For years the words “battling” and “fighting” cancer have been uncomfortable to me. They seem so cliché. I recently read the post I did for MD Anderson’s Cancerwise publication written in 2016 where I talked about the terminology “battle”.

Much of my discomfort with battling comes from my natural being as a lover, not a fighter. I prefer peace and harmony. However, cancer doesn’t resolve peacefully. It’s looking for a fight. cancer has no desire to sit down and negotiate.

I use the words battling and fighting when talking about cancer journeys all the time. I’m uncomfortable every time but those are the words people use and people know when talking about interactions with cancer.

In the end, that’s truly what it is.  It’s a battle. It’s a fight. One that you better be ready to handle mentally and physically.

 

Battling cancer With Physical Strength

Physical strength has been something that has helped me and that I have been vocal about for years. I am a firm believer that a strong body creates a strong mind. If you enter a battle physically weak, it makes the fight that much more difficult.

 

Throughout the pandemic, I have struggled to stay active and fit. It’s been pure laziness. I know many of you can relate.  Much of the world can probably relate. I went back to the gym this week and man, it’s a struggle. I feel like I’ve never lifted a weight or run. It’s 100% because I wasn’t consistent or accountable to myself during the pandemic.

 

Lymphedema

One of the side effects of my treatment has been lymphedema. For years I have treated it with regular, I would say daily, but I have gotten lackadaisical with that too, time in a pump. The pump stimulates moving fluid and lymph drainage. I used to find it relaxing and still do to an extent but it’s like exercise.  Sometimes it’s easier to not make the time to do it.

Just as I am not as fit because I haven’t consistently exercised, my edema is worse because I haven’t consistently pumped.  This week it got to the point where I knew I needed to straighten up and get serious about both. I’ve been to the gym and pumped regularly and plan to continue.  The nice thing about exercise is when you do get in the groove it can be addictive.

 

 

 

Battling cancer With Mental Strength

That leads us to mental strength. Battling cancer requires crazy amounts of mental strength. For me, part of my mental strength comes from a strong physical body. I’ve gone into several recurrences physically strong. Knowing my body is ready for “battle” helps my mind feel ready too.

 

I think it’s important to mention that while cancer is a battle, don’t use your strength to battle the treatment.  Welcome the treatment. As horrible as it might be, don’t fight it. Welcome it and give your physical body the help it needs to battle the cancer.

 

Hopefully, I’ll to never have to figure out how I’m going to battle cancer again. I hope and pray that the maintenance drug I get every three weeks continues to work and I stay on that routine for decades. Decades. But if I do, I want my body to be ready to handle it.

 

As I admittedly get older my lack of exercise is so noticeable in the minor aches and pains I feel even from just standing up from sitting down too long. This Progressive commercial about not becoming your parents hit home when the guy sits down and groans. My sons often make fun of me for the very same thing.

Thrivers And Survivors

Lately, I notice that cancer survivors are referring to themselves as “thrivers”. The definition of thriving is “prospering or doing well; highly successful:”, so yes, survivors are thrivers. The definition of a survivor is “a person who continues to function or prosper in spite of opposition, hardship, or setbacks.” Maybe as survivors, we get to a point where we are thrivers. Survivorship is hard and it takes some time to learn to thrive after surviving.

 

Use whatever powerful words you need to help feel stronger as you battle cancer. Those are the words you should say. Don’t just use the words you hear everyone else saying if find better ones. Are you dominating your cancer like a boss? If so, say it and say it a lot.