Embracing Life

from Tidewater Times April 2023

Coming Again

had to sit down between small exercise efforts. I am still working on strengthening and endurance, but I now know that I can only get better.

Brian and his team at Tidewater Physical Therapy have helped many cancer patients regain strength, endurance and mobility after cancer treatments.

RECOMMENDATION: Ask your doctor about a referral for physical therapy should you experience falls, feel wobbly or have muscle or bone aches, pain or weakness. Diagnosis and improvement may be very possible with evaluation and exercise.

Brian Mielke

me back on track. So, I added Brian’s regimen to my current schedule of walking, home gym workouts and a thrice-weekly exercise class with the YMCA’s wonderful Wendy Palmer. Astonishingly, I had improvement in my gait and balance within two weeks after starting the new targeted muscle strengthening exercise program both in office with Brian and at home. My back pain subsided. I did not need to see other specialists or have surgery or other treatment. What a relief!

I believe that my core muscles were weakened by my many down days during the big C treatments, which included frequent and muchneeded three-hour naps. Though I exercised, it was not at the same level as before treatment, and I frequently

Additionally, during this second year of survival, a scary nodule was found in my left breast during the physical evaluation after a six-month mammogram of my right breast, post-lumpectomy. Note that after breast cancer treatment, six-month mammograms and checkups with the surgical oncologists are the norm. Of course, I always worry about the test outcome. Could it come back?

My radiation oncologist released me at a year after my completion of radiation treatment and two “clean” mammograms. My medical or chemo oncologist required two six-month and now yearly exams.

My right breast (the cancerous breast) mammogram showed no malignancy. Yippee! But…when Jo-Ayne Kerry-Tuner, MSN, FNP, Clark Comprehensive Breast Center conducted the physical, she found a

Embracing Life

suspicious lump on my left breast. The left breast did not require a mammogram during that visit, only at 12-month intervals. I thought, “Oh boy, here we go again!” Back down the hall I went to have the left breast mammogrammed and ultrasounded.

Dr. Lilly, my surgical oncologist and hero, accompanied me and calmed me, knowing the fear and alarm bells were ringing at top volume. She explained that it is normal procedure to test when a nodule is found during palpation.

The alarm bells quieted when the radiologist reported that no malignancy was found in the left breast. Hallelujah! The nodule was called a benign fibro glandular tissue nodule. After hugs from Dr. Lilly, Jo-Ayne and Robin Ford, my nurse navigator, I breathed a sigh of relief and made my next six-month appointment.

RECOMMENDATION: Get your yearly mammogram!

Finally, I still and will always contend with tinnitus, ear noises brought on by chemotherapy. I am lucky that mine sounds like the forest and crickets, not metallic or annoying sounds. Some people pay for white noise forest sounds! It does affect my hearing. I also contend with my temperature regulators being a bit off. I easily get hot flashes but have learned to cope.

As my list of friends diagnosed with cancer grew this year, so did my efforts to reach out to them. They had supported me during my journey. Emails, texts and cards flew out to them and to my Cancer Support Services group of cancer patient ladies (for whom I volunteer). Meals, treats and visits, when possible, lift spirits.

For my own spirit, we returned to being physically present at Christ Church, Easton. I find the church soothing, healing and inspiring, as

Embracing Life is the comfort I fi nd in prayer and meditation. I also reached out to volunteer at the Talbot Interfaith Shelter in Easton, where the need is great for more volunteers. I have been attending local lectures, and we have resumed traveling again.

RECOMMENDATION: Reach out to comfort those in need. Find a faith or spiritual practice for selfcomfort. Volunteer. Keep learning. Give back. Be a warrior for yourself and others. Keep moving forward.

I highly recommend two magazines about cancer that have provided me with information, research updates and self-care hacks as well as inspiration to move forward.

Cure: Cancer Updates, Research & Education provides useful information for patients, survivors and caregivers about all types of cancer. Conquer: The Patient Voice provides an open forum for patients with cancer and cancer survivors to address issues facing them on their journey.

Chuck Rose, the creative director of NCI, suggests that survivors keep their sense of humor and be kind. Good advice for all of us, sometimes hard to follow, but good to try!

The world needs more humor and kindness.

Bonna L. Nelson is a Bay-area writer, columnist, photographer and world traveler. She resides in Easton with her husband, John.

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