Here's hoping you are all well despite the unsettled weather!
We had a fantastic day climbing Whernside and Ingleborough back on Saturday Nov 1st. Despite it been a cold and rather windy day, we had a really positive climb and it definitely let us all know as individuals where we are in our own fitness and stamina levels. Our Kili training crew consisted of Becky, Ali, Cliff and myself.
Here's a few photos - didn't really take many to be honest, was too busy trying to get completed in around 7 hours so we weren't on the peak when darkness closed in. It was one of those Autumnal days where it was gloomy for a large part of it. We did manage to get some sunshine, but not as much as we would have liked. It was very windy at times, swirling around in all that vast open space. I really struggled at times to breath especially on the steep inclines - it's weird I find how sometimes it seems to cause me no issues and other times I spend my whole climb gasping for breath! This of course will be because of the scar tissue on my lung from the radiation therapy. But overall it wasn't a big issue.
The last mile and a quarter back to the cars was along the road and in the dark, so we just made it down off Ingleborough in time!
So the stats for our day was:
We walked 35,043 steps, covered 14.82 miles, burned 3449 calories and climbed 4692ft! That is higher than Ben Nevis by over 280ft. And this was done in 6 hours and 45 minutes. A cracking day for sure!
So we will get some more climbs in before we jet off on January 30th and hope the weather is kind to us!
So after getting the all clear to Colon cancer last month it's now onto the next investigative procedure. I'm to have a CT scan, this is actually happening next week on the 18th. So will have to see if it shows anything up. Can't say I'm confident about it at all, after all the last one I had didn't pick up the gallstones which were bloody big!! Something would be better than this nothing. The discomfort/ pain has finally reduced down to it's usual level after a few weeks of been worse which was definitely because of the colonoscopy....it really flared up the pain. As always I will report back with the results when I get them.
Well like I said previously I was trying to be brave and get out there again after my self imposed exile. It had a very rocky start but is settling down now.....I am actually making friends and I think some good ones, so this is settling me down. I nearly abandoned it after getting plagued by girls who I can only say were not nice at all and retreated back to where I feel most comfortable. But I keep taking a deep albeit shaky breath and I keep plugging away. This is all I can do, but it's enough.
On a really positive note - our training climb was a really big break through for me and showed how much I've improved in my fitness and stamina from even last year! I was still energised at the end, when you think of the 10 hours it took me to conquer Ben Nevis last June and all the cramp issues I had from a third of the way up. I had no cramping issues, not even one and I was so happy about that. Bec's and I talked about it coming back down Ingleborough and both agreed it's been a massive step forward in my overall recovery.
And yes again it makes me feel totally vindicated in my decision to stop the cancer prevention drug 3 years early...because regardless of the fact ( as the medical world keep telling me ) that it may quite well have shortened my life expectancy I have what I always wanted and that's a quality life. Since stopping the drug...I have conquered Ben Nevis - the highest point in the UK and am well and fit enough to go tackle The roof of Africa . I'll take quality over quantity every time for sure. So yes I'm feeling great about taking on the challenge I set myself way back in 2010 when they stopped my chemo early because of contracting pneumonia.
Life is beautiful and I look around and see it everywhere I go - I feel very blessed for everyday I get the chance to fill with wonder, curiosity, fun and laughter. Thank you to everyone who is and wants to be part of my life....I am very grateful to you all.
Until next time
Tracy
