Here's my advice on all that non-expert advice.
BY Ryan Hamner
PUBLISHED April 18, 2018
Ryan Hamner is a four-time survivor of Hodgkin lymphoma, a musician and a writer. In 2011, he wrote and recorded, "Where Hope Lives" for the American Cancer Society and the song for survivors, "Survivors Survive" used in 2015 for #WorldCancerDay. Currently, he operates his website for those affected by cancer, 2surviveonline.com and drinks a ridiculous amount of coffee per day.
With having cancer, there comes lots of emotions, treatments, forgetfulness, confusion, funny aftertastes, curse words and, well, advice. I mean, I'm pretty sure that anyone who offers advice to someone battling cancer means well, but you know, some of the advice and things I've heard over the years gives me that same little feeling I get when someone's knife screeches into their plate.
"You should probably just take a break for a while."
I used to hear this one a lot about working out. I'm definitely not some dude you'll see on the front of “Muscle Fitness,” but I like to work out. It makes me feel good. And no, I don't carry a big jug around the gym.
The issue has been that any time I have any type of health event, the answer from many people has always been to stop working out for a while. I have heard this from a lot of people who didn't work out, at all. Let me say this, I know these people care about me and I genuinely appreciate it. I do. I promise. So, I don't want to sound like a jerk here. However, unless the doc says so, working out is something I have to do for myself. It's not always about going to the gym and pushing myself as much as I can physically. Even if I have to scale back my workout by 80 percent, the mental benefits of my workout are immeasurable – especially in times of stress and worry. A completed workout is a "win" for me.
"Try this, it will help."
Although I do believe in alternative medicine, don't offer me your neon octopus root (I made that up, but I bet it's a thing.) grown remotely in South America by an ancient tribe from the skies.
"You should probably just take a break for a while."
I used to hear this one a lot about working out. I'm definitely not some dude you'll see on the front of “Muscle Fitness,” but I like to work out. It makes me feel good. And no, I don't carry a big jug around the gym.
The issue has been that any time I have any type of health event, the answer from many people has always been to stop working out for a while. I have heard this from a lot of people who didn't work out, at all. Let me say this, I know these people care about me and I genuinely appreciate it. I do. I promise. So, I don't want to sound like a jerk here. However, unless the doc says so, working out is something I have to do for myself. It's not always about going to the gym and pushing myself as much as I can physically. Even if I have to scale back my workout by 80 percent, the mental benefits of my workout are immeasurable – especially in times of stress and worry. A completed workout is a "win" for me.
"Try this, it will help."
Although I do believe in alternative medicine, don't offer me your neon octopus root (I made that up, but I bet it's a thing.) grown remotely in South America by an ancient tribe from the skies.
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