Back in the Pool

In August last year I started swimming to try and get back into some sort of shape. Prior to getting cancer I was in some of the best shape of my life (well, let me rephrase that - since getting married). I certainly wasn't on the cover of Fit magazine, but I could hold my own in a step class and my lung capacity was pretty darn good. Cancer treatment completely zapped me and at the end atrophied the muscles in my legs. Even going up and down the stairs was uncomfortable. I decided to swim because it is something I loved to do growing-up, and I thought it would be the best thing for my joints - my physiotherapist agreed.

I still remember the first time in the pool. I was bald and my lung capacity was horrible. The physiotherapist warned me to just do breast stroke (now isn't that amusing) because my shoulder was so stiff (from radiation and lymphodema). I remember thinking 'what does she know'? She was right, I could barely swim one length my lung capacity was so bad and my arm barely moved me through the water.

I am happy to report today that I am swimming 10 laps of breast stroke and 10 laps of front crawl in about 35 minutes. I try to get in the pool three mornings a week! And I thought I was doing pretty darn good until I was talking to one of the ladies on Wednesday morning. I asked her how many laps she swims and she swims 60! I guess I will be trying to swim 25 tomorrow morning.