Get out and walk!

So today I felt a little down. I looked at the paper work the resident filed out for the company that handles our leave-of-absence cases. The resident had written that my surgery was scheduled for end of June. Well, that doesn't make sense because my radiation/chemo treatments finish the end of May and originally I was told I'd have 8-10 weeks before surgery. I wasn't expecting to undergo surgery so soon.

This is the thing. I've discovered while being in this kind of situation - a little bit of conflicting news, forms to be filled out, a wrong date, duplicate tests - all are sources of anxiety!

Mentally, I have been prepared for my surgery to happen the beginning of August. When I was driving home, I was in a dark mood. I considered just going to bed. But, I've always been active, play tennis, have a great trainer who keeps me in shape, and this time of year; Seattle is gorgeous! So, I got out and took a walk. Lilacs scent the air, rhododendrons jockey for color display, dogwood is blooming - it's incredibly beautiful.

My mood lightened. I realized I can talk to the staff to confirm this date. No need to agonize.*

I bring this up because when I was first diagnosed, I was told I was T3. What does that mean? I was thinking stage 3, and when I went to the Mayo Clinic web site, I freaked out because if I was stage 3, I was in REAL trouble.

So the message is, be very careful to get the right information from the right source. Don't jump to conclusions. Take care of yourself, be gentle, get as much exercise as you can stand.

This is your chance to turn things around.

*[I had a dream about this situation that night. So I called my radiation nurse and met with the resident this morning to have the paper work straightened out. She was, naturally, using the date that my involvement with radiation would end. I find in this kind of situation, you get very attached to routines and dates. In my case, I think it's because I'm trying to get through this, one phase at a time. Having the time line shift is like thinking you're doing a 5K race and then you find out it's a 10K race! Knowing what to expect is very important!]