Eric’s Carcinoid Journey

Well, it has been a few weeks since my last entry and I am now two weeks away from my next Lutetium-177 infusion.  Next week I must travel to Perth for a pre-treatment CT scan and Liver Clinic and the following week return for my week of appointments, treatments and scans.

I am doing great both physically and mentally.  Attitude is everything in my book and being positive and forward looking is the only way I see things.  Physically both Leonie and I have taken some positive steps in improving our physical wellbeing.  Beginning in September we joined the local health centre and we are both pursuing a workout program to reduce our weght, increase our stamina and strength and improve our flexibility.  Although there are some physical aspects to our work, we are largely sedentary at work and home. 

After the first month I have seen some significant improvements.  I have lost about 4-5 kilograms while gaining muscle mass, my endurance is improving daily and the physical workout is doing wonders for my body and mind.  The mental gains of meeting commitment and gaining accomplishment seems to have a made a real improvement in my overall health.  The carcinoid cancer doesn’t seem have any effects on nor be affected by the physical strain of the workouts which include both weights and metabolic excercises and I certainly don’t tire as easily as I used to.  Admitedly I was not in very good physical shape in the beginning so the initial work load reflected that but the gains in strength and endurance have been substantial over the past month.  It would seem to me that both physical and mental strength are a way of combating this disease, or at least not letting it affect you lifestyle. 

I have had no carcinoid symptoms to speak of since starting at the gym even though the single LAR Sandostatin injection has been wearing off over the past weeks. (Last injection was ~20 August).  So onward we go (and off to the gym this morning as well!).  Eric

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 14th, 2007 at 10:06 am and is filed under Fremantle Hospital, lu-177 CLEMENT study. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.