QueenZipp & Dexter's good cop/ bad cop - FULL (Page 8)

Akuma - 2011-01-29 4:14 PM Thanks all for the kind words ... i re-read my post, and was hoping it didn't come across as a hero/victim story, cause it really isn't, we all have our tests in many different forms, mine came through cancer but everyone has their own journey to travel.

Enjoying a rest day today, hope all are well, another 40C+ (104F+) couple of days coming up, makes hearing some of you running in snow all the more amazing.

Akuma - 2011-01-29 5:14 PM Thanks all for the kind words ... i re-read my post, and was hoping it didn't come across as a hero/victim story, cause it really isn't, we all have our tests in many different forms, mine came through cancer but everyone has their own journey to travel.

Enjoying a rest day today, hope all are well, another 40C+ (104F+) couple of days coming up, makes hearing some of you running in snow all the more amazing.

Akuma - 2011-01-27 9:19 PM Hi all, sorry for the upcoming ramblings, I hope Judi and Dudley don't mind me filling some space.

Today was a turning point, when the body flipped modes from "I need to be careful, I am sick" mode to "I can do whatever I believe in" mode. I assume you all have not had the honour of getting cancer, obviously the illness is terrible, but if you get an aggressive type like I did, the treatment is way worse. They have to match the cancers aggressiveness with some of the most toxic chemicals ever deliberately injected into a human body. Fight fire with fire so to speak, especially if you are in a younger age bracket. I won't go into the rights and wrongs of the approach, that is a slippery slope.

What it meant was I went from a triathlete in 2005 to someone who could literally not walk 20 meters without fainting from exhaustion, could not pick up my own 1 year old child as he was too heavy and the strain gave me headspins, insomnia, nausea, no hair, loss of friends (a side effect they don't mention in the pamphlets), drastic loss of body weight (I dropped 15kg (33lbs) in the first month), emotional distress etc. etc.

So why bore you all about this here? (sorry) Because while this was only my first week back into training, I have run, biked, swam and played football and I feel great!! And what's more, the brain has now flipped so that now all I can think of is when is my next training session, and maybe I can sneak another in this afternoon. The body is starting to crave the feeling of exercise, after only a week, I never expected that!

Since the treatment ended I have been told constantly to take it easy from here on in, don't extend myself, essentially saying, although not their intention, to live a quiet life until the cancer returns, which is statistically the most likely thing to happen, especially for those that make no changes to their lifestyle.

Well bugger them, it only took a week for my body to tell me I am doing the right thing, it is lapping the load up, to me it is already telling me an Ironman at the end of 2012 is certainly possible. They consider you "cured" after 5 years of remission (for me that's next year), but in reality that is just when they stop checking up on you . For me I'll be cured when I feel in control again, perhaps that is what this training is all about?

One thing cancer does is make you hyper-sensitive to how your body is feeling. It reminds you your body has a system that tells you what it likes and doesn't, the problem is we all ignore it most of the time. Work that extra hour at work despite feeling tired and you get the fuzzy head the next morning, eat that donut and despite your brain telling you it will taste great, you feel bloated and sluggish. If you spend a day or two listening to your body (not your brain), you will be surprised how many very clear signals it gives.

They are not all physical either, I stumbled over this yesterday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EokseUskyDI

... and it brought such a full body emotional response, there was no doubt I needed to do it. I'm not an outwardly emotional guy, my wife thought something was wrong, it took a while to convince here it was the exact opposite. Why it is telling me this I don't know, perhaps to give the proverbial two fingers to all those that think cancer is a disability, or perhaps to prove to myself I really am healed, whatever the reason, it is not something I want to do anymore, it is something I need to do.

I hope everyone is well, please remember your body knows best, and listen to it carefully. We are not invincible, but we can remain undefeated

robcolling - 2011-01-31 4:18 AM
Hey, QueenZipp, I tried to reply to your "Inspire" today and the website said your training log was marked "Private."

Did you change the settings on your training log?

Thanks,

--Rob

jezzieswims - 2011-01-31 4:19 AM  

Thanks for sharing Adam. You are quite right, your body does know best and I can imagine that cancer made you hyper aware of yourself. I didn't start listening to mine until about 8 years ago and it's amazing the things it began to tell me. I know how incredibly lucky I am to have a body that works and allows me to get out of bed, go to school and work, spend time with friends and family and on top of that train and stay healthy. Not everyone falls into that category.

I had an opportunity a number of years ago to work with children in various stages of cancer and blood disorders. I kept in touch with some of the children and their families after I left and saw the eventual toll the illnesses took on them. What I appreciated was their outlook on life and how they celebrated each day. I've realized that I have a healthy body and should not waste that gift and celebrate what I have.

Adam, you give a lot of food for thought. Thank you and have a wonderful season, you and your body deserve it.

robcolling - 2011-01-30 11:18 AM
Hey, QueenZipp, I tried to reply to your "Inspire" today and the website said your training log was marked "Private."

Did you change the settings on your training log?

Thanks,

--Rob

QueenZipp - 2011-01-31 9:10 AM Alright gang, reopened.....I like inspire communication too much.

Akuma - 2011-01-30 4:24 PM LOL, fair enough. Well look at one positive, if you are off your feet for a while that will let you solve the first line of your signature

Akuma - 2011-01-30 12:55 PM

Thanks for the kind words Jessica, and I am glad it didn't (I hope) take a serious illness to have you listening to your body Out of curiosity, how to you come to work with those children? As an adult cancer patient, I was always utterly amazed at the children I saw on the ward on occasion, so resilient and positive, while most of us "mature" adults whinged like a good sort if a doctor was late or we couldn't check out on time.

papson14 - 2011-01-31 2:57 PM Holy crap!  It's almost February! 

Carry on.

islandflyer - 2011-01-31 9:56 AM well in related news, I got a call last night about organizing a triathlon.  Seems we have a sponsor and now just need to put it all together.  preliminary plan is for May 21st (end of the world, and if it does end you do not get your money back!) in Nassau, Bahamas, for those that might want to come visit in the lovely spring!  

anyone ever dealt with timing systems?