Cloudy Days…
The worst of the storm has subsided, but the sun isn’t shining…yet.
You feel fatigued, depressed, and unmotivated.
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Gradually building back activity tolerance, muscle strength and tone, flexibility, balance.
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Focus on motivation, mind-body connection, coping skills, managing stress and anxiety.
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Using ADLs and IADLs as a route to recovery. Daily tasks become our therapy.
ARE YOU FEELING COMPLETELY
UNMOTIVATED, DEPRESSED, AND EXHAUSTED…
SCROLL FOR HELP…
One minute of easy movement you can do anywhere.
START WHERE YOU ARE…
IN BED
LIE IN BED
STRETCH AND WAKE UP THE BODY:
WIGGLE YOUR TOES
FLEX AND EXTEND YOUR ANKLES
(“PEDAL YOUR FEET”) ABOUT 10 -15 TIMES.
BEND YOUR KNEES
GENTLY LIFT ONE LEG SLIGHTLY OFF THE BED AND BRING IT BACK DOWN.
SWITCH LEGS AND LIFT SLIGHTLY OFF BED. REPEAT 3X.
SQUEEZE YOUR BUTT CHEEKS AND RELAX. REPEAT 3X.
ARMS
NEXT, BRING YOUR ARMS STRAIGHT UP TO CEILING AND BACK DOWN. REPEAT 3X.
CIRCLE YOUR WRISTS (BOTH DIRECTIONS)
OPEN AND CLOSE YOUR FINGERS
FINALLY, SMILE REALLY BIG AND NOD YOUR HEAD UP AND DOWN
... YOU DID IT!
“I Am Safe”
This video is for those chemo days when you are experiencing general malaise, fatigue, and lack motivation to engage in ADLs after your chemo infusion. While the acute side effects have passed, you just want to stay in bed or sit and do nothing all day.
Bridging in Bed
1.Start by laying in bed on your back, knees bent, feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Place your feet as close to your buttocks as comfortable.
3. Keep your arms at your sides for stability, with palms facing down.
Not just exercise! Doing the bridge movement, right from bed, helps strengthen core and leg muscles, improves circulation, can actually help prevent falls!
4. Lift your hips to create a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
Safety:
Do not arch your back. Do not place a pillow under your head, as it can cause excessive neck flexion.
SEATED UPRIGHT IN BED
GENTLE RANGE OF MOTION
SITTING UP IN BED
PROP YOURSELF UP IN BED WITH A NICE PILLOW SUPPORTING YOUR BACK.
HEAD:
VERY GENTLY AND SLOWLY
NOD YOUR HEAD
UP
AND THEN DOWN.
AGAIN, LOOK UP TO CEILING.
AND THEN LOOK DOWN TO FLOOR.
ONLY DO WHAT FEELS GOOD.
LOOK OVER EACH SHOULDER:
TURN HEAD TO RIGHT
BRING HEAD BACK TO CENTER
EXHALE STRESS
LOOKING OVER LEFT SHOULDER
HEAD BACK TO CENTER
EXHALE STALE AIR
SHOULDER SHRUGS:
BREATHE IN AND LIFT YOUR SHOULDERS TO YOUR EARS (AS IF SHRUGGING).
BREATHE OUT AS YOU GENTLY BRING YOUR SHOULDERS BACK DOWN. REPEAT 3X.
SHOULDER ROLLS:
WHILE BREATHING IN…
ROLL YOUR SHOULDERS FORWARD AND
UP TO YOUR EARS.
AS YOU EXHALE, ROLL YOUR SHOULDERS
BACK AND DOWN.
REPEAT 3X.
CONFIDENCE BUILDER AND PEC STRETCH:
BRING YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD AND REST YOUR HEAD BACK.
RELAX INTO IT.
Breathe In Healing Energy
〰️
Breathe In Healing Energy 〰️
SITTING AT THE EDGE OF BED
PRECAUTIONS: BEFORE SITTING ON EDGE OF BED, MAKE SURE YOU ARE SECURE. DO NOT DO THESE EXERCISES IF YOU CANNOT SIT UPRIGHT UPSUPPORTED OR FEEL DIZZY, LIGHTHEADED, OR FAINT.
This video is perfect for individuals who have been in bed due to chemo-induced fatigue, but want to get up and move on with their day.
Gentle stretches promote success with functional activities, such as upper and lower body dressing, while also providing a nice stretch to areas that may have undergone surgery/radiation, such as the pectoral muscles and axilla regions.
Edge of Bed Routine
EDGE OF BED
TRY TO MAINTAIN GOOD, UPRIGHT, SEATED POSTURE THROUGHOUT EXERCISES WHILE SEATED.
ENGAGING YOUR CORE WILL HELP.
MAKE YOUR NECK TALL AND LONG,
TUCK YOUR CHIN, AND
IMAGINE A FLUSH LINE FROM THE
TOP OF YOUR HEAD
TO YOUR HIPS.
YOU CAN KEEP HANDS ON BED FOR SUPPORT OR ON TOP OF LEGS.
EXTEND AND FLEX YOUR KNEES SLOWLY AND CONTROLLED, ALTERNATING LEGS
CIRCLE AND PUMP YOUR ANKLES AND WIGGLE YOUR TOES, WHATEVER FEELS GOOD.
GETTING OUT OF THE BED…
EXERCISE WHILE SEATED
If you find yourself in a rut, with low motivation, try MOVING LOCATION…. sitting in a different room or chair.
Changing your body position and space can bring fresh energy and a different frame of mind.
Seated Yoga
This is a carefully-crafted seated yoga practice designed to target MANY issues you may be experiencing with chemotherapy: low mood, self-esteem, chemo-related fatigue, chemo brain, and peripheral neuropathy (numbness/tingling/pain in hands and fingers).
These poses can also help with side effects with other breast cancer treatments, such as surgery/lumpectomy/lymph node dissection or radiation treatment: tightness, limited range of motion, and lymphedema in upper extremities.
Grounding, Parasympathetic Response Activity
This is a simple and effective holistic activity that reduces anxiety and promotes the relaxation response. Principles include vagus nerve stimulation, parasympathetic (rest & digest) response, EMDR bilateral stimulation, heart breathing, and CBT techniques.
ARM PUSH-UPS:
CHAIR - SIT TO STAND
This small activity can yield big rewards.
All you need is a sturdy, stable chair with arm rests. This activity strengthens and tones your upper extremities (triceps) and helps with safety during functional mobility, such as sitting to standing.
Just a few reps sprinkled throughout your day can make a difference!
People can and will say the things to you that are upsetting… you might be surprised…
There are so many ways that someone can say something that is offensive during chemotherapy/cancer:
“It could be worse.”
“How much time did they give you? What are your odds?”
“It’s going to be alright.”
“You're so strong.”
“Eating sugar causes cancer.”
“I know someone who had that, and they are just fine.”
“I know someone who had that, and they died.”
“You shouldn’t do chemotherapy.”
-Nothing…
“This is why I ate organic and exercised my whole life.”
“Good luck on your journey!”
“You're going to be fine.”
IT IS VERY HARD.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOU NEVER QUITE KNOW WHEN IT WILL HIT, THIS STATEMENT THAT IS SO OFFENSIVE CAN SOMETIMES COME FROM THE MOST UNSUSPECTING ONES IN YOUR LIFE, WHICH MAKES IT EVEN WORSE.
AND THEN HOW DO YOU RESPOND? YOU PROBABLY ALREADY FEEL SO “DONE” AND HEARING SOMETHING THAT REALLY HURTS, HURTS. IT IS HARD TO TAKE THE HIGH ROAD OR JUST BRUSH IT OFF AND FORGET IT.
TRY VENTING ON THE REDDIT SITES (THERE ARE ONES DEDEICATED TO CHEMOTHERAPY, CANCER, AND BREAST CANCER). IT IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO “TALK” TO PEOPLE WHO “GET IT.” On a personal note, I wish I had accessed it sooner because when I did finally get online, I saw that I was not alone. People just like me also had been ghosted from loved ones and lifelong friends, some women had some even more offensive statements said to them. And the comments from other users are so supportive and may really help you get through it. It is a safe place to share with others who understand and are struggling with the same issues.
PROTECT YOUR PEACE. BOUNDARIES. STOP SHARING WITH THOSE WHO ARE MAKING YOU FEEL WORSE DUE TO TOXIC CONVERSATIONS.
LIMIT CONTACT WITH INSENSITIVE PEOPLE. DO IT FOR YOURSELF. FOR YOUR HEALTH. FOR YOU!
FIND A NEUTRAL BUT CLEAR RESPONSE THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH OTHERS WHO OFFEND YOU: I AM FOCUSING ON HEALING RIGHT NOW. SEE IDEAS BELOW:
Reframing Strategies
This video is geared towards individuals undergoing chemo who might feel bad / guilty over things they feel like they "should have" done - or upcoming things they feel they should do. Insight into internal dialogue is provided, as well as strategies for replacing the "shoulds" in life with "coulds", to offer oneself kindness and provide for motivation for action.