How would I exercise? Before my surgery, I had become something of a gym rat. At age 50+, I lifted weights for the first in my life. I worked with a trainer twice a week for about a decade. I could leg press 400 pounds. My typical workout was between 1.5 and 2 hours. All of this made me feel terrific in both body and soul.
Since my surgery, my exercise routine has changed dramatically. I restrict myself to 10-lb. dumbbells. I no longer work with a trainer, as I don’t know when I will not feel well, and I hated cancelling my appointments. Yet, there is also very good news. I still go to the gym, but more spontaneously. I work with an elliptical machine and the exercise bicycle. I do leg lefts, and lots of stretches. I walk the track. Yes, it would be nice to still play tennis and golf, but I have learned to be happy with what I can do. I choose to be happy. My glass is much more full than it is empty.
What medical procedures would be necessary? I realized that chemotherapy was not the end of my medical care. There is still considerable testing: regular bloodwork, CT-scans to be sure the cancer has not returned (at first, every three months; now, every six months), periodic bone density tests (due to the osteoporosis), quarterly diabetes-related blood tests, etc. And I continue taking the prescription drugs that I started post-surgery. These medical actions all allow me to pursue my number one goal: To live as well as I can as long as I can!!
To quote Amanda Chan, writing for the Parkway Cancer Center in Singapore: