Has it
really been a month since I posted last? Wow - sorry about that. I
guess I haven't really felt like there's been much to post about, but I'm sure
that will change here soon. :) You know me - I like to chat.
Well, I am happy to report that I've been able to keep the pain under some semblence of control with the help of Advil and exercise. After some really bad days and trying to figure out how I could learn to function in this new reality, I found that working out has truly made all the difference in my pain level. I'm not talking about hard-core lifting; rather, just walking for 30-40 minutes each day allows me to live my life with very little back pain. Can it possibly be that easy?
Apparently.
You'd think, at this point in my recovery from cancer, that I'd be much more aware of the effects of exercise on my body. Alas, it seems to have taken yet another surgery and back pain so bad I wanted to die to get me to realize that staying active is the key.
*crickets chirping*
Yes, I'm that dense. But, I'm also glad that my back pain can be relieved by something as simple as walking. As long as I'm active, I feel better. The pain isn't gone for good - I'm not sure it ever will be. However, I'm much happier only having to take Advil once a day or once every couple of days, rather than 800 mg every 4 hours (which was what I was doing at the height of the pain). My liver is much happier, too.
So, my regimen the last couple of weeks has been to make sure I walk each day. Now, y'all know I'm a busybody and don't have much free time, so the question begs to be asked: How do I find the time, right? I MAKE IT HAPPEN. It has become priority for me. I have had to make decisions based on need, versus want. I can't let this slide without repercussions, and thus, taking care of me has finally jumped to the top of the priority list. You might ask, what's fallen off the list, or has been deemed "not as important?" In all honesty? Cleaning my house. I let it slide more than I normally do, but here's the thing - the payoff is well worth it. Being able to physically clean my house every couple of weeks, rather than every couple of days, is a trade-off I'm willing to make because it means I am *able* to clean my house. Before, when I was in so much pain, I couldn't even vacuum the house without incurring pain.
I think the lesson I've learned is that talking care of my body had to become a choice that I made. My body has (in all honesty) forced me to make decisions that I wouldn't necessarily have made 6 months ago. Sure, I worked out, but I wasn't seeing the very real and immediate results. Now - it's something I feel. Literally.
Having said that, I know it's going to be a while before I'm 100%, and I've accepted that. Well, mostly. I still long for the days that I don't have to worry about being in pain, or making sure I have ibuprofen with me, just in case. But, that isn't who I am right now.
Another thing that I've learned from this, and am trying to come to terms with, is that cancer and it's affects don't end with the end of chemo. I will be dealing with the effects of my cancer for the rest of my life. For example, I don't know that I would have had to have this surgery if I hadn't had the colon resection. The doctor said he could directly trace the scarring on my uterus to the colon resection. So, the assumption I can make is that, without the resection, I wouldn't have had to have the hysterectomy. Hmmmm.....
That doesn't even take into account the after-effects of the chemo (more studies came out recently, proving that the Oxaliplantin causes lifelong side effects that may actually get worse after you end chemo - GREAT...). Nor does it take into effect the emotional toll something like this takes on you. Or, on your kids.
I wasn't going to post it, but I try to be honest here, so here goes. Julia's been having some GI issues lately. She's always had issues with constipation, etc. But, we've been able to control it up til now - lately, she's been complaining of stomach cramps, lots of pain, etc. After trying several different things (Dulcolax, Miralax), I started doing research on whether kids with Asperger's have GI issues. Boy - was I surprised. Apparently, children with forms of autism (and ADD/ADHD) tend to have issues with their GI. To the tune of 50% of them. Yikes - so, in doing more research and talking with another mother who's Aspie is in college - yeah, we are dealing with a lifelong issue here.
That, alone, wouldn't be a huge issue, in the scheme of things. But, in talking with one of Julia's teachers yesterday, Julia has expressed concern that she's got colon cancer. *sigh* At no point in their lives should a 9 year old child have to worry about having cancer. Needless to say, we had a discussion about the differences in my situation and her situation. We talked about what she needs to look for to prevent colon cancer, and how what she has isn't the same as what I had to go through.
But, it made me wonder - is there some connection? I know it's stretching, but one of my brothers had major GI issues. I had colon cancer, and now my daughter is facing a lifelong battle with GI issues (and she's been battling this since before she turned a year old). Makes you wonder, eh?
Anyway, that's enough babbling from me. It's time to buckle down and get things done - I have to make sure I have time to workout today. :)
Well, I am happy to report that I've been able to keep the pain under some semblence of control with the help of Advil and exercise. After some really bad days and trying to figure out how I could learn to function in this new reality, I found that working out has truly made all the difference in my pain level. I'm not talking about hard-core lifting; rather, just walking for 30-40 minutes each day allows me to live my life with very little back pain. Can it possibly be that easy?
Apparently.
You'd think, at this point in my recovery from cancer, that I'd be much more aware of the effects of exercise on my body. Alas, it seems to have taken yet another surgery and back pain so bad I wanted to die to get me to realize that staying active is the key.
*crickets chirping*
Yes, I'm that dense. But, I'm also glad that my back pain can be relieved by something as simple as walking. As long as I'm active, I feel better. The pain isn't gone for good - I'm not sure it ever will be. However, I'm much happier only having to take Advil once a day or once every couple of days, rather than 800 mg every 4 hours (which was what I was doing at the height of the pain). My liver is much happier, too.
So, my regimen the last couple of weeks has been to make sure I walk each day. Now, y'all know I'm a busybody and don't have much free time, so the question begs to be asked: How do I find the time, right? I MAKE IT HAPPEN. It has become priority for me. I have had to make decisions based on need, versus want. I can't let this slide without repercussions, and thus, taking care of me has finally jumped to the top of the priority list. You might ask, what's fallen off the list, or has been deemed "not as important?" In all honesty? Cleaning my house. I let it slide more than I normally do, but here's the thing - the payoff is well worth it. Being able to physically clean my house every couple of weeks, rather than every couple of days, is a trade-off I'm willing to make because it means I am *able* to clean my house. Before, when I was in so much pain, I couldn't even vacuum the house without incurring pain.
I think the lesson I've learned is that talking care of my body had to become a choice that I made. My body has (in all honesty) forced me to make decisions that I wouldn't necessarily have made 6 months ago. Sure, I worked out, but I wasn't seeing the very real and immediate results. Now - it's something I feel. Literally.
Having said that, I know it's going to be a while before I'm 100%, and I've accepted that. Well, mostly. I still long for the days that I don't have to worry about being in pain, or making sure I have ibuprofen with me, just in case. But, that isn't who I am right now.
Another thing that I've learned from this, and am trying to come to terms with, is that cancer and it's affects don't end with the end of chemo. I will be dealing with the effects of my cancer for the rest of my life. For example, I don't know that I would have had to have this surgery if I hadn't had the colon resection. The doctor said he could directly trace the scarring on my uterus to the colon resection. So, the assumption I can make is that, without the resection, I wouldn't have had to have the hysterectomy. Hmmmm.....
That doesn't even take into account the after-effects of the chemo (more studies came out recently, proving that the Oxaliplantin causes lifelong side effects that may actually get worse after you end chemo - GREAT...). Nor does it take into effect the emotional toll something like this takes on you. Or, on your kids.
I wasn't going to post it, but I try to be honest here, so here goes. Julia's been having some GI issues lately. She's always had issues with constipation, etc. But, we've been able to control it up til now - lately, she's been complaining of stomach cramps, lots of pain, etc. After trying several different things (Dulcolax, Miralax), I started doing research on whether kids with Asperger's have GI issues. Boy - was I surprised. Apparently, children with forms of autism (and ADD/ADHD) tend to have issues with their GI. To the tune of 50% of them. Yikes - so, in doing more research and talking with another mother who's Aspie is in college - yeah, we are dealing with a lifelong issue here.
That, alone, wouldn't be a huge issue, in the scheme of things. But, in talking with one of Julia's teachers yesterday, Julia has expressed concern that she's got colon cancer. *sigh* At no point in their lives should a 9 year old child have to worry about having cancer. Needless to say, we had a discussion about the differences in my situation and her situation. We talked about what she needs to look for to prevent colon cancer, and how what she has isn't the same as what I had to go through.
But, it made me wonder - is there some connection? I know it's stretching, but one of my brothers had major GI issues. I had colon cancer, and now my daughter is facing a lifelong battle with GI issues (and she's been battling this since before she turned a year old). Makes you wonder, eh?
Anyway, that's enough babbling from me. It's time to buckle down and get things done - I have to make sure I have time to workout today. :)
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