If you read my blog regularly (and I hope you do), you may have noticed I am fond of obscure holidays that no one ever heard of nor do they celebrate.  They are so small that Hallmark may not even have manufactured a card yet.

Bizarre holidays make the editor’s job easier: First, they give you something to write about; and second, if there is nothing else happening out in the world of breast cancer, they have the ability to make the creative juices flow.

It is almost a challenge to me – it lets me see just how creative I can be.

National Lazy Day is such a holiday – bizarre, no card, and little celebration.  But isn’t that what “lazy” is all about? Doing nothing!

Today, as a survivor, I actually enjoy being lazy and doing nothing.  There aren’t many good things to be said about having cancer or chemo, but it does teach you not to sweat the small stuff, as well as to rest and relax.

I took naps in the afternoon while I was having chemo because I was tired.  Of course, as a major Type A personality, I had to get permission from my sister, who told me it was OK to take a nap.

Nap, rest, relax –-three words that were never in my vocabulary.

Fatigue is a common side effect of chemo and radiation, and, as with all aspects of breast cancer and treatment, each person experiences fatigue differently. Fatigue can have many causes, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) some of which are anemia, pain, medications, appetite changes, trouble sleeping, lack of activity, trouble breathing, infection, doing too much at one time and other medical problems.

The NCI suggests the following ways to manage fatigue:

• Relax
• Eat and drink well
• Plan time to rest
• Be active
• Try not to do too much
• Sleep at least eight hours a night
• Plan a work schedule that works for you
• Let others help
• Learn from others who have cancer
• Keep a diary of how you feel each day
• Talk with your doctor or nurse

The NCI did not exactly say “be lazy,” but I am sure that is partly what they meant. Today I continue to nap and amazingly enjoy being lazy.  It refreshes me and allows me feel that I have control over my own body – something I didn’t have for quite some time a few years ago.

It’s a great feeling!  Enjoy your lazy day today!

Stay healthy,
Muriel, four-year, 7 month breast and lung cancer survivor

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