And Now For Something Completely Different

Here I am whining and warning about what happens during my cancer treatment when along comes an email from David Haas:

Hello

I have a question about your blog. Please email me!

Thanks,

David

David it turns out is an advocate of cancer education and champions the treatment and eradication of mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer most often brought about by asbestos exposure (though like MCC, anyone can get it).

After a few brief email exchanges (one where he said I had "great content"!  Honest!) he offered to write something for this blog that suggested that you can actually do something about the trails of cancer treatment:

Thanks so much for your consideration and compassion! The article attached, which I recently completed, is about the benefits of fitness and eating healthy during and after a diagnosis of any kind of cancer. Each different cancer has its limitations, but if one can keep a healthy body, they can have a better chance to overcome this awful disease. I have linked to reputable sources and studies in this field and tailored the article to your blog. Please let me know if you are able to post the article so I can shout it out from my twitter and facebook following in order to give your site more traffic.
Thanks so much for the help and all you do for these people,

Well!  Useful advice and a chance to play with indentation and font colors have just fallen into my lap!  How can I refuse?

Take it away David!

The importance of exercise throughout treatment

Fitness is an important part of life for everyone, and as a cancer survivor it is even more critical that you implement some sort of fitness routine to your daily agenda. Everyone has his or her idea of what it means to exercise, and it doesn't have to be a boring jog on a treadmill. People everywhere are starting to energize their life by getting active.

Studies are showing that physical activity can be one of the best treatments to regain the energy you need to go on with your life. The National Cancer Institute has said that physical activity is extremely important for energy balance.

Whether you have just been diagnosed, have been going through treatments, or are currently in remission, physical activity is one of the best ways to improve your quality of life now and in the future. All cancers, including mesothelioma, can really sap your energy and make it difficult to perform every day tasks. Going for a brisk walk through the park, dancing with your spouse, or taking a light swim can all be enjoyable ways to get the exercise you need to strengthen your body and ease your mind.

No matter what you decide to do, the important thing is to get up and get moving. A little bit of increased heart rate goes a long way when you are in treatment and having a hard time with your appetite. Treatment for mesothelioma and other cancers can be extremely draining, and exercise in combination with a healthy, well-rounded diet and plenty of rest is the best way to start feeling like your old self again while you fight this new enemy.

Throughout it all, just remember that you are your best ally. Sometimes it can seem tough to get up and go for a workout, but remember that it is helping you to beat cancer and get on with the rest of your life. The extra energy gained will help you power through the rest of your day and get things done.

So remember to eat an apple a day, and take that apple with you on the go as you take control of the situation and decide how your life is going to be. You owe it to yourself and your family to stay strong and beat this.

As recent victim of Radiation Therapy and Chemo, I know whereof he speaks.

The important part to remember that any exercise is better than no exercise.  Don't feel bad if you can't do much, especially if you're in the middle of treatment.  At that point no one cares if you can't lift a schoolbus - they're just happy you're alive.

At one one point during my RT, my exercise consisted of shambling out to the kitchen for breakfast at the crack of noon, going back to bed, up again about 3:30 to get carted to the cancer center for more RT, then back to bed, finally finishing my day with a liquid supper and sleeping the rest of the night. 

Now that I'm 6 months post RT and 2 months post chemo I'm able to lift light weights and walk about a mile without having to pay for it with a weekend of sleep.  I also feel ten times better each week than the week before. It makes a difference.

You can reach David at dhaas <at> mesotheliomacanceralliance <dot> org.

Note for the internet non-savvy: David's email address has been munged to prevent spammers from picking up a valid email address.  Replace the <at> with an @ sign and the <dot> with a period to make it look like a normal email address:  name@website.org

Yes, you'll have create the email manually.