Today we have a Guest Blogger! His name is David Haas- a contributor to the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance blog.  He contacted me with a strong desire to share some very important information for those who are fighting cancer, surviving cancer- and their caretakers. I hope this information is helpful to you:

Exercise is Important for Cancer Patients and Survivors
by David Haas

The benefits of exercise for maintaining good health are well accepted. Experts working in conjunction with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) agree that exercise also has several benefits for cancer survivors and people undergoing cancer treatment. The panel of researchers convened in 2010 to establish exercise guidelines for people with various types of cancer. Their key message is that cancer survivors and patients should avoid inactivity. The benefit of even modest levels of exercise, such as brief walks, leads to improvements in health.



Clinical studies demonstrate that exercise conveys the same health benefits to cancer patients that it provides to the general population. According to the ACSM panel there is abundant evidence that exercise significantly improves your quality of life because it enhances physical functioning and reduces fatigue caused by cancer treatment. Exercise also reduces your risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A cancer diagnosis generally leads to depression, stress and feelings of illness from the cancer or the treatments. People who exercise have more self-confidence and optimism.



Exercise also improves body composition and body image in patients with various cancers. Treatment for breast cancer can cause excess weight gain. Exercise is instrumental in helping those patients lose the excess fat, control weight and achieve a healthier body mass index.



Regular physical activity is also beneficial in patients with cancers involving the head, neck or gastrointestinal system. This class of cancers causes loss of muscle mass and weight. These changes can make physical activity a challenge. Physical exercise increases your level of fitness, muscle strength, lean muscle mass and energy levels.



You should consult your physician regarding the ACSM panel’s cancer-specific exercise recommendations. The ACSM panel modifies various exercises based upon the risk of the activity causing health problems, such cardiovascular side effects and fractures. Patients with cancers that reduce lung capacity, such as mesothelioma, may find that short walks improve their disposition, appetite and relieves minor body aches.



The American Cancer Society, ACSM, the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the YMCA are helping fitness professionals meet the unique needs of cancer survivors and patients. You can contact one of these organizations to learn more about their training initiatives and to learn whether there is a certified trainer in your area. 

It's been a crazy year, 2011.  George has had one setback after another.... exhausting and discouraging. We try to maintain a positive attitude, but it's hard sometimes. The crazy thing is- MOST of these setbacks aren't even cancer related!! The latest one is an after-effect of chemotherapy and radiation: Radiation Recall.  It's awful.

Anyway!

On the upside.... George recently came across a book that is very encouraging and full of hope- and we thought we'd share it with all of you to share with anyone in a cancer situation.

You can find it on Amazon.com. Worth a read!! It could save someone's life!!

Hello Friends!

Time for another update on George....

He has opted to stop the chemo after nearly a full year of taking it.  His body was reaching its limit of tolerance, he was feeling worse and worse on it, and so he finally made the decision that he couldn't take it anymore.

Thankfully, the doctor concurred and felt it had reached its maximum effectiveness, so there was no "duking it out" to get him off. haha!  He felt such a relief to not have to take it anymore.

It's a little scary- the next step... but there are other options available for him, and research continues, so we stay hopeful.

He has revved up his nutritional/supplemental approach and is trying to rebuild his body and immune system. Overall he is feeling better- some struggles that are keeping him from being as productive as he'd like, but we are working to get him feeling better on those matters soon.

We spent a few days at a lakehouse with his oldest daughter and her family, and had a fun, relaxing, much needed time of play.
Cancer's a drag- but every now and then you can kick it aside..... and just laugh!

Laughter and Play are great for the soul!! :-D

Keep playing, friends! and laughing! in spite of it all.....

Last year about this time, George and I were facing the decision to begin chemotherapy- a decision we had always dreaded, and always thought we'd choose not to.... however, life and circumstances and the will to live can change a lot of preconceived ideas about things, and it's very true that you never really know how you will choose to respond to anything until you've faced it yourself.
His PSA was at 147 and rising fast. Our wonderful doctor at Cleveland Clinic made it very clear that if we didn't do something drastic soon, George's days would be numbered.
So, here we are- over a year later.... I think about 15 chemo treatments later (he goes once every 3 weeks for an infusion)....
and his PSA is 8!!!!!!!!!!
Chemo is not a walk in the park... and my husband has lost a lot of his thick, curly hair, his face is always puffy, his eyebrows are sparse, he hardly has any facial hair, his long beautiful eyelashes are short and sparse and his eyelids puffy, his nails have thickened, his skin has aged... essentially- he looks about 10 years older in a mere year's span.....
However, he's ALIVE and tolerating things pretty well, so we really can't complain about all the "minor" cosmetics things.
and for that- we have to be very, very thankful.
:-)

We made it another year for our FIFTH Cancer Survivor Riverboat Dinner Cruise on the Ohio River!! Hooray!!

Our good friends joined us for their 4th year.....

Hello!
Well- here it is May already!! Can you believe it??
Quick update on George- he is still toughing out chemo treatments. For the most part, he handles it pretty well. He does have some ups and downs, as would be expected. Over all- he's a real trooper- and as he says "I'm still here!" :-)

This is how he feels a lot of days:















On April 20th, we celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary!! We opted to stay local and celebrated at LaComedia Dinner Theatre in Franklin, OH. We saw "7 Brides for 7 Brothers" and had a great time!

A dear family member celebrated his 40th birthday this year, and his wife threw him a Disco Birthday Bash. We showed up in style....

George had been having some increased pain in his leg, and we were really worrying that it was a tumor area getting "ugly" again... but after an MRI we had some great news- he needed back surgery! I know, that's not usually good news, but when you get a NON-cancer diagnosis for something you fear IS cancer-related, and it can be FIXED, you tend to get excited anyway. :-)

A couple weeks after the surgery, he is already noticing a huge improvement. Yay!

So... I think that's about it for now. He's not feeling great this week- but after a month of chemo, then back surgery, then chemo again, you can't blame him. Please pray he is feeling better soon, and that he can SLEEP- that seems to be an issue lately, and it's starting to really take a toll on his quality of life right now.
Thank you for all your care, support, and prayers.
xoxo.

Well, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Sorry it has been so long since I've posted anything (that's a recurring theme, isn't it...)

We have had a rather eventful few months. Between my graduating from school to be an esthetician, and George's chemo, and then the holidays, I have gotten behind.

We had a lovely Christmas Brunch with George's daughters and their families.

Then, we took a Christmas Vacation of a lifetime! A 2 week cruise to the Caribbean. Blue skies, sunshine, clear water, warm sand... just what the doctor ordered- and a really nice break from reality.

George needed to get a couple spots radiated before the cruise, as he was starting to get some pain.

The chemo seems to be having an effect in reducing his psa (down to 12 from 147!) but the bone tumors are very persistent- and painful.

Since getting back, he's had 2 more chemo treatments, but the pain is escalating. So it has been determined that he is a good candidate for a treatment known as Samarium. It feels a bit scary, but it is supposed to relieve the pain and hopefully reduce the tumors. It is a radiation therapy that is administered via I.V.

Actually, he was supposed to be getting a bone scan today, and then the treatment tomorrow- and was really looking forward to getting it done so he can start experiencing the promise of relief it holds!- but Winter had other plans, and we have to reschedule. :-( We are both feeling bummed by that, but trying to stay positive.

On a happier note- George turns 60 on February 4th! He is very excited and thankful to be able to celebrate not only another birthday- but another entry into a new decade!! 60 may feel old to some... but to him it means LIFE, and life is good.

George embraces life, and all it offers, with such a cheerful spirit, it's inspiring. We have a lot to be thankful for, in spite of the heartaches that life sometimes brings.

We are looking forward to spring and continuing some projects on this old house of ours'- having things to look forward to and live for is where the joy is found.

Blessings to you all!