OT: Walking & my co-workers

TraciInLA
TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
edited September 2011 in Breast Cancer #1
Many of you know I'm a Human Resources Manager in sunny Southern California. For the past couple of years, I’ve been committed to walking on my lunch hour –- and did a pretty decent job of mostly keeping that up even through surgery, 4 rounds of chemo, and 7 weeks of radiation.

Sometimes, I’ll walk in a nearby quiet residential neighborhood. Other times, I’ll walk to get my lunch to bring back to the office. Our office is a 10-minute walk from an El Pollo Loco, and a 15-minute walk from a Trader Joe’s. And these are leisurely strolls –- I’m not setting any speed records here.

Every time I get off the elevator with an El Pollo Loco or Trader Joe’s bag, one or another of my 20-something co-workers will look at me in horror –- as if I’ve just arrived from Afghanistan or Libya –- and exclaim, “Omigod, you didn’t WALK ALL THE WAY to [ ], did you? I could never walk that far!”

Did I mention these are 10- and 15-minute walks? You’d think I’d walked 20 miles uphill both ways through 10 feet of snow, pulling the covered wagon behind me!

My co-workers seem to think that either a) “exercise” is a 4-letter word, or b) exercise is something that is only ever done on those rare occasions when you can make it to the gym. They drive to McDonald’s every day for lunch, and then to Starbucks on their breaks for drinks the size of their heads with whipped cream on top.

I just wish they could meet some of you ladies –- pushing yourselves to exercise through cancer diagnoses and scanxiety and chemo and arduous drug therapies, sometimes only able to walk around the block or to the mailbox, others of us who...well...haven’t seen 20 in quite some time :-), who walk miles and miles every week to stay healthy and to do everything we can to keep from having to face cancer again.

Walk on, ladies –- we have to keep setting good examples for the next generation!

Comments

  • cinnamonsmile
    cinnamonsmile Member Posts: 1,187 Member
    #2
    I was barely able to even
    I was barely able to even get up after my surgery last January. Last winter, my wonderful hubby snowblowed a trail around the back yard for me and dog to walk. When spring came and my nerve pain got out of control, I did very little. Since July when I've been getting my nerve block shots, I walk maybe 15-20 minutes a day. It may not seem like a whole lot, but I have other health problems, too. I have to really push hard to do it but some days I am pretty proud. But what a trooper you are!!! Big woots for you!!!
    P.S. I live in Wisconsin.
  • mamolady
    mamolady Member Posts: 796 Member
    #3
    Funny! After I had my ovary
    Funny! After I had my ovary out in july (this is post everything, one week after rads ended) I was told to walk. So the next morning I asked my mother in law (who decided I needed some one to keep an eye on me) if she wanted to walk with me to the post office. I figured, since I was in my less than top condition, she would be able to keep up. She had a hard time, then I realized it was 3 miles and she is 83..... So the next day I asked her to watch the 14 year old lab so I could take the 6 year old. The 14 year old will try to chew his way out of the yard if left alone.
    Now I am finally back to hiking.
    You are right though, most people have a hard time with exercise. Parking at the far end of the parking lot........
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #4
    :-0
    I had to laugh when I read the last line of your post because my 4 year old grandson just asked me if we could go for a walk around the block (it's only 1/2 mile) he loves to walk this with me. I always challenge him to see how fast he can run from one point to the next and we high five along the way...always fun! I am trying to get back to my 2 mile walks after surgery, last night was the first time I walked a mile....it was a little rough but I'll get there.

    I want to tell you CONGRATULATIONS on your determination to keep on keepin on even with all the silly shocked faces you get when you get back to the office!

    And GREAT JOB to all you other walkers, runners, swimmers whatever it is you are doing to keep yourself in shape.

    Hugs,

    RE
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159 Member
    #5
    It is SOOOO true, Traci! I
    It is SOOOO true, Traci! I noticed that a long, long time ago. I have always walked or availed myself of public transportation..My parents were both New Yorkers and never ( ok, rarely) drove anywhere, I moved to Germany when I was about to start Kindergarten and lived mostly on military bases...no one I knew drove my whole life! We walked everywhere on base, or took the trollies, or trains. When I left Germany at age 25, I hadn't ever learned to drive! And even though I moved to California, the land of freeways, I always lived within walking distance of schools, bus stops, stores, etc. I have never driven, ever. But walked? OMG, have I walked! It has always shocked me that most people, as you have noted from your work mates, will not walk when they can drive~ who gets out of their car when they can drive through???? Well, who walks for 10 minutes when you can drive there in 2? I admit that not driving has not always made my life easier or convenient, but it hasn't made me a house-bound prisoner, either!

    For those of us who are now "health-challenged" it is indeed an accomplishment and a blessing to be able to move about and take in Vitamin D from the sun, and oxygen into our lungs. Adrenilin may indeed rise from driving~ but I will take the endorphin rush from walking, thank you very much!

    Be it to the mailbox, down the street, around the block, around the track, be it feet, yards or miles~ CONGRATULATIONS to all of the Kindreds who move it!!!! One small step for a woman, one giant leap for womankind!!! So to speak! YAY YAY YAY!!!!!
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #6
    chenheart said:

    It is SOOOO true, Traci! I
    It is SOOOO true, Traci! I noticed that a long, long time ago. I have always walked or availed myself of public transportation..My parents were both New Yorkers and never ( ok, rarely) drove anywhere, I moved to Germany when I was about to start Kindergarten and lived mostly on military bases...no one I knew drove my whole life! We walked everywhere on base, or took the trollies, or trains. When I left Germany at age 25, I hadn't ever learned to drive! And even though I moved to California, the land of freeways, I always lived within walking distance of schools, bus stops, stores, etc. I have never driven, ever. But walked? OMG, have I walked! It has always shocked me that most people, as you have noted from your work mates, will not walk when they can drive~ who gets out of their car when they can drive through???? Well, who walks for 10 minutes when you can drive there in 2? I admit that not driving has not always made my life easier or convenient, but it hasn't made me a house-bound prisoner, either!

    For those of us who are now "health-challenged" it is indeed an accomplishment and a blessing to be able to move about and take in Vitamin D from the sun, and oxygen into our lungs. Adrenilin may indeed rise from driving~ but I will take the endorphin rush from walking, thank you very much!

    Be it to the mailbox, down the street, around the block, around the track, be it feet, yards or miles~ CONGRATULATIONS to all of the Kindreds who move it!!!! One small step for a woman, one giant leap for womankind!!! So to speak! YAY YAY YAY!!!!!

    :-)
    Oh Claudia you brought back memories, I too grew up on military bases and we walked everywhere and we loved it it was always an adventure. If we were not walking we were riding our bikes, wonderful memories.

    I also vividly recall how difficult it was just to walk to the mail box across the street and down two houses when I was in the throws of the 2 years of treatment. I had to rest on two different neighbors yards but I still did it, I had to do it it was important to me to my well being both physical and mental it was very good medicine indeed!

    Hugs,

    RE
  • laughs_a_lot
    laughs_a_lot Member Posts: 1,368 Member
    #7
    Walking
    Yep another former military wife. In Germany everything was within walking distance either from your home or the train station. I kept up walking in my second marriage for a good many years, paying bills without the use of the car. I have been somewhat remiss since I had started college but am now getting back into it as the medical oncologist stated that it was the one thing that I could do to help my survival rate. I walk to the post office several times a week (about 5 blocks) and always park the farthest away from the grocery store. Since I am forgetful Jones I go to the grocery store a lot. I admit I haven't used my bike much since my diagnosis but I am more inclined when gas prices rise. I do a bit of gardening a couple of times a week as well. I am round and rotund but plan on getting more active as time goes by since I don't like the spare tire I have acquired since my diagnosis.
  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member
    #8
    laughs_a_lot said:

    Walking
    Yep another former military wife. In Germany everything was within walking distance either from your home or the train station. I kept up walking in my second marriage for a good many years, paying bills without the use of the car. I have been somewhat remiss since I had started college but am now getting back into it as the medical oncologist stated that it was the one thing that I could do to help my survival rate. I walk to the post office several times a week (about 5 blocks) and always park the farthest away from the grocery store. Since I am forgetful Jones I go to the grocery store a lot. I admit I haven't used my bike much since my diagnosis but I am more inclined when gas prices rise. I do a bit of gardening a couple of times a week as well. I am round and rotund but plan on getting more active as time goes by since I don't like the spare tire I have acquired since my diagnosis.

    Amazing isn't it!
    This is supposed to be a health conscious (SP? - chemo brain strikes again) generation isn't it? I know I don't walk like I should but it really is too far to walk to the store and it's along a highway with no sidewalks. We also live in a development with lots of hills. If I'm careful I can take a rather round-about path to catch the gentle sides but the weather hasn't been too great for that. I do go to the gym and do yoga though. I may join the mall walkers this winter, time will tell. One thing I don't do is drive to Starbucks, McDonalds, or Dunkin Donuts though.
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #9
    too funny about how far did
    too funny about how far did you walk..?

    while I was going through radiation ( I DID NOT take part of it) our local gym gives all cancer patients free 6mths or about to their gym> it could be during or if too weak when feeling better...

    Denise
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159 Member
    #10
    laughs_a_lot said:

    Walking
    Yep another former military wife. In Germany everything was within walking distance either from your home or the train station. I kept up walking in my second marriage for a good many years, paying bills without the use of the car. I have been somewhat remiss since I had started college but am now getting back into it as the medical oncologist stated that it was the one thing that I could do to help my survival rate. I walk to the post office several times a week (about 5 blocks) and always park the farthest away from the grocery store. Since I am forgetful Jones I go to the grocery store a lot. I admit I haven't used my bike much since my diagnosis but I am more inclined when gas prices rise. I do a bit of gardening a couple of times a week as well. I am round and rotund but plan on getting more active as time goes by since I don't like the spare tire I have acquired since my diagnosis.

    Out of curiosity
    Out of curiosity Laughs_a_lot~ where were you in Germany???And for how long? Oh yeah, and when? ( Nosy, aren't I? LOL)
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #11
    I used to walk when ever it
    I used to walk when ever it was feasible. But where we live now is too far from anything and no sidewalks outside the subdivision and crossing highways. Now I'm having trouble walking but will start meds for PD soon and should be able to walk again. I wish we had public transportation here and places to walk to. Would love a grocery close.
  • butterflylvr
    butterflylvr Member Posts: 944
    #12
    Marcia527 said:

    I used to walk when ever it
    I used to walk when ever it was feasible. But where we live now is too far from anything and no sidewalks outside the subdivision and crossing highways. Now I'm having trouble walking but will start meds for PD soon and should be able to walk again. I wish we had public transportation here and places to walk to. Would love a grocery close.

    My story...
    Walking helped save my life. In the past two years I have lost over 60 pounds due to diet and exercise. I have always been a large breasted woman with very dense fatty breasts. Whenever I'd gain or lose weight the boobs were always the first to benefit. During the final stages of my weightloss last fall, my left nipple started retracting inward. I knew this couldn't be good and it wasn't,Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. It may have been months before my next scheduled mammogram before I had detected that lump. So how can walking not be good?

    Claudia and Laughs_a_lot, I too am an Army Brat and I lived in Germany twice. Talk about a small world. Dad's first stint in Germany was back in 1965-1968 (I was 4)and we were stationed in Illesheim (an Army base). The second time we were stationed over there we lived in Gelenhausen (G-town) back in 1972-1975 (I was 11 at the time). This was also during the time of the Munich Olympics, when tragically those terrorists murdered those two Jewish Israeli athletes. Talk about a base lock down, even us kids had to have military ID cards to get on and off base.. That sure was an exciting time on high alert, I remember barb wire everywhere. Ahhhh... life in the military.

    Hugs to all,
    Lorrie
  • Bella Luna
    Bella Luna Member Posts: 1,578 Member
    #13
    Keep Going
    Traci... keep strutting! You are setting an excellent example for all. I try to keep my Temple( mind,body, soul) strong by exercising as well. I alternate between stairs and the gym. Man... my calves have never looked better! Keep going, you're doing Great!
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #14
    Traci, I bet you are a great
    Traci, I bet you are a great HR manager! You are motivating me today to get off my lazy butt and get on my new elliptical.

    Even the dogs won't walk with me today outside as it is POURING--some silly tropical storm--just in time for the baby shower (no shower jokes please) that I am having at my house tomorrow for my sweet niece. This will be my very first grand nephew. I am so excited!
  • laughs_a_lot
    laughs_a_lot Member Posts: 1,368 Member
    #15
    chenheart said:

    Out of curiosity
    Out of curiosity Laughs_a_lot~ where were you in Germany???And for how long? Oh yeah, and when? ( Nosy, aren't I? LOL)

    Germany
    Was there in 1980 as my 3rd daughther was born there. I was there 2 1/2 years. I was in a little town called Langons about an hour north of Frankfurt. I loved it there.

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