Me Taking Care of Me

This week has been the good week.  I haven't had to take any anti-nausea medication since last Saturday, and there haven't been any aches and pains.  I feel absolutely normal, except my hair is gone.  I actually went to my hairdresser on Tuesday and had what was left of it shaved off. After getting in the shower for a second time and having another glob of hair in the bottom, I decided enough is enough.  I feel much better now, and I'm glad I did it. Now I've taken to wearing hats, caps, scarves and my wig.  

On Friday I had an appointment with a Physical Fitness Therapist.  Another amenity of the Huntsman Institute. There's a whole department called the Wellness Center that is all about caring for the whole individual, not just the cancer.  My appointment was to assess where I was as far as my fitness level and to design a program that will keep me in as good a shape as possible while I go through the chemo and radiation.  Then once I've completed the treatments they'll help me design a program to get me moving again and in better shape than I am now.     That was quite a mouthful. The assesment took about an hour and a half, and was pretty intense.  The thing I was the worst at was my balance.  I couldn't stand on my left leg and hold my balance for more than two seconds.  Wow, who would have thought.  Anyway, I meet with them again next Friday, after they've had a chance to go over my tests and they will set up a program for me.  

After that appointment, I met with a nutritionist, that gave me some very good information about breast cancer, some of its causes and nutritional ideas to help combat any recurrence. The most interesting thing I learned there was how much weight gain, especially around the middle contributes to breast cancer. I had to admit, that was me.  I've put on an extra twenty to thirty pounds over the last twenty years, and most of it has been around the middle. Not Good.

So, if I want to do something for myself, not only do I need to get back to a good exercise program, but I'm definitely going to have to change my eating habits. There'll be alot more fruits, vegetables and grains on my plate, and alot less meat. 

I'm really glad I did this, because it's something I can actually do for me.  So much of cancer treatment is following doctors' orders, and living with the side effects, aka-hair loss.  In order to be at all proactive, I really believe I need to do as much for myself as I can.  I refuse to be a victim, and I will not sit around feeling sorry for myself.  As far as I'm concerned that's the best way to be defeated by this, and I will not be defeated.  I'm going to beat this and come out a better person all around.