Daily Quote: "How did the disease change you (Lance Armstrong) and your body?" Number one, the therapy is destructive to pre-existing muscle and conditioning. and two, you're just not doing anything. You're lying around. I lay around. I slept 20 hours a day. So you're not going to maintain any of the muscle mass that you had. I came down (in weight) significantly. but also, when I came back, my view of the sport was very different. All the things that I didn't do before when it came to training...I realized, like I said a minute ago, I'm coming back. I've got my life back. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be here next year, and I don't want to mess this up. So I was just more focused than I had been before. I was a total underachiever in the early '90s. Although I did okay, I guess." --Lance Armstong. Interview by Bill Saporito, Runner's World Magazine, July 2011, article "Strong Man," pg 95.
The above quote was quite inspirational to me as I identified so closely to Armstrong's cancer experience. Like Armstrong all I wanted to do is sleep, but I don't have the luxury of sleeping 20 hours a day as I have to work 12-hour days as a cab driver due to my financial responsibilities. I also came down in weight significantly, my lowest weight during cancer treatment was 159 pounds, just before treatments I was 177 pounds. I hope that when I return fully to running that I'll be more focused than I had been before too!
I only have nine radiation treatments left. Today was like any other radiation day. I entered the office, waited for my turn at the radiation machine, undressed and lay on the machine's platform, two technicians maneuvered my body into position for the radiation targets, they left the radiation room and shut the huge, thick, bomb-shelter-like doors as I waited for the radiation lasers to start blasting me...I waited, waited, and waited some more...then the nurse entered and stated that she couldn't see my tumor on the radiation machine's X-ray...thus she could not target the cancer mass on my upper chest. I was then led to a Cat Scan machine as to find the cancer mass that has shrunken so small that it can't be seen by the naked eye.
The doctor will eventually exam the Cat Scan photos, target and mark where the cancer mass is, and should proceed later this week, maybe even tomorrow.
Called my wife at her work office and she was ecstatic about this morning's non-event as this shows how much progress I've been making. I've been pretty depressed and defeated lately and my wife couldn't help herself as she repeated, "I told you so, I told you so," as she believes that I've already conquered cancer. She has seen me achieve many things and has had no doubts that cancer is just another challenge for me to conquer. I'm more cautious as I know how unjust and unfair cancer can be...you could be a great athlete, very religious, and still die of cancer. I must admit, my wife's enthusiasm is contagious! I'm so fortunate to have her in my corner!!
Today I drive my cab for twelve hours (12pm - 12am), which will be a very slow cab business day as we have no major conventions during the summer and not many tourists as it's just too hot. Being a slow business day is a mixed blessing, we desperately need the money, but my body could use the rest too. Today is my Friday and tomorrow I start my days off (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday off)!! I'm looking forward to catching up on my sleep tomorrow.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Only Two More Weeks of Radiation Therapy!
Daily Quote: "It's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." ~Abraham Lincoln
Only two more weeks of radiation therapy!! My last scheduled radiation day is on Friday, August 5th, but will see my oncologist, Dr. Parks on August 23rd to setup a PET Scan as to see if my cancer is in remission. I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I continued my walking/running last week, but at a reduced amount as to allow my body to heal from the cancer treatments, and still feel that I'm easing into my return to running.
I've gained three pounds since last week and currently weigh 166 pounds (my lowest weight was 159 on June 30th); I hope to return to my racing weight of 170 pounds during August.
I have no pain at this time, which is a relief in itself, but do feel tremendous fatigue and had deep depression during last weekend. In the past when I felt depression my running habit had helped relieve my symptoms, but now since I've been off depression medications for many years and don't run during the weekends, my depression does return with a vengenance. I just have to tough it out for two more weeks and keep a stiff upper lip.
I'm still sleeping over ten hours a day and with naps too. I often feel that when I'm awake my head is in a thick fog and can't think quickly. My short term memory is horrible lately. I don't feel that I'm fully living, only existing day by day. I've lost all desire to do anything except sleeping. The year 2011 is a lost year with my mind lost in a blur. I must wrap my thoughts with the realization that my cancer situation is temporary and it's almost over.
Only two more weeks of radiation therapy!! My last scheduled radiation day is on Friday, August 5th, but will see my oncologist, Dr. Parks on August 23rd to setup a PET Scan as to see if my cancer is in remission. I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I continued my walking/running last week, but at a reduced amount as to allow my body to heal from the cancer treatments, and still feel that I'm easing into my return to running.
I've gained three pounds since last week and currently weigh 166 pounds (my lowest weight was 159 on June 30th); I hope to return to my racing weight of 170 pounds during August.
I have no pain at this time, which is a relief in itself, but do feel tremendous fatigue and had deep depression during last weekend. In the past when I felt depression my running habit had helped relieve my symptoms, but now since I've been off depression medications for many years and don't run during the weekends, my depression does return with a vengenance. I just have to tough it out for two more weeks and keep a stiff upper lip.
I'm still sleeping over ten hours a day and with naps too. I often feel that when I'm awake my head is in a thick fog and can't think quickly. My short term memory is horrible lately. I don't feel that I'm fully living, only existing day by day. I've lost all desire to do anything except sleeping. The year 2011 is a lost year with my mind lost in a blur. I must wrap my thoughts with the realization that my cancer situation is temporary and it's almost over.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Only Three Weeks of Radiation Therapy Left
Daily Quote: "Being a cancer patient is just a whole different deal. You feel it in your bones and skin -- it eats away at your mind. Life seemed clear before, but suddenly there's this question mark in front of you. Cancer is this amorphous thing. It works on a cellular level that you can perceive intellectually, but that you can't see. Running, by contrast, is all about focus and structure. Once I got cancer, I appreciated running on a whole new level. I had always thought of it as fun, a game, a toy, but now I realized we could use it as a weapon, to. Use it in our own minds and bodies, as a fund-raiser, and for unity." --Bill Rodgers, (age 60) four time Boston Marathon winner, Runner's World Magazine, July 2011, Article "Team Effort," pg 84.
Boston Billy (Bill Rodgers) was a hero for many runners when he won the Boston Marathon four times, he's my hero for setting an example for us mere mortals who are striving to return to running after our bodies have been decimated by cancer treatments. The above quote from the article "Team Effort" also explained that Rodgers "was preparing to run Boston in 2007 when a routine physical revealed he had an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Rodgers underwent a radical prostatectomy, followed by radiation therapy. Cancer-free, he returned to the Boston Marathon in 2009, finishing the race in 4:02." Geez, yesterday I was disappointed because I had a tough interval, although I'm still taking radiation treatments, but Boston Billy finished the 2007 Boston Marathon in a mere mortal time of 4:02 to race and raise awareness for the cancer disease! I am embarrassed for myself. I will never be disappointed for my training nor racing again.
I now have only three weeks (15 radiation treatments) of radiation therapy left!! My last scheduled radiation day is on Friday, August 5th, but will see my oncologist, Dr. Parks on August 23rd to setup a PET Scan as to see if my cancer is in remission.
Today my weight is 163 pounds, which means I only gained one pound last week (my lowest weight was 159 on June 30th); I hope to return to my racing weight of 170 pounds before August. It's easier to gain weight since my throat is healed and can swallow food without pain. I've lost muscle tone and strength during my cancer treatments and once I gain back the muscles I'll be a bit heavier too. Needless to say, my returning to running last week probably made it more difficult to gain weight as well.
The dead, dark, skin on my throat has all peeled off leaving a pinkish and slightly wrinkled neck. I think the wrinkled neck might be due to my weight loss and not the radiation, heaven forbid it's because I'm older! Also, my pectorals no longer hurt! I do feel tremendous fatigue, but that goes with the radiation territory. I'm at the point where I'm tired of being tired! My beard has turned totally gray and has bald patches, but find it miraculous that I still have a full head of hair, although it too is grayer. I can live with gray hair!
The big news for me at least, is I started running last week. Running intervals with walking breaks, yesterday I had troubles finishing the last, fourth interval, but Allen's comment on my blog yesterday made me think, he said, "Going back to 2 minutes walking helps, but you're still subjecting your body to relative high stress from the running. I think I would vote in favor of reducing the overall stress level on your body by reducing your running. In fact, if it were me, I wouldn't run at all until I was done with the radiation. Running, even the small amounts you're doing, puts a lot of stress on your body, and your body is already getting high stress from the radiation. Walking puts stress on your body but less stress than that from running." Maybe I can make a small compromise and walk every other day with the weekends off and just run a small amount, like three days a week? Running makes me feel whole again and hate the idea of stopping altogether. I know my doctors would not approve of my running as they feel that I need all my energy to fight cancer, the rest and recovery is a big part of the treatments. Dr. Treadmill is still flabbergasted that I'm still able to work for twelve hours with my body being so weak and he probably would totally flip out if he knew I had returned to running.
Today after my 9:00 a.m. radiation treatments I rushed to 24 Hour Fitness as to complete my exercising and later a small lunch before I leave for work at 11:30 p.m.
24 hour Fitness on Rainbow Boulevard. Life Fitness Treadmill set to a 1% grade. Walked 45 minutes at 3.5 mph. Several times during my walk I wanted to break out running, but kept on trudging with my walking. The effort was very easy with just mild exertion on my part, I didn't even break into a sweat. After my walk I didn't feel the "high" that I get from running, but did feel that I accomplished at least something! I am not disappointed with my walking as I do realize my body is in a weak state, but the hunger for running is still there.
Must finish my peanut butter and jelly sandwich and leave for work soon. I wanted to post comments to Bruce's Team at about.com, but as usual I'm pressed for time, hopefully they'll keep up with me on my blog. It's going to be a very long night at work.
Boston Billy (Bill Rodgers) was a hero for many runners when he won the Boston Marathon four times, he's my hero for setting an example for us mere mortals who are striving to return to running after our bodies have been decimated by cancer treatments. The above quote from the article "Team Effort" also explained that Rodgers "was preparing to run Boston in 2007 when a routine physical revealed he had an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Rodgers underwent a radical prostatectomy, followed by radiation therapy. Cancer-free, he returned to the Boston Marathon in 2009, finishing the race in 4:02." Geez, yesterday I was disappointed because I had a tough interval, although I'm still taking radiation treatments, but Boston Billy finished the 2007 Boston Marathon in a mere mortal time of 4:02 to race and raise awareness for the cancer disease! I am embarrassed for myself. I will never be disappointed for my training nor racing again.
I now have only three weeks (15 radiation treatments) of radiation therapy left!! My last scheduled radiation day is on Friday, August 5th, but will see my oncologist, Dr. Parks on August 23rd to setup a PET Scan as to see if my cancer is in remission.
Today my weight is 163 pounds, which means I only gained one pound last week (my lowest weight was 159 on June 30th); I hope to return to my racing weight of 170 pounds before August. It's easier to gain weight since my throat is healed and can swallow food without pain. I've lost muscle tone and strength during my cancer treatments and once I gain back the muscles I'll be a bit heavier too. Needless to say, my returning to running last week probably made it more difficult to gain weight as well.
The dead, dark, skin on my throat has all peeled off leaving a pinkish and slightly wrinkled neck. I think the wrinkled neck might be due to my weight loss and not the radiation, heaven forbid it's because I'm older! Also, my pectorals no longer hurt! I do feel tremendous fatigue, but that goes with the radiation territory. I'm at the point where I'm tired of being tired! My beard has turned totally gray and has bald patches, but find it miraculous that I still have a full head of hair, although it too is grayer. I can live with gray hair!
The big news for me at least, is I started running last week. Running intervals with walking breaks, yesterday I had troubles finishing the last, fourth interval, but Allen's comment on my blog yesterday made me think, he said, "Going back to 2 minutes walking helps, but you're still subjecting your body to relative high stress from the running. I think I would vote in favor of reducing the overall stress level on your body by reducing your running. In fact, if it were me, I wouldn't run at all until I was done with the radiation. Running, even the small amounts you're doing, puts a lot of stress on your body, and your body is already getting high stress from the radiation. Walking puts stress on your body but less stress than that from running." Maybe I can make a small compromise and walk every other day with the weekends off and just run a small amount, like three days a week? Running makes me feel whole again and hate the idea of stopping altogether. I know my doctors would not approve of my running as they feel that I need all my energy to fight cancer, the rest and recovery is a big part of the treatments. Dr. Treadmill is still flabbergasted that I'm still able to work for twelve hours with my body being so weak and he probably would totally flip out if he knew I had returned to running.
Today after my 9:00 a.m. radiation treatments I rushed to 24 Hour Fitness as to complete my exercising and later a small lunch before I leave for work at 11:30 p.m.
24 hour Fitness on Rainbow Boulevard. Life Fitness Treadmill set to a 1% grade. Walked 45 minutes at 3.5 mph. Several times during my walk I wanted to break out running, but kept on trudging with my walking. The effort was very easy with just mild exertion on my part, I didn't even break into a sweat. After my walk I didn't feel the "high" that I get from running, but did feel that I accomplished at least something! I am not disappointed with my walking as I do realize my body is in a weak state, but the hunger for running is still there.
Must finish my peanut butter and jelly sandwich and leave for work soon. I wanted to post comments to Bruce's Team at about.com, but as usual I'm pressed for time, hopefully they'll keep up with me on my blog. It's going to be a very long night at work.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Tentative Running Schedule
Daily Quote: "I know that marathon training is not really important compared to pneumonia and all the complications that would go with it, but for a runner, losing that which keeps us positive and on track is frustrating and disabling. Only another athlete can understand that. The race itself is merely frosting, it is what I gain mentally and physically from the training that holds my life together. I’m going buggy laying around watching movies and sleeping between coughing fits." --Wendy Nail, from her blog, which I find extremely motivational and can totally understand her current frustrations.
My tentative running schedule is taking form, I'll be running Monday through Friday, immediately after my 9:00 a.m. radiation treatments, which should give me enough time to eat and prepare for my 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. shift (I drive for Checker Cab) on Monday and Friday.
My days off from running will be Saturday and Sunday, which isn't ideal to have two rest days together, but my wife has the weekends off from work and it wouldn't be fair to leave her in the mornings. Also, work is very stressful during the weekend (I drive Fridays through Mondays) and really shouldn't compound my stress with the fatigue of running.
I immediately rushed to the gym after my 9:00 a.m. radiation appointment.
24 hour Fitness on Rainbow Boulevard. Life Fitness Treadmill set to a 1% grade. Warmup: 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph. Intervals, 4 x .25 miles at 6.0 mph (10 minute miles). Walking intervals, one minute. Cooldown, 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph. Shoes: NIKE Air Structures. No Polar Heart Rate Monitor as it's in the way of my feeding tube. I was panting after my last running interval and amazed how decreasing my walking intervals by one minute was so difficult to complete my workout. Tomorrow I'll return to two minute walking intervals. I'm disappointed with today's effort, but do realize I'm going to have plenty of fallbacks during my return to running, and have to take today in stride. Baby steps, baby steps.
My tentative running schedule is taking form, I'll be running Monday through Friday, immediately after my 9:00 a.m. radiation treatments, which should give me enough time to eat and prepare for my 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. shift (I drive for Checker Cab) on Monday and Friday.
My days off from running will be Saturday and Sunday, which isn't ideal to have two rest days together, but my wife has the weekends off from work and it wouldn't be fair to leave her in the mornings. Also, work is very stressful during the weekend (I drive Fridays through Mondays) and really shouldn't compound my stress with the fatigue of running.
I immediately rushed to the gym after my 9:00 a.m. radiation appointment.
24 hour Fitness on Rainbow Boulevard. Life Fitness Treadmill set to a 1% grade. Warmup: 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph. Intervals, 4 x .25 miles at 6.0 mph (10 minute miles). Walking intervals, one minute. Cooldown, 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph. Shoes: NIKE Air Structures. No Polar Heart Rate Monitor as it's in the way of my feeding tube. I was panting after my last running interval and amazed how decreasing my walking intervals by one minute was so difficult to complete my workout. Tomorrow I'll return to two minute walking intervals. I'm disappointed with today's effort, but do realize I'm going to have plenty of fallbacks during my return to running, and have to take today in stride. Baby steps, baby steps.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Ran One Mile (with walking intervals)
Daily Quote: "My final thought is for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis or any other disease that slows you down. Nothing is impossible to overcome. You have to take advantage of the good days to make gains and those gains will help you though the bad days. I know runners with cancer, auto-immune diseases, heart problems, and even cerebral palsy. They enjoy their vigor and strength when they can find it and muddle through the weak days knowing there are better ones ahead." --WendyBird's superb blog, which can be read here. I love her blog's introduction, "I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2001 when I was 32, and have been struggling to maintain control of my body ever since. I began running in 2007 and have gone from not being able to run for a minute to running a full marathon. I hope my story will inspire others to reach for the stars, even if they feel chained to the depths."
I finally ran one mile today, granted the mile was interspersed with walking breaks, but my achievement felt like I had ran my first marathon! It's great to be able to run again as I don't really want my cancer to define me.
Immediately after my 9:00 a.m. radiation appointment went to 24 Hour Fitness and jumped on a treadmill. I had abundant energy as I slept for 10 hours last night and yesterday had a restful afternoon.
Life Fitness Treadmill set to a 1% grade. Warmup: 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph. Intervals, 4 x .25 miles at 6.0 mph (10 minute miles). Walking intervals, two minutes. Cooldown, 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph. Shoes: NIKE Air Structures. No Polar Heart Rate Monitor as it's in the way of my feeding tube. Felt like I just jumped the moon accomplishing my first running mile! Tomorrow will run the mile again, but will cut my walking breaks to one minute.
I started the blog several years ago as to answer many questions from my running friends who wanted to know how I qualified to run the Boston Marathon as most of them have never achieved a "BQ" (Boston Qualifier), since I started this blog I now have had three BQ's, which is a major milestone for an accomplished runner. The blog at that time showed how I trained, rested, ate, all the while working 12-hour nights. Also the blog highlighted the results and experiences of my races. Now, my blog has morphed into my struggles and battles with cancer. When I first started writing about cancer I really didn't wish cancer to define me, now I'm hoping that my return to running will show that cancer can be conquered and I'm better from the horrible experience, that you can't keep a good runner down. I love Wendy's attitude that "I hope my story will inspire others to reach for the stars, even if they feel chained to the depths."
I finally ran one mile today, granted the mile was interspersed with walking breaks, but my achievement felt like I had ran my first marathon! It's great to be able to run again as I don't really want my cancer to define me.
Immediately after my 9:00 a.m. radiation appointment went to 24 Hour Fitness and jumped on a treadmill. I had abundant energy as I slept for 10 hours last night and yesterday had a restful afternoon.
Life Fitness Treadmill set to a 1% grade. Warmup: 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph. Intervals, 4 x .25 miles at 6.0 mph (10 minute miles). Walking intervals, two minutes. Cooldown, 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph. Shoes: NIKE Air Structures. No Polar Heart Rate Monitor as it's in the way of my feeding tube. Felt like I just jumped the moon accomplishing my first running mile! Tomorrow will run the mile again, but will cut my walking breaks to one minute.
I started the blog several years ago as to answer many questions from my running friends who wanted to know how I qualified to run the Boston Marathon as most of them have never achieved a "BQ" (Boston Qualifier), since I started this blog I now have had three BQ's, which is a major milestone for an accomplished runner. The blog at that time showed how I trained, rested, ate, all the while working 12-hour nights. Also the blog highlighted the results and experiences of my races. Now, my blog has morphed into my struggles and battles with cancer. When I first started writing about cancer I really didn't wish cancer to define me, now I'm hoping that my return to running will show that cancer can be conquered and I'm better from the horrible experience, that you can't keep a good runner down. I love Wendy's attitude that "I hope my story will inspire others to reach for the stars, even if they feel chained to the depths."
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Shift Bid
Daily Quote: "Don't feel like you must follow this plan, or any plan, exactly as it is written. You are different from all other people on this planet. This plan should serve as a guide but not a blueprint. Modify this plan to be your plan -- your plan becomes your blueprint. Learn to listen to your body and to make decisions about your walking and running based on how your body feels." Allen Leigh, from his informative, running injury free, site.
Today is my day off, but I have Checker Cab shift bid at 6:00 a.m. and radiation at 9:00 a.m., and my planned run scheduled as well.
Shift bid starts at 6:00 a.m. and ends at 6:00 p.m. as to accommodate 839 Checker Cab drivers. The bid is every six months and at this time will choose my cab, my shift time, and my days off. I've been driving for Checker Cab since June 20, 1990, and with a seniority number of #25, which means I must arrive early to the bid, not an easy task since I worked 12 hours yesterday and bone tired. My high seniority means I can pretty much bid for anything I want, therefore I chose Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays off as that would be best for my cancer treatments. My shift for the next six months will be the 61 Shift, which is 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., which is the highest booking shift with little down-time. Last and not least, I'll be driving a 2010 Ford Crown Victoria with low mileage on it! By the time I finished bidding, chatted with the other drivers, schmoozed with the road supervisors, it was 7:30 a.m.
Returned home for breakfast and studied chess before my 9:00 a.m. radiation appointment.
9:00 a.m. My radiologist, Dr. Treadwell, is on a two week vacation, therefore his assistant took my vital signs and was alarmed at my heart rate numbers...typical situation for me, had to explain to her that I am a runner with a marathon trained heart. She seemed puzzled, but accepted my answer. The radiation took the usual twenty minutes with no problems nor pain. The reception desk reminded me of tomorrow's appointment (same bat time, same bat station...the signoff after every Batman t.v. show during the 1960's...I am dating myself!) of 9:00 a.m. I now have only 17 radiation treatments left! I then left for the gym.
9:45 a.m. 24 Hour Fitness on Rainbow Boulevard. Life Fitness Treadmill set to a 1% grade. Warmup: 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph. Intervals, 3 x .25 miles at 6.0 mph (10 minute miles). Walking intervals, two minutes. Cooldown, 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph. Shoes: NIKE Air Structures. No Polar Heart Rate Monitor as it's in the way of my feeding tube.
I wanted to run 4 x .25 miles today, but after my third interval felt tremendous fatigue, and decided to listen to Allen's above quote and call it a day. My gauze drain sponge that separates my feeding tube was leaking and full of gunk...not a good thing. I washed the stomach connection the best I could and returned home for a fresh, clean gauze. Tomorrow I'll stock my gym back with clean gauze, Q-tips, and cloth tape, I must keep the stomach connection dry and clean as to avoid infections. My feeding tube is a royal pain!!!
My wife's fellow employees at her bank, Nevada Federal Credit Union, has been sending me "get well cards" every week since the discovery of my cancer, they all write positive comments within the cards. This week's card by Hallmark, was cute...and has my type of demented humor: "A get-well riddle: Why don't anteaters ever get sick? Because they're full of "ANTY Bodies!"
Today is my day off, but I have Checker Cab shift bid at 6:00 a.m. and radiation at 9:00 a.m., and my planned run scheduled as well.
Shift bid starts at 6:00 a.m. and ends at 6:00 p.m. as to accommodate 839 Checker Cab drivers. The bid is every six months and at this time will choose my cab, my shift time, and my days off. I've been driving for Checker Cab since June 20, 1990, and with a seniority number of #25, which means I must arrive early to the bid, not an easy task since I worked 12 hours yesterday and bone tired. My high seniority means I can pretty much bid for anything I want, therefore I chose Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays off as that would be best for my cancer treatments. My shift for the next six months will be the 61 Shift, which is 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., which is the highest booking shift with little down-time. Last and not least, I'll be driving a 2010 Ford Crown Victoria with low mileage on it! By the time I finished bidding, chatted with the other drivers, schmoozed with the road supervisors, it was 7:30 a.m.
Returned home for breakfast and studied chess before my 9:00 a.m. radiation appointment.
9:00 a.m. My radiologist, Dr. Treadwell, is on a two week vacation, therefore his assistant took my vital signs and was alarmed at my heart rate numbers...typical situation for me, had to explain to her that I am a runner with a marathon trained heart. She seemed puzzled, but accepted my answer. The radiation took the usual twenty minutes with no problems nor pain. The reception desk reminded me of tomorrow's appointment (same bat time, same bat station...the signoff after every Batman t.v. show during the 1960's...I am dating myself!) of 9:00 a.m. I now have only 17 radiation treatments left! I then left for the gym.
9:45 a.m. 24 Hour Fitness on Rainbow Boulevard. Life Fitness Treadmill set to a 1% grade. Warmup: 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph. Intervals, 3 x .25 miles at 6.0 mph (10 minute miles). Walking intervals, two minutes. Cooldown, 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph. Shoes: NIKE Air Structures. No Polar Heart Rate Monitor as it's in the way of my feeding tube.
I wanted to run 4 x .25 miles today, but after my third interval felt tremendous fatigue, and decided to listen to Allen's above quote and call it a day. My gauze drain sponge that separates my feeding tube was leaking and full of gunk...not a good thing. I washed the stomach connection the best I could and returned home for a fresh, clean gauze. Tomorrow I'll stock my gym back with clean gauze, Q-tips, and cloth tape, I must keep the stomach connection dry and clean as to avoid infections. My feeding tube is a royal pain!!!
My wife's fellow employees at her bank, Nevada Federal Credit Union, has been sending me "get well cards" every week since the discovery of my cancer, they all write positive comments within the cards. This week's card by Hallmark, was cute...and has my type of demented humor: "A get-well riddle: Why don't anteaters ever get sick? Because they're full of "ANTY Bodies!"
Monday, July 11, 2011
My Slow Return to Running
Daily Quote: Question: How far should I walk or run? As far as you want, as long as you feel great at the end, no fatigue, no abnormal pain, no injuries. For some of you, the distance may be 50 feet. For others the distance may be a mile or more." --Allen Leigh, from his informative "Running Injury Free" website.
Today is my first attempt to return to running, I'll be starting very slow at first as to allow myself to acclimate my body to the stress without harming my body. I've discovered in the past that the best way for me to return to a long layoff from running is by having running intervals interspersed with walking intervals. Today I'll attempt to run .25 mile interval distance with two minute walking intervals...I'll discontinue the running intervals when my body feels a little stressful...always listening to what my body feels...baby steps, baby steps.
I went to my gym, 24 Hour Fitness, immediately after my 9:00 a.m. radiation appointment. I'll be squeezing in my workout before I have to leave for work.
Life Fitness Treadmill set to a 1% grade. Warmup: 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph. Intervals, 3 x .25 miles at 6.0 mph (10 minute miles). Walking intervals, two minutes. Cooldown, 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph. Shoes: Nike Air Structures.
I felt great during the two running intervals, but the third interval I was starting to feel a little winded and decided that three intervals be it for the day. I could have gone farther, but don't wish to push myself to hard for the first few weeks of my return to running.
Tomorrow I'll attempt four running intervals, but will stop at three intervals if my body tells me too. I didn't wear my Polar Heart Monitor as it would get in the way of my feeding tube. Doesn't matter, I can pretty much read my heart's stresses. I'll also continue with running 6 mph, or 10 minute miles, as this has been the speed of my recovery runs in the past, and the 6 mph speed still feels easy.
I felt euphoric after my run! I'm back!!
Today is my first attempt to return to running, I'll be starting very slow at first as to allow myself to acclimate my body to the stress without harming my body. I've discovered in the past that the best way for me to return to a long layoff from running is by having running intervals interspersed with walking intervals. Today I'll attempt to run .25 mile interval distance with two minute walking intervals...I'll discontinue the running intervals when my body feels a little stressful...always listening to what my body feels...baby steps, baby steps.
I went to my gym, 24 Hour Fitness, immediately after my 9:00 a.m. radiation appointment. I'll be squeezing in my workout before I have to leave for work.
Life Fitness Treadmill set to a 1% grade. Warmup: 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph. Intervals, 3 x .25 miles at 6.0 mph (10 minute miles). Walking intervals, two minutes. Cooldown, 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph. Shoes: Nike Air Structures.
I felt great during the two running intervals, but the third interval I was starting to feel a little winded and decided that three intervals be it for the day. I could have gone farther, but don't wish to push myself to hard for the first few weeks of my return to running.
Tomorrow I'll attempt four running intervals, but will stop at three intervals if my body tells me too. I didn't wear my Polar Heart Monitor as it would get in the way of my feeding tube. Doesn't matter, I can pretty much read my heart's stresses. I'll also continue with running 6 mph, or 10 minute miles, as this has been the speed of my recovery runs in the past, and the 6 mph speed still feels easy.
I felt euphoric after my run! I'm back!!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Only Four Weeks of Radiation Therapy Left!
Daily Quote: "You don't die suddenly from cancer, as you might from a heart attack, and you don't survive it overnight, either. Marathon training also unfolds over a period of months, and the race itself takes hours to finish. The passage of time permits a narrative to take shape. When the story of cancer meets a runner's story, the combination can be quite powerful." --Richard Pestell, M.D., director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at the Jefferson Hospitals in Philadelphia and former national-class distance runner in his native Australia. Runner's World Magazine, July 2011, Article: "Outrunning Cancer," pg 80.
I survived the Fourth of July weekend! The traffic on the Strip and all the back routes were all jammed with cars and made driving a cab almost impossible. To make matters worse, on Saturday I had diarrhea, hence my plan was to work the airport as much as I can as bathroom facilities are inside the cab's airport holding area. Unfortunately, most of my rides from the airport were short and for the first time in many years I was unable to make the shift's average.
All the cab companies have what's known as the "average," which is the gross income from the cab's meter. This gross income is known in cabbie parlance as the "book," and my net income is 43% of the book. Therefore, if the book is $100, my net income would be $43.00. Saturday my book was $299, but my shift's average was $344, which means I could get written up for not performing to expectations. So far, I haven't had to see a supervisor in regards to my Saturday's performance. I've been driving for Checker Cab Company for 21 years and never been written up for "low book," and maybe the supervisor will give me the benefit of the doubt about whether I was slacking off or simply had misfortunes. When a driver has too many low books he'll get suspended, if his performance doesn't improve he'll eventually will be fired. I doubt I'll be suspended as I'm known as a hard worker and loyal employee, besides, I do have cancer.
I only have four weeks (actually 21 radiation treatments) of radiation therapy left! My last day of radiation should be on August 5th and my appointment with my oncologist, Dr. Parks, is on August 23rd, when he'll setup a PET Scan Test. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and already considering on returning to running on the gym's treadmill next week...which will consist mostly of walking intervals at first. One problem I have with returning to running next week will be my feeding tube...I must keep my feeding tube connection with my stomach dry as to prevent infection, which would be problematic with sweating. If I change the connection's gauze immediately after my workout I should be o.k.
My weight is now 162 pounds, which means I gained three pounds since last week! I'm hoping to return to my racing weight of 170 pounds before August. My throat is no longer sore and can eat solid foods, but still need to be careful with my portion sizes and not eating spicy foods. My body is not accustomed to my recent diet, which explains the diarrhea I had on Saturday.
I'm still extremely fatigued after my radiation treatments, but hope that my return to exercising next will help energize me as it did before my cancer treatments. During my days off I've been sleeping over 10 hours and having cat naps throughout the day...I needed the rest and recovery, but this is ridiculous! I want to desperately return to the old energetic Bruce.
I survived the Fourth of July weekend! The traffic on the Strip and all the back routes were all jammed with cars and made driving a cab almost impossible. To make matters worse, on Saturday I had diarrhea, hence my plan was to work the airport as much as I can as bathroom facilities are inside the cab's airport holding area. Unfortunately, most of my rides from the airport were short and for the first time in many years I was unable to make the shift's average.
All the cab companies have what's known as the "average," which is the gross income from the cab's meter. This gross income is known in cabbie parlance as the "book," and my net income is 43% of the book. Therefore, if the book is $100, my net income would be $43.00. Saturday my book was $299, but my shift's average was $344, which means I could get written up for not performing to expectations. So far, I haven't had to see a supervisor in regards to my Saturday's performance. I've been driving for Checker Cab Company for 21 years and never been written up for "low book," and maybe the supervisor will give me the benefit of the doubt about whether I was slacking off or simply had misfortunes. When a driver has too many low books he'll get suspended, if his performance doesn't improve he'll eventually will be fired. I doubt I'll be suspended as I'm known as a hard worker and loyal employee, besides, I do have cancer.
I only have four weeks (actually 21 radiation treatments) of radiation therapy left! My last day of radiation should be on August 5th and my appointment with my oncologist, Dr. Parks, is on August 23rd, when he'll setup a PET Scan Test. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and already considering on returning to running on the gym's treadmill next week...which will consist mostly of walking intervals at first. One problem I have with returning to running next week will be my feeding tube...I must keep my feeding tube connection with my stomach dry as to prevent infection, which would be problematic with sweating. If I change the connection's gauze immediately after my workout I should be o.k.
My weight is now 162 pounds, which means I gained three pounds since last week! I'm hoping to return to my racing weight of 170 pounds before August. My throat is no longer sore and can eat solid foods, but still need to be careful with my portion sizes and not eating spicy foods. My body is not accustomed to my recent diet, which explains the diarrhea I had on Saturday.
I'm still extremely fatigued after my radiation treatments, but hope that my return to exercising next will help energize me as it did before my cancer treatments. During my days off I've been sleeping over 10 hours and having cat naps throughout the day...I needed the rest and recovery, but this is ridiculous! I want to desperately return to the old energetic Bruce.
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