Opinions please and thank you

grams2jc

So today will be #6 of 15 whole brain rads. Not as freaked by these rads as I was chest, WTH? would think brain would be scarier than chest. So for a week now I have been doing NOTHING. Eating, fighting reflux due to eating and steroids. Being driven like Miss Daisy the 2 hr round trip to rads, that is about it. I just don't seem to have the drive or energy to clean up my house or take down Christmas decorations.
My nearly 76 year old mom has been here since Tuesday, and bless her she is keeping up most chores, but I feel guilty.

Am I still in the ok to take a break phase? I don't want to harm myself with inactivity making it harder to recover, but my get up and go left. I worked 40 hours a week, drove myself the 2hr round trip to rads and still was a LITTLE productive during regular rads. And my RO cleared me for light household chores and light exercise..but I don't want to. I did for the 1st time since last week get a full 7 hours of sleep last night, maybe that and the 3 day rad break will give me the energy to get moving?

Just looking for a cyber pat on the back I guess.

Thanks for your honest opinions,

Jennifer

SIROD

Your Turn To Rest
I would say you earn the right for a rest. This all takes an emotional as well as physical toll on your body.
We are so program to do it all that it is hard for us to say, "hey, I need time to heal emotionally from this latest news". Don't feel guilty, let them all help you, as you would for them if the position was reverse.

Best,

Doris

JuJuBeez

Don't push yourself to do
Don't push yourself to do things you aren't physically or emotionally ready to do. REST, REST, REST. And don't feel guilty about it. (I know... easier said than done. I do the same thing.)

You need time to heal, and you can't get that time back if you don't take it. I didn't take enough time when I had rads, and several months later I was just pooped out. By then everyone thought I should be back to 'normal', and I didn't get to take the breaks I needed. I didn't stand up for myself and insist on it.

Take care, Jennifer. Best wishes your way.

Julie

MAJW

JuJuBeez said:

Don't push yourself to do
Don't push yourself to do things you aren't physically or emotionally ready to do. REST, REST, REST. And don't feel guilty about it. (I know... easier said than done. I do the same thing.)

You need time to heal, and you can't get that time back if you don't take it. I didn't take enough time when I had rads, and several months later I was just pooped out. By then everyone thought I should be back to 'normal', and I didn't get to take the breaks I needed. I didn't stand up for myself and insist on it.

Take care, Jennifer. Best wishes your way.

Julie

Listen..
To your body...if it tells you to rest, then rest....let people help you, as hard as that is for women to do....it makes them feel useful and helpful...it's the only way they know how to help us as they can't change what's going on in our bodies...

God Bless and wishing you better days....we care
Hugs, Nancy

MyTurnNow

Jennifer, I agree with
Jennifer, I agree with Nancy....listen to your body. If you don't feel like doing anuthing, then don't. You have been through a lot and you definately deserve a break. Consider this your cyber pat and, even better, great BIG cyber (((hug))). Try to take it easy and I hope you have a Happy New Year that is filled with health and happiness.

aisling8

MyTurnNow said:

Jennifer, I agree with
Jennifer, I agree with Nancy....listen to your body. If you don't feel like doing anuthing, then don't. You have been through a lot and you definately deserve a break. Consider this your cyber pat and, even better, great BIG cyber (((hug))). Try to take it easy and I hope you have a Happy New Year that is filled with health and happiness.

Are you kidding??
Plenty of time to work when you're in remission. You need healing physically, mentally, emotionally. That's what you would tell a family member; right? Allow yourself this time. You'll get better faster.

Um, I sound bossy, but you asked for an opinion:)

xoxo
Victoria

TraciInLA

MyTurnNow said:

Jennifer, I agree with
Jennifer, I agree with Nancy....listen to your body. If you don't feel like doing anuthing, then don't. You have been through a lot and you definately deserve a break. Consider this your cyber pat and, even better, great BIG cyber (((hug))). Try to take it easy and I hope you have a Happy New Year that is filled with health and happiness.

Dissenting opinion here...
Jennifer, it's my experience that a little exercise is one of the best ways to boost your energy there is -- my oncologist is a fervent believer in this, and I've read research on this in many sources.

So I'm going to disagree (a little) with the others: Since your doctor has said it's okay for you to do some light exercise, I would encourage you to push yourself just a teeny tiny bit.

Maybe just commit to taking a leisurely 10-minute stroll around your neighborhood every day? Girl, definitely NOT housework -- make it something you enjoy, something that will lift your spirits.

I really think a little bit of light, enjoyable exercise may help you find your get up and go, and I think your gut feeling that too much inactivity may make it harder to recover is probably right.

Big hug to you,

Traci

GMcD

TraciInLA said:

Dissenting opinion here...
Jennifer, it's my experience that a little exercise is one of the best ways to boost your energy there is -- my oncologist is a fervent believer in this, and I've read research on this in many sources.

So I'm going to disagree (a little) with the others: Since your doctor has said it's okay for you to do some light exercise, I would encourage you to push yourself just a teeny tiny bit.

Maybe just commit to taking a leisurely 10-minute stroll around your neighborhood every day? Girl, definitely NOT housework -- make it something you enjoy, something that will lift your spirits.

I really think a little bit of light, enjoyable exercise may help you find your get up and go, and I think your gut feeling that too much inactivity may make it harder to recover is probably right.

Big hug to you,

Traci

I'm with everyone else.
I'm with everyone else. Take your time and rest. Let your mom help all she can, it's probably hard for her to see you fighting so hard and you are her child. Take care and please know how much we all care.

Frankie Shannon

I agree with Traci forget
I agree with Traci forget the house work i'm sure your Mom is glad to be of help to you, but yes you do need to start light exercise i know its hard when you don't feel like it but you'd be surprise how much better you fell after you start just walking a little bit every day.Strength and hugs to you.Frankie

GrammyKaren

Frankie Shannon said:

I agree with Traci forget
I agree with Traci forget the house work i'm sure your Mom is glad to be of help to you, but yes you do need to start light exercise i know its hard when you don't feel like it but you'd be surprise how much better you fell after you start just walking a little bit every day.Strength and hugs to you.Frankie

I agree
Take the help, if its not offered ask even. This is restorative time for you. Be well
Karen

RE

:-\
Jennifer I think I would rest up quite a bit, you may want to do a few small things just to keep you mobile and help you to feel better about your situation. I know during my nearly 2 years of treatment it was hard to let others do for me but it was necessary as it is necessary for you! To allow myself to feel better about my situation my husband or children would wash clothes and bring them to me so I could fold them which helped me to feel like I was contributing even if it wasn't necessary, little things like that can help you to feel more of a contributor while you are still taking it easy and not over doing. It is very important to keep your strength and rest as much as you feel you need to. If your Mom needs to head home or is tired you can also hire a helper till you can get back on your feet. It does not need to be a professional service it could be a trusted teenager in your neighborhood who can do dished, dust, put laundry on etc for some pocket change. Please know that resting is very much okay, be kind to yourself!

Hugs,

♥ RE ♥

grams2jc

RE said:

:-\
Jennifer I think I would rest up quite a bit, you may want to do a few small things just to keep you mobile and help you to feel better about your situation. I know during my nearly 2 years of treatment it was hard to let others do for me but it was necessary as it is necessary for you! To allow myself to feel better about my situation my husband or children would wash clothes and bring them to me so I could fold them which helped me to feel like I was contributing even if it wasn't necessary, little things like that can help you to feel more of a contributor while you are still taking it easy and not over doing. It is very important to keep your strength and rest as much as you feel you need to. If your Mom needs to head home or is tired you can also hire a helper till you can get back on your feet. It does not need to be a professional service it could be a trusted teenager in your neighborhood who can do dished, dust, put laundry on etc for some pocket change. Please know that resting is very much okay, be kind to yourself!

Hugs,

♥ RE ♥

My mom is a toughy
I finally got her to stop coming and cleaning my house last summer by telling her I was going to change the locks. I know I would do whatever was needed for my daughter that I could possibly do, but it is so humbling.

Thanks everyone for giving me what I asked for

Jennifer

Kat11

grams2jc said:

My mom is a toughy
I finally got her to stop coming and cleaning my house last summer by telling her I was going to change the locks. I know I would do whatever was needed for my daughter that I could possibly do, but it is so humbling.

Thanks everyone for giving me what I asked for

Jennifer

That's what Mom's do.
You have a lot of hard work ahead of you. Rest up girl. Just let Mom know how much you care and all will be good. Hugs
Kathy

Gabe N Abby Mom

I say use all the best
I say use all the best ideas...let your Mom help because it's one of the ways she can show you that she cares...hire a teenager to do some "heavy" stuff like mopping and scrubbing showers...then go take a short walk with your Mom...while you're walking be sure to tell her how much you appreciate the help and how humbled you are by it...then rest because managing all that is hard work!

I hope you find your energy again soon.

Hugs,

Linda

Alexis F

SIROD said:

Your Turn To Rest
I would say you earn the right for a rest. This all takes an emotional as well as physical toll on your body.
We are so program to do it all that it is hard for us to say, "hey, I need time to heal emotionally from this latest news". Don't feel guilty, let them all help you, as you would for them if the position was reverse.

Best,

Doris

I have to agree that you
I have to agree that you need to rest and you need to take it easy. And once again, I am so very sorry. Just take care of you and take it easy!

Hugs and prayers,

Lex

laughs_a_lot

some excercise
Walking is the safest exercise one can do. It has been shown to deter cancer as well. So walk a bit. Let the others do the work until you feel like you can do it. Your job is your recovery. I repeat, Your Job is Your recovery.

Angie2U

Kat11 said:

That's what Mom's do.
You have a lot of hard work ahead of you. Rest up girl. Just let Mom know how much you care and all will be good. Hugs
Kathy

You need to rest and to not
You need to rest and to not worry about anything but taking care of yourself.


Hugs, Angie