CANCER SURVIVORS

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Ultraviolet light is a type of electromagnetic radiation that makes black-light posters glow, and is responsible for summer tans — and sunburns. However, too much exposure to UV radiation is damaging to living tissue.

Electromagnetic radiation comes from the sun and transmitted in waves or particles at different wavelengths and frequencies. This broad range of wavelengths is known as the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum. The spectrum is generally divided into seven regions in order of decreasing wavelength and increasing energy and frequency. The common designations are radio waves,microwaves, infrared (IR), visible light, ultraviolet (UV), X-rays and gamma-rays.  

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UV LIGHT

Living an active life is possible even if you have anemia
BY EDIVA ZANKER

When someone is anemic, the body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to the rest of the body—making it challenging to exercise. However, that’s not to say exercising with anemia is impossible. Take these simple precautions to maintain your workout routine when you’re living with anemia.

1. Start off slow. If you have anemia, you might feel fatigued due to a lack of oxygen circulating through your body. Start your workouts slow and progressively increase the intensity over time. Stick to lower intensity workouts, too, like a yoga class or a walk rather than a run or HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout.

2. Take breaks often. Always listen to your body—if you feel tired, pause and assess whether or not you can continue. Also, only do what you can. Pushing yourself to your limit is not necessary, so if you feel exhausted, sit down and catch your breath. Waiting it out might be the best option.

3. Shorten your workouts. Any amount of exercise is better than none. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recommends that most healthy adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of more intense exercise each week. Getting closer to 300 minutes of moderate exercise or 150 minutes of strenuous activity on a weekly basis however provides even greater health benefits. But if long or intense workouts seem daunting, just try to sit less and move more. Bouts of exercise don’t have to be long to be beneficial. Shorter workouts, such as walking around the block or climbing stairs, add up and contribute to your weekly physical activity goal.


4. Timing is key. Workout when you feel the most energized. For some, working out in the morning is when they have the most energy. For others, a late-night gym session is when they hit their peak performance. Sometimes this takes trial and error, but workout when you feel most invigorated.

5. Talk to a doctor. Be sure to talk to your primary care doctor to ensure your workout routine is safe and remember to always stick to the treatment plan already prescribed to you. Because there are both mild and extreme forms of anemia, you may have to change up your routine.

Exercising with anemia is possible as long you don’t overexert yourself. Listen to your body’s needs and act accordingly.                             Medically reviewed in January 2019.

Exercise Caution

I remember the day when I could get up in the mornings and after one cup of coffee (sometimes without any coffee at all) would leave my sleeping quarters and briskly walk for 2-3 miles before returning, taking a shower, and heading to the kitchen for breakfast.  Those days are long gone as I quickly found out this morning.

Up at 8:00, several cups of coffee were consumed before taking my thyroid medication at 9:00, prepared and drank more coffee, consumed a pancake with a pineapple topping that I cooked yesterday at 11:00; afterwards I performed my daily routine in the water closet, then mowed the yard which took about an hour.  It was about 1:30 or so that I decided to walk which was almost 6 hours after I ate that one pancake and after halfway through my exercising routine, I started shaking and feeling faint and knew if I did not stop, I would collapse.

Once upstairs, I heated up leftovers in the microwave and 4 minutes later was sitting on the couch eating as quick as I could...  after a couple of minutes my body slowed down and my breathing and fainting sensations subsided.

From now on, I am going to have to make sure that I eat something of substance before I exercise...

Remembering School Exercise Classes

I remember in the late 50's and early 60's, all students were required each day to spend an hour in a GYM class; the class took place outside unless there was inclement weather, then it was moved inside to the basketball gym...  regardless of whether we were inside or outside, the first 10-15 minutes were spent doing calisthenics...

If we were outside/inside, we would play volleyball, basketball, running track, jumping hurdles...  and, other types of activities that would involve 20-30 people at one time.  Of course, there were always some students who would not bring gym shorts or tennis shoes in the hopes that they would not have to do anything...

I would suspect that most of those people are living with obesity today!!!

Vacationing Soon in Myrtle Beach, SC

My wife and I have rented a CONDO at MYRTLE BEACH, SC for a week at the end of June and
while we both know that by the end of June most every State will have returned to work and our economy will be chugging along trying to get back to where it was before the Pandemic.  And, with that return to work, Americans (at least theoretically) should be relatively safe and no longer wearing face masks when outside.

HOWEVER:

• What about us OLD and OLDER people?
• Should we all of a sudden feel safe?
• Should we stop wearing face masks?
• What about OLDER PEOPLE who are being treated for CANCER?
• Should we feel safe?

As far as the Myrtle Beach Condo is concerned:

• How do we know how well the maid service cleaned the room?
• Did she clean our room at the beginning of her
  shift or at the end?
• Did she clean our room on a Monday or a Friday?

When, if ever, do people like us ever feel safe after experiencing this PANDEMIC?

Healthy Cooking... more or less...

I took 5 serving cups of diced Pineapple (each package contains 4 cups) and I emptied them into a sauce pan to which I added cinnamon, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and a tablespoon of cornstarch...  I cooked them for about an hour on medium heat until the mixture began to thicken...  My idea was to put 2 tablespoons of the mixture on a pancake instead of syrup.  The total calories came to 230 and if I get 10 tablespoons from the mixture, then each tablespoon is only 23 calories...  A buttermilk pancake is 170 calories, so for under 200 calories, I can have a nice breakfast...  or, if I am particularly hunger and eat two pancakes, then my calories for breakfast will still only less less than 400 or 386.

According to the experts and taking into consideration my age and weight, I should be eating between 1500 and 2500 calories each day with the understanding that the more I eat below 2000, the higher the probability that I will lose weight.

If I target 1500 as my meal goal then that allows me 500 calories for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner and can take another 500 calories and use that for SNACKS if I feel the need to eat a little something.  The other issue here is that my daily exercise routine burns about 350 calories and I could subtract that from the totals each day but I have decided not to do that...  using it as a bonus at the end of the month.

Weight Loss - Counting Calories

1500 - 2500 CALORIES PER DAY FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Results from March/April 2020

• Weight of 250 with clothes at Oncologist Office
• For the month of March, I averaged 2100 calories each day
• For the month of April, I averaged 1835 calories each day
• Weigh of 247 with clothes at Oncologist Office

YES, this is a frigging slow way to lose weight, but it works if one is consistent and persistent.  What might have helped was the fact that the last two weeks of April, I had added an exercise routine each day...  but, exercise is just supposed to help maintain the weight you have...  losing weight comes from the amount of food one eats regularly...

GOALS:

1.  Keeping eating less than 2000 calories each day (not counting -350 calories from exercising)

2.  Keep peddling 20 minutes in between walking a half mile twice

Note - peddling 40 minutes burns 220 calories and walking a mile in 20 minutes burns 130 calories

At my current rate of loss, 3 lbs ever two months, by the end of the year, I should have a weight of 235 with clothes on.

Physical Abilities Lessening

At 72 years of age, my physical abilities are not what they used to be and that is understandable but add to that age a heart that has been attacked very severely and a damaged ejection fraction, I suppose that I am lucky to get done what I actually get done outside these days.

I am walking a mile on the treadmill (at 20 minutes/mile) and peddling 40 minutes at a moderately rapid speed and while I am sweaty at the end of that hour, it does not compare with the constant bending over that working outside provides.  I work at a moderate pace for a about 20-30, maybe 40 minutes and then I have to rest for about 5-10 minutes before beginning again.

In the past, that is to say before age 60, I did not have to rest at all...

Ironically, my knee joints are in fairly good shape as are my hip joints as well as my shoulder joints even though previous CT scans have shown substantial arthritis in all three areas...  My body has no doubt adjusted to those impairments which might be one of the reasons why I cannot do as much for as long as I once did.

GETTING OLD IS A BITCH...

Forgot to Mention

A couple of years ago, I had 6 doses of unusually high radiation over a 4 month period to combine with Opdivo and quickly kill my Melanoma...  at least, those were the results of the clinical trials held at MD Anderson in Texas.  Each dose lasted 20 minutes and I had one each week for 3 weeks.  After a period of 3 months, 3 more doses were administered to me in the same format and after another week, I underwent a PET/CT scan especially designed for Melanoma staging.  My Melanoma had been SUBSTANTIALLY BEEN REDUCED and an interested and very positive result was the fact that my non-Hodgkin's "B" cell Lymphoma had been SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED as well.

Once the OPDIVO was supercharged by the radiation, no more radiation treatment were required and the reductions of both the Melanoma and Lymphoma continued to take place.  My body was demonstrating exactly how the treatments were supposed to work which made me feel WONDERFUL to say the least.

A year later, there is still some minor reductions in both cancers, but DEAD TISSUE can be felt in my groin at the crease of the upper thigh.  There are numerous lumps of various diameters just below the surface that will remain there for the rest of my life...   they will never disappear unfortunately.  Right now, I can feel them with my fingers and feel them without my fingers when I have sat in a chair for an extended period of time like when watching a movie.

Sometimes, it just feels mentally odd that there is DEAD MELANOMA in my groin.

Cancer Infusions

In 2007/2008, I started my chemo infusions with RITUXAN which took somewhere between 4-6 hours and I always started the day of those infusions with LAB WORK and then a VISIT with the Oncologist; my arrival time was 7:45 am and I usually left the cancer center somewhere between 3:00 and 4:00 that afternoon.  Back then, when the patient was there during the lunch hour, each patient got a full meal but there were not many of us...  no more than 15-20 when there was a full house.



My IV was connected into my left or right forearm for 10 years until one morning when the needle being pushed into the vein hurt like hell, I decided that I had had enough and would ask my Oncologist to arrange for me to have a port installed.  Up to that one morning, getting stuck, NEVER HURT...  For over 6 months, every month I had to keep the needle in my forearm overnight because I was getting back-to-back infusions...  and, while I remember it being rather uncomfortable especially when I needed to take a shower, it was never really that much of a hardship, but I am glad that I no longer have to deal with that...


There is a numbing creme that is put on the port (covered with saran wrap) that after an hour prevents the needle going into the port from hurting...  a small price to pay to be pain free...  especially since that port access needle is not small.

Life In The Middle

Life in the Middle of what?


Oftentimes, over the last 12 years, I have perceived myself as being healthy or unhealthy, not necessarily because of exercise and/or eating healthy foods but because of my heart and cancer issues.


I have not really considered myself healthy or not healthy and yet I am both.


What brings this to my attention is every month when I go to the Cancer Center for treatment, I am always asked questions about by health because I look so healthy and when I inform them that I have been getting treatment for over 12 years, they are utterly amazed and look at me as if I am not telling them the truth,

On the other side of the coin:

• Some days, I feel wonderful
• Some days, I feel lousy 
• Some days, I feel nauseous
• Some days, I don't feel nauseous
• Some days, I feel fatigued
• Some days, I don't feel fatigued

It is like I do not belong in any one category.

For example:

When I had my severe heart attack, my Cardiologist said there was absolutely no reason for it

Non-Hodgkin's "B" Cell Lymphoma put me in one cancer group

Metastatic Melanoma put me in another cancer group

Thyroid issues now puts me in another group with/without cancer(s)

If there is Prostate Cancer discovered, I will be in yet another group

I cannot get into any cancer clinical trials because I have 2 cancers, not just 1

Something Has Changed

Not too long ago in the recent past, I recall going to be at night around 9:30 or 10:00 and within minutes I would be fast asleep and would not wake up until 8:00 or 8:30 the next morning...  also associated with that was my feeling of constant fatigue that gradually disappeared leaving me with a renewed vigor to exercise which I did but began slowly. 

About this same time, my PSA levels had double and were above the acceptable range and while there was no indication for immediate alarm, I was told I still needed to get myself checked out by a

Urologist.  A day or two later, I mentioned to my Oncologist about day sweats and additional tests were performed on my blood indicating that my Thyroid levels were too high so I was put on medication.

After 5 days of that medication which is really too soon to see any kind of change, my body is in fact making a change...  I am waking up an hour or two earlier than before...  I have even more energy than before which could be attributed to my gradually increasing exercising routine that is now up to 40 minutes on the bike and walking a mile at a speed of 3.0 or 20 minutes a mile...  and, my desire to eat have substantially reduced from that which I was eating, although I am still not eating enough protein, veges, and fruits.

• Is it my thyroid medicine?
• Is it my exercising?
• Is it my cancer treatments?
• Is it my age?

SOMETHING HAS CHANGED...

One Million COVID-19 Cases In USA

 ...THANKS  CHINA...

1,000,000 COVID-19 cases in USA

USA GDP drops by 8.4%

30,000,000 UNEMPLOYED



Many States are opening up their economies on April 30/May 1 on a limited scale...  some are allowing 25% capacity while others are allowing up to 50% but no more than 50%...  and logically, we know that will help but our return to pre-covid-19 levels will take another 3-6 months most economists are predicting...


Me...  I am planning on staying at home until the end of May...

Two Twenty in the Morning

Thyroid Conditions:

The thyroid gland manufactures hormones that regulate your body's metabolism. Several different disorders can arise when your thyroid produces too much hormone (hyperthyroidism) or not enough (hypothyroidism).

According to my Oncologist who decided to run a special test on my blood for Thyroid conditions because of my day sweats, I have HYPERTHYROIDISM...  

Hyperthyroidism is the production of too much thyroxine hormone. It can increase metabolism.

Can you guess what one of the side effects from my thyroid medication is:  INSOMNIA...  and, who would have ever guessed that?

How could such a small damn gland cause so much frigging trouble...

Hey...   that was a rhetorical question...   lol

My Discovery

In an earlier post a few days ago, I mentioned perhaps described my new exercise routine because my fatigue had lessened dramatically.  What I had suggested was that I would exercise on the stationary bike for 20 minutes and walk on the treadmill 1/4 mile at a speed of 3.0.  And, after each week or 7 day period of exercise, I would increase the time on the bike by 10 minutes and increase the distance on the treadmill by 1/4 mile until I got to 90 minutes and 2 miles respectively.

Well, this week I am peddling for 40 minutes and walking for 3/4 mile and because my butt does not fit the seat properly it was hurting after 30 minutes and after walking my first 3/4 mile, I was really out-of-breath which might have been an indication that I was building up too fast for my physical condition.

So today, I decided to peddle for 20 minutes and walk for 1/2 mile then peddle for another 20 minutes and walk for 1/4 mile and I would reach my goal and would have the same results because I was not resting between the two machines.  Well, I was on my second cycle of walking and decided to walk another 1/2 instead of just 1/4.  The results were perfect...  and this was my discovery...

From this point on, I am alternating machines every 20 minutes for peddling and every 1/2 mile for walking...   and, I will continue to do this every 7-10 days until I reach 90 minutes for the bike and 2 miles for the treadmill.

With every new morning...

I am grateful for waking up...   and, while that may seem like a silly feeling to have, it  is nonetheless a powerful function of my waking up routine.

At 72, I am having to deal with the following health issues:

1. Lymphoma Cancer
2. Melanoma Cancer
3. Squamous Cell Cancer
4. Heart Issues
5. Thyroid Issues
6. Lower Back Issues
7. Prostate Issues
8. IBS Issues
9. Acid reflux
10. Arthritis
11. Fatigue
12. Nausea
13. Weight
14. Eyes

Many of these issues are simply what happens to older people as a natural part of aging but they are nonetheless an irritation when coupled with some of my other issues.  I am the only member of my immediate family that is experiencing these issues so I hope they appreciate how lucky they are...

I remember my brother every time I talk about LUCK because his famous quote is LUCK FAVORS THE PREPARED...

My New Reality

Two years after I started my battle/struggle with Cancer, I had a heart attack even though there was
absolutely no reason for me to have a heart attack other than not being able to manage my stress.  Instead of enduring a triple bypass, I had my arteries cleaned out and stints inserted.  Consequently, I was informed by my Cardiologist that I would be taking heart associated medications for the rest of my life.

These meds include:

1. blood pressure
2. a diuretic
3. cholesterol
4. blood thinner

In addition to these meds that I will be taking for the rest of my life, my Cardiologist DEMANDS that I exercise daily, at least 20 minutes doing something...  which has been very difficult for me due to my constant and extreme fatigue caused by my Cancer Meds and Treatments.

Further, my Cardiologist DEMANDS that I eat healthy but only if I want to EXTEND MY LIFE

EXPECTANCY...  this entails basically continuing what I had already started thirty years ago which is to:

1. stop eating red meat
2. stop eating fried food
3. stop eating sugar
4. eat more fish and chicken
5. eat more vegetables
6. eat more fruits and nuts

My life will FOREVER NOW BE CONTROLLED BY:

• cancers
• heart
• thyroid

Living With Cancer

If I remember correctly, I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's "B" cell Lymphoma in 2007 but my treatments did not start until 2008 for some reason because they had to watch it for 6 months...  sounds crazy but that was the protocol then.  So, as 2020 began 3 months ago, I had just entered my 13th year of treatment.

And, about 5 years into my treatment and after receiving some high powered chemo toxins, it was discovered (quite by accident) that I had Melonoma on the bottom of my left foot after first thinking it was a wart and having it cut off twice.  The Melanoma tumor was surgically removed and because of the skill of the surgeon, I did not lose any toes in the process.   And, since there was no protocols in place for a tumor that small and in the early stages, I received no
follow-up chemo treatments or radiation.  FOUR and a half years later, the Melanoma can back very aggressively in my groin and because of its extensiveness, could not be surgically removed this time.

Treatment for Melanoma was instituted and even though there was some disagreements between my Oncologist and his colleagues, my non-Hodgkin's "B" cell Lymphoma treatment continued not knowing if the two treatments would cancel each other out or not.  Radiation in my groin was added about 9 months later.

Well...  and, much to everyone's surprise ALL THREE TREATMENTS WORKED IN HARMONY and my cancers with both substantially reduced as was the indication of a PET/CT scan three months later.

ALL-IN-ALL and over the course of 12 years, I have had regular chemo, wicked chemo, surgery, radiation, IVIG treatment, Immunotherapy treatments and pills....   and, one would think that my body would have been RAVAGED by all this medical abuse.  AND, while I have been extremely sick and had to go to the ER six times to stop vomiting every hour or so, my body has been magically or spiritually resilient.

I have had 3-4 squamous cell carcinomas surgically removed that were typical side effects of the chemo, but NO HAIR HAS FALLEN OUT on the top of my head except that which was supposed to fall out because of my family predispositions.  While not hair has fallen out, my body has gained 30 pounds as a result of over 150 infusions that are always and only given after receiving premeds that are loaded with STEROIDS to prevent/reduce nausea.  It is difficult to lose steroid induced weight gain.


My skin has lost some of its pink pigment making it look like my arms and neck were slightly burned in a fire but other than that, I have more-or-less felt pretty good for the last 12 years, except for daily then intermittent nausea that was EASILY eliminated with pills...   so, it represented only minor inconvenience that is to say...  looking back.

With that said, let me say that for the last THREE YEARS, I have had to deal with chronic fatigue which has been a BITCH to live with, but recently even that has begun to disappear as I believe my body is finally adjusting to the problem...  consequently, I have begun exercising again.

How long with this last?

I have no idea...

ONE DAY AT A TIME, is my new lifestyle...  as I begin to learn what this new pill for my THYROID issues is going to do to me.

My Life Is TImed

REQUIRED...  that I take my Thyroid Meds exactly at the same time everyday or else they will not work as effectively for some reason.  So, I have chosen 9:00 am to complete this task.  Also, I cannot eat anything 30 minutes before/after this 9:00 am deadline.  Further, I cannot take my morning med now until 1:00 pm (4 hours later) because I have Prilosec in my morning package for acid reflux.  Or, I could switch Prilosec to the evening before bedtime but my acid reflux typically arrives late afternoon, early evening rendering taking it in the evening pointless.

SO,
my scheduled/timed life is:  9:00 am         1:00 pm          at bedtime

Retired life is no long WILLY NILLY for me...

While this might seem like an easy task...  let me tell you this...  after 3 days of taking this special Thyroid pill where the time that it is taken must be the same every day, I have managed to take it on time, only once...  the day I started...   

• Set the timer on your watch you say...   don't wear a watch anymore.
• Set the timer on your phone, you say...  don't always carry my phone with me all the time.
• SOL you say now...  and, I AGREE...