It’s been four weeks since I wrapped my EBRT sessions—and my flu and Covid vaccine boosters were two Fridays ago. The flu shot was the thing that made me pause—because I’m no longer on active treatment. Yesterday, I saw my radiation oncologist for my first follow-up visit and I won’t see them again for six months. A whole new chapter is beginning to unfold—survivorship.
Read moreTag: Radiation
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Week 2: Radiotherapy and running
I don’t know why I’ve always been more anxious about radiotherapy than chemotherapy. Maybe it’s my embedded perceptions of radiation and the damage it can do. Like anything else, once you experience the process, it becomes less intimidating. Two weeks and 8 treatments in, I’ve gotten comfortable and developed a cadence with my Toronto Waterfront Marathon virtual race.
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New running goals and the end of life without eyebrows
Today is the Montréal Marathon and the weather gods have smiled on the crowd. 13C and sunny are lovely racing conditions, and I hope everyone toeing the line has a great race. Surprisingly, I don’t feel bad about shifting my plans and still being in my pyjamas as I write this. A leisurely Sunday morning with coffee is just fine.
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More scans, and getting on with it.
This post has been sitting in my drafts for weeks. There’s been a lot going on, but not much of it has been running. There has been movement, and I’m on the upswing in terms of energy and endurance.
I’m currently ‘on hiatus’ between chemo — my last infusion was on 13 August — and the beginning of radiotherapy, which should start in late September. Stll, a treatment hiatus doesn’t mean I’m immune from appointments and scans.
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Order of operations
One of the most frequent questions I get asked is about my treatment plan, and why chemo is happening before radiation instead of the other way around. Until it was posed to me, I hadn’t thought to even ask about the order. It turns out, practical, evidence-based reasons apply, though it still surprises me how new some treatment recommendations are. The order of operations really is tailored to individual circumstance.
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Everything changes
This post started last weekend, celebrating my first run on the mountain — a glorious way to spend Easter Sunday. After testing my legs on the treadmill at the gym, I was ready — though nervous — to see what it might feel like to run on the trails for the first time since surgery. And it was lovely, in all the ways you imagine.
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Running from hysteria 