Well, as some of you may remember I had my last first line chemo on 14th December and was given N.E.D on 9th January this year. As we all know only too well, there are no guarantees with this ghastly disease and hubby and I just want to make the most of the coming year with our fingers crossed that I get a reasonable 'remission' time. After much discussion and planning hubby has resigned from his job so that we can make the most of our time together, he's on a 3 month notice period and finishes at the end of April
I'll be having 3 monthly check ups, but in between we are going to try and make the absolute most of everything. Our first trip starting the end of April will be driving our car from our home in England to Istanbul and back. After that we will be driving from home to and around Spain, Portugal and the Channel Islands. Our next trip after that is USA and Canada, where on part of it we are going to see polar bears. I've spent many a night awake worrying about it coming back since finishing chemo, but I'm trying to squash that by thinking positive thoughts that we'll get all these trips in before anything untoward happens!
We are off to Norway next week to hopefully see the Northern Lights, fingers crossed they show! If I can work out how to post a photo from my phone to here I will do if we see them.
Much love
Paula xxxx
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Your post really felt familiar as I sit here planning a 6000 mile trip across the US to visit 7 of our national parks. I guess I’m in a big hurry to see things as fast as I can! The truth is though, I’m just fine right now. It’s a strange combination of feelings, isn’t it? Enjoy your travels! I’d love to see many of the paces you’re going to. When you get to the states, be sure to check out my lovely city Charleston, SC!
Oh wonderful! When are you going and which parks are you going to?
Thank you Suzanne, it really is a strange combination of feelings, I'm hoping that as time goes by I'll think less about it returning, but at the moment I just want to see as much as I can, while I can. Our first 4 weeks of the USA part of our travels is going to be spent driving around Yosemite, various of the beautiful National Parks in Utah and the Grand Canyon.
That sounds great! We’re going to Smoky Mountain, Badlands, Olympic, Mt. Rainier, perhaps Glacier, Arches and Rocky Mountain. We are both very lucky, aren’t we?
Brilliant! Arches National Park has been on my list a long time and I can't wait to see it. Yes we are both very lucky indeed. Hope you have a wonderful time xxxx
Loving this! I will be in Fuerteventura end April, Majorca, beginning of June and Amalfi coast in September....so far and between looking after my grandkids, on our boat all this summer.
Yours sounds more adventurous Paula, wish you love and enjoyment, important to make the most of the good times, let us know how you get on.
Thank you - we haven't been to Majorca in years, we used to love going there though, it's a great island. We're also visiting the Amalfi coast on our trip to Istanbul, because it's been on my bucket list for years to drive around the entire boot of Italy, so we are doing that en-route, we've never been to that part of Italy before and I'm really looking forward to it.
Is it a canal boat or a sailing boat you have?
I totally agree, live life for the moment and make the most of the good times. I hope you have a wonderful time on your travels, it's great to have a number of trips lined up like you have. Have a great time.
It’s a canal boat, but it could go on tidal waters, I.e out and around onto the Thames, but at the moment we only seem to have time to do the river, but, still lovely on the water.
Wish you all the best and enjoyment on your travels too,
Oh wow that is amazing, hope you have a fab time and don't forget the pictures updates. It doesn't ever have to come back and truly hope it's a permanent remission
How great you are in a position that your husband is able to resign from his job and so you both can have some truly memorable experiences. Driving to Istanbul sounds fantastic as do the other trips.
Fingers crossed you do see the Northern Lights. It's quite easy to post a photo but you can only do so to your own original post, you cannot add one to another's post.
Thank you Helen, I was in the unfortunate position of losing my dad back in October while I was going through my treatment and he left us some money. We did contemplate saving it all, but then we decided that we'd much rather create more memories together and started planning trips. We're thinking of renewing our wedding vows along the way too and family and friends are joining up with us at various points, so we can share our time with them as well. I'm so glad they are supporting our decision, I'm really lucky to have some beautiful people in my life. Thank you, I've just been and started typing on my phone as if I was going to post something and saw the 'Add Photo' button - so I know where to do it now, if the Lights don't show I'll post a photo of us snowmobiling instead! Paula xxxx
You go girl, I’ve been NED since July 2016 was diognosed with stage 4 OC. I stopped working and booked 12 holidays last year and spent the kids inheritance. Lol😂😂 Guess what I’m doing the same this year. Life’s too short and I’m of the mind we don’t know what’s round that corner.enjoy your life you deserve it xxx
Thank you Annr5h, I was diagnosed stage 3a and it's always great to hear about stage 3 & 4 people who have had a reasonable or long time in 'remission' - it gives me hope!
That's fantastic! I totally agree, life is too short - what holidays have you got lined up for this year?
Gosh that’s the spirit! All your trips sound absolutely fantastic! I loved Yosemite & Canada (Rockies) when I was there on hols. Enjoy lots of amazing & wonderful times with your hubby & family. And wish you that forever remission.
By the way, my mum is stage 4 G3 and finished first line chemo nearly two years ago now. She has been well & in remission since. Stay positive!
Thank you Deb, I'm really looking forward to Yosemite and we're also considering the Rockies, just got to find a way of fitting it all in!
That's wonderful to hear about your mum, I'm stage 3a G3 and it really helps to know that other people with later stages have done so well after chemo!
This all sounds fantastic, I just love America and have been lucky to have been there six times. I am one year from finishing first line treatment for stage 1c o/c but feel I have lost the confidence to go out of England. The other day I tried as an experiment to see if I could get travel insurance to visit the States, after putting in all my details I was declined. I then did it again just to cover a 4 night trip we are going on next week to the Norfolk Broads, I was offered cover at £57 just for those 4 nights! Anybody offer help with this? x
Thank you triplets, I've been lucky enough to have been to America a number of times as well, we actually got married in Las Vegas! This time round though travel insurance options have been extremely limited - I have managed to find someone who will insure me for cancer cover and cancellation cover, a company called All Clear Insurance, it's horrendously expensive but at least it's peace of mind.
I was stage 1c, NED so far 3 years out and I have insurance included in our Nationwide account, but not re occurance for cancer. I know we are both in the same position with our other halves as well, so p.m. if you want to.
I know the other ladies will probably give you better advice, regarding other insurers but, we don’t let it stop us going places, within reason,
Inspirational stuff! We loved loved loved our big trip to the USA last year and went to Arches, Grand Canyon, Zion Yellowstone etc ans especially I would recommend Bryce Canyon and Teton Mountains near Yellowstone. Amazing really totally awesome. Enjoy!!!!!
Thank you Netti. Your trip sounded wonderful! Most of the places you have listed are the places we are going on that part of the trip - except Yellowstone, however I've just looked up Teton Mountains and it looks stunning, so now I'm wondering if I can manage to squeeze that into the time we have there as well!!!
There are ski lifts of various length, at several points. There is a via Ferrata climbing route and Teton Mountain Lodge and Spa hotel is one of my favourite places on earth. Truly wonderful place to stay. Jackson Hole is great too and there is a local airport at Jackson Hole with a great airstrip as you go alongside the mountain range in the National park. There are several facilities free to people staying in the Teton Mountain village resort after 6pm and the water activities on the river are awesome. It was one of our greatest surprises, as we hadn’t really heard much about the Tetons before we went, but our travel agent recommended it strongly so.... I’m sure you’ll have a fab time wherever you go. X
I've just been and looked at Teton Mountain Lodge and Spa, it looks amazing! If we get up there we'll take a look at Jackson Hole too - thank you for that. I hadn't heard/read anything about the Tetons until your post, it looks beautiful though, so if I think I can squeeze it in I definitely will. I'm our travel agent I plan, map and book everything myself independently, so I've got a lot of researching and plotting to do - I love every minute of it though
I’m confident you’ll love this place Paula. There are 2 pools, one is outside so you can swim and look at the mountains at the same time. Go go go xxxx Netti
It sounds awesome! The USA/Canada part of our trip starts in October after one of my 3 monthly check ups. We've got our drive to Istanbul then our Spain/Portugal drive before the USA/Canada part. We've got our shorter trips before John finishes up at work end of April, first being Norway on Monday!
Paula--what a great post--you have inspired me and I am in treatment...BUT it shall end and then I should have plans in place! I hope those Northern lights show for you and we all await those pictures that will be coming. ENJOY! ox Judy
Thank you Judy, I was having treatment from mid May to mid December last year and talking about past and future travels with hubby is what got us through it all!! I have my fingers crossed that your treatment is successful and with not too many side affects. You'll be travelling again before you know it!
Thank you, I'll definitely post some pics along the way.
Hi Paula, I’m so happy to hear you are NED and are able to start such an adventurous vacation. You are an inspiration! I am still going through front line...cycle 11 of carbo/taxol/avistan.
I live in Canada and am excited to hear you are going to make your way down to my end of the globe. Can’t wait to see your pictures.
Thank you Lucy and I hope your treatment is going well without too many side affects.
We're heading up to Churchill in November to see polar bears, I've built our whole Canada and USA trip around seeing them as it's something I've wanted to do for such a long time - I'll post a photo of one if we're lucky enough to see them.
Go you xxx we did lots of travelling the year after my treatment finished (not as exotic as yours though) we really enjoyed it then settled back into a 'normal' life again I managed 4 yrs disease free and hope you get a lovely long remission xx
Thank you Betty, we haven't travelled overseas since I was diagnosed last March, so it feels like a long time since we boarded a plane or the Eurotunnel, we really can't wait for our travels to start. It's brilliant that you did lots of travelling too, making memories that will be with you forever!
I'm off to start packing for our Norway trip now, flying tomorrow!!
Well done, exactly what I would have done (I hope) in your situation....really enjoy it and remember, you can fly back from almost anywhere! Love Chris xxx
It's interesting to hear all of these ambitious travel plans.....and good for you! Where do you get the energy??? I'm about finished with first line (10 rounds carbo/taxol) and really feeling like crap. Maybe in a month or two I'll feel like venturing out more, but right now all I can think of is how nice it would be to sit on a beach in South Carolina, where most of my family lives, read a book, and just "be" without the constant sickness of chemo. The Seattle winter has warn me down.....
I'm building my energy up slowly - I started with short walks around the block then went on to walking round a nearby lake. I'm by no means back to full energy and find things quite tiring, but every day it's improving
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