Exercise Forfeit

Prior to 2011/2012, I was a very active individual, exercising for 60-90 minutes each day, seven days a week.  I was also eating health, no smoking, seldom drinking any alcohol, and getting all the sleep I needed.  In fact, I was so damn healthy that when I had a very serious heart attack that should have killed most people, all I felt was a sudden, but huge jab of pain that brought me to my knees while walking on the treadmill in our basement.  My health body had created literally dozens of tiny arteries (similar to a bypass) to re-route blood around three main heart arteries:  the LAD and two other large arteries on the left side.

After 2011/2012, the fatigue that my body was experiencing was so intense and severe that I just did not have the energy to exercise at all.  Oftentimes, I would awake, make a cup of coffee and while drinking it,  would feel so tired that I thought I might need to return to bed to sleep some more.  It was not unusual for me to take a nap mid morning or mid afternoon or sometimes both.

Making the situation worse was the fact that due to taking steroids for the last 4-5 years, my body had gained more than 30 pounds making me feel sluggish and emotionally distressed since I had never had a "beer belly" in my entire life prior to turning 60 years of age.  Knowing you are over-weight and your pants and shirts no longer fit properly also damages your self-esteem as well as your self-confidence.

What causes my fatigue?

1. Chemotheraphy -  10 years
2. Immunotherapy -   2 years
3. Radiation -   6 intense treatments

I am in my 13th year of treatment for my non-Hodgkin's "B" cell Lymphoma and in my 7th year of treatment for Metastatic Melanoma (foot to groin to neck) and have monthly infusions of OPDIVO for my Melanoma and take 2-140 mg of IMBRUVICA each day for my Lymphoma...  Both these treatments have fatigue as a side effect.

My Cardiologist says I should just PUSH THROUGH my fatigue and exercise anyway and while his comment is logical and should be followed...   that advice is still easier said than done.