run bike swim beat cancer

I don’t have any of the really ‘bad’ chemo left to do – huraaaay !! but yesterday I had the first of my three weekly sessions of Herceptin and Pertuzumab – I get these for a year. The Herceptin is an injection into my thigh – the liquid is injected slowly, so takes about 5 to 10 minutes to go in – its usually not too painful and, fingers crossed there shouldn’t be any real side effects. I had Herceptin for a year after my chemo in 2020, and didn’t have any side effects, so I’m expecting it to be the same again. This time though, I’m also having Pertuzumab – this is given intravenously about half an hour after the Herceptin, and takes about and hour in total with saline flushes, etc. I don’t know about side effects for this, but I don’t have steroids beforehand or afterwards, so I’m expecting the side effects for this to be minimal !?? I do know that a common side effect is diarrhoea !! I’m not sure I could cope with that physically or mentally for a year, so I’m hoping it will be fine !!! time will tell – so far so good 😬😬

I went for a wee swim last night – I was really tired, and by the time the session started, I was actually ready for bed !! but I had paid !! and I said I’d go, so I went, but I did have to drag myself. I did do a little bit of swimming after my mastectomy – the scar was really tight and I didn’t have a good range of movement with my right arm, also my muscles were pretty weak (weaker than normal !!) so I wasn’t expecting much – basically, last night, I was going for a long bath with some paddling about, and some chat :-))) I thought if I could do at least 20 lengths I’d be happy. Also I hadn’t ever been swimming with my bald head !! the last time I was bald during chemo, everyone was in lockdown, so I didn’t swim at all – I mean, I didn’t even know if I should wear a cap with a bald head ??!!

Of course, I ended up really enjoying it :-)) I put absolutely no pressure on myself, and went in a lane that I thought I could cope with. I think I did 57 lengths ?? around about 1400 metres. The scar was a little bit tight, so breathing to the left was not very good, and my arms were definitely cooked spaghetti by the end, but the thing I noticed most was how sinky I was !! with less body fat than normal. I was pushing off the wall and was under water for ages wondering why I hadn’t come up to the surface again !!! and when I was breathing I was getting more water in my mouth because I was lower down in the water – I think !!?? anyway – I loved it and am looking forward to going again (must remember that when I’m sitting in front of the fire next week at 7 o clock not wanting to move off the sofa !!) Also – the carrot cake was awesome :-))) thanks D. (Happy Birthday xx)

Well, after writing the above, I went for a run – and I’m a sad, annoyed and happy !!! I ran 6 miles – my legs and lungs felt really good (happy), I took it easy but I wasn’t slow (happy) BUT I had to stop twice to go to the toilet (sad) :-((( just aswell all my routes are planned to go by trees / bushes / quiet areas !! so, back on the Imodium before running ?? (annoyed).

Anyway, in general – things are looking up – I’m still feeling generally good and still feeling hungry – and I’m so happy that I won’t be ill next week – what a great feeling :-))))