Wandering Into The Weeds Day

The last 7 days of running.  With missing piece of lung and dozens
of tumors everywhere in what remains.  

Once in awhile I have a tendency to "wander into the weeds" when looking at things on the internet.  You know how it goes.  You click on some information on your favorite band.  Three clicks later you find yourself researching the league leader in stolen bases in the 1948 baseball season.  (Richie Ashburn - 32)  Okay maybe more than once in awhile.

I have mentioned this before, but I go into the weeds when looking at cancer treatments.  Today was one such a day.  I saw a post on a board by someone who has a tendency to discuss treatments that are dismissed pretty quickly by a quick search on the internet.  It is hard to ignore though since they couch it in terms of science and make it sound perfectly reasonable, plus pass my pay grade on knowledge.  And they have had success with pursuing these things.  But the plural of anecdote is not data.  Sigh.  

So I am back at looking at treatments that are less than scientifically based.  Back to the arguments how big pharma is stopping effective treatments since there is no money to be made.  Back to thinking I am missing a cure for my incurable cancer.  Back to reading some things about how some alternatives are not good, even though there are other studies showing some effectiveness. Back to articles totally dismissing "integrative medicine."  

 I have been happy with how acupuncture helps me.  I am happy with how eating ginger helps when I am nauseous.  A good friend of mine gave me peppermint extract to smell to help with nausea. It works for me.  I am happy that my doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering recommend integrative medicine, to the extent that it is scientifically supported, as part of the treatment.  They are really clear about where certain things stand on the effectiveness scale and what to expect.  That acupuncture can help with chemotherapy adverse effects and pain.  That some vitamins and supplements help - or may help - so that there are no downside to trying some things along the way.  

But I am unhappy that there are so many things out there being promoted as cures and treatments where I am pretty sure it is BS, but feel like I am contributing to my demise by not using them.  

The one thing I do know that there are enough studies regarding exercise and general physical well being (such as the benefits of yoga) that my anecdotal experience of still being here and being in good health, all things considered, and not being tied to an oxygen tank on the couch, is enough data for me to keep on going with my training.  Aiming for a #triathlon relay.  And doing the running part.  So 21 miles in the book the last week.

@iTRI4aCure

Battling Reality ;)

One of the things I say that helps when dealing with #cancer, #chemotherapy and the rest is having a healthy slight divergence with reality. .


For instance I took a short 14 hour nap prior to running 🏃 4.5 miles the other day on the treadmill for #triathlontraining followed by a brief 4 hour off and on 😴(Hey I was just disconnected from #chemotherapy the day before😂) . But my preferred reality is that I ran 4.5 miles at a decent clip for me the other day.

Another reality is that the #chemotherapy working is questionable at this point based on scans and that the is a ton of #cancer in my lungs with a good sprinkling in my lymph nodes and a couple in my spine for good measure. .

My version of reality is signing up for next years @multirace Las Olas Sprint #triathlon again. My only concession to reality will be doing it as a relay again if needed 😀

Urgh, Thought I was going to get a good report

My back was feeling better.  I figured that the radiation and the chemotherapy was working and the spinal tumor was shrinking.  Looking at this, I am guessing it means that maybe the tumor in my psoas muscle is shrinking and the pressure in that area is reduced.  But this kind of sucks.  At least it is not epidural.  That would REALLY suck.  Shifting baseline once again.  More cancer is not bad when you find out it is not the kind that is basically terminal real quickly.  As compared to pretty much terminal, but not as quick.  On to the #triathlon this weekend.