Skip to main content

How I'm doing (9th infusion): Becoming an endurance athlete

The cumulative effects of the past 2 weeks remind me that even though I'm an athlete, I'm not a distance athlete: I don't do Ironmans or marathons (or 50k or 100k running races, for that matter). Instead, I do the shorter versions of races. Mostly this is for physical reasons.

Chemo is its own long-distance race, tucked inside this 100 miler race that I'll call my treatment plan year. I am 9/12 weeks in and hit a mental block that I'll need to navigate. It's helpful to acknowledge when something sucks, but I'm making sure not to lean in to that too much.

Coincidentally, the Chicago Triathlon Club's monthly meeting will feature an Ironman champion talking about endurance racing, so I'll be heading there for inspiration. And talking to my therapist. :) Because I need it. Final stretch, here we come.  

One foot in front of the other, looking down at the ground while going uphill, not the finish in the distance.

Today's infusion: Had Benadryl in it! Because I'm having a skin reaction and we're trying to calm it. I started a prescription (putting cannabis aside) to help me sleep at night. Several weeks of poor sleep is taking its toll, and if I can get the skin part under control, that would help a lot too.

I'm still living a normal life, just at a slower pace thanks to special effects! 🙃 I'm going to call this new state my "island time."

  • My workouts dropped intensity this week, but I still went.
  • I was really dragging before volunteering, but I still went (although, I literally abandoned my cheese distribution station at the end to leave early ... I never abandon a post! Thankfully it was at the very end.)
  • I tried to add too many new movements at the gym and my arm swelled a bit, so I saw the physical therapist and got myself a plan and a compression sleeve.
  • I matched with someone on an app and went out on another date, and I shopped for a new date night top that goes well with my shaved head, so I can feel confident.
  • I found myself craving cheese pizza and just leaned into a few large slices. Even though it didn't taste the same, I could imagine so closely what I wanted it to taste like that it hit the spot perfectly.
  • I'm listing this all more for me than you, to remind myself how I can keep up the momentum even when it feels like something is blocking me.
"Even on days you don't want to get out of bed, you exercise for 10 min."
"Even on your 50/50 days, I want you minimum 30 minutes at moderate heart rate."

I've got my "Keep Going" bracelet to look at when I need, and I tell myself, "You've got this."

This won't last forever! And only way through it is through, right?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sara's playbook for dealing with cancer

My care team has commended my playbook for managing symptoms and dealing with cancer treatment.  I can't compare my cancer experience to others', because everyone's cancer is different. But, I can say that I'm coming out of this feeling like a better version of myself, and I didn't experience the intensity of symptoms that most people experience.  I'm a firm believer in doing what I can to manage what's thrown at me and take control where I can.  Here's my playbook for dealing with cancer in case it's helpful.  Note: If you think it might help to share with someone who has a recent diagnosis, I recommend first asking them if they're open to a perspective on managing life during treatment, sharing only if they say yes.  I treated food as fuel. I learned which ingredients reduce inflammation and which ingredients help the body recover, and I chose foods with them instead of comfort foods as often as possible. These ingredients can be found across c...
1 comment
Read more

How I'm feeling: Warmth from returning to work

I went back to work this week, and the best word I can describe it is dreamy. You read that right.  I had the best welcome back from teammates and others. The best. I truly felt joy seeing them, and I received so much warmth and even love back, it really makes me count my blessings. The only triggers I had were problematic, institutional terms in our work that we haven't solved yet!  I also reviewed final content from a big project I had been working on before I left, getting to see how the team finished the foundation we started and how they applied the content guidelines I drove. I couldn't tell the difference between what I wrote and what they wrote, which is amazing! This is what you want to happen! It was also dreamy because my directive from my new manager and partner lead recognized my leadership and strategy skillset, versus a more tactical starting point of, "Can you write this line of copy?" Like I said, dreamy .  There was a weird part I got through. I re...
1 comment
Read more

How I'm doing: Positive reflections as I head back to work

My Florida trip brought paddle boarding, crystal clear waters, tequila, sunshine, and laughs with friends. My final few days before work are a wonderful balance of downtime, long walks with Monty, rest, and fitness. I was also asked to be one of the speakers at the hospital cancer center's Survivors' Day of Celebration this year. Yes, there's so much to celebrate!  And, it's fitting to share my reply to an e-poll question that I answered in a group of former colleagues. The question was, " If you could relive one year of your life, which would it be? "  Here's what I wrote:  " My first thought was age 26. I just remember it as coming into my own and having so much fun. Then I saw [so-and-so's]  mention of studying abroad, and my 2001 experience changed my life in so many ways. But my final answer, if I were to pick one year, would be this past year, actually!  "A year ago at this time I finally, finally just felt so comfortable in my own skin...
Post a Comment
Read more