Cancer Survivors and Olympians Need to Be in Tune With Their Bodies

The Olympics fascinate me for many reasons. I watch in awe as the athletes who have trained every single day for four years or longer run faster than deer, swim faster than fish and jump higher than humanly possible. They twist and turn their bodies by doing somersaults. The relay teams have to cooperate in swimming and diving events to win while the teamwork in basketball, soccer and track has to be impeccable. And that is just a few of the sports.

During the winter Olympics in 2018, I wrote a blog comparing the contenders and winners of the events to those of us fighting cancer and talking about both being warriors.

This time I see another similarity. The athletes and announcers both mention how the best athletes in the world need to know their bodies thoroughly. The racers must keep “gas in the tank” to go over the finish line. Each athlete has to decide which events they compete the best for track, swimming and many other sports. The gymnasts know every inch of their bodies so they can twist, turn, somersault and grab the bars at the exact second because they could risk serious injury if they don’t.

Those of us with cancer also learn to be in touch with our bodies. I can tell from my energy level whether my blood counts are up or down. Sometimes a simple sore throat tells me I need to get more sleep before I land in bed completely. I do not have to look up the pollen counts to see if it is high or low.

We also need to communicate with our doctors. Recently, I had an appointment with my primary care physician but when I arrived, I found out they canceled my appointment. The receptionist was very nervous and defensive. She told me they had tried to call me, but I told her my phone voicemail was not working. She scheduled my next appointment, and then I asked about my blood work. I noticed some numbers flagged in red on the patient portal. I explained that I needed to find out about this and when the blood work was to be administered again. She haughtily replied, “And how do you know about these numbers?” I told her I had cancer (myelodysplastic syndrome; MDS) and kept careful track of all of them. She finally called the nurse practitioner, who told me that my thyroid was underactive and I needed to go on increased dosages. If I had not pursued this, I do not know what would have happened. If we do not monitor other health problems, the cancer can become worse. I try not to obsess over my health unnecessarily, but I do know how important it is to evaluate my blood tests and how I feel.

We trust our doctors but they cannot always stay on top of hundreds of patients. They need our help. We have to self-advocate and assume some responsibility. The Olympic champions go through years of training, but ultimately, it is up to them to win or lose. Cancer survivors are similar to Olympians both because we are warriors, but it is up to us to stay in tune with our bodies. Doing that is never a bad thing for anyone!

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.