... Its been a while!!

Hi Trooper56 and goid to hear from you and happy retirement….. I have to say that once I reached retirement I became more busy…. well done you getting involved in Ukraine… doing this must bro g back memories from your service days.

The last time I checked for travel insurance as I was over 5 years out from my last treatment the insurance company said I was cured, interesting as I have an incurable Lymphoma lol.

You take care my friend.

I've got a buddy who served 26 years in The British Army. Past decade hes lived in Zaporizhia with his Ukraine wife and son.

He runs an adventure training centre teaching climbing and kayaking...hes 51 and fit as a butchers dog!

When Russia invaded he got his family to Poland, went back and joined The Ukraine military. He passed their Special Forces course and now commands three ten man Special Ops teams.

I've been helping my buddy and his teams out with kit clothing and some specialist kit. They have every weapon you can imagine...but theres a shortage of more basic kit especially after 14 months of constant combat.

I was tempted to join him...but I officially past my sell by date for combat...unless I've had a few beers!! So the convoys are the best I can do

Amazing, this is such a generous thing to do and I am sure that your buddy very much appreciates all you are doing - you take care but you did a job on your cancer then I am sure that you will navigate this.

Hi Trooper56,

So glad you are five years clear, I am just reach one year although have aches and pains and of course worries.  Just wanted to write to say you helped me with information and you whit during my treatment.  

Great that you helping with Ukraine terrible situation with your ex army mates.

Take care.

Verity25

Hey Verity25! Great to hear from you and thank you for your kind words. I am so glad to have helped you in some way, I was so greatful for the help I got on here that I wanted to share anything I could of my own experience that might help others.

I just checked my diary and its exactly 5 years ago THIS WEEK that I was at The Royal London Hospital having a camera shoved down my gob...and the doctor telling me I had a 'very ominous looking growth' in my upper stomach.

...And so MY journey began! I  believe its quite common to look back positively at having been through diagnosis and sucessfull treatment. I can"t say I enjoyed it..nor would I reccomend it!! But I look back and smile at the challenge that presented itself

...I should add, that despite presenting as a fairly normal human being...I am off the scale nuts! (BUT Dont tell anyone..its our secret!)

Post chemo, I did sink a bit with depression...again very common. And my fitness dropped lower than whale s**t.

But Im pretty much back to normal (took about 18 months I reckon) that said I am now officially  the same age as old people!! So am not quite as fast and furious as I once was.

Take care Verity25. x

Congrats on your 5 year clear!
I'm now a year clear. I have a house I brought and now working on it doing it up.

Keeps my mind busy. Like everyone else I get tired, but i feel I'm having better days than I did.

Great job in Ukraine

A year clear? Then you are well on the mend and soon it will ALL be just a memory. I've managed to stay relatively fit and healthy. Pretty much the same 'dimensions' I was 40+ years ago, I still work out, train and eat well (maybe too much vino!!) That said old father time is catching up on me at 67 but age is just a number! I was accused of being in my late fourtues last week! What an insult!! I'm still mentally just a teen! Lol

We celebrated my other halfs 42nd birthday yesterday with my son 16 and daughter 18. Life has its ups and downs and challenges...but its better being above ground, and its where I intend to stay!

Take care

Hello Trooper. I'm 15 months clear. so far so good. I've not been the most healthy. I'm still in a depression of it all, but I'm moving forward and slowly doing better than I was. I'm 33 and i brought my own house. It's a mess and needs lots of work done to it. It's giving me something else to focus on and stress about lol.

I hope you and your family are doing well.