Guest blogger, Carol Dunlop is certified through FiTour as a Personal Trainer and through the American Red Cross as a CPR, AED and First Aid Instructor. She has competed and placed in several Fitness America and National Bodybuilding competitions. Carol was diagnosed with breast cancer in the summer of 2024 and she is sharing her story of survival at DietsInReview.com. Check out her website, OptimumBodySculpting.com.
Weeks, days, and hours. My time is relegated to watching my calendar intently for the next procedure, appointment, lab work or medicine dose. As I have said before, I was healthy and could go months without seeing a doctor. Now, if I go a week without seeing one, something is definitely off. Not only are there doctor’s appointments for them to basically look you over and make recommendations, there are lab trips for blood draws and tests and procedures and shots. It can all be so overwhelming, if you let it.
I am getting through it by taking one day, one procedure, one medication at a time. Once I’m finished with the last dosage, I am looking ahead to what’s next. Then, I stop. I can’t allow myself to go any farther. Going farther just overwhelms me and causes me to feel anxious and powerless. When it’s just one thing on my plate at a time, I have the power.
By working this process, I’ve finished two chemo treatments, started the reconstruction process, and have been able to put some physical activity back into my schedule. I chose Yoga as a start because I knew that I would benefit from the calm and singleness of mind, body and spirit that it brings. Yoga has not disappointed and I look forward to my classes. I am also able to do some cardio activities. I’m limiting myself to twice a week at most, but the time that I spend on the treadmill when I feel the sweat running down my body is the best ever. I know, from the sweat, that my body is working and I feel that the sweat is carrying unneeded and discarded dead cells, that are essentially waste, out of my body. Since chemo destroys cells, they have to go somewhere and out of my body so that new, healthy cells can start to replace them. It’s really invigorating!
Lifting weights is still on the back burner, for now, but I know that it will be back in my schedule soon enough. I just feel whole when I lift. Getting back on track with my physical activities has helped me to take control and kept the healing power on my side rather than giving in to the sick power that tries every now and then to get a grip. But I won’t allow it.