Alaskan
Well-Known Member
Those who know me are aware that I have been using my ebikes to rebuild my heart and general fitness after having had a major heart attack three years ago. It has worked incredibly well. However this winter I got a cancer diagnosis, ironically in one of my legs, the engines of my heart's recovery.
I have been fighting a cancerous tumor (soft tissue sarcoma) in my left thigh since February. After chemo and radiation, I had to have surgery on my leg ten days ago which will keep me off my bike for a month or more.
What a blessing to have a good ebike to encourage and facilitate my recovery and rehab. It is the perfect tool as it is so much fun, encouraging me to ride whenever the weather allows and adjustable for my changing needs.
I started chemotherapy in mid February. I kept riding although as the chemo progressed my energy level declined and there were days I just didn't have the energy to ride. My rides got shorter and I started using more assist. That lasted until the end of April. Keeping my body moving, getting out into the fresh air, watching life return with the blooming spring, really helped keep a good attitude during a difficult time.
In mid May, I moved on to the next phase of treatment, daily radiation therapy and the University of Washington Med Center. It was an 85 mile drive back and forth. I would leave the house at 8:15 and get back home by noon. The weather was warming and the chemo was working its way out of my system. I rode just about every afternoon when it wasn't raining. I rode almost every day with almost 30 mile daily average distance, racking up over 800 miles in July and over 600 miles in August prior to the surgery on the 24th. I focussed on reducing the electric assist and putting out as high wattage from my legs as I could, wanting to to into surgery in the best possible condition.
Riding on a daily basis and getting outdoors despite what was going on was so helpful in keeping my mental state and attitude on the positive side. It was an embrace of life made possible by my ebike. I wanted to go in to surgery strong and fit. My doctors encouraged this saying that having good muscle tone and vigorous circulation would facilitate and speed up healing and recovery.
Post surgically they are encouraging me to get back riding as soon as I can. When I get back on my bike I will have to use much higher assist until I can retrain my left leg to overcome a 50% loss in the quadriceps. Hopefully I can get close to my prior riding power.
The prognosis is good, radiation had left no living cancer cells, but they had to take out some muscle from my quadriceps and I have a long road of rehab and PT ahead. Hopefully, I get back on my bike by October
My goal for recovery is by next summer, repeat the Mount Baker climb I did last month, 48 miles with 5,000 feet of elevation gain.
Ebikes have been the perfect tool, adapting to my changing needs, keeping me fit, keeping me smiling, helping me fight cancer and heal.
Life is better on an ebike!
Last Month at Artist Point - Mount Baker
I have been fighting a cancerous tumor (soft tissue sarcoma) in my left thigh since February. After chemo and radiation, I had to have surgery on my leg ten days ago which will keep me off my bike for a month or more.
What a blessing to have a good ebike to encourage and facilitate my recovery and rehab. It is the perfect tool as it is so much fun, encouraging me to ride whenever the weather allows and adjustable for my changing needs.
I started chemotherapy in mid February. I kept riding although as the chemo progressed my energy level declined and there were days I just didn't have the energy to ride. My rides got shorter and I started using more assist. That lasted until the end of April. Keeping my body moving, getting out into the fresh air, watching life return with the blooming spring, really helped keep a good attitude during a difficult time.
In mid May, I moved on to the next phase of treatment, daily radiation therapy and the University of Washington Med Center. It was an 85 mile drive back and forth. I would leave the house at 8:15 and get back home by noon. The weather was warming and the chemo was working its way out of my system. I rode just about every afternoon when it wasn't raining. I rode almost every day with almost 30 mile daily average distance, racking up over 800 miles in July and over 600 miles in August prior to the surgery on the 24th. I focussed on reducing the electric assist and putting out as high wattage from my legs as I could, wanting to to into surgery in the best possible condition.
Riding on a daily basis and getting outdoors despite what was going on was so helpful in keeping my mental state and attitude on the positive side. It was an embrace of life made possible by my ebike. I wanted to go in to surgery strong and fit. My doctors encouraged this saying that having good muscle tone and vigorous circulation would facilitate and speed up healing and recovery.
Post surgically they are encouraging me to get back riding as soon as I can. When I get back on my bike I will have to use much higher assist until I can retrain my left leg to overcome a 50% loss in the quadriceps. Hopefully I can get close to my prior riding power.
The prognosis is good, radiation had left no living cancer cells, but they had to take out some muscle from my quadriceps and I have a long road of rehab and PT ahead. Hopefully, I get back on my bike by October
My goal for recovery is by next summer, repeat the Mount Baker climb I did last month, 48 miles with 5,000 feet of elevation gain.
Ebikes have been the perfect tool, adapting to my changing needs, keeping me fit, keeping me smiling, helping me fight cancer and heal.
Life is better on an ebike!
Last Month at Artist Point - Mount Baker
