Fitness Design Solutions

10/05/2024

You know you best! Do not be afraid to advocate for yourself with your doctors when something is off.

Several months before my diagnosis I knew something was off. I felt fine. I just had this whisper in my head to go get a mammogram. When I asked at the doctor's office for an order before my annual check up they denied me.

A physical is not a prerequisite for a screening mammogram. I was over 40 and had not had a mammogram. That was enough to qualify me for the order. Truth be told I had been given one, did not schedule it right away and misplaced it. Bottom line they should have given me the order replacement when I asked.

It may have changed my staging. Honestly, I will never know.

I don’t ever want you wondering about something like that either.

If something is off, use your portal to communicate with your doctor or a nurse in the practice directly. Desk staff can only pass along a message. Advocate. Advocate. Advocate.

Let’s practice. What can you advocate for today?

Cancer Truth Note: #362 by Jennifer | Nov 29, 2023 | Cancer Truth Note You know you best! Do not be afraid to advocate for yourself with your doctors when something is off.Several months before my diagnosis I knew something was off. I felt fine. I just had this whisper in my head to go get a mammogr...

09/05/2024

A special podcast guest is returning for this episode to give us an update about her cancer journey—and I’m so excited to chat with her again. Kelley Lennon is a 37 year cancer survivor whose journey has taken her through 3 cancer diagnoses and treatments (Hodgkin’s lymphoma at age 17, palate cancer 30 years later, and metastatic lung cancer soon after.) She was even asked to share her inspiring story of survivorship for Stand Up to Cancer’s feature in 2018.

In this episode, Kelley opens up about her continuing health journey, why she shares her cancer story, and we’ll dive into self-advocacy as a way to be informed & confident knowing your body.

We’re exploring:
-How immunotherapy is saving lives (like Kelley’s!) and changing survivorship
-The ways Kelley and her family stay optimistic about their future
-Why she pushed for physical therapy—plus, the mental and physical benefits of movement
-Navigating doctor’s visits during COVID-19
-Our TOP TIPS to utilize research and data to self-advocate and start a conversation with your doctor
-The areas of cancer research we feel need improvement (and what we wish would change)
-And so much more!

Episode 61: Optimism, Survivorship, and Self-Advocacy with Kelley Lennon by Jennifer | Apr 28, 2021 | Cancer Support Services, Cancer Survivor, Happiness, Healing, Mindset, Motivation, Podcast, wellnessA special podcast guest is returning for this episode to give us an update about her cancer journe...

08/05/2024

Are you a Breast Cancer Survivor (BCS) in Loudoun County VA? Could you use the support of a coach and small group of people who are where you are to get moving again?

The BCS Physical & Mental Fitness Program is enrolling participants for the next cohort.
*Goal setting 1-hour coaching call with a nationally board certified health and wellness coach
*Eight weeks of in-person fitness to increase range of motion, strength, and confidence
*Eight group coaching calls to navigate the challenges of cancer survivorship
*Private group chat to support and cheer each other on in between meetings

If you are a BCS diagnosed with Stage 0 to Stage 3 who has completed active treatment (AI/hormone therapy is ok) with doctor clearance to exercise click the link to learn more and get on my calendar to see if this program is for you.

(https://fitnessdesignsolutions.com/bcs-physical-mental-fitness-program/)

Through the support of tax deductible donations we are able to offer this program to participants for no cost to them.

07/05/2024

I think you can replace experiencing... struggle with any kind of struggle and this statement is just as powerful. It is also interesting how we can sometimes see our place in the club and learn a friend with a similar experience had no idea there even was a club. Have you experienced this? What club did you learn about that came as a surprise?

06/05/2024

This is a juicy topic. There are many different ways to advocate. We can advocate for ourselves, we can advocate for a friend or family member, we can advocate for people in the future who may experience an experience we have navigated, you get the idea. Of the different ways we can advocate, what feels most natural for you? Is there a type of advocacy you feel drawn to?

03/05/2024

We don’t always see the impacts cancer treatments are having on us clearly, but most of the time if something is off you know it. Maybe tasks that were easy are now harder to process. Maybe your memory is not working like it used to. Maybe you are struggling to remember the names of people you have known for a while. Maybe you were like me, allergic to one of my medications.

Have you ever had that happen? You are just not quite right, but you can’t seem to right the ship either.

About a year out of chemo, I was struggling. I was a technical project manager for 2 decades. Figuring out software without a manual was my super power. Yet I had spent countless hours trying to update my website and I could not finish the home page layout.

Then I started having physical challenges. I was full of fluid. Months later a friend said, “You looked off, not yourself, now I realize you were puffy.” But I was not overweight so it was discounted by my doctors. Then I started gaining weight for no reason. I was eating less, exercising more, and kept gaining.

The physical issues could not be ignored. The mental processing challenges were harder to pin down.

It was not until I stopped taking the hormone therapy that the fluid came off and my brain started to clear up. I was having an allergic reaction to the medication. I am celiac and the med had gluten in it. Brain fog is also a symptom of uncontrolled celiac disease. I had been gluten free for so long I never considered my medication had gluten in it.

If something is wrong and the side effects are impacting your daily life, understand why taking the medication is necessary. In my case I was allergic. I had to figure it out on my own and insist that there was a better way. I was not continuing to take something that was making me sick at the time to reduce my recurrence by a few percentage points.

I was ok with the risk. That is a choice everyone needs to make, once you have all the information.

Have you had a circumstance where you were having bad side effects but not being given the facts on why enduring the side effects was necessary?

Cancer Truth Note: #363 by Jennifer | Nov 30, 2023 | Cancer Truth Note We don’t always see the impacts cancer treatments are having on us clearly, but most of the time if something is off you know it. Maybe tasks that were easy are now harder to process. Maybe your memory is not working like it us...

02/05/2024

This week, I’m shedding some light on one of the MOST common Unspoken Cancer Truths: overcoming communication barriers when talking about cancer. Have you experienced this before? In this episode, I’m diving deeper into why communicating about cancer can be so difficult, my TOP TIPS to take action against unproductive conversations (and be a better responder!), and the BEST past episodes to check out to learn more about communicating effectively.

I’m exploring:
-What it means to have the courage to KNOW yourself
-Why I think survivorship is the trickiest phase of a cancer journey
-How relationships can change when you reveal a cancer diagnosis (and how to adjust your boundaries)
-Why you need to make sure you are TRULY heard by your health team
-And so much more!

Episode 70: Overcoming Communication Challenges by Jennifer | Jul 28, 2021 | Cancer Support Services, Cancer Survivor, Happiness, Healing, Mindset, Motivation, Podcast, wellnessThis week, I’m shedding some light on one of the MOST common Unspoken Cancer Truths: overcoming communication barriers wh...

01/05/2024

Are you a Breast Cancer Survivor (BCS) in Loudoun County VA? Could you use the support of a coach and small group of people who are where you are to get moving again?

The BCS Physical & Mental Fitness Program is enrolling participants for the next cohort.
* Goal setting 1-hour coaching call with a nationally board certified health and wellness coach
* Eight weeks of in-person fitness to increase range of motion, strength, and confidence
* Eight group coaching calls to navigate the challenges of cancer survivorship
* Private group chat to support and cheer each other on in between meetings

If you are a BCS diagnosed with Stage 0 to Stage 3 who has completed active treatment (AI/hormone therapy is ok) with doctor clearance to exercise click the link to learn more and get on my calendar to see if this program is for you.

(https://fitnessdesignsolutions.com/bcs-physical-mental-fitness-program/)

Through the support of tax deductible donations we are able to offer this program to participants for no cost to them.

30/04/2024

"A fresh start is not a new place it's a new mindset."
- Unknown

I found this quote in soooo many places I have no idea who actually said it first. It is true. I try to approach every day as a fresh start. A new opportunity to be and do my best. Sometimes my self talk is not on board with the idea of a new day being a new opportunity. How does this idea of a fresh start being a new mindset show up for you?

29/04/2024

Exercise is hard. Starting or starting over can be harder after an illness or injury. What is the biggest thing holding you back?

The research is clear. The more you move the better you feel. When you feel good and can move better you may be more confident and engage more in social activities. These things all create a positive upward spiral.

To get to the benefits, you have to take the first step. The first step is hard! Beyond actually getting moving the uncertainty about what that is going to look like can get in the way of actually finding out what it looks like. Sometimes the stories and worry about starting can hold you back. This week is all about getting started. Even if the thing you want to start isn't exercise is there a story holding you back? Let me know in the comments. You may find you are not alone!

26/04/2024

Stand in the power of your choices. Trust AND verify. If you have questions, make sure they are answered before you agree.

This might seem a little over the top. When it comes to cancer treatment our doctors are experts. They also have a very clear goal. Keeping you alive.

It’s a great goal. I am a fan.

However, we are only now looking at how to keep people alive AND enable a strong quality of life in survivorship. The Department of Health and Human Services updates the Healthy People goals every 10 years. In Healthy People 2030 the physical and mental fitness of cancer survivors is in a research phase because there are no benchmarks. There are over 18 million cancer survivors in the United States today and we don’t understand, at a research level, their quality of life in survivorship. That is a huge problem.

When I was really sick from Tamoxifen and did not know why, my doc said, “I really need you to stay on this.” This answer to why was basically because you need to. That was not a satisfying answer. In fact it was the only appointment in my entire cancer journey that I left in tears. As I checked out I had silent tears running down my face because I didn’t know how I was going to continue working in the state that my body was in. I don’t say this for sympathy. I say it because it was where I was in that moment.

As it turned out I was allergic to ingredients in the drug. I am celiac and the drug and most other aromatase inhibitors at the time had gluten in them. The first contraindication… Do not take it if you are allergic. That ended up being the answer I needed, unfortunately I had to figure it out for myself.

There have been several times over the years that I have had to remind my doc that I didn’t defy him. I was allergic to the medication and that could have caused me worse problems in the long run. I have to continue to stand in the power of the decision to stop taking the medication.

Have you experienced a time in your journey where you had to ask deeper questions and stand in the power of your choice?

Cancer Truth Note: #333 by Jennifer | Oct 31, 2023 | Cancer Truth NoteStand in the power of your choices. Trust AND verify. If you have questions, make sure they are answered before you agree.This might seem a little over the top. When it comes to cancer treatment our doctors are experts. They also....

25/04/2024

There are so many research studies out there about the cancer journey, and it can be really tricky to navigate the plentiful information. How can you be sure that you are following advice that is factual and unbiased?

In this episode, I’m sharing my BEST tips to better understand research articles and studies, how to dig deeper into the sources referenced, and the importance of using critical thinking skills before taking ANY advice from a study or article.

Listen now to hear more about:
-My #1 strategy to critique a research study, report, or article
-How I debunked a lymphedema study (even though it was referenced A LOT)
-Why you should care about the results of a study (and whether they’re significant or not)
-What I uncovered about a cryoablation report after applying my strategy
-The problem with studies on food & diet as a sole cancer treatment
-And so much more!

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Like 0 Episode 69: How to Think Critically Before Taking Advice by Jennifer | Jul 14, 2021 | Cancer Support Services, Cancer Survivor, Happiness, Healing, Mindset, Motivation, Podcast, wellness There are so many research studies out there about the cancer journey, and it ca...