Adventure with Optune Gio^TM

Here’s how

After I was diagnosed with GBM, I immediately decided that I was not going to give up any activity without an earnest and persistent effort to continue to do what has always been good for my body, mind, and soul.

I have been active my entire life. So, when it came to using Optune Gio, I thought about how I would be able to stay active and do what I love.

Here are my “hows” and “whats”:

Blue light: on    Heart rate: up    Stress level: down

My first activity objective was to get out and walk every day. Once I formed the habit of wearing a hat anytime I was outside and carrying at least one extra battery, I worked up to walking about four to six miles as briskly as possible. And I always used a backpack or a lumbar pack to carry Optune Gio.

Oh, and remember to talk with your doctor before engaging in physical activity! Make sure your exercise is doctor-approved before you take off.

Next up, every other activity I enjoy:

• Traveling by plane, train, and automobile to visit friends and family, I bring Optune Gio along for the ride.
• Biking, which I do with Optune Gio on my shoulders in my backpack.
• Skiing, which I also do with Optune Gio in my backpack.
• Weight training, which I do with Optune Gio close by.
• Hiking with Optune Gio in my backpack.
• Ice hockey, which I do with my backpack off and my cord tucked into my pants.
• Home repairs and chores and cooking.

At this point, I kind of consider myself a pro at device placement. But though I’ve had to change the way I do most of these activities, I’ve still been able to find enjoyment with them—even if it does require a bit of creativity.

Here are pics of me doing my favorite things!

The great outdoors with Optune Gio

When embarking on hiking or camping trips, Optune Gio might feel like a whole lot of extra weight.

Here’s what works for me: A lightweight hiking backpack with chest and abdomen straps sized to fit Optune Gio.

Things that are handy for your head: Wider hats or helmets, skull caps, light runners’ hats without mesh (to let the sun in), bandanas, and flexible cooling packs.

Sometimes it also helps to have: A large umbrella to shade my backpack and me from the sunlight or protect the device in the rain, a large rain jacket and poncho that can cover Optune Gio, and a dry bag (for water activities).

When it comes to arrays

I always have additional supplies prepared. I also pay attention to gel and contact integrity. I use a comfortable, sunlight-blocking hat over a moisture-wicking skullcap to keep my change schedule at about two to three days.

When it comes to percentage numbers, compliance is an average. For me, that means it comes with credits and debits. I seem to be at about 90% usage per month.

Activities reserved for change days (when I’m not using Optune Gio) only: running at the highest pace I can manage, swimming, golfing, or any activity that makes me sweat a ton and may cause the arrays to become wet.

The spirit of adventure

Mindset Matters. I accepted that some activities would have changes in intensity or duration in order to maximize my time on Optune Gio, but I remained patient with myself as well as the device to find what worked for me. It’s easy to become frustrated when dealing with extra weight. But with enough patience and adjustment, I was able to keep doing a few of the things I’ve always loved doing.

Some of my favorite activities weren’t ended by Optune Gio. But some were. And the others required quite a bit of tweaking to get just right.
Finding that perfect balance required persistence, determination, and plenty of laughter—at myself, mostly, when my ideas failed. But while a few of my inventive solutions blunder and backslide, my excitement for exploring nature and exercising only keeps evolving—even if I am hauling a few extra pounds.