Juicing de-tox inspired by my friend Coleen!

Hello everyone

A massive thank you to my old school chum Coleen Campbell-Peach for sending me the link to Joe Cross and his amazing journey in Fat Sick and nearly dead. I, as you are aware have been caught in the terrible spiral of med's = side effects = more med's. It is a very hard place to be when you are ill and or have other health issues. So his personal journey really interested me for many reasons. The  combination of the weight loss to increased stamina and vastly improved health which ultimately improved his whole quality of life is fantastic and something I've been fighting to regain myself for the last couple of years. I made some very serious and potentially life threatening decisions last year based on very powerful drugs I was taking, I chose to take myself off the harsh cancer prevention drug among others to give myself a chance of a quality life. Something I really didn't have at all - in fact my reaction to the drugs were so bad I had no life at all, I could hardly get myself out of bed and dressed on my own. So yes, I understand the risks I have taken ,but I chose to have quality of life over quantity if it comes down to it. So I'm still on the road to getting my quality of life back, I have made great leaps forward but still have a way to go.

The frustration of getting a couple of steps on the road forward to be knocked back 3 or 4 is a tough place to be, especially when trying to maintain a positive outlook on everything.I see this as the final part of me grabbing back my life - not the old one, obviously I'll never be that person again,nor would I want to be, but a new me, and a new life that I have started carving out for myself.It's a simple existence I want, nothing fancy and no chasing of a career - I don't want or need that, I know from my own personal experience that I would rather be able to dedicate my spare time to War on Cancer, spending time with family & friends and going out with my camera than chasing a career and money. The essence of me will always be the same, the drive, the motivation to achieve the hard challenges I set myself, my unwavering desire -- no, my need to try and help make someone else's life better, more bearable. To get the biggest satisfaction and a feeling of calm knowing I am doing my tiny little bit towards those goals, this is who I really am and who I'll always be.

 So from tomorrow Monday Jan 28th I will be doing a juice de-tox in the hope I get somewhere near the results Joe got. I plan on starting it for a couple of weeks and will then decide whether to carry on for a further couple of weeks. I have everything to gain from this and absolutely nothing to lose.....I will do a short daily diary to update on my progress from how I'm coping to any improvements I'm getting. This is going to be a great experience for sure! As you can see in the photo, there's plenty of vitamins, nutrients and goodness going into the de-tox juice.

The juice recipe Coleen has sent me is packed to the rafters with vitamins and nutrients which are going to give my poor battered body a massive boost. For anyone who has read any of the blog in the last 12 months will know the health problems I've been having with my bladder, all the UTI and kidney issues, the 11 solid months on antibiotics and the couple of surgical procedures I've had in the last 6 months to try and eradicate it all. Not only am I still on antibiotics and still with my bladder consultant, but I am now under another consultant who is a gastro/liver specialist.

I have been suffering with terrible abdominal distention for months, I thought it was all tied into the problems with my bladder/lower pelvic area. It's hard to localize things sometimes like for instance, I can't remember a time now where I haven't had lower back ache and flank pains - sometimes the pains are dull and other times they are quite cutting, bearing in mind I've been seeing consultants for the last couple of years with my lower pelvic problems. So I didn't think the abdominal distention was anything other than another problem connected to my ongoing issues. I did have to have an urgent consult with my bladder consultant just before Xmas and I asked him to do something about the distention because it was really getting to be too much, it feels like all my internal organs are crushed against my rib cage and there's not enough room for everything. I feel sick most of the time ( I was blaming the antibiotics - could still be that of course ), I am partially sick  nearly everytime I eat....I can actually feel the food or fluid getting popped back out of my stomach back into my eophagus and there it will stay until I get up. I can in actual fact carry on doing whatever I am up to and as long as I don't stand up, it will stay there. It is very uncomfortable, but I can leave it, but as soon as I stand up I have to go be sick. It feels like there is a tightened belt or stuck in a vise all the way round my middle around the area where you last rib is, and something, I don't know just behind my lower left rib feels like it is been forced to bend in half and wrap around my last rib - uncomfortable times indeed.

My latest consultant is sending me for a CT scan - I'm waiting for a date, he did say just like my GP that all this abdominal problems could in actual fact be caused from the long term use of the antibiotics, because they kill off the good bacteria in the stomach and intestines as well as the bad, they will have killed off many strains completely and will have decimated many others.So until the scan it is unclear what is going on.

So by doing the de-tox juice I can only be helping my poor body, I'm going to be piling tons of vital nutrients and vitamins into it and no other crap - fingers crossed all the cleansing of the liver, kidneys etc will sort out the balance my body hasn't got and hopefully it will help re-address some of the issues the drugs I've been on have caused.

You want to see how things are going day to day, check out the blog.

Until next time
Tracy

New War on Cancer site coming soon!

Hello everyone!

I have exciting news for War on Cancer! - I am now the proud owner of the domain name waroncancer.co.uk , really happy about this development indeed. I always said to myself that when I got back out there and got myself working that I would move my blog because although Blogger has been brilliant, there are a lot of things that cannot be done with my site that I want to, so I will move it to a new host.

I am extremely lucky that my nephew Damien is again going to design my new website to my specs, he is a qualified web designer and has said he will donate his time for doing this wonderfully generous thing to War on Cancer - so I thank you Damien from the bottom of my heart!

So in the near future War on Cancer will be re-launched to it's new web address and wait for it -- with it's very first two sponsors! This year is going to be great for War on Cancer - I will be moving it forward on the next step of it's journey.

Already had a great response to the announcement I made for this years annual endurance sponsored challenge - Climb Ben Nevis 2013. So for those of you undecided -- for some healthy training and the climbing of a wee hill ;)....afterwards you get to hang out with old and new friends re-living your glorious ascent to the summit and the observatory ruins with a BBQ and beers...I can for sure guarantee lots of fun & laughter and the amount of endurance challenge returnee's is a testament to how good last years event was!
So with that in mind, I hope to be hearing from some new adventurers who not only want to challenge themselves but help raise money and awareness for cancer charities.

I hope that when my new site is up and running that I can persuade you to tell all your friends and families about it, encourage people to read it and hopefully some of you will maybe sponsor my quest to climb Mt'Kilimanjaro this year. One of the new features will be an on-line sponsor form and hopefully you will take advantage of this. It will be much easier for everyone to leave comments against posts, features etc and I actively encourage you all to take advantage of this to leave feedback, question me and yes suggest challenges for myself or for team participation.

I hope you all come join me on the next leg of this wonderful journey, it's great knowing you are there supporting and encouraging me along the way.

I've had what I hope is the last surgical procedure on my bladder today, this was my second procedure in 6 months and I'm hoping for better results than the last one. It is a different procedure, both done with a rigid cystoscopy ( never again ). Last time I got an infection about 10 days after the procedure and the had an ongoing infection for practically the whole of the next 6 months. I have been on antibiotics for 11 months solid now, and it seems they may now be causing me problems and side effects.So here's hoping my issues that are preventing me from doing any real exercise will soon be a thing of the past and I can then get out there and get myself ready for what will be a really hard year of endurance events - I'm up for the challenge, are you up for one of them? let me know!

If you'd like to become a sponsor of War on Cancer....no amount is too little, then get in contact with me and we sit and chat!

Until next time
Tracy

Hello everyone

I want to take this time to wish each and everyone of you a very Happy New Year - I wish for you the very best of Health, Wealth and Happiness in 2013.

Thank you everyone who takes time to read the blog, to tell your friends and family about it and especially to everyone who has supported War on Cancer in anyway they could. From all the generous donations of prizes for the tombola, to helping out at the random car washes we've held. To Mike the landlord of The Sun Inn at Cottingley who donates his car park and water to us for the car washes.

Thank you to all my die hard supporters who agree to do any crazy idea I come up with! and of course to all of you who sponsor and buy at the events. Without you all, this blog and fund-raising wouldn't be half as much fun! I look forward to seeing you at the 2013 events and hope we have as much fun as in 2012!

As you know, the 2013 sponsored endurance event has been announced - climbing Ben Nevis....I'm ecstatic  to say we are already into double figures with people signing up for it.....I can say if it goes like this years on the 2013 challenge will be a massive success. I hope to see not only this years entrants, but lots of new ones too....if there are new faces, it means War on Cancer is going the right way!

I am looking into a charity Zumba event....will let you know as soon as, time and venue to follow if I can get one sorted. Also for next winter - I will try again to cajole you into an indoor wall climbing adventure -- to be part of a team who climb the equivalent height of a chosen mountain, now that's something different!

I said I would look into a fun weekend for WoC's avid supporters...a weekend of white water rafting and maybe a mini highland games thrown in to boot! This will not be a fund-raiser, just like minded people getting together to chill, catch up and let their hair down. I will let you know when I've costed the weekend out.

Well that's it from War on Cancer and myself for 2012....I hope you've enjoyed your time here with me and I look forward to moving through 2013 with you. I hope you've all managed to get something positive from the blog, I write it with great openness and honesty and hope I show that no matter what we go through as individuals, we can always strive to better ourselves and always help others.

I want to say a big well done to all those who have gone through treatments this year, major congratulations to those who have been given the all clear, keep going to those who are still having treatments and you can do it to those about to start. And always in our memories and heart the brave ones who fought to the end but didn't make it....each and everyone of you are hero's for fighting the fight, well you are to me and will always be.

Keep helping yourselves everyone, get out exercising and eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables....we know how much I go on...but seriously we only get one body, help it to fight off illnesses and medical conditions wherever you can, it's been proven to help.

I hope you can find the time to share the blog with your friends and family, to help me raise awareness about cancer and hopefully help break down this still very taboo subject for those who are struggling with it.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with me in 2012 and I hope to see you around in 2013.

Until next time
Tracy

Follow War on Cancer on Bloglovin!

Hello everyone

You can now follow War on Cancer on Bloglovin!...go to www.bloglovin.com and search War on Cancer and hit the follow button or hit the follow button on the left hand side of the home page....this way you get notified of any updates. I hope you decide to come join me and recommend the blog to your friends over on this fantastic blog site!

Until Next time
Tracy

Ben Nevis snippets

You can now follow the blog on Bloglovin.....there is a link on the left hand side of the home page!

Here's a little more information about Ben Nevis for you....I will keep adding snippets for you. If you want to come join and do the 2013 sponsored challenge add your name to the comments on the 2013 challenge tab or contact me.....there are plenty of places to stay in and around Fort William while climbing Ben Nevis to cater to all tastes.

Ben Nevis, or 'The Ben' as it is fondly known, sits majestically at the head of Loch Linnhe, its presence dominating the landscape from all corners of Fort William and some parts of Lochaber. The dramatic effect of Ben Nevis is emphasised by the fact that it begins its rise from sea-level. From the coast, it rises like a huge whale-back shape. This ends abruptly in 2000 ft cliffs to its north-east. This two-faced form of the Ben is what makes it so popular, providing steep but straightforward walking on paths on one side and challenging climbing on the other.

So until next time

Tracy

Ben Nevis - 2013 Endurance Sponsored Challenge

Ben Nevis translated from Gaelic means " Mountain of Heaven" it stands at 4408ft. Ben Nevis or "The Ben" as it is more commonly known is in actual fact an ancient huge volcano that would have been comparative to  the explosion of Krakatoa in 1883.

The first recorded ascent was in 1771 and in 1883 a footpath and observatory were built all thanks to Clement Linley Wragge. According to the records from the observatory between 1883 - 1904, fog was present almost 80% of the time at the summit between Nov & Jan, 55% of the time between May & June. The ave winter temp was -5c and the mean monthly temp for the year was -0.5c. In an ave year it the summit sees 261 gales and receives 4,350mm's of rain ( 171 in ) - the rainfall in winter is almost twice as high than that of spring and summer.

Clement Linley Wragge climbed The Ben daily to make observations leading to the opening of the observatory in 1883, this remained manned until it's closer in 1904.It is still the most comprehensive set of data on mountain weather in Britain.

So the weather will probably not be perfect on our ascent to the summit, but I know we will take out climb in great humour and with solid determination to reach the summit no matter what. I will post more facts and information regarding "The Ben" and War on Cancer's sponsored challenge 2013 over the coming months.

I hope to see many of you coming along to take up the challenge in War on Cancer's name, and getting yourselves the superb satisfaction of knowing you've conquered Britian's highest mountain along the way.

Based on the first annual challenge that was undertaken this year, a superb weekend it will be!

Until next time
Tracy

2013 Sponsored Endurance Challenge Announcement

Hello Everyone

So War on Cancer's sponsored endurance challenge of 2013 is -- climbing Ben Nevis! This challenge will take place on Saturday June 8th 2013. More details to follow.

 Anyone wanting to take up the challenge will have to pledge to a minimum amount of sponsorship raised. I of course hope that it will be greater than the minimum, but feel it is important to show a commitment to War on Cancer and the cancer charities it supports. War on Cancer will continue to support it's current chosen charities until after my Mount Kilimanjaro climb which unfortunately had to be delayed from 2012 to 2013  due to ongoing health issues.

I hope to see the regular supporters taking up this event, and hope that from your enthusiastic recounting of this years Yorkshire 3 Peak challenge that you have in inspired your friends and colleagues to think about taking up our new challenge. The  Yorkshire 3 Peak challenge was such a huge success, not only from the money raised, but the raised awareness of War on Cancer and cancer in general got a great boost from our first annual endurance event! I cannot thank enough the wonderful people who took part and made it such a memorable day.

I hope this new challenge is taken up by even more people, who doesn't want to say they've stood at the summit of Ben Nevis and the highest point of Great Britain?!!! Again this is a great way to motivate yourselves into getting some training in, I always hark on about the fact exercise is great for you and your body, it really is proven to help prevent certain types of cancer. So even if this new challenge isn't for you -- get out and exercise your one and only body!!

After another disappointing year on the health front for myself this year, and the disappointment of having to delay Mt.Kilimanjaro - one of the first challenges I set myself while still having my invasive treatments, I have re-set my challenges for 2013 and will try drive myself to achieve them as always ( it's never my lack of motivation and determination that stops me from successfully completing any challenges, that's for sure!! )

So my personal year of challenges will start with the Ben Nevis climb challenge on Saturday June 8th, this will be a great practice for Mt. Kilimanjaro in the Sept/Oct ( dates to be confirmed )which I can happily say my big brother is coming to do with me! And then finally in Nov myself and a few great friends and a couple of family members are going if we can get places power walk the New York marathon! - this will be for Walk the Walk uniting against breat cancer again. I already have a theme planned, and will tell you all about it once our places are confirmed!

I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every person who has supported War on Cancer this year - thank you to all of you who have donated gifts for the tombola's, who have sponsored someone in the events have helped WoC raise awareness which is has important has raising money, helped encourage people to get out exercising and especially those of you who couldn't make the cocktail events which meant I HAD  to drink one or three for you all!!

I want to thank each and everyone of you for your unwaivering support of me and of course this blog WoC - without all of you none of this would be possible and I thank you from the bottom of my heart that you enable me to make my dreams of raising money and awareness a reality. Your support allows me to think of things we can all do together, to keep fund-raising fun for all of us.

A big thank you goes to our new friends Lost Earth Adventures and the owners Richard and Sarah, you helped make the 3 Peak adventure fun while being safe. I very much look forward to our future collaborations!

Please share the blog with , friends, family and work colleagues - help me get more supporters in 2013 who will happily spread the word. I will do a complete update of the blog over the holiday period.

Anyone know of someone/ a business who'd like to sponsor or adopt WoC for a year, please get in contact...hell if they don't want to sponsor WoC - I'm available ;)

Until next time
Tracy