Aquajock
Cathlete
Hi, Mar! I promised you a couple of days ago I'd bring in an article written by a fitness instructor who grappled with cancer treatment and recovery, and her comments about getting back into shape post surgery and radiation tx. I'm not sure what the cause of your recent physical problems are, but here are a couple of paragraphs from that article (reprinted from the IDEA Source June 2003 edition article by Josie Gardiner):
"After my surgery I had 6 weeks to recover before starting full-torso radiation 5 days a week for 8 weeks. I had 2 weeks off after the radation and then had to go into the hospital for a radioactive implant. During those weeks I had to stop working {as a fitness instructor} and focus all my enerby on getting through my treatment. Not working hadn't occurred to me as an option.
"I made a vow that if I survived I would help other cancer survivors get back in shape. But first I had to find my own way back to fitness. I began by walking. Initially I could walk only about 2.6 miles per hour. Speed was not important; I focused instead on distance and frequency. I learned that anything is better than nothing. Walking is the most underrated form of exercise; from my experience, it's the number one exercise for cancer patients. I relearned things I had forgotten - for instance, that slow progression is the key to success. You may think you know this, but until you go through it, you don't realize how true it is.
"No matter what shape you are in, you CAN (emphasis added} get your muscles back. This is an important concept for someone who wants and needs to work {her} way back to health."
Hope this helps.
A-jock
"After my surgery I had 6 weeks to recover before starting full-torso radiation 5 days a week for 8 weeks. I had 2 weeks off after the radation and then had to go into the hospital for a radioactive implant. During those weeks I had to stop working {as a fitness instructor} and focus all my enerby on getting through my treatment. Not working hadn't occurred to me as an option.
"I made a vow that if I survived I would help other cancer survivors get back in shape. But first I had to find my own way back to fitness. I began by walking. Initially I could walk only about 2.6 miles per hour. Speed was not important; I focused instead on distance and frequency. I learned that anything is better than nothing. Walking is the most underrated form of exercise; from my experience, it's the number one exercise for cancer patients. I relearned things I had forgotten - for instance, that slow progression is the key to success. You may think you know this, but until you go through it, you don't realize how true it is.
"No matter what shape you are in, you CAN (emphasis added} get your muscles back. This is an important concept for someone who wants and needs to work {her} way back to health."
Hope this helps.
A-jock