The Formula

The formula for living a healthy day is similar for all of us. I just need to focus on it a little more than most.

We all need to stay active both physically and mentally for the health of our mind and body.

And we all need to break to eat and refuel so we have continued energy to burn.

Last, but not least, we all need to rest and sleep so we can get up and do it all over again.

I focus in on these simple rules of good health, while chemo fights hard to make sure I do none of these things.

Staying active is immensely important for me to feel energized throughout the day. Chemo makes you feel fatique. Chemo asks you to sit down and watch a "Cheers" marathon on TV. But I just have to get up, and get going, fight it each and every day and once I'm active I'm on my way.

Planning the relaunch of the design business has been very helpful in adding a beneficial activity to my day, keeping my mind active, helping to keep the energy high.

I'm also dedicated to an exercise routine, 30-minutes everyday (except Sundays), switching days between the Bowflex and the bike. It leaves me with sore muscles the next day, but those are good sore muscles letting me know the exercise is working.

Again the chemo tries its best to make you not want to get up, not move to the exercise room, not get started. But I just have to get myself up, fight and get started, and then I'm on my way.

Chemo will also work hard to make me not want anything to do with food. I have looked to the assistance of one medication to help with appetite. But I haven't been using it often because I've been developing a good appetite without it.

It may sound strange, but I believe there's a trigger in the brain that can see food as yummy or disgusting. I've been working on triggering yummy with some success. There's a certain animal instinct to hunger that makes us ravenous, different. Ever watch a really hungry person tear into a plate of spaghetti and meatballs? I concentrate on bringing out that animal. And I concentrate on all the enjoyable aspects of eating and food, part of the reason I can't settle for processed foods.

Let's see - yesterday I started with two slices of cranberry breakfast bread that Barb baked, then for brunch I had a chicken patty sandwich with lettuce and mayo on a large kaiser roll, then lunch was a hot roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy from the deli across the street, then dinner was topsy turvy beef pie (contact my Mom for more details on that dish). And I think that's pretty good eating for a day. But the weight stays the same. I'd like to see it rise a bit. But I'm eating.

I'm staying active in the mind, staying active physically, eating well and sleeping well. It's the recipe we all try to follow. For me, it's just a little more difficult to do these simple things. But I do look at it as a fight. And I do tell the cancer and the chemo that I have no intent on giving up or giving in. I'm going to work. I'm going to exercise. I'm going to eat.

Sorry Mr. Chemo sir, but we're just going to have to miss the "Cheers" marathon on TV.