As there has been alot of sad news again, we seem to havespells of this, I thought I would share my one year post treatment treat.
12 months ago on the 15th oct I had my final r-chop treatment and was totally goosed but relieved that it was finished and I had survived it, and like lots of others wondered had it worked, I was sure it had but we had to wait and see so it was recovery phase. Well I have made it to a year and guess that makes me a stat so next goal is 2 years.
Anyway I digress to celebrate we went to our usual bolt hole in the Lakes and I was determined to do a longer walk and higher climb than last time, so we decided to do Ambleside to Troutbeck then upto Wansfell Pike for those who know the lakes. This meant parking in Ambleside for suficient time to allow us to enjoy the walk, first mistake, chemo brain strikes. I convince myself that I can buy 5 hours of parking, you cannot its 4 or 6hrs. So I put in the £5.30 thinking 5 hrs will be fine, push the button for the ticket and 4hrs appear in the little window and the ticket is printed. I realised what I had done and as you cannot take the ticket back, don't know why exceptions cannot be made for us as we do have a disability ha ha, I head back to the car and explain I have cocked up again thanks to my chemo brain. Normally its a 3 to 4 hrs hike if you are fit so we think fine we will do it.
We head off and enjoy the walk taking in the views of windermere and the Langdales as we walk parallel to the lake climbing as we go. Make it to Troutbeck with plenty of time and take a breather, then head off to climb upto Wansfell so intially we head towards Kirkstone pass then turn upto the summit. Still thinking we have time, stop for another breather and enjoy the view of the Lake and down to Morecambe Bay and across to the yorkshire dales, its a clear sky and about 22c. Then its a 10min hike and we are at the top, but so are about a million flies, where have they come from so it spoils it a little so its a 360 degree set of pictures and we head down thinking its only about 20 mins, second mistake. Since we last did this walk some volunteers who get a strange kick have built a path from the top of the pike all the way to the road that leads back into Ambleside. why would you want to lug large stones up a hill? 20 mins became 40 and as we got closer to running out of time descending on this path became harder and my lack of strength started to kick in as most of the way down was really steep. So with wobbly legs and totally knackered we made it back to the car 10 minutes late but no ticket fortunately. And have I suffered since 3 days of being stiff and struggling to walk until I get moving, and today is the first day it has not hurt, so that will teach me.
But we have to celebrate and we have to push because we need to win and be incharge and I could not think of a better way to celebrate, so it was back to the hotel, a nice meal and an even nicer bottle of white, life can be good and as all athletes say, no gain without pain so I guess I must be an athlete again ha ha. So we laugh rather than cry when chemo brain strikes and it seems to strike more these days which means more laughter, every cloud etc.
and the next challenge will be to get to 2,000 feet or higher but that may have to wait till next year, we will see. Keep on enjoying everyday and for those having treatment hang in there there is a light though at times it may appear dim.
take care john
