Long overdue update of recent issues!

Hello everyone

Hope this update finds everyone well and enjoying life regardless of the unsettled weather we've been having!

Well since the last update, I completed the twenty six mile charity walk for Dementia Friendly Keighley at the end of September. The weather was perfect for walking distance, it was cloudy but mild. It was a great day and I completed the twenty six miles in ten hours. We weren't pushing it and had lots of giggles along the way. I ached a tad at the end, but to be honest it wasn't the distance but because we had walked from Leeds centre to Cononley three miles outside Skipton. It's a perfect walk from knowing the distance you've covered, but is hard because it's flat and hard under foot. It is believe it or not easier to walk  off terrain like the Dales because the ground is uneven and hilly so you are using more muscle groups. It does make a big difference. The great news is we all finished!

I went after another delay into October to have the cortisone injection under theatre conditions. My consultant decided to go in from the back of my rib. He actually injected into two  different places and told me it would numb practically straight away and then dull the pain so I'd get some relief if only for a short time.

He from my original consult wasn't convinced I'd get any relief  but if it was indeed the lining of my rib I was out of options really but he said it was worth a go, I could possibly get a bit of relief for a bit. So He injected in two places and said he'd also injected anesthetic so would feel numb. That wasn't the case, he couldn't believe I got nothing from it, he was pressing down on the back of my bottom two ribs and I nearly launched myself off the other side of the table it was excruciating! they managed to grab me and hold me on. He looked really confused - he was pressing down on my ribs and I was hissing in pain and squeezing the edge of the bed, he said to me that's your ribs, it's actually your ribs - I said through gritted teeth I can feel that!

I got no relief whatsoever from it, it took a few weeks to drop down to it's normal pain level after been messed with. So over three years on, still no pain relief or firm diagnosis. I'm still waiting for a date to go back to clinic to see him and what he thought of the state of me during the actual procedure. It was a shame - I'd have been so happy for one day pain free, but it wasn't to be!

I finally got an appointment to see a consultant to discuss a Tens machine which he also didn't think would help but again was worth a try.

A couple of weeks ago I unexpectedly started bleeding - this happened a couple of years ago and I was sent off to be checked out for uterine and ovarian cancer. So I know it's important to see the GP when  bleeding occurs when post menopausal. So considering I'm six years menopausal due to being kicked into a chemically induced premature menopause through the chemo I off I went to see the doctor.

He ordered a load of bloods to be done and said he's arrange for a transvaginal ultrasound scan but would speak with one of the senior practice doctors about sorting out an urgent referral to a gynecologist because of my history. He phoned me within the hour to say they were not going to bother organising an ultrasound but were going straight for the referral.

The GP's called me in to discuss my blood results - my cholesterol was very high..it was last checked in 2012 where it was also very high, but believed to be elevated by the anti cancer drug I was on then, I'd gone onto statins but after six months I came off them....the side effects were horrendous! that mixed with the anti cancer drug gave me swollen and stiff joints with muscle and bone pains....I struggled to get out of bed and dress myself - it was such a terrible time in what has been a tough road to travel in recent years.

They agreed my lifestyle does not lend itself to high cholesterol - I eat healthily, I don't smoke, drink occasionally and exercise as we know - my resting heart rate is 54 bpm! - I don't profess to know loads about cholesterol but not once did the GP ask if there was any diseases that ran in the family like diabetes, coronary heart disease or say they wanted to investigate to see what the underlying problem was because cholesterol is a secondary to them. So when the doctor said to go onto statins - I said no. She agreed the one I'd previously had got bad reports but there was one that was supposed to be better. She asked what issues I'd had with them prior - extreme fatigue, the bone, joint and muscle issues, I said yes and I'm not suffering them again, I've got enough going on.

I told her I believe in quality over quantity of life. She said she was going to put it in the report and set a repeat blood test in a years time. I told her to put in said report that she never asked about any illnesses that ran in the family or that she didn't think to try find out the underlying cause because we both agreed it wasn't lifestyle. My cholesterol was actually even with my lifestyle only 0.3 lower than it was when the anti cancer drug elevated it.

So that brings me to this week - it's been quite the week. Two hospitals, two consults, another cancer investigation with a further MRI to confirm it's a cyst on my left ovary as they believe from the ultrasound. A GP telling me to take med's for the rest of my life or risk a heart attack or stroke. And a dearly loved but estranged friend who lost her battle with cancer this week. RIP Dina lass, you fought a long battle and even though it's sadly taking you, you were a winner and a hero in my book. Fighting until the end, You'll be sadly missed by many you beautiful lady - you enjoy your peace in the clouds - you've earned it.

I started my Dog Grooming Course this week - it was fabulous! - very hard with keeping some of the walks going too and I may have to address that issue before I put myself into the ground....but yes I really enjoyed and look forward to carrying on every Thursday and Friday until completion.


Until next time
Tracy

Urgent referral to ENT by GP to check for cancer spread

Hello everyone

Well it's been quite the couple of months! As you'll recall I had been sent for a chest X - ray as my GP was deeply concerned that my cancer had spread into my chest cavity and or into my throat. It was not what I'd expected when I'd gone to my GP with a sore throat, earache and painful swallowing action.

So the good news was my X - ray came back clear, so no spread of cancer to my chest cavity. My doctor had said at that time if it came back clear I would be sent to ENT to be checked for throat cancer...I really had expected to just phone up, not even have to go back and see him, get some antibiotics and be on my way.

So off I went with a ten day supply of antibiotics at 2000 mg's a day and my doctor sending off an urgent referral to ENT and I'd get an appointment in around two to three weeks. Well today I had my appointment at ENT.

I've seen the consultant, we had a chat about my past cancer, symptoms I'm having which are - burning in my lower throat, a hoarse voice I've had for around three weeks now, earache on and off, the start of a dry cough in the last couple of days which is driving me nuts. The feeling of  pressure in my lower throat and sometimes like I've got something stuck in my throat. Talking at times is very difficult also. Fatigue is really bad at the minute.

He then checked my neck and throat area for obvious lumps and then it was time for the endoscope through the nasal passage to look at my voice box - I have to say I did pretty well with the gag reflex....it's really not a strong point of mine haha!.

After he'd had a look and had me make some noises and say some words which looked really funny....yes I could see it...very strange thing it was too! He pulled the endoscope out and sat down to chat with me.

The great news is no spread of cancer to my throat. The consultant said he was really sure when we were chatting before he saw my voice box that my symptoms and the state of my voice that he would be taking biopsies. He said my voice quality does not match up to my voice box, he said it's very strange.

So no cancer ( bloody marvelous ) - I do have some stuff going on with my throat which if you've heard me talking you'd not be surprised.

 He said the back of my voice box is extremely swollen and isn't looking great. He said in the stomach acid there are also enzymes whose job is to break down protein in the food you've consumed, they don't normally even when someone reflux's come back up into the oesophagus but mine are - so they are in actual fact attacking and breaking down the lining of my voice box ( protein ) he believes  He said that even though I'm on medications for acid reflux ( have been since I was 21 years old ) it obviously isn't working correctly and he's prescribed me something to help. I said in fairness my reflux has been pretty good of late - he said not good enough. He's prescribed a suspension to take on a night which in theory should lay on the top of my stomach acid like a layer of seaweed thus preventing me refluxing up to my oesophagus and into my voice box causing further damage.

He is referring me to a speech therapist which I really didn't expect. I said is my voice not going to come back on it's own? he said it may or may not. But my voice box had gone into protection mode because of the enzymes attacking the lining, he said it reacts in a funny way and I may need help from the speech therapists to help use it another way or retrain it. So they will either phone me or send me an appointment. Obviously it does affect my everyday life, it's hard to recall dogs when they can hardly hear you! So hopefully in a very short time my throat will no longer be sore and my voice back to normal.

So no alcohol or spicy food for a month to aid my recovery. I won't miss drinking at all, and will probably crave something spicy because I cannot have it haha!.....a month is no hardship for either if it sorts out my throat.

So on the 26th September I'll along with some friends and a couple of cracking cousins will be joining others on a 26 mile charity walk in aid of Dementia Friendly Keighley. A very small local charity wanting to raise some much needed funds to open a drop in centre in Keighley for dementia sufferers and their carers. I've not managed any training for it ( for obvious reasons ) - and am still living under my "I've climbed Mt.Kilimanjaro bubble".....because obviously I can do anything after conquering my very own equivalent of Mt.Everest!

I also am very happy to say my cousin Paul has signed up to come climb Mt.Roraima Venezuela in 2017! - I cannot wait for this epic adventure to the oldest geological formation on the planet!

Until next time
Tracy

A strange few weeks I've had, good, bad and downright indifferent

Hi everyone

I hope you're all enjoying the end of summer, overall I think we've had a decent one here in the UK. I love all the seasons for different reasons, and as I walk around everyday I see the leaves changing colour, the mushrooms have popped up in their masses around the various woods I walk in. The regulars who pick them are out in force with their bags and baskets collecting freely from what nature provides us with. Good on them I say, although I'd not personally know a safe one from a poisonous one myself....so I'll leave it to the experts to carry on collecting, that and the fact I only like them when they are practically burnt to a crisp!.

So Autumn is upon us, a season I love to watch unfold, crisp misty mornings, your breath visible in the air, the day taking longer to warm up, the amazing colours as the leaves change  before dropping off and as they lay there dried out on the ground, the wonderful crunching sound as you walk through them. I've already seen that the conkers are growing and soon the aged old battle between kids and squirrels wanting to collect their trophies before the other will be in full flow....I feel sad for the kids these days that aren't allowed to play conkers at playtime at school....yes we got rapped on the knuckles, bloody hell even hit on the head if your opponent was truly rubbish at playing but what a rite of passage it felt when a kid to play this autumnal game! all the ancient folklore things we did to try make our conkers like concrete.....such fun we had!

So in recent times it's seen my break up from my very new and short relationship, my first stepping out of my Jelly cave in over three years didn't have the ending I guess I had hoped for , but shows life is always a mystery, and yes we are constantly learning. I think overall after making the decision to come out of my shell. stretch my wings and test the waters in gay world for potential friends and who knew maybe something more, something I've not done in decades to be honest, I can honestly say it hasn't been the best experience all round and has only strengthened my own opinions as to why I avoided it for practically all of my time as an out gay girl. Feeling a little battered, extremely confused and bewildered. So once again single and feeling yes a little sad but at least more secure and sure footed. I definitely do not understand the nuances and subtleties that happen between two people starting out a new relationship and was constantly off kilter not knowing or actually understanding what was happening most of the time. It turned out to be a really stressful and overwhelming experience for me, totally draining and in the end not fun at all. So an endeavour I'm not at all in a rush to go through again if ever. And that does sadden me, because I know I'm a decent person and would love to share life experiences with an other, but not sure I can cope with it all to be perfectly honest.

Some fabulous news is I'm shortly going to embark on a Dog grooming course to run alongside my dog walking business. It's to hopefully make up for the shortfall in finances and of course I can offer a much sought after service within the pet industry. Because I need to still be working, I'm going to be doing the City & Guilds accredited course a couple of days a week until the last two weeks which I'll do in block. I've already told family members to choose which style they'll be wanting as I'll need to practice my shaving, blending and styling skills...my mum almost choked on her tea when I asked if she fancied the Bichon Frise look ha ha!! So all been well I'll be qualified and in full action mid February 2016! A new challenge for me to sink my teeth into, I cannot wait. So in the meantime I've taken on an evening pt job ( around 20 hours a week ) to boost the coffers. I'm gophering in the kitchen at a local pub and loving it. It's quite strange having human contact and conversations while working!  So over the next few months, busy,busy,busy - this is great as it will keep my messy never stop brain occupied, something it definitely needs.

Healthwise bit of a mixed bag still. Fabulous news as my mammogram came back clear so that's now 6 years clear since my 2009 diagnosis with the breast cancer. So very happy with that and still feeling fully validated in my decision to stop the anti cancer drugs three years early - Mount.Kilimanjaro certainly wouldn't have even been possible if I'd stuck on the drugs as you'll understand from previous posts.

A few unexpected weeks I've just had, and a couple to three more of the old waiting game for me. I had had a sore throat for over a week and it wasn't clearing up, by this time I was suffering with earache and yep it was hurting when I swallowed, the voice wasn't particularly croaky but if I had an Adams apple that's where it was worse in that area. So I phoned the doctors and asked for a telephone consult, didn't think there was any need to see one, anyway I spoke with the doctor who made me an appointment to come in later that morning to see an actual doctor. Turned out I had a throat, saliva gland and ear infection. As they are quite rightly doing now, he didn't give me antibiotics but various drugs to battle the infection. As he told me if it had turned out to be laryngitis like I've had before, that clears itself up in ten days and antibiotics actually only improve that time by sixteen hours. I went off with my mixture of med's and instructions if no improvement in a few days to phone up.

 I left it a week and was in actual fact worse not better. Although my saliva glands and ears are better, my throat not so. Again I asked to speak to the doctor I'd seen the previous week and was told he'd phone me the next day after his morning clinic around noon. He phoned me just after 9am and then said I needed to go see him, I was actually a little exasperated to be honest, I had a busy day and really thought he'd just write me a prescription for some antibiotics as it was now over two weeks. So I messed about with my walks and planned route for the day to get over to see him. My voice was a little hoarse now and had been for about three days, I was examined by him and told there were no signs of infection but my mouth was still very red and of course my voice was hoarse. He said to me after asking the usual do you smoke, drink kind of questions that he wanted to ask me a question that probably wasn't going to be relevant to me but was there any history of cancer in the family. I said yes there is and he said who - I looked at him and said me.....oh I wish I'd video'd his face ha! the look that crossed his face was priceless ( and proves they don't bother reading your notes before you go in to see them!! ) he was deeply concerned and I was in actual fact trying not to laugh at his face....don't think he expected that reaction from someone whose had cancer when being told he thinks the cancer could have spread! But there again I'm not particularly normal as we already know.

He said he was deeply concerned that the cancer could have spread into my chest cavity and the fact my throat was worse and showed no signs of infection although was very red in my mouth that if (and he wasn't that hopeful) that my chest xray came back clear that I would then be sent off to ENT to check if I had got throat cancer. I was actually thrown a little because I genuinely wasn't expecting that at all, I really just expected to get some antibiotics and be off on my way to catch up on my day.

I had a form to phone up Shipley hospital to book for my xray, he told me it would be 7-10 days for the results and that he'd phone me about what would follow the results - if the chest showed something, off to the chest doctors I'd go, if not onto ENT for investigations into my throat. Because of the Bank holiday weekend I got a 9am appointment of the Tuesday after. So off I went back to work and to the excitement of Leeds Fest on the Saturday. Had a fab weekend with fabulous friends and then had my xray done the Tuesday morning. Was surprised when the doctor phoned me Thursday the same week to say the xray was clear of any signs of cancer ( great news ) and so he was going to urgently refer me to ENT for my throat to be checked for cancer. He expects even on an urgent referral for it to be 2-3 weeks before I hear anything. So on with normal life until it's time for that.

I after waiting 6 months finally had my appointment with the Chronic pain clinic regarding the pain in my left side I've suffered with for over 3 years - in that time I've had various investigations with one consultant done, but they've never gotten to the bottom of it, and it really does bother me. It affects my sleep and everything. So I figured it was worth checking this clinic out to see what could be done....tramadol doesn't even take the edge off the pain.

So Thursday of last week I finally go, chatted with the consultant who obviously wanted to examine me. While he had is fingers jammed under my bottom rib while I was laying on my right side he asked if that was the pain as I was almost going through the roof, I answered through gritted teeth, yes that's the one. He said what does it feel like, I said like someones got their fist rammed under my ribs - a bit like you right now!! We went and sat back in his office and he said -I'm a bit at a loss to be honest.

I think and it doesn't mean it is that it could be inflammation of the lining of your bottom rib or a tear in the muscle that attaches to your rib that's inflamed. I said inflammation in the muscle for over 3 years? if that's the case why can't you glue the muscle back to the rib and close the tear? he said  I'm leaning to the lining of the actual rib because the pain at times radiates right into your back.....so likely to be the whole rib. And the bad news for you is there's practically nothing we can do for you. Definitely not what I wanted to hear.

He said we can try a cortisone injection into the most painful place and you may get some relief for a bit. I said at this point I'm willing to try anything to get some relief. So I signed the consent form because it has to be done under theatre conditions so he can check on the xray and I'll be having this done on the 30th of this month at 07.30am to see if it helps at all. So it's a definite suck it and see, I do hope it works it would be great to have a break from it for a little while.

So yes a bit of a mixed bag still with the health but onwards and upwards I keep striving to move. It won't stop me doing my thing just like before.

Fabulous news is my Bonge Kilimanjaro buddies Bec's and Ali have agreed to come on another amazing climbing expedition with me in 2017....another off my bucket list. We are off to climb Mount.Roraima in Venezuela!! - reportedly where Conan Doyle based his book The Lost World. A plateau where there are plants and wildlife found nowhere else on earth. It is the oldest geological formation and dates back over 2 billion years. It's in the same National Park as the Angel Falls ( the tallest falls on the planet) - so hopefully we'll get over to visit them while in Venezuela. The plateau is 31 km's and has gorges, black rocks, numerous pools and wildflower gardens.

  Now this is something for me to concentrate on and work towards. I'm extremely happy about this adventure and jubilant it will have we climbing girls back together on another epic trip...no doubt nothing but laughs, fun and lots of constant ribbing the whole time - life is sweet!

I will update what's happening with all the new medical dramas as I have information to share. I will of course as always give full disclosure.

My next post I'll carry on with the Mount.Kilimanjaro trip of a lifetime, it's Safari time on the trip for we girls, we are still buzzing about successfully climbing Mount.Kilimanjaro and our amazing but humbling day with the children of Osiligi Orphanage 

Until then

Tracy

      

Osiligi Orphange - Our wonderful time spent with some very special children

Hello everyone

I hope this post finds you all in good spirits!

My last post saw us leaving Mount.Kilimanjaro after a successful ascent to the summit with very high spirits. We had gone back to our hotel eventually overnight and the following morning saw us leave Moshi to travel onto Arusha in readiness for our three day safari.

We had reached the Outpost Lodge which was to be our new home for a couple of days. After getting our gear into our room ( it was a family room this time) so Bec's, Ali and myself were sharing together. Mussa left us with the agreement he would pick us up early the next morning to go shopping for our trip to Osliligi Orphanage. We went off wandering down to the town for a look around, strolled around for a few hours absorbing the views and atmosphere.

So the reason we were going to be doing this for Osiligi Orphanage actually came from emails between ourselves and Mussa long before we boarded the plane to Tanzania. We had asked him about local charities/ schools etc and what the needs were. We always wanted to be able to do something, no matter how small to help out. Mussa told us about the Osiligi Orphanage - a small Orphanage that his company Wild Secret Safari donates a percentage of every booking to help maintain it. It currently has eleven children and is run completely off donations. There is no government help whatsoever.

So we established that we wanted to do our bit for Osiligi and asked what were the priorities for it. Mussa said in order of priority was 1. food 2. school supplies 3. Toys. We girls talked and said we would fit as much in our suitcases in regards to crayons, exercise books, pencils etc as our very large Kilimanjaro kit would allow ( it wasn't going to be much, but we would try our best ) I have to say between the three of us we did pretty well!

I emailed Mussa and asked if it would be possible for us to go food shopping for Osiligi after we came off the mountain and have it taken to them. He very kindly offered to take us when we had moved onto Arusha from Moshi as it was closer to the orphanage. I said that was really kind of him and we were very happy to know we could do this and donate it to them. He made our day when he said he would sort it so we could take the food ourselves and meet everyone at the orphanage. How amazing was this going to be!

So February 10th  ( Happy birthday Mum!! ) we were going shopping and visiting Osiligi Orphanage.

No this isn't how the orphanage looks - but the actual doodle in my travel journal, a doodle I did while recounting our amazing day to paper.( my travel journal is littered with various doodles! )

So after breakfast Mussa met us at the Outpost and off we set to buy our supplies with an addition to our party. Dom our new friend who had climbed Kili with us heard what we had arranged to do and asked if he could be part of it. We of course said yes and welcomed him on our day. Off to the supermarket we went where we filled a trolley with various food stuffs and of course sweeties for the children ( they had to have some treats! ) Mussa was invaluable with helping choose things that would be needed and liked by everyone. We as well as food got new toothbrushes and toothpaste etc.

After paying and loading our buys into the car we were off to the local fresh produce markets for the staples of rice, ugali, meat as well as plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit. This was an adventure in itself to wander through the market with the locals. I love anything like this, anything that takes you off the tourist trail is fantastic in my book. I love to be where the locals go, so was totally in my element. Again we totally relied on Mussa and the market stall owners for the amounts and products we were to buy. Loved it, everyone was so friendly. A great morning shopping was had by all!

So we bought all the fresh vegetables and fruit from one seller, a lady Mussa uses a lot. She was wonderful, very helpful and of course full of smiles. We left her bagging everything up and getting a price for us and went off to another part of the market to get the rice and ugali sacks. Ugali is cornflour which is mixed to a mashed potato consistency and is used by locals to fill the belly. It is the most common used staple in the African great lakes region. We paid for our rice and ugali and moved onto the butchers.

Here we were to only get a couple of kg's of meat as there is no fridge at the orphanage so buying in bulk wasn't an option, Mussa said the couple of kg's  would be great. It from our point of view was grim, the meat hanging in the open, flies everywhere. The butcher made Sweeney Todd look like an angel!! It's things like this that remind you how privileged we are in the West with all our taken for granted mod cons like fridges! We were all happy to pay and move on from the butchers - especially poor Bec's who is a vegetarian, I think outside that butchers we could have all easily converted and joined her!

We went back to pay for our fruit and vegetables, paid the lads who carried it all to the car for us and thanked them for their help.

We were dropped off at Tiggbucks ( Tanzanian version of Starbucks ) by Mussa for lunch and he said he'd be back for us after about an hour. He had a couple of things to finalize for our safari trip which started the next day. We had a very pleasant leisurely lunch with a soda and relived the excitement of our shopping that morning, especially the local produce market! Soon it was time to be picked up by Mussa and our long awaited visit to Osiligi Orphanage.
  
The orphanage was a little way out of Arusha near one of the villages - sorry I cannot remember the name of it. When we got out of the car we were greeted by Michael the founder of Osiligi and Robert the youngest of the orphanages occupants. Robert is three and a half. It was so very sweet, he came and shook our hands...it really made your heart melt! He had his church best on for our visit and looked very, very dapper! His white shirt was under his waistcoat and he had black pants on. So very handsome!

The other children were still at school but would be back home shortly. Michael took us into the house were we met his wife. Micheal told us how he'd come about setting up the orphanage in the first place. Michael and his wife have two children of their own, but couldn't stand to see the young orphans out on the street hoping to be fed by the villagers.

Almost all of the eleven children were victims of parents with HIV that were either deceased or had been abandoned by their parents who believed they stood a better chance of survival alone than with parents who were shunned because of the HIV status. The villagers would contact Michael about an abandoned child, whom he would go collect and give a new chance at life and a better future.

We looked through photo albums of the children as Michael relayed how Osiligi came about. Their background information showed how hard their beginning in life had been, the sadness of losing parents or being abandoned by them. Those who were old enough were all attending school and that was brilliant, a wonderfully positive focus for these amazing children. That mixed with the love and attention they received at the orphanage had the children really well adjusted after traumas suffered for some very recently. Truly humbling experience.

The children started coming in from school and naturally felt shy as they walked in the door and saw a bunch of strangers sat there, as well as some familiar faces. Little Robert was sharing his time between Mussa and Alphonse which was sweet to watch. The guys were really great with the little lad and it was plain to see that the children saw plenty of Mussa and Alphonse.

Once all the older children had arrived back they congregated in the living room and started singing to us. It was lovely and they sang very well together, all smartly standing in their school uniforms. Little Robert went and joined them for the songs also.

The older children are all aged between six and eleven. They introduced themselves individually and told us what they wanted to be when they grew up.....this part is obviously well practiced but a necessity when trying to secure donations and sponsorship for themselves and the orphanage. Children need to be sponsored for their school educations.

Here is an information board that tells about each child at the orphanage, I'm adding a couple of close ups so you can read for yourselves the start these children have had in life.

We laughed with the children, doing jigsaw puzzles, playing games. The kids were amazing and loved our time together, you should have seen them in hysterics when we were playing Goose Duck with them!

Their English was really good and I had them telling me in English what the picture card was and if it was an animal - what sound it made....really fun afternoon had by all.

The girls took Ali & Bec's off to see their bedroom and the boys took me to see theirs. The girls were saying the boys were smelly.....too funny, it's a universal thing - all girls think boys are smelly!!

So we had the best of times and after a fabulous couple of hours it was time to take our leave. We sat for one last photo of us all together - something for us to cherish.

It was an amazing day, so humbling and rewarding at the same time. The children were really happy and well adjusted especially after the very sad start to life they had all experienced. It was very clear to see how well looked after they were. It was with hearts full of admiration for Michael and his wife and their massive efforts to give these children a chance in life. A very big thank you to Mussa and Alphonse for taking us and their unwavering support of Osiligi Orphanage. 

We finally left after many hugs and smiles to Michael's work in progress new orphanage. It is slowly getting built from donations and will be much bigger than the current one. Once it is completed, it will be able to home twenty four children. Through the dedication of these people even more orphaned and abandoned children will get a chance of a future.

If I ever get back to Tanzania - I will be making sure to visit Osiligi again. 

Until next time

Tracy  

  

Mountain days seven & eight - end of an epic adventure

Hello everyone

So here comes the last blog entry for my Mount.Kilimanjaro challenge. The last two leisurely days climbing down the mountain to Mweka Camp to sign into the official register for the very last time. A time for us to be able to fully enjoy the scenery, chat about what's come before and take in everything on offer as we come to the end of a most magnificent adventure on such a vast majestic mountain.

I learned not only things about this amazing mountain but most definitely things about myself, I truly found myself on the Roof of Africa, a version of myself lost when I started all my invasive treatments for my breast cancer, the explorer me.....it got buried in the recess of my mind as I took on my daily fight for all those months and not surprisingly with me - forgotten. I was so at peace here on Mount.Kilimanjaro, a place that pushed me to the very limits of my physical endurance.

I cannot think about this mountain without feeling so very emotional - five years in the making to achieve my successful ascent to the summit, such an amazing motivational challenge that saw me pick myself up, dust off and start the very long and arduous task of getting fit and healthy enough to take it on.

And take it on I did!

Day seven - Millenium camp

I felt so much brighter when I awoke. Yesterday's summit day climb had been so very hard and then the evacuation to Millenium camp because Bec's and I weren't recovering enough was the straw that nearly broke the camels back as it were. It was a relief to wake up minus the horrible headache I'd had for days. We hadn't set a time to get up as we were only going to be walking for a couple of hours to the next camp. But we were awake by seven anyway. I was stiff and aching, definitely from all my falling the day before.

We got ourselves out of the tent and into the mess tent after surviving a toilet run. I managed a little breakfast and a cup of black tea with sugar. Bec's was feeling much brighter too, no headache and no nausea, she was very happy to eat food for the first time in a couple of days. We laughed through breakfast the first time we'd been fully aware of ourselves and surroundings in the last few days, for those who never suffer any high altitude symptoms you'll never realise how debilitating they are and how lucky you are!

After breakfast Chacha asked if we'd like to walk the remaining five hours down to Mweka Camp and save having another night on the mountain. We all individually said no, my reasons were I wanted to fully absorb the rest of our trip down the mountain at a leisurely pace, knowing today we'd only be walking a couple of hours ( this is because of how we'd changed our Kilimanjaro climb to cover two camps in one day and our evacuation down to Millenium camp last night ) and to be perfectly honest I didn't think I'd survive walking all that time with my poor feet - especially my big right toe. Boy it was inflamed and very sore! I'd managed to get my hikers back on but it wasn't like wearing my slippers!

So we all agreed we wanted to stay our full duration on the mountain, if we were to complete our climb a day early we wouldn't have a hotel for the night booked we told Chacha and Bec's told him about the state of my toes. Chacha came back to us saying if we completed the five hour trek off the mountain today, our hotel for the night would be paid for and an emergency vehicle at the collection point would be waiting to take me off the mountain with my foot. We all still declined and said we wanted to just stick with our original itinerary.

I said to Chacha I walked onto the mountain and I'm going to walk off it too, to which he capped his head!

So off we set on our two hour walk to the next camp, I knew because of the steepness it was going to push my toes to the limit today, I was a little weary as to how uncomfortable it was going to be. It was the same terrain as the night prior - loose, rocky, slippy scree on a steep descent  for a big part of the walk. I was determined I was staying on my feet today after all the falling down yesterday and I took "pole pole" to a whole new level. This was fine as we weren't going to be walking all day.

Chacha set me off leading us down the mountain to our next camp, it was fun and relaxing, we were all laughing and chatting our way down into camp. There were some dodgy moments for me, my balance still wasn't right and I did stagger a few times which were a killer on my poor battered toes, but I did manage to stay on my feet - so that was a massive bonus! There were parts where we had to scramble down some big rocks but overall it did get easier the closer to camp we got.

We made it to camp with no drama and took to chilling out. The girls sat on the mess chairs in the sunshine and I laid out in the tent with my boots off - heaven I tell you. My big toes was very inflamed and sore, so the short walk had been a godsend. I was glad it was only three hours tomorrow. I love my hikers they are rally comfy but I was looking forward to taking them off for the rest of the holiday until it was time to fly home.

We were watching people making it into camp most of them on their last legs , kudos to them they had made it all the way down here from the summit - now that's a long days climb and walk. In between people watching the girls were reading and I was writing in my travel journal, I had a lot of days to catch up on, I'd not written anything but bullet points since been hit with the altitude sickness. We were all very happy chilling out around camp.

We went for an afternoon snack of a cuppa and popcorn - yep you read that correctly popcorn!! We taught Chacha to dunk biscuits in his tea ( so much fun! ) and he taught us to play Last card. Ali did really well with the game. Everyone in our crew were chilled out relaxing sat around enjoying the afternoon sun. A great day it was.

Tradition is for the climbers to do a ceremony on last night on the mountain where you give a thank you speech to all the crew and hand over the tips for the trip for all the boys. Our gang said I was to do the thanking ceremony - lucky me ha!

We asked Chacha to get everyone together and I said our speech, Chacha was translating into Swahili for those who didn't fully understand English. I thanked them from all of us on their hard work and great efforts carrying all the equipment, tents, food and of course our main packs up and down the mountain. I thanked them for their enthusiasm each and everyday, for singing songs each and every morning with such gusto, for laughing along with us at our early attempts to join in and our dancing skills. I said we couldn't have made a successful ascent to the summit without each and every single one of them and we had no doubt we had been with the best climbing crew on Mount Kilimanjaro. And lastly a big thank you for all the encouragement, fist bumping, cheering and hugs we all received from them all at the end of every day.

I then presented Chacha with the money for each and every crew member, we gave the recommended  daily allowance for all, they didn't know what we had given Chacha but they were all smiling and thanking us. As they were about to go I asked Chacha to call them back. I told Chacha we three girls were so very impressed with our crew and all the fun and smiles they had given us we wanted to give extra tips which we wanted to be split equally between them all. Chacha said thank you and pocketed the money to sort out later. The crew went off about their business and we were getting ready to go to the mess tent for out tea. We were really giddy as we had asked Job our chef for chips and homemade bread ( bit like chapatis )...we were hankering for a chip butty!!

The extra tips we girls had decided to give was what we originally would have paid for just the three of us doing the climb. Then Mussa had emailed asking if Dom from Italy could join us on the climb to which we said yes no problem, so with him joining it lowered our total we would give in tips to the crew. But like I said we stuck to our original budget which gave the boys extra spending money. We were really happy to do it.

After our meal where we showed Chacha to make chip butties he told us thank you for the tips and we girls for the extra - he said the guys were over the moon and it would benefit all their families with the extra. We were so happy they we happy with what we had given.


Day eight

So our final day on the mountain! - what a bittersweet day.....we would finally make it to Mweka Camp and so officially completed our epic climb and would get our certificate which was amazing but it also meant we'd be leaving the mountain and this part of the adventure would be over. I knew all along I was going to find leaving it behind hard but it was going to be.

So we set off on our final climb down the mountain, it was a three hour climb. My right big toe was very,very sore and was causing me some right grief. Only three hours but I figured it was going to feel much longer, I had managed to get my hiker on but it definitely not comfortable.

After breakfast we gathered with our boys for a song. They we full of it and sang loads! - it was amazing, vibrant and full of life. Other companies were singing a song or two, but not our boys. We were partying! Bec's recorded around ten minutes of it. They were using empty plastic containers as drums...we were singing our Jambo song together, we danced and laughed it was truly electric. Other climbers stood around watching us and our boys - I think wishing they'd been with the best on the mountain with us!!

If I ever have the funds to climb Mt.Kilimanjaro again I would use no other company than Chacha's climbing company which is Chacha Tours Africa and Mussa's company Wild Secret Sarafis for safaris and anything else I wanted to do in Tanzania. I wouldn't use anybody else and I recommend to each and everyone of you.

We said goodbye to our crew with enthusiastic hugs and fist bumps and set off on our last walk. Chacha once again invited me to take the lead and again we were talking major slow pole pole! The pace was very slow but I wasn't falling and I was making it down under my own steam. A way into the walk Ali and Dom went off a  it faster, Chacha had Pete go with them, I said to Bec's to go with them....she was no I'm happy to stroll down with you through the forest.

Bec's, Chacha and I strolled down laughing and chatting and telling each other stories. We had such a blast, the time passed on so quickly, the American Doctor who'd been telling them to get me down lower on summit day recognised me and stopped in front of me ( I didn't recognise her ), she said it was great to see me and she was checking me over and said I looked much better than when she'd seen me last, she then carried on down the mountain.

We were getting close to the end of our last walk - a couple of the lads came to meet us and I knew it wasn't far to go now, my toe was absolutely killing me, I had stubbed it a couple of times on little tree roots and stumps that were sticking up on route. I have to tell you I felt so nauseous! I did manage not to be sick but had both Chacha and Bec's cringing for me when I caught it.

We had laughed, sang all they way down, what a brilliant last walk on the mountain....we literally strolled our way into camp.

We finally made it - Mount Kilimanjaro climb completed! Our whole team had reached the summit and that was down to Chacha and the boys and of course our own personal determination - you cannot do this epic mountain as an individual, it's teamwork or bust for sure!

I had stood on the Roof of Africa!!

I handed my walking poles to Chacha and said can you give them to someone in the crew who wants some? He passed them to the lad carrying my backpack who happily took them, job done! As we slowly made our way to where Dom & Ali were waiting for us, over to the left were all our crew who were shouting and waving to us. We happily waved back to them, it was a brilliant feeling knowing  they were so happy to see us finish our climb. Mussa and Alphonce came over to greet us and congratulate us, I said we are stinky and sweaty, they just laughed and gave us a hug. The smile on my face was permanent and a mile wide, we made it under the shelter and Ali said Mussa had bought us soda, which do you want. I looked and said a Fanta please, boy those bubbles were amazing after all the water we'd had with the water purification tablets in it! I sat down and said I've got to check my toe, it's killing and I kept banging it. I loosened my boot and slowly took it off, I pulled my sock off to check it....man! it was a real mess! it was very swollen, inflamed and I could tell the nail was nearly off now! it had the biggest blood blister at the base of the nail, I touched the top of the nail and it rocked....the only thing holding it on was the skin at the side of it. It wasn't good at all and looked infected. As soon as we hit town I needed at least a trip to a chemist. I managed to get my sock back on and my boot which I left loose and unlaced. I sat downing my Fanta - Bec's said Tracy your toe is a right mess, yep I agreed but even with it like that, I'd traveled down the mountain walking on it around twelve hours and it had hurt a lot, but I'd made it all the way on my two feet and this made me very happy!

I slowly made my way to the bathroom, on my way out I saw the American doctor and some of the women who were with her when I passed them after the summit climb. They literally surrounded me and were asking how I was ( obviously had left an impression when they'd seen me ), I told them much better, they said I looked a lot better than the last time they'd seen me. The doctor was really scrutinizing me while the others were talking. I asked if they were going home or onto a safari, most were with one or two going home. One of the women asked where I was from, I said Yorkshire England.....they were all, Oh I love your accent!. I wished them the best for the rest of their holiday and a safe journey home and left to go back to the others.

We went and joined the line to sign into the register at Mweka Gate - our last time. I feel very proud to know my name is in every record book at every camp on Mount.Kilimanjaro. We were asked if we wanted a drink while waiting to sign in, so we got a Kilimanjaro beer- it had to be for sure!! Peter from our crew came over while we were drinking our beers to say goodbye. We all had a hug and then Peter and I sang the Jambo song, at the end people were clapping ha ha - rock stars!! We signed our names and made our way back over to Mussa and the gang.

We were finally leaving Mount.Kilimanjaro behind and making our way back to Moshi and our hotel. I had said to Mussa and Alphonce that I needed a chemist for my toe and that it was bad. They said we are booked into a restaurant and would take me after our celebratory meal. We girls were a meal before shower????? they laughed and said yes. 

We got to the restaurant and we gang of climbers insisted on sitting outside - I reminded myself of the character in Peanuts who carries the blanket and has flies hanging around him ( we stank bad after only wet wipe washes and a bowl of water for the last 8 days!! ) We had a beautiful meal and champagne to toast our success - thank you Mussa and Wild Secret Safaris for that, a wonderfully thoughtful touch from yourself and your company!

It was decided to drop the girls off at the hotel and then take me to the chemist, I'd have preferred it the other way round, boy it was throbbing! Eventually I was off to hopefully get something to give me some relief after shouting to Bec's to save me some water!! We went into a chemist where Alphonce translated for me, they said I needed to see the doctor around the corner upstairs, so Chacha, Mussa and Alphonce escorted me up to the doctors. I paid the fee to see him and went it practically straight away. He examined it and after congratulating me on my successful climb prescribed anti inflammatory tablets and antibiotics, I was told to try not burst the blood blister and keep a very close eye on it for infection. So after picking up the meds I was finally on way to hotel for a shower - a much needed and wanted shower!

I told the guys we'd see them at seven am as were would be leaving Moshi to travel to Arusha for the next stage of this adventure in Tanzania.

Next time - our Osiligi Orphanage experience.

So five years after setting this challenge and all the set backs with my health that kept seeing me have to delay - it finally happened, the toughest endurance challenge I have done to date by far, but the one of the things I am so very proud of accomplishing. Putting out a positive message not only to others newly diagnosed, going through treatments or surviving like me with cancer but any illness that we can set ourselves personal challenges that will test us and push us to our personal limitations. We can all challenge ourselves to our own personal Everest if we set our minds to it. Go challenge yourself and see the pleasure you will feel at the end.

I came, I climbed and I conquered - Mount.Kilimanjaro February 6th 2015.

Until next time

Tracy 

  

              

 

six years cancer clear since diagnosis

Hello everyone


So I have reached six years clear since my cancer diagnosis on May 19th 2009...this of course feels fantastic and adds to what is turning into a fabulous year in the last recent ones. Another year to celebrate been cancer free, getting back to what is probably my best fitness level I'm ever going to achieve again in my life with all the adjustments I've had to make to my life because of other illnesses I now have. Coming to terms with my life adjustments, finally been well enough to take on My Mount.Kilmanjaro challenge set back in 2010 while recovering from my chemo and pneumonia and conquering it.....having the adventure of a lifetime in Tanzania. Meeting and making some wonderful friends out there in Africa, seeing the amazing animals on safari, animals I've always wanted to see in the wild. Knowing we made everyone laugh with our humour and fun outlook on life.

I posted these pictures on my Facebook, and it's amazing how a few years can make such a difference. The one below not long after my chemo was stopped early and beginning the long road of recovery after my bout of pneumonia and a collapsed lung. Still having three weeks of daily radiation therapy to go through

To now - having fought my way through all the treatments, side effects and issues with the cancer prevention drugs that I stopped three years early. Having got fit enough after five to six months of hard slog and training to complete the London Moonwalk back in 2011.....and all the frustrations and knock backs health wise that saw my Kilimanjaro challenge finally achieved this February five years on. 

And I never take life for granted, I wake up and every morning I'm really grateful for an extra day to go off and fill with fun, laughter great friends and family. To go out and take in the beauty that surrounds me....go off working hard and enjoying every second of it. Knowing every single day is a bonus and really appreciating what that means. Enjoying my time getting to know Emma and looking forward to where it goes....enjoying our journey of discovery together. A new adventure to absorb, to live and it feels great. I really didn't expect this to ever happen again in my life and I'm loving it!

We never know what life can throw at us, but I've said before you have to just go with it....some of it will be good and some bad, but whatever it is, we are still here and we can make the most of it regardless. We can still plan things even if they take a long time to achieve....it's the plans, dreams and challenges we have that drive us forward, drive us to pick ourselves up and grab them and life by the neck and shout....come on then give it your best!

Life is to be lived and not just to exist.....go make plans, challenge yourself with your own limitations and drive forward to achieve....you'll never regret it and will feel so proud of your accomplishments I guarantee.

Live your life to the fullest everyday!

Until next time

Tracy

 

RIP Kalebu - taken too soon.

Hello everyone

A post to mark the passing too soon of a great young man we met on our Mount.Kilimanjaro climb. Kalebu was part of our amazing climb crew, the younger brother of our Head guide Chacha. He was full of life, always smiling, really living and enjoying life.

Kalebu would be one of the boys who always came out to meet us as we neared the end of our climb day, congratulating us, fist bumps, smiles and hugs. He'd insist on carrying a day pack back to camp, a truly wonderful lad who although we knew only briefly made an impact on our lives.

Laughing and smiling at us as we learned the words to our daily Jambo song, dancing away with us each and every morning on that amazing mountain. So full of life and energy.

We were so excited when Kalebu came with us on summit day, he climbed to the summit for his very first time with us and we loved it. It felt special and magical that we also got to share his experience for the first time as he did ours.

RIP Kalebu - I wish for you to be off climbing your mountain up there in the clouds and looking down on us all with a fond smile and a shout of Jambo Jambo!

Kalebu 3rd from left.

Summit day

One day maybe we'll meet again

RIP Kalebu

!

February 6th 2015 - Summit Ascent Day!

Jambo everyone!

Mount.Kilimanjaro - one hell of a climb!

Five years of planning, dreaming, researching this incredible adventure, this amazing challenge I set myself all that time ago. all the set backs due to ill health, reactions to my cancer prevention drugs which saw me stop taking them three years early, and yes knowing the possible consequences of that...but I have always said it's quality of life over quantity, the cascade of problems and new illnesses all appearing after starting chemo and radiation therapy. My hard slog to get fighting fit after nine months of invasive treatments, a collapsed lung and a near deadly bout of pneumonia.

Pushing and driving myself forward when at first after my release from hospital with the pneumonia saw me having to stop rest and catch my breath at least 4/5 times on my way to the bathroom....this all caused from climbing up thirteen steps!  Putting in 5/6 months of training to get fit for the challenge I set of completing the London Moonwalk. The amazing unwavering support of my best buddy Suzie throughout all of this, coming out training with me, being part of our Team L'Oreal for the London Moonwalk......always just supporting, never once saying...."do you think you've bitten off too much." Crossing that finish line after power walking 26.2 miles in ten hours...just over a year after finishing my radiation therapy holding hands - my one wish....to cross the finish holding hands. Filling up, feeling overwhelmed and smiling so big I thought my jaw was going to break, giggling at Suzie who was crying ( I do call her cry baby Mewis...she cries at everything!! )

All that hard work made easier having great friends and company while out working so hard to get my stamina back up, turned it from a chore to a fun outing. I thank you with all my heart Suzie for being my friend...you are the best gal to have as a friend in the whole world. Very pleased and honoured to call you mine!

And all my hard work, my fighting to get fit everyday - hell fighting to stay alive everyday paid off, because here I am on the cusp of completing the challenge that has driven me forward for so long. I am about to embark on my ascent to the summit of Mount.Kilimanjaro......the Roof of Africa....the world's tallest free standing mountain, the highest a human can climb without the aid of oxygen...we are talking extreme high altitude...and I am ready, I am ready to conquer my mountain! so to bed we go knowing when we get up at 4am...it's game on!! Summit day here we come!

What a difference a few hours can make! Peter knocked us awake at 4 am for breakfast, I say knocked us awake when in actual fact I'd not managed a minutes sleep. I had the most dreadful night, I felt like crying but it would take to much effort and I don't think I could cope with my brain and eyes rattling around from the sobbing motion.

So,so ill! the pain I'd been having for the majority of the climb in my chest was so very painful, every breath really hurt. And because we had camped at 4600m my altitude sickness was in full flow, I felt nauseous, my head was still pounding to the rhythm of my heart beat, I was lightheaded, disorientated, my chest felt like it was in a vice. I was feeling utterly dreadful, so fatigued. Through the night as my symptoms kept increasing I was honestly and truly convinced I'd be going down the mountain and not for an ascent climb to the summit.

Emotionally I was a wreck trying not to cry through my puffy almost swollen shut eyes ( no idea what has caused this ). I was completely convinced me and my mountain had come to an end.

Ali and I were sharing a tent and she said Tracy its time to wake up, I told her I was awake but couldn't sit myself up because of the pain in my chest ( I'd not been able to even turn off my back through the night for the pain ). Bless her she came over and gently helped me into a sitting position. I sat there for a while trying to settle my symptoms and pain before managing to get out my sleeping bag and into some clothes before heading out to the mess tent.

There was no way again this morning could I eat anything, I felt so nauseous, I did manage half a cup of black tea.....but that was my limit. I was just sat there trying to get everything to stop spinning. I looked over the table and could see Bec's wasn't fairing any better than me, One of Bec's big symptoms was her nausea and throwing up....bless her, through the slits in my eyes I could see she was green! Not how either of us thought summit day would pan out. I figured I'd trying to reign myself and excitement in....not this, never in a million years imagined this! Ali fortunately wasn't suffering any high altitude sickness symptoms at all and had finally in the last couple of days had finally got her appetite back!

The next thing I knew Chacha was getting me up out of my chair, he had me stood  while he zipped up my jacket, put my thermal hat on and pulled it right down to cover my eyebrows and put my head torch into position. All this was going on and I was trying to concentrate and not move my head much so the spinning didn't get any worse. I leaned down to grab my backpack but it wasn't there, I started looking for it but Chacha stopped me and said it's okay Tracy, I have you pack. And there he was putting it on himself. I didn't understand why, but was so out of it I didn't ask why. It turned out George our assistant guide was going to carry Bec's pack for her. We were too ill to manage our own.


Everything is in such slow motion, it's the most bizarre thing really, looking around everyone seems to be moving extra slow - these altitude symptoms are a lot to take in for sure. It definitely takes an age longer to do the simplest of tasks and in some cases it was impossible to do them. I have to say if I never suffer high altitude sickness again in my life I can live with that ha!

Bec's was still feeling sick with a pounding headache, she was feeling dreadful as well as looking ill. Dom also was suffering with a bad head. Ali was the only one of us that didn't have any symptoms of altitude sickness at all. We other three weren't fairing well at all.

I had a full on discussion with Chacha about my symptoms and more importantly the pain in my chest. We chatted about whether it was still okay for me to go for the summit or if I in fact needed to be staying in camp or heading down the mountain. Chacha said he knew even though I was like I was, that I could and would reach the summit. I was concerned about holding the others back because I knew I was going to find it so hard, It pained me every breath I took and I knew this was going to cause me to have to stop to catch my breath. Chacha said it's okay, we will all be walking very pole pole....it's a tough climb, but no rushing. He said for the  umpteenth time - you are a strong woman and then said it is impossible for you not to make it!

So after our discussion we were on our way, it was summit or bust time. We set off out of the really tough rocky camp in the dark but torch light, I was told to go behind Chacha as we to our normal routine walked single file. It was difficult to see where we were going, mine made worse by the fact my eyes were still swollen practically shut at this time. We'd actually set off a little later than originally planned, so wouldn't be walking more than an hour in the dark before our Kilimanjaro sunrise!

I really can't explain well enough for you how rocky Barafu camp is, it's a full on tough climb just getting out of the camp and obviously circumnavigating it in the dark was hard, thank goodness our wonderful guides Chacha and George were there to lead us! we had to climb up onto some of the boulders, it was almost like a very rocky plateau, very uneven to say the least. I'm sure you can imagine what that was like when lightheaded, disorientated and having balance issues.

We very slowly made our way out of the camp and on to the actual ascent climb. It was starting to get light and it would soon be the new dawn, our new dawn of February 6th 2015. My eyes were starting to open more, albeit slowly, but I was starting to be able to see more of the terrain I was walking on. The incline was starting to increase.....yep definitely game on now......

I was keeping pace with Chacha but it was hard going, everything was a massive effort, I was really struggling with my breathing, my chest and specifically my right lung were very painful and I was very worried as to how I was going to cope the steeper the incline became and the higher we climbed. We were on for a 6-7 hour climb to the summit, so a very tough slog ahead.

Dom and Ali were carrying their own day packs and as I said Chacha and George were carrying Bec's and my packs. Chacha's younger brother ( we didn't know it was his brother until later ) was climbing with us, and it was his first time to the summit too.....what a fabulous crew we had!

The sun started to rise and we took a bit of time out to watch and take in the most beautiful sunrise I so far experienced in my life! It was obviously made so special because of where I was stood watching the new dawn....such a  breath-taking, spectacular, emotionally charged, overwhelming sunrise...utterly magical! I remember leaning heavily on my poles with Chacha rubbing my arm saying how well I was doing.

He knew where I had my adventure camera and he took it out of my pocket and started to take some shots. It was very obvious that neither Bec's or I were up to taking photos and that we'd be devastated if we came off the mountain with no summit day photographic memories. He then passed my camera to George, who had taken Bec's from her and that was it - George was graciously going to make sure we got our memories. I said to him, George later on route please take some shots of the clouds below us, I love that we are higher than the clouds. His response so typical of cool George - Hakuna matata Tracy......no worries!

Anyone who knows me will understand exactly how ill I was, because I never not take photos of something or somewhere I am!

My eyes are still swollen and only starting to open up.....

Then off we went to continue our long climb to the summit!

Looking back down to Barafu camp. 

We could now take our torches off, the day was awakening and we could see without the aid of them. My eyes were still opening more and more, it was just taking time. I couldn't tell you how many times we stopped on the ascent, it was lots and lots for sure. On one of them there were really large boulders near by, I had myself draped over one on my front so desperately trying to ease the pain in my chest. Every single breath was hard work, painful and gasped. Chacha came over and was saying over and over...Tracy you are a really strong woman, I know you are finding hard because you're ill, but you can do it....all the while rubbing my back, he just knew it was hurting badly. I was drinking my fluids down every stop and a little in between.

Off we set again, the incline was so very steep and we steadily pole pole zig zagged our way towards the summit. Normally as soon as I get walking I would be peeling a layer off and putting it into my backpack, I'm always warm so it doesn't take much to get me hot, but summit day I didn't peel anything off apart from my thermal hat, it was on and off the whole day! But the rest of my stuff stayed on...very strange for me.

As we were walking I was actually falling asleep, it's bizarre, really, I was actually walking and carried on walking but eyes were closed and I was gone. Then you'd stumble a little or kick a rock and you'd jolt awake. As the hours kept ticking away, we stopped for a break and Dom asked Chacha why he was so sleepy and tired. Chacha said it's the altitude sickness that's causing it. Bec's said she'd been walking and falling asleep and then I said the same. Yet another symptom to contend with!

The altitude sickness was a complete flipping nightmare, the last time I'd felt that ill was when I was having my invasive treatments for my cancer. I was coming very close to saturation point with Mount.Kilimanjaro....I kept wondering how different it would be to climb it and not suffer the symptoms.

Barafu camp below.....

Above the clouds!

By now we had started to encounter climbers on their descent, they'd set off for the summit at midnight and were now making their way back to Barafu camp. It was fascinating watching them go down the incredibly steep and slippy route back down the mountain, so many were staggering all over the place with altitude sickness. I said a couple of times that I couldn't go on, I was really suffering with my chest, I was literally gasping for breath and of course each one really hurt. But the oxygen is so thin at this elevation, you're not getting much from it to fuel your muscles anyway.

I could feel how fast my heart was beating as it desperately tried to pump oxygenated blood to my muscles. Lack of food over the last couple of days wasn't helping me at all. I asked Bec's how she was doing and so wasn't fairing much better than me. Ali was brilliant, encouraging us and championing us to keep climbing no matter how slow. We were definitely one team on this majestic mountain!

I was so very tired, no sleep the night before was killing me, I was sure a quick power nap would see me right for the rest of the ascent. We stopped for a break, Bec's was sat on a rock, her head leaning on her hands on her poles trying to cope with her nausea and pounding head, Dom was also sat on a rock rubbing his head which was also pounding. Ali was sat down and I went and sat on a rock just in front of her. She put her pack on her knee and said for me to lean back.

As soon as I did I went out, I relaxed and fell asleep, I still had my sunglasses on and guess my mouth must have started dropping open....unless I was snoring ha ha. The next thing I know is George is shouting me to wake up! I sat up and looked over Georges way, big mistake as it set my brain rattling around in my skull and my eyes rolling too, gosh it's so hard to get them to stop once they start believe me. When I say George shouted, he raised his voice a tad, George is way too cool to shout!

He told me I had to stay awake, that it was too dangerous to sleep this high on the mountain. High altitude sickness is a killer, an ave of fifteen people die annually on Mount.Kilimanjaro......make no mistake, this challenge was extreme for sure! 

The effects of high altitude sickness on three of us, this shows how far from a walk in the park Mount. Kilimanjaro was. Everything is in slow motion or so it feels. Such a continuously steep climb really took it's tole on us all. by now we were all just wanting to hit the summit, this was not fun, this was pure determination to reach the top, my tank had been running on empty since we set off from base camp that morning. Not really much more to give, but as I looked around at the others I could see I was not alone with that.

Trying to catch my breath and ease the pain in my chest. Dom was more than happy to stop and take a breather too.

We carried on making our way slowly up and up towards our destination, it was a desperately hard slog and one each and everyone of us were struggling with it. The air is so thin, it feels like even though you're breathing that you aren't! Chacha told us we were really close to the summit now, around ten more minutes. 

I was by now struggling, my breathing was shallow and I was starting to gasp. I was so very fatigued, head was pounding and the blood rushing in my ears, it sounded almost like thunder. I dread to think what my heart rate was, it felt like it was going to explode out of my chest. If I'd not been so out of it - I'm sure I would have been worried about it. Chacha's younger brother was walking with me and trying to encourage me up to the summit. Bec's and Ali had made it up the last stretch which was about 15 ft. I could see the summit Stella point in front of me. I was bent over almost doubled over trying to force so much needed oxygen into my very tired, painful and overworked lungs

Chacha walked down to me as I had stopped again, I was literally stopping to gasp for air every couple of steps. He came and started rubbing my back, boy it was aching so much. He had me stand straight and then gave me some of his water. While he was holding his bottle for me to sip from he said I had to drink to give my body some desperately needed oxygen. He then put it away and said I want you to do nothing but follow me and bend your legs I'm going to help you this last little bit. Don't use the energy you've just got. He took my hand and led me up the last fifteen feet, I was really struggling to breath and as we got to the top and he hugged me I thought I was going to pass out.

Ali was there and we had a big hug, I couldn't talk I was trying really hard to calm my breathing....it wasn't working! I staggered over to the official summit board with help from Chacha's brother and sat down on  rock. Bec's was sat on one as well and had been since getting up to the summit. I was gasping and looked at Bec's - saying I can't breath! - she said you will in a minute, I couldn't when I got here but I'm a bit better now. My breathing finally settled enough for me to take in my surroundings.

Hanging onto the pole trying to stop the internal spinning!

Now the hugging and congratulations started in earnest now we had all caught our breath a little.We all hugged and laughed with each other. We regardless of how ill we felt were all smiling. Believe me the first natural one of the day. It had taken us a excruciating seven hours to make it here. We had most certainly earned our smiles.

Chacha said for us to take our photos at the summit because we couldn't afford to be here long, especially with three of us suffering as we were.   

We had photos taken with everyone from the summit climb group, then I had photos taken with a message I'd done and laminated back in the UK. Here's my message I wanted to share with you all.

George had taken some  shots of we three girls at the summit before we had to set off back down to Barafu camp.

Look at us, so relaxed and pleased at reaching the summit.

Chacha told us we needed to make our way back down the mountain to reduce our altitude symptoms. We set off down the steep descent towards camp, we were told it would be around four hours back to Barafu camp. This was by far the longest and toughest day climbing on the mountain and we'd thought the ravine to Karanga camp was bad!

We were slipping and sliding down the scree at a pretty fast pace. The momentum of the steep descent caused me to be moving too quickly, so I would dig my poles in as hard as I could and the same with my feet until I stopped slipping. Because of the symptoms I was suffering I couldn't really focus on what was happening to me or around me. All the motion was making my lightheadedness  and balance much worse. I couldn't keep myself on my feet, my balance as I said for the last couple of days was shot to pieces, so that and the steep slippy descent saw me falling over and over again, I continuously fell to my right, every single time. I would start staggering to my right and wouldn't stop until I either hit a boulder, rock face or the floor, nothing was stopping that from happening! 

I fell around ten times on our way back to camp - a very sore, achy body to look forward to tomorrow! 

We weren't too far off the summit when we came to some rocks we had to climb through. Dom just lost it and fell over, stood up but went straight back down. He attempted to get back up but only made it to his knees. George and Chacha's brother had to evacuate him down the mountain. They had hold of him on both sides and literally ran him down the mountain.....there is no doubt our amazing crew saved his life that day.He was that out of it, he didn't really recall what had happened to him.

That left Chacha and we three girls to get down to camp. He was urging us on at the fastest pace we could manage because Bec's and I were still suffering badly with our altitude sickness, our hope was it would settle a bit when we got back to camp and rested. 

As well as all the aches and new bruises I'd be sporting later from all my falling from been disorientated my toes we really hurting, they were smashing into the front of my hikers, I knew I was in trouble, I hadn't fastened them properly first thing with being so ill. I'd barely fastened them at all really. I as going to pay the price but still didn't have it in me to try and sort them, I really didn't.

We finally after I don't know how many hours were nearing Barafu camp. It felt like weeks had passed since we had set off this morning. But seeing the camp getting closer was a big relief....I just needed to lie down, I was so very tired and still so very sleepy. I'd managed to keep myself awake so had done well with that one!

Peter and a couple of the boys had come to meet us with drinks and lunch if we wanted it......bless them! They were congratulating us, fist bumping and hugging us, even though I still felt absolutely crap it was brilliant, such a wonderfully warm reception from some of the lads in our crew! We sat down on some rocks and had pineapple juice and a cup of tea in my case and coffee for those who wanted it. Chacha asked if we wanted lunch and we all said no not out here thanks. We drank our drinks, Bec's couldn't drink her pineapple juice, said it was too sweet. I drank mine even though I still felt nauseous and even had sugar in my tea - I just needed a sugar rush I think. I've not taken sugar in my drinks since I was around eleven years of age, but on the mountain I was taking more and more the longer we were there. I guess my blood sugar was really low for me to be craving it so much.

So the last section to camp beckoned us - we the conquerors of Mount.Kilimanjaro were nearly back in camp. I couldn't wait to get into my sleeping bag, to try sleep off the symptoms I was suffering and hoping that my chest was better and my breathing not only easier but less painful, so still feeling absolutely dreadful we set off on our trip to camp. It was still a steep descent into camp and then we had to navigate the camp itself to our tents, that in itself would be challenging! The boys went ahead with our day packs and Peter our porter come waiter would be staying with Chacha and we three girls all the way back to camp.

I don't know where or when it went completely wrong - one minute I'm concentrating on making sure my footsteps are secure on the very rocky descent ( especially after all the falls I'd already suffered coming down the mountain ) and the next thing my heads completely gone, everything is spinning out of control, my eyes are rolling and my balance has gone. I slip off the edge of the rock I was about to step down off and hit the boulder wall to my left hard....this set me off to the right and I know even though I can't make out where I am, I know that I'm in trouble, I can't ever stop myself when I start falling off to the right. I manage to plonk myself onto the rock I've just slipped off and as I carry on falling away to my right I grab hold of the edge of the rock ( I know there's a drop to my right, don't know much more than that ) and I'm hanging on for dear life.....my eyes and brain are trying to catch up with the rest of me........

I don't remember this, but Bec's had seen me and had shouted to Chacha - Tracy needs help!, he had turned around seen me and came sprinting back up to me. He grabbed my arm as I was falling over and stopped me in my tracks. He was rubbing my back all the time he was talking to me, I have no recollection of what he said apart from shouting Peter over, he came scrambling down to where we were. They got me stood up, Chacha took my poles off me and they each held an arm and started moving me down towards camp as fast as they could get me to go. I was completely out of it and was still struggling to stop the spinning motion in my brain and eyes. I still don't know how they managed to control themselves and me over the rocks and really tough terrain, but that they did. 

As we carried on down I started to get a bit more control and so after a while Chacha deemed me safe enough to be left in Peter's care. As we carried on down I know we passed lots of people. It turned out to be a team from America who were going on a bit of an acclimatisation walk as they were going to be setting off at midnight for the summit. 

I remember been asked if I'd made it to the summit to which I said yes and smiled, one of the ladies asked if I was okay ( having a guide leading you down the mountain is a bit of a giveaway ). I vaguely remember  telling them of some of the altitude symptoms and telling them I hoped they didn't suffer on their climb. Then Peter lead me away towards my sleeping bag ( boy I so needed to lay down! ) I was so,so tired!

Ali & Bec's said all the drama started after I'd been lead away, the group of American's started up, one woman in particular who it turned out was a doctor from Phoenix. She was telling the girls to get me further down the mountain. Ali told her she didn't know what was going to be happening yet as regards our camp situation. The doctor again said you need to get her down......Ali and Bec's were just looking at her as she kept repeating get her down! then again get her down, she might not make it through the night!! The girls then took their leave to follow me back to camp.

Peter got me back to my tent and I literally fell through the flap into my sleeping bag where I passed out for a couple of hours. While we climbers were out of it and oblivious to our surroundings Chacha was sorting out an emergency evacuation of one of our crew. He and a couple of the boys had walked back to the ravine at Karanga camp for water, he had taken a tumble into the ravine, at this time it wasn't known if he'd broken his leg....what was known was he was in a bad way. Mountain rules state if someone is evacuated a guide must accompany the injured person. So this meant George was to be going and that we wouldn't see him again.

Chacha insisted on us getting up to drink and eat in the mess tent. He then told us about our poor injured porter and George came and said goodbye to us, hugged us goodbye. He told me I was a very strong woman and fist bumped me before going off to travel down the mountain.

Chacha was encouraging us all to eat because some of us had not eaten all day and those that had, hadn't had much at 4am. I managed a little soup. I was shaking that hard I thought the soup was going to end up all over me, I couldn't stop shaking. Chacha made the decision that Bec's and I were that poorly and had not recovered in the slightest since getting back to camp that we had to evacuate down to a lower elevation and the next camp down. Millenium camp was around ninety minutes away.

He said for us to pack as quickly as possible because it was 6pm and it would soon be dark. We set off down to Millenium camp. The going was really tough for Bec's and I . She had to stop a few times to be sick or wretch on route....me?.....I was still all over the place and falling to the ground ( boy it was hurting a lot now! ). It was steep, uneven and the scree was very loose and slippy. Walking on this kind of surface is not only very difficult but it's very draining. When we set off for Millenium camp we'd already been ascending and descending eleven hours. eleven hours on the toughest and steepest climb to the summit and the most difficult descent down on the steep loose scree....to say we were exhausted is an understatement.

The sun was rapidly going down and we were nowhere near camp, this wasn't good at all, more staggering about in the dark ahead - deep joy! We had to put our torches on, but I didn't know where mine was from this morning so ended up with a small one in my hand while holding my walking pole...not the easiest thing to do. It was pitch black and so very dangerous with my complete lack of balance. After I'd fallen a few times Ali insisted I was to walk behind Chacha as I was making her uneasy and nervous with all my falling.

We carried on plodding and making our way down the mountain towards camp, it felt like we'd been walking for days to be honest. Eventually we saw some lights in front of us, I was yay camp!...Chacha said no not yet Tracy, it was actually some of our crew, bless them they came out to meet us and see us back to camp. Then we thought, whenever they've come to meet us it's not been long into camp. This lifted our spirits up a lot, we are nearly there we thought. I hit the floor again and was groaning, I just wanted to stay there where I lay until I had a sleep....I needed to sleep! I needed to stop feeling so off balance, I needed myself and the world to stop spinning just for a while.

It turned out the boys had come a long way out to see what was keeping us, because it was about an hour after them meeting us for us to hit camp. It took us around three hours not ninety minutes it should have. I refused food and drink when we got to our camp, I didn't have the energy for either, both Bec's and I went straight to our respective tents and was out of it until morning.

So ends the most incredible day on the mountain, a day that saw everything happening,suffering badly with altitude sickness, successful ascent to the summit, an emergency evacuation from almost the summit and a later one to camp for myself. An urgent evacuation to lower camp and elevation to ensure Bec's and I were going to be okay and the altitude symptoms would reduce and leave us feeling much brighter. One of our porters taken off the mountain for medical assistance. 14 hours approx of climbing  and descending  on the steepest and slippiest terrain.....and we survived it! 

The most incredibly hard but amazing day in my life so far, an experience never to be forgotten, a proud achievement worked so hard for in  difficult personal circumstances...but even if I could, I wouldn't change a single bit of it, the good and bad made the day what it was.

To quote the legendary Audrey Hepburn - Nothing  is impossible the word itself says I'm possible

I came, I climbed and I conquered - Mount Kilimanjaro my challenge set in 2010 conquered February 6th 2015.   

Until next time

Tracy