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Welcome to my little corner of the internet. Here's where I will be discussing life with a terminal diagnosis, specifically a brain tumor known as glioblastoma, or GBM. I had surgery to remove the tumor from my left temporal lobe, deep inside. I have stories all about treatment, recovery, and living life despite the bad news.

Thanks for visiting. Hope you have a listen! Check out the ARCHIVE for more episodes!! 

Nov 4, 2017

TRANSCRIPT 

This is Episode 013 of Glioblast‑O‑Cast. What about exercise after a brain tumor?  

Hello, and welcome to Glioblast‑O‑Cast, the podcast about my life beyond glioblastoma. I am your host, Meg Turecek. 

In this episode I'll answer the question, what about exercise after a brain tumor. And in my show notes I'll have a couple links to some exercise challenges. 

I've never been the most vigilant athlete. I wouldn't even consider myself to be an athlete, but I have always included exercise in my life.  

In the past, I have taken aerobics classes, spin classes (my favorite), boxing workouts (my other favorite). I've worked with trainers and had regular routines with free weights and various machines that target specific muscle groups.  I use a studio spin cycle at home, or rather I did a lot before the brain tumor. 

The month before my seizure that led to my glioblastoma diagnosis, I was on track with the 100s push‑up challenge as well with the 200s sit‑up challenge. But things change with surgery and chemo and radiation. 

At first, I was able to begin returning to regular exercise, being a maniac on my studio cycle. But around week 3 or 4 of the 6‑week protocol fatigue set in and my energy level for fitness fell.  And then some fear crept in and still wanders around cautioning me for activities like sit‑ups.  I worry about bumping my head even on a good mat.  So trying to reclaim my pre‑surgery stamina and fitness routine has been a challenge. 

I've had to come to some acceptance that right now those old routines are maybe a bit too much. It's not easy to accept the new normal and reconcile what I want to do with what my recovery lets me do. 

The things that I found that help me are taking exercise to the simplest action, to base my fitness on walking and building up strength. It is also helping me to work with the physiotherapist who focuses on breathing and relaxation therapy in addition to exercise therapy. 

It's certainly an adjustment to sprinkle movement and little bursts of exercise throughout the day and not work out in one concentrated activity, a time lump of an hour or two of weight training or aerobics or cardio.  But I'm hoping that this new approach will help me pursue a little fitness goal. 

One of my favorite sporting activities is kayaking. I love taking our kayak out on the canals and hope that next year I'll be back to my paddling.  With the long‑term goal of paddling the Elfsteden here in The Netherlands.  That's a canal tour of the 11 cities in Friesland.  Wish me luck. 

So my advice is to keep moving. Even the shortest walk around the living room will help.  Make goals and go slow. 

You can check out my show page for exercise links to the push‑up and sit‑up challenges. 

Thanks for listening. This has been Glioblast‑O‑Cast Episode 13.  

Theme music for Episode 013: “Happy Rock” Bensound.com

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Fitness Links:

One Hundred Pushups: www.hundredpushps.com

Two Hundred Situps: www.twohundredsitups.com

Get fit for free: www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/free-fitness.aspx

Strength Exercises: www.oncolink.org/support/exercise-cancer/strength-exercises-minimize-the-effects-of=cancer-treatment-on-your-muscles

Livestrong at the YMCA: www.livestrong.org/what-we-do/program/livestrong-at-the-ymca

Physical Activity and the Cancer Patient: www.cancer.org/treatment/survivorship-during-and-after-treatment/staying-active/physical-activity-and-the-cancer-patient