Back On Track

I have had an awesome week this week. At the weekend our very good friends Ema and Dan visited again and we all went to the first ever Comic-Con at Preston’s Guildhall. It was very busy which goes to show that there is a thirst for this type of event and I hope that it will continue and grow bigger over the next few years. The kids, Oscar and Sidney, loved dressing up as Batman and Spiderman. They also liked meeting Storm Troopers, Batman and Bane and had their photos taken with all the heroes. It was a really good family day out and something that we would definitely do again. In the evening we had more friends over to celebrate my birthday and the end of Chemotherapy. My birthday was last month but I was still undergoing treatment so couldn’t celebrate how I wanted to, so there was a lot of drinking and we all had fun. The kids stayed over at my mum and dads, leaving us to relax and enjoy ourselves. Sunday was a relaxing day where we played monopoly, which the kids have to win, but it was good to spend time with them, especially as we missed them over night. As it is half term my twin sister, Janette, is up visiting from Wiltshire with her two children, Arthur and Alice. Unfortunately I had to go into work on Monday for a meeting even though I had booked the week off. I was happy to go in and found it very productive and informative so I was glad I went, I even had a gluten free lunch ordered for me which was nice and very thoughtful. Going into work meant I missed Janette on Monday, but we made up for this on Tuesday and took them all to Barley in East Lancashire and the Pendle Sculpture Trail. Although it was a bit wet, we still enjoyed ourselves and the kids love finding the sculptures and the witches plaques. We explained the story to them and made it interesting which isn’t hard considering its Halloween later this week, we just fed their imagination. I then cooked my signature dish of Sweet Chili Duck, Sweet and Sour Chicken and Egg Fried Rice for the entire family in the evening and I was provided with a few compliments too. As Janette is also interested in keeping fit, she offered to take me out for my first run on Wednesday morning. I was nervous to go running again, only the second time since my operation in June. I was apprehensive about it, but went through my “getting ready” routine which helped put me at ease a little. I warmed up on my way to meeting Janette and was thinking about how cold it was. This was soon pushed out of my mind as we ran together and we warmed up. It was only a short run of 5k (about 3 miles) but I was so happy about running again, I could have gone further. This has now spurred me on to run more frequently and ease myself back to full fitness. This is compounded with my new gadget which I got for my birthday, a health and fitness tracker. I look a bit silly wearing two watches, one on each wrist, but I am interested in my own health and I love the data I get back (yes I am a geek). All this pushes me to go further, run harder and go longer. I hope that this is now the case and that I back with a training head, working for a massive goal next year. I feel as though I am now over the Cancer and my body is responding well. I still get tired and my fingers are numb, but I want to do more and see what my body is capable off again. The efforts of Ben Ashworth (@chemodadruns) running 7 marathons in 7 months while undergoing Chemotherapy really astounds me, how did he do it? My hat goes off to him, but this drives me to better fitness. I still have a lot to look forward to in the next couple of weeks; this weekend is the Winter Wonderland in aid of Rosemere and Neo-Natal Unit and organised by the friends of Emma Grandison who is battling Bowel Cancer, she is a real fighter. I am really looking forward to this event as it will be a formal night out and we can all dress up. The week later is Rosemere’s Cake Off at Kingsfold Community Centre, where I will be a judge. Although I won’t be able to eat them I will judge on appearance. These events will all raise much needed funds for Rosemere Cancer Foundation and the details can be found on their website. With so much to look forward to I forget that I still have treatment for the trial drug, which is easy enough but still the apprehension remains as it means taking toxic drugs to kill any remaining cancer lurking around, but it’s for the best and at the moment I really can’t complain, as I feel great!