A few days ago, I dropped something on the floor.\u00a0 I squatted down, picked up the item, and straightened back up.\u00a0 I almost dropped it again when what I realized what I had just done.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I BENT DOWN.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Wait, what?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Prior to having cancer, I took a lot for granted with my health and fitness.\u00a0 Walking around the house without getting winded.\u00a0 Doing simple tasks without my chest getting tight.\u00a0 \u00a0And, yes, bending down.\u00a0 You don’t have to be an athlete to live your life with ease.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
But all of that goes out the window during cancer treatment.\u00a0 I spent the vast majority of my five months of chemo in bed.\u00a0 You might be surprised at how quickly you suffer muscle atrophy and loss of flexibility.\u00a0 (According to Livestrong, recreational athletes suffer atrophy after twelve weeks of inactivity.\u00a0 I’m sure this is without being bedridden).\u00a0 That would be on top of the effects of the chemo drugs on your body, particularly your heart and lungs.\u00a0 \u00a0I am in awe of anyone who is able to work and exercise during this period.\u00a0 I did well to walk from the bed to the kitchen for a glass of water.\u00a0 And the most frustrating thing to me was not being able to bend over.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I remember dropping my pen under my desk right after going back to work.\u00a0 I got on the floor to pick it up — and couldn’t get back up.\u00a0 My brain was sending a message to my muscles to engage… and my brain was flipping the bird right back.\u00a0 I finally struggled back into my chair, but I am grateful no one was around to witness my lack of grace.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Which is why I am so thrilled to acknowledge how my flexibility has improved in the last few months.\u00a0 I can stretch, scrunch up into a ball, and almost make myself into a pretzel.\u00a0 I can easily paint my toenails.\u00a0 I’m nowhere near my pre-cancer, yoga self.\u00a0 But I can touch the floor without toppling over.\u00a0 \u00a0I can’t do this for long periods yet.\u00a0 There is still too much chemo damage, and the tight chest and shortness of breath remind me of my journey.\u00a0 \u00a0But the improvement over the twenty months since finishing chemo is enough for now.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I can bend and snap with the best of them.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
And I will never\u00a0take this for granted again.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
For more information, see:<\/p>\n
www.livestrong.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"