Special Treats

I did two things prohibited for chemo patients this morning. And, it felt so good. Want to know what I did?

First, I brushed my teeth with my electric toothbrush! Yes, my life is that pathetic. Last week, my mouth was so tender that even though I wanted desperately to scour my teeth, with my soft-bristled toothbrush, I knew that it wouldn't be clever (I stuck to gentle circles). As a recipient of chemo, I needed to avoid mouth bleeds so as to limit any chance of infection. Anyway, my mouth had been so sore that I couldn't bear to eat raw veggies (back to cooking them while on chemo) or nuts (a snacking staple when on paleo). But this week, my mouth has returned to its former, normal self and I took full advantage of that fact. Until Tuesday (chemo day), I will be brushing with my electric friend. Woohoo!

The second item on my naughty list, that I can tick, is a metcon session. While I was feeling terrific, I thought it best to get my blood circulating. I gained so much pleasure from doing something that represented my life before cancer. Whoa! Stop! That is wrong! The minute I committed the act of the full stop, I recognised a major error, on my part. I cannot think like that.

My life before cancer and my life after cancer...what is that? There is no way I am going to mark my life with this disease. I am happy to mark my life with the day I got married, the day child number one was born, the day child number two was born; but to put cancer along with such monumental, transcendently happy moments is foul. Cancer can hang around with things like the day school was cancelled because of a flood and the day I resigned from my life as a check-out chick. Memorable yes, but not a defining moment of my life.

Where were we? Metcon. While intense workouts are not recommended, it seems to a given that the healthier and stronger you are the better the chemo ride. So, I justify pushing myself through the session because it will help me to get, in a less invasive manner than the drugs, to the end of this journey (haven't found a more likeable word yet) with less battle scars. Well, that's the plan for now.

This morning, I was out with the husband on a coffee-related errand. And, since I had already broken two rules, I just didn't see the harm in bending one more. I had a coffee. This is not an official no-no. It's just a self-inflicted prohibition for now. Mmmmm...coffee... The caffeine receptors were certainly having a ball.

Well, that makes three. The trifecta completed.