Hi Eriskay
You’re assuming you’ll be wiped out by traditional chemo but that’s not necessarily so. I know of people who have driven to and from their chemo sessions (not something I would have dreamt of) and pack the family off on holiday during chemo (again, not something I’d contemplate). The fact is, we all respond differently. There may be an element of psychology, although I feel that ‘positive mindset’ sets people up for feeling a failure when they can’t meet those expectations. Certainly it helps but it’s not the key.
Knowing what I know now, I would spend as much time with friends as I could and make sure I’ve a solid network I can rely on for help when I need it. I would spend part of each day building up my resilience by practising whatever helps - meditation, mindfulness, running, baking, pilates… It’s a sound investment and one of the few things that went right for me. I listened daily to Progressive Hypnosis’s free videos on YouTube and, almost 4 years on, I still do it, I just vary my choice of video.
This certainly won’t be the end of your walking, you may just need to lower your expectations a bit. Don’t assume everything flies out the widow with your hair - you may continue to feel physically fit, On the other hand, you may feel hit by a bulldozer and spend months in total fatigue. You won’t know till it happens. What will be less easy is the socialising, especially as Covid is on the increase again, because your immunity will be compromised, so make sure friends understand if you aren’t available or want to avoid crowded indoor venues.
Carry on enjoying your activities while you can. Don’t expect them to suddenly vanish - they won’t. You may feel different and you may lack a lot of the cells you really need to feel yourself but you are still you. Just listen to your body and go with the flow. If that means 3 days under the duvet, enjoy it if you can. Stock up on books and TV channels (if you aren’t mentally fatigued). Invest in an Intelliheat blanket, one of the best gifts I was given and so valued as winter set in. Do small exercises like leg stretches, glute clenches, hand squeezes to keep those muscles working, ready for that long walk at the end of the week. Don’t write this time off - you may be one of the lucky ones. If you’re not, there is no shame in that and you will recover. Just don’t take risks. If you aren’t 100% sure you are safe to drive, don’t do it. If you’re a bit wobbly, don;t go walking on your own…
Enjoy the precious moments when you feel yourself, Blame chemo for all the crap (a bit unfair, I’ve found, but helpful nonetheless) and keep doing the things you love when you can. I hope the chemo sorts it ll out for you xx