Living with a Tumor

I live with a tumor in my back. It is a tissue mass that was diagnosed as a germ cell from the testicles that migrated up the tubes and implanted in the lower back. I've wondered if I have a couple of extra pair of large testicles growing in my lower back. All those jokes about "growing a pair" and I might just have done that! The tumor mass has receded to the right side and occasionally it will bulge and feels like the top of a golf ball. It serves like a lodestone, it leads me eat better and exercise.

I was on full disability for over a year and started working full time in December but I was laid off near the end of February. I've been applying for at least 4 jobs each week, attending interviews and collecting unemployment. In that time, I've been learning to adjust to a new rhythm of life. I have tended several repairs to the house. I work out an hour each day with my wife. I juice fruit and vegetables and if I need some extra energy, I blend a green smoothie.

The tumor swells and recedes in response to what foods I eat and physical activities. If I choose to eat too much processed foods, it will swell. This puts pressure on my spine around lumbar 1 and 2 vertebrae. The pain can be excruciating. I work out for an hour each day. My goal is to stretch and strengthen muscles in my core, shoulders and back. 

Exercise helps to cleanse lymph nodes, release dopamine and other hormones which helps keep depression away. Swimming helps me to practice controlled breathing and is a form of mediation. The mind goes quiet and soon I've swam a mile and a half and the hour has past. Riding my bicycle allows me to enjoy fresh air and see something new. Running stimulates bone growth, especially in the back. 

My strength and flexibility continue to improve. I struggle with pulling my legs up 90 degrees. In most of my fitness classes such as Barre, the lower back yields a little more each week. I have regained improved posture and I can stand in line at the store for longer than 10 minutes without being in extreme pain.