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Getting in Shape for 2010

January 4, 2010
by Vicki Tashman

RangeMaster Shoulder KitFor our November contest, we had 5 RangeMaster Shoulder Kits donated. We asked our members to tell us about their current exercise regimen and what they planned to add or change in the coming year. We had a number of responses, but here are the responses from our winners. Most of the replies were just a couple of lines, but a couple of them really went into detail! Thanks for the inspiring words, Ladies, and I hope we all start or continue on an exercise program this year!
 
Georgia Stafford, Pink-Linker, wrote: "Since1988, when I was diagnosed I try to walk a mile twice a week and I try to ride my exercise bike 3 or 4 times a week for atleast 20 minutes.  I get to to a lot more in the summer like swimming 2 or 3 times a week.  I hope that I can join a gym soon, as it is very important for me to exercise since I am a diabetic also."
 
Kathi Hansen from Wisconsin, wrote: "My current exercise routine is not as routine as I would like (), but it consists of walking at least 30 minutes, yoga 40-60 minutes, and strength exercise like hand weights or resistance bands.  I try to do at least one of these every day, but succeed about 4-5 days a week.  In the new year I hope to add a gentle dance class (if the dance studio gets enough interested people).  I hope to be more consistent as well in doing something daily."
 
Sandy Elfstrom from Minnesota, wrote: "Currently I am losing range of motion in my shoulder on the surgical side. I am working at "walking up the wall" on the advice of my doctor, but I am know that I will need to do more to keep the shoulder muscles in condition once I can freely move my arm again. Also, I will be talking to the nurse where I bought my prosthesis, to be sure that it is the correct size and weight for me, as I wonder if this is part of my shoulder problems. I try to be aware of "hunching" up my shoulders and also using good posture in my daily activities.Next year I will continue to work at keeping my body in shape, by signing up for some different types of exercise programs, such as yoga or Pilates. I have a part time job approximately 5 miles from my house, and my other goal is to bike to work, once the weather is nice (living in Minnesota, this will be a spring/summer/early fall activity)."
 
Nina Kirby, Pink-Linker, wrote: " My current exercise program is, unfortunately, zip!  I like to walk on my treadmill but I fell and re-injured my knees a few months ago, so I have been waiting for them to heal before resuming my walk.  They are much better now and I hope to resume my walking, soon. When I had my radiation treatment last year, the most practical way for me to go (every weekday for 6 weeks) was to take the subway.  I had to change trains once and then from the metro stop walk to the hospital.  There was a lot of walking involved and I walked FAST to try to minimize my time away from work, as my appointments were at lunchtime.  I then worked overtime an hour to make up for the 2 hour lunch (which was on a good traveling day, I was often gone over 2 hours).  Although the walking was a bit of a pain at first, I had to admit it did make me feel better once I got used to it and I even lost weight.  It was a routine I tried to keep up after my radiation treatment ended and that I hope to resume soon.

And, finally, Lynn Stahler of California, wrote: "On September 3, 2009, I celebrated my 5th year since breast cancer diagnosis along with my 56th birthday as well as my husband's 59th birthday.  Sometimes I forget that my diagnosis came on OUR day and had quite an impact on our entire family.

 On September 12 & 13, 2009, I walked my 5th AVON WALK in Long Beach , CA with 'my' team, GO COUNTRY 105 (country radio for Los Angeles and Orange County ).  My doctors were very helpful as my husband and I attempted to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary on Nov. 4, 2004 as I had my annual pap smear and readied myself for surgery for catheters for the upcoming radiation treatments. The entire staff acted with such kindness and attention to pacing and timing --- it really helped. Tomorrow, on 11/12/09 , I will celebrate 5 years since completion of a then clinical trial brachytherapy radiation treatment that lasted 10 minutes twice daily for 5 days.

During, and especially at the end of my 'recovery period' I looked at the very tired, many-times copied and impersonal exercise diagrams; crawling up the walls with your fingers was my least favorite and it really hurt!!  Some of the exercises seemed so worthless, especially since I couldn't even walk without pain during those first few days . . . and being a violin teacher and performer, the thought of moving my arms into 'playing position' was unimaginable!

'Hunching my shoulders' became the first activity that actually felt like it helped my mobility.  Having a short haircut for decades by choice was helpful.  Having a teen-aged daughter who liked to do hair and makeup was a plus as well.  Finding work clothes that buttoned up the front was a challenge.  The thought of lifting my arm over my head to bathe and dress was excruciating . . . as was trying to lift laundry out of the washing machine and into the dryer.  Opening the heavy sliding glass door to let the dog out . . . another example of not fun.

 At work, I carry a keyboard or boombox/speaker and instruments to 15 school locations each week.  This 'stuff' weighs between 25 and 50 pounds and I carry it over a mile a day on average.  When I arrive at a school location, unassisted, I clean up the existing room situation, set up for my own classes; conduct very physically animated classes and the put the room back into it's original configuration and move on to the next location.  More necessities of life become my physical therapy.  Think about it!  Moving and setting up 100+ chairs each day . . . lift, reach, stretch, pull, push . . .  quite a workout, to be sure!

 These activities became my exercises.  Life and the 'new normal' re quired that I get back to being able to do these things.  No more attention to the tired line-drawings and descriptions of how to make your shoulder feel better after the original biopsy surgery which became a lumpectomy followed 26 days later by a 'clean margin mission' and 6 weeks later a 5 hour surgery to insert the catheters for the brachytherapy . . . my shoulder felt like a twisted chicken wing!

 Just as I thought I'd try to up the activity level, it was time for another procedure . . . and back to S quare One.  Finally after Christmas, I attempted an orchestra rehearsal.  Tears streamed down my face as the violin in the proper position pressed against my radiation scars and my arm positions for proper playing were exactly the opposite of my surgery constraints.  I was soon able to obtain a shoulder pad with a different shape and position that has been a successful although expensive change; so limited performing was again within my grasp . . . literally!

 Then the time for tamoxifen began, and my worst pain was in my shoulders, although the medical onc said it was impossible that it was caused by the meds and that he was unable to refer me for PT sessions to work out the soreness.  By April or May, I was beginning to tolerate the pain enough to accomplish more of my 'new normal'.

 Hormones down . . . hormone levels up . . . change to arimidex and now back to tamoxifen and changes in intensity of joint pain.  The doctors say it's in my head . . . I say it's in my shoulders!

Long story longer . . . mammos each July and 3 more look-see surgeries in October or November over the next 4 years to look at strange configurations found in mammograms and ultrasounds and MRI procedures, I was continually back to S quare One during Autumn and Winter . . . using Spring and Summer to try to get my strength and range of motion back!  This year, I got a bit of a reprieve, with the follow-up ultrasound being scheduled in January, so this may be the first year I will decorate my Christmas Tree since 2003.

 Due to the ongoing budget cuts, I may (again) lose my present career as a public school teacher, so many of my PT opportunities may change.  I just might head for the gym and use the membership I bought just months before my diagnosis . . . hmmmm . . . we'll see! It seems to be the constant motion and attention to 'upping' the distance and reps of each activity that seems to help. Watching my ' breast cancer sisters' as well as my parents and other aging family members who do or don't make movement part of their day is a great plan for how TO and NOT TO move forward."




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