Round, Round Get Around, I Get Around: Beating Cancer With Exercise

My mother has been an elementary school teacher for over 28.5 years with plans to retire in a year and a half once she reaches 30 years of teaching. In fact, she was teaching the week leading up to the Sunday when we took her to the Emergency Room to figure out what was going on. It’s hard to imagine the impact that she has had on thousands of children’s lives over the years. Ironically, one of her students in the second grade is now her principal.

During the school day, my mother is constantly on her feet. Moving around the children in the classroom and walking through the hallways to different rooms to follow the student’s planned schedule. Overall, my mother has been fairly active even though she has slowed down slightly as she has aged.

It was certainly a shock to all of us finding out the news about my mother in early December. We didn’t quite know what to do after we arrived back home from the hospital several days later. The following week, we nervously waited for the biopsy appointment and results. Our priority was to make my mother as comfortable as possible and to ensure that she wasn’t in any pain after just having brain surgery. Thankfully she was in no pain.

Looking back, the first several weeks of December, which are normally busy weeks leading up to the Christmas holiday, were some of the most overwhelming weeks that I have experienced in my life. So much change. So much shock. So many emotions. So many questions. And my mother’s mental condition was quickly changing by the day.

EXERCISE IS PARAMOUNT

During the time of uncertainty in December, my mother wasn’t mobile.  We had her rest as much as we could to keep her comfortable.  While it is widely known that physical activity can reduce the risk of developing cancer, I developed a curiosity to learn if exercise could actually aid in killing cancer.

Through my research, I have learned that exercising while taking chemotherapy can help ease the side effects like fatigue and nausea as well as help boost the immune system. But there is preliminary research suggesting that exercise can activate special immune system defenders that are known to attack cancer cells.  Researchers believe that this mechanism is related to adrenaline (IL-6 molecules) releasing from the muscle tissue into the bloodstream during exercise and infiltrating the tumor to work on eliminating the cancerous cells.

Exercise is paramount in either case: preventing cancer and/or fighting cancer. We have quickly realized the need to keep my mother active as much as possible. However, the several sedentary weeks of December combined with the increased fatigue and exhaustion she has experienced from the chemo and radiation treatments has proven to be a large challenge as a caregiver.

As a result of the treatments my mother is receiving, her body is signaling that she is tired and should sit down to rest. However, the tumor has blocked the willpower in her mind to know that sitting all the time is not helpful to her overall health. As a caregiver, we are helping her to be her willpower while balancing her overall health and wellbeing, which proves to be a very tough predicament as someone who loves her and wants her to be as comfortable as possible.

TAG TEAM

As part of our holistic treatment program, Mike and I take my mother to Meijer in Angola each day after her radiation appointment for a walking loop of the entire store. The Meijer store in Angola was recently remodeled and is one of the best one-stop stores that I have ever experienced in the United States. Their staff is so sweet and helpful and they have a great selection of fresh produce and other organic foods that is helpful for my mother’s treatment.

It is the perfect tag team. While Mike helps walk with my mother, I am able to zip around the store jamming on my headphones while picking up everything we need from prescriptions to personal supplies to fresh food. I feel empowered as I listen to the uplifting music entering my ears while I know I am helping my mother the best that I can by making informed choices for her body and treatment. It is a small daily reminder that I am where I need to be at this moment in my life.

CAUTION: PRECIOUS CARGO COMING THROUGH

My mother holds onto the small shopping cart that we wiped down with anti-bacterial wipes and Mike loops his arm under hers as they start out walking at the main entrance. My mother’s white tennis shoes gingerly glide across the shiny floor one foot in front of the other as the cart slowly leads in front of her. After the straight walk to the back of the store, Mike and my mother approach the first bench before making the turn to go across the store.

My mother’s eyes droop from the increased fatigue as she tells Mike that she wants to sit down to rest. Mike helps her sit down on the bench as she allows her body to take a break from the increased activity. But Mike knows that they can’t rest too long. We want to elevate mother’s heart rate and allow her body to benefit from the exercise. Mike walks a cautious line of pushing my mom to get the exercise that she needs while not pushing her too much towards overexertion.

Once my mother builds up enough energy from resting, Mike helps her up from the seated position and they begin walking across the back of the store. Many store associates have begun to recognize my mother and Mike and have made sure the aisleways are clear for the two of them to move through as they approach. They arrive at the next set of benches but Mike feels confident that she can make it back to the front of the store where they have more benches for the next rest. The store is set up perfectly to be an indoor place for my mother to get the wintertime walking that she needs with many areas to sit and rest when needed.  My mother and Mike do have a treadmill at their home, but unfortunately my mother is not in the most stable condition to make the treadmill a safe activity for her.

We have enrolled my mother in physical therapy to have a professional help maintain my mother’s strength and flexibility as much as possible while helping her get additional exercise.  We are looking into hydrotherapy since my mom does love the water and could be a safer option for her.

It is extremely hard to see the effects of the chemo and radiation. We give her the chemo each night at bedtime. She is very alert for the first 30-60 minutes when she arises each time, however the fatigue quickly sets in knocking my mother out. The exercise does help my mother but it is taxing on Mike and I to do this day in and day out as she needs help with most things. But we find solitude in knowing that we are helping my mother as best we can.