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Carmel, CA 93923
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Published Articles
September 2007 Fitness Tip
Fifteen months after my breast cancer surgery, eight
months since my last chemotherapy treatment and five
months past radiation I still have days when I am very
fatigued.
When I finished the radiation in April I had the
expectation that I would be back at full throttle in no
time at all; running, lifting weights, riding my horses.
I made plans to do some road races and even a Ride & Tie
race in very hilly terrain. But, I realized that my
stamina wasn’t coming back as fast as I thought it
would.
Upon my next visit to my oncology doctor I found out
that one of the chemotherapy drugs that I needed to take
for one year had temporarily damaged my heart. This was
quite a shock since my heart tested above normal before
I started the treatment. It did explain why my heart
rate would shoot up quickly when I exerted some extra
effort and why it would take me a few days to recover
from an exertion level that, before the chemo had been
an easy workout.
This new glitch in my recovery plan caused me great
anxiety and depression. I had to rethink how I was going
to move forward with this limited capacity. I had to
figure out how I wanted to spend my energy. It is a hard
realization to discover that you can’t just pickup where
you left off.
I’m sure many people over fifty have faced this same
dilemma whether they have had cancer of not. Knowing you
can’t run as fast or play as hard can feel very
defeating, maybe to the extent that you quit doing
everything because you can’t participate with the same
intensity and results. This also happens to plenty of
people under fifty too.
This is when you need to think about what gives you joy.
For me it was spending more time riding my horses. By
choosing my very favorite outdoor activity I not only
helped myself physically but, more importantly my mental
attitude improved immensely.
You don’t have to run like you did twenty years ago in
order to reap the benefits of regular exercise. Try new
activities or think back to what you enjoyed most when
you were younger. The important thing is that you
participate in some kind of physical activity not only
for the health benefits, but for the mental stimulation
and clarity that you will derive from aerobic exercise.
There are plenty of days left in 2007 to get out and
appreciate the wonderful Santa Cruz Mountains where we
are so fortunate to live. Take the time to enjoy your
surrounding and boost your physical and mental well
being at the same time. |
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Breast Cancer
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006
February 2007
September 2007
December 2008
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