there even with my legs like jelly and me puffing like a billy.  Thank god the last bit was down hill.  I must have looked like a rolly polly just about rolling down that hill.

LOL Mich xo

Thank you so much Tonya

I know you have been there and your advice is so helpful to all of us.

You did make me smile when I read about your daughter.  I spent 2 beautiful weeks with my daughter and her now hubby at the time of my second chemo and prior to their wedding and I hear exactly what you are saying. 

They are the most precious of peoples in my world BUT they have different priorities these days, which isn't a bad thing, maybe we could learn from them??????.  A clean house just isn't on their list of priorities or if it is on their list it is close to the bottom.  Gotta luv em I reckon.

Mind you I probably would have been feeling different about it if it was long term and it was my shower in my house that was dirty hee hee.

Mich xo

I tried so hard to keep up walking on my treadmill whilst on chemo, but I must admit when the dreaded taxotere came along I just didn't have the energy. I finished my radiation on Tuesday and I am just going to give myself some time to recover, walk when I want and rest when I want. Don't feel guilty! Do what feels right for you on the day. I think we put too much pressure on ourselves. Much love Penny Xxxx

Hi Shaz

Thank you so much for your support and advice, greatly appreciated.  I am having a Neulasta injection 24 hours after each chemo at present cause of low white cell count.

I just wanted to let you know I did contact my chemo nurse (who is just wonderful).  I took on board what she said as we are so used to getting up in the morning and getting all our chores under way and kids off to school, work etc etc.  so it is hard for us to not be on top of things first thing in the morning.  This of course is when I am feeling most of my fatigue.  I do not wake up and feel I have had a nice restful sleep.  I wake up and think I just want to sleep and sleep and sleep but then there is something in my head (the guilt) telling me to get up, don't be lazy, things to do, animals need feeding, neighbours might drop in and here you are still in your pj's with bed not made and so on and so on. 

Anyway she more or less we need to accept the fatigue is a part of our treatment but just try to push through it as best we can.  Try and do a bit then rest, then a bit more and rest etc.  When you achieve something like doing and hanging out a load of washing pat yourself on the back.  It is good advice so we just need to try and put it into practice.

It is sooooo hard when I have been such an active, determined person working three jobs to now not even able to manage to work one job.  I hate the feeling.

BUT I guess like all you wonderful pink ladies out there are telling me, I need to be kind to myself and accept this is part of the journey.  As you say I need to find a balance for myself.  As Sonja said it is early days but it feels like my life has been on hold forever already. 

I just need to suck it up and get on with it hey????? Fanx girls, you are all there for me and I sooo  appreciate that.

Here's to my next burst of energy.  :-)

MIch xo

Hi Annie

Thank you so much for your greatly appreciated reply.  I am so glad there is going to be an information resource on exercise in the future as I am sure, as you say so many people must be asking the same questions.  I know it isn't going to assist me right now but if I can asist in helping some others further down the track then I have helped to do a good thing.  The more aware we can all become about breast cancer, it's side effects and treatment of them and all the other physical and emotional issues we endure along the way and to also have the knowledge on how to deal with these issues the better for all concerned.

Unfortunately I live in a rural area and the closest main centre is 65+ klms away.  I did do as you suggested and looked at the directory but unfortunately the only thing available is Womens Health Resource Centre and it is this distance away from me.  I have also been invited to join an Encore program through the Cancer Council but again it is this distance away.  I so would love to be a part of these things but as I struggle to get out of bed at the moment it is too hard to drive this distance.  Unfortunately as I have learnt this is one of the major downfalls in living in the country away from the "big smoke".

Thank you for your support and taking the time to reply, much appreciated.  I just hope as time goes on this cycle I get more energy to even get out there and do a little bit.  Fatigue is probably one of the hardest things I am dealing with besides the loss of my hair and going out in public.

Mich xo

When I am feeling OK, I try to go for a short walk (around the block or similar) but at present (2nd chemo was on Monday with mild Low hemoglobing before I began), I am having REALLY BAD fatigue, I am fighting to get out of bed and go to the Loo, so going for a walk is just WAY beyond me, So I am not sweating it, when I start to feel a bit better, I will go for a walk, until then I will rest and relax and sleep/ nap until I am up to doing more.

I don;t even have the energy to want to eat (although I am forcing myself), I have decided that if I am still this bad tomorrow I will call my chemo nurses/ breast nurse or oncologist and see what I can do to help it (maybe I need iron suppliments or something to help the low hemoglobin as this HAS to be adding to the post chemo fatigue I get anyway), but until then, rest, rest, rest and I REFUSE to feel guilty about it. IF this is what my body wants, the is what my body will get.

Good Luck to you and to finding a balance that is right for YOU. It is so HARD as like you said the information is conflicting and we are ALL so different, we all react differently to our treatments (our chemo meds are different, our bodies are different, our cancers care different, our genetics are different, our pre cancer fitness levels are different and so on and so forth), so I can't see how there can be a one size fits all answer.

I say, do what seems right for you - if you go for a short walk - to your mailbox and that is fine, maybe try a little farther. If you get to the end of the street (and remember you have to walk the same distance to get back) and you feel fine, maybe try to go a bit further.

I do recommend you carry your mobile phone with you though, so if it is too much you can call someone to pick you up in a car (even if it is form the end of the street or from 2 doors down), My hubby demands that i keep a phone with my if he is not in seeing/ hearing distance from me - JUST IN CASE, so I can call him, if I need assistance (we have walkie talkies for at home <LOL> as he is working in the garage a lot building our 4x4 motorhome.

Good luck with find a balance for yourself (I KNOW it is a hard one).

When I am feeling OK, I try to go for a short walk (around the block or similar) but at present (2nd chemo was on Monday with mild Low hemoglobing before I began), I am having REALLY BAD fatigue, I am fighting to get out of bed and go to the Loo, so going for a walk is just WAY beyond me, So I am not sweating it, when I start to feel a bit better, I will go for a walk, until then I will rest and relax and sleep/ nap until I am up to doing more.

I don;t even have the energy to want to eat (although I am forcing myself), I have decided that if I am still this bad tomorrow I will call my chemo nurses/ breast nurse or oncologist and see what I can do to help it (maybe I need iron suppliments or something to help the low hemoglobin as this HAS to be adding to the post chemo fatigue I get anyway), but until then, rest, rest, rest and I REFUSE to feel guilty about it. IF this is what my body wants, the is what my body will get.

Good Luck to you and to finding a balance that is right for YOU. It is so HARD as like you said the information is conflicting and we are ALL so different, we all react differently to our treatments (our chemo meds are different, our bodies are different, our cancers care different, our genetics are different, our pre cancer fitness levels are different and so on and so forth), so I can't see how there can be a one size fits all answer.

I say, do what seems right for you - if you go for a short walk - to your mailbox and that is fine, maybe try a little farther. If you get to the end of the street (and remember you have to walk the same distance to get back) and you feel fine, maybe try to go a bit further.

I do recommend you carry your mobile phone with you though, so if it is too much you can call someone to pick you up in a car (even if it is form the end of the street or from 2 doors down), My hubby demands that i keep a phone with my if he is not in seeing/ hearing distance from me - JUST IN CASE, so I can call him, if I need assistance (we have walkie talkies for at home <LOL> as he is working in the garage a lot building our 4x4 motorhome.

Good luck with find a balance for yourself (I KNOW it is a hard one).

You are still having chemo aren't you? Darl,just do what you feel like.We all react differently to chemo and also some days are way worse than other days. When I was having chemo I would try and do one or 2 things around the house and on bad days it was doona time! I have my daughter and her fiance living with us while they build. They are forever going to the gym but I reckon I did a bigger workout for an hour scrubbing their filthy shower/bathroom!! Do a small walk and see how you feel. Only you know what your body feels up to and you will get your energy back a few months after it's all finished.Go easy on yourself.

                                 love Tonya xx