Today is August 5 2012 and on Friday, August 3, I finished my 8th chemo cycle to treat my glioma.
Last week, pushed by the Olympic spirit, I completed an uphill bike ride that I had been trying for 4 weeks.
When I got home I was exhausted and jelly-legged, but I finished it.
The following Monday I started my 8th chemo cycle, which I finished on August 3rd, Friday.
Today I tried the same hill that crushed me last Sunday, and I have to say that I had a lot left in the tank. I went back to my traditional easy ride in hopes of getting a little longer ride, but when I got there I was surprised by a Duathlon (run-bike-run) competition happening on the road that is usually closed on Sundays for recreational riders. I had to go back home.
Once I got home I felt like doing a Duathlon of my own. I dropped my bike, put my sneakers on and ran to the competition, probably a 2km run. On my way I tripped and fell, getting bruised and cut on my hands. I am lucky and my chemo has not been dropping my red blood cells count and my cuts quickly healed naturally. I got up and kept on running.
The most surprising thing to me is how easier on the body the long exercising routine is during and following chemo weeks. I noticed that when I ran 10k for the first time after my surgery, and that happened during a chemo week. I had been trying to run 10k for a while but my legs would scream.
Somehow chemo seemed to help me run longer, although once done I did not have trouble repeating when I was not on chemo.
Let's see what happens after my next cycle but I will keep sharing what my experience is like.
The interaction between the body and what goes into it doesn't stop to amaze me, I hope this helps my tumor heal as well as it seems to help my muscles heal after exercising.
