Hi ladies
I’ve been suffering pain for a long time and had a vertebraplasty in October which was disappointing as still in pain..I’ve been having steady rides with the help of oxycodone!!
Today my horse was frisky as it was early morning and very cold..anyway I let him have a gallop..first time for about nine months since my diagnosis..wow it felt good!!!
I think sometimes we have to be a bit reckless!!.. that’s just me though
All the best to you all
Barb xx
Hi Barb!
That is such good news you were able to go for a gallop with your horse. It certainly was cold first thing, wasn't it?! I think we have been fortunate so far with the mild weather. I heard we might be in for some snow soon.
Take care,
Sophie xx
Yes I suspect a weather change is imminent but has been mild in the midlands so far
I’m on the settee now with a hot water bottle on my back..paying the price!!!
Barb xx
Sorry to hear you are now paying the price, but it sounds like the gallop was worth it!
I don't mind too much if it turns cold. I am out dog walking in all weathers anyway, so I will just have to put some thermals on if temperatures dip! As long as it's not another "Beast from the East" that we had earlier this year I think we will be alright!
Sophie xx
I’m the same..out in all weathers..there’s no such thing as bad weather..just unsuitable clothing!!
I just bought my daughter some new wellies..hers are leaking and our field is a sea of mud..vile!!..same every year so no surprise
Barb xx
I agree with you! I love to accessorise with different hats, gloves and scarves. I have a cupboard full of them. When we went to Switzerland last month I was expecting it to be too cold to handle, but it wasn't and I am expecting the same when we head off to Iceland in January. I think I should have been born in the Antarctic. I prefer the colder weather!
Leaking wellies are such a pain. I had to throw out a colourful pink and grey pair I had and just stick with my pea green wellies.
I've just slaved away in the kitchen making some homemade Ferrero Rocher. It took a couple of hours. I really need to find some recipes that don't take so long because I don't have the patience for it!
Sophie xx
I’m impressed with the Ferrero Rocher...I’m not really interested in cooking or particularly good at it either!!
I’m so jealous of you going to Iceland..there was a beautiful photo in today’s Times of the aurora borealis in Iceland...bright green sky..amazing..it’s important to have something to look forward to..good for you!
Barb xx
Believe me, I am not the next Delia Smith by any means! The only reason I have started baking and making more things from scratch lately is because I am trying to avoid soya. I have found a brand of cooking chocolate that does not contain soya, which was a feat in itself! When I am going up and down the aisles in Sainsbury's or Tesco's I can't help but look at all my favourite goodies (I have a sweet tooth) so I thought rather than go without I would find alternative, healthier recipes and make them myself. So that's what I have been doing. I made a raw vegan carrot cake recently, but it took about 3 hours to make so that put me off.
I have wanted to go to Iceland since I was about 9, so I am looking forward to it. My husband went in 2006 when he was in the military. He took some really great pictures as he was flying over the island in an HH60 helicopter. One of my friends who has been said it's very expensive, so I am bracing myself for that. Switzerland was very expensive too! Maybe you can plan a holiday too. It's definitely worth it.
Sophie xx
Love your posts, so uplifting. I have always fancied Iceland. How do you fit it in round clinics? My clinic day changed from Tuesday to Friday because w b c too low. Makes it so difficult to plan. Cheers, Fay
Hi Fay,
I'm sorry to hear that your WBC is low. Hopefully it will go back to normal soon.
That's very kind of you to say so! My faith, family and friends help keep me going, so that is a big help! I'm also the type of person who just gets on with things and treats this disease as something extra that has to be factored in to my already busy schedule.
I have had to plan holidays and trips around appointments. They are never more than a week. I have found over time that a week is better for me than longer trips. It also helps that I am self-employed, as that allows me some flexibility. I had 8 appointments in November alone and still managed to go to Switzerland for a few days. I needed the break, as I had not been anywhere since I visited Barcelona in October 2017.
What I do is look at any appointments I have and then plan around them. For example, my Zoladex injections are normally on a Tuesday each month (apart from this month when it will be on the 24th because Christmas falls on a Tuesday), so I make sure I am not going anywhere on those days. The same is true for my Zometa infusions. I have them every three months, so know ahead of time when I will need to attend those appointments, as I make my next appointment after each infusion.
When I see my oncologist, she always asks me when I am available for my next appointment as we are getting ready to finish our consultation, so when the letter comes in the post it's just a formality. CT scans are always two weeks prior to seeing my oncologist, so I can always guess when they will be before I get a letter. Then I know I have to have a blood test a week prior to seeing my oncologist. That's how I plan everything. It works for me.
Maybe you can plan a weekend city break somewhere after your appointments? Dublin is really nice and I am planning another trip (just for the weekend) to Copenhagen in February.
Take care,
Sophie x
Hi there
It was worth it!!.. I needed to have that gallop just to prove I can do it and feel normal again..although I’ll never be ‘normal ‘ again..was good for me mentally
Barb xx
Mentally feeling good is awesome. I struggle more with mental wellness than physical wellness ☹️
Hi Sarcie,
I know what you mean. I feel great physically, but sometimes I have a hard time mentally. I try to be kind to myself when I am feeling like that, as I know the feeling will pass.
Take care,
Sophie xx
That gallop sounds wonderful. I love reading your posts.....keep them coming. We are off to Derby on Thursday, grand daughters playing French horn and oboe in school concert. Cheers, Fay
Hey not far from me..I’m in Nottingham
If you’re anything like me you’ll be crying..I always blubbered through my girls Christmas concerts..they’re so sweet
French horn is a difficult instrument..my neighbour plays one in an orchestra..I often hear her practicing
Have a super day
Barb xx
LOL!! You made my day, Barb!! XXOO Linda
It’s minus 5.6 C here today. I hate it. Sucks the energy out of me. Congrats on your gallop!
Eeek that is cold!!
Wouldn’t be galloping in those temperatures as ground woul be frozen..dangerous
Have a curl up with a book and a hot water bottle
Barb xx
Did your docs tell you how long it is likely to take for the vertebraplasty to heal and fix the pain? I ask because two months doesn't sound like enough time to me. I have not had that procedure but I have had two other back surgeries, not cancer related, and the post surgery period was nearly painless, which surprised me, but the healing and what I had to be careful about took alot longer than I expected. I hope your back will feel normal again in time. And I sure understand your love of a good gallop! I haven't had horses as an adult but I grew up with them and loved riding. I don't think I am limber or strong enough to even get up on a horse now! lol And I would much rather blame cancer than age! Give your horse a hug for me!
Hi there
He said I could exercise but tbh I didn’t ask about riding as he’d probably tell me not to get on a horse again which isn’t an option for me..he did say the pain I had after the procedure was muscular as the cement had set immediately so that makes sense..he said he had to be quite brutal and hammer away to inject cement..ugh makes me feel queasy just thinking of that
All the best to you
Barb xx
Sometimes I think having this cancer is like being trapped in a dark comedy skit! Have you tried imaging that brutal hammering? Crazy "this is for your own good!" kind of thing. We sure get exposed to alot of very strange information and experiences!
Good for you!! I like reckless!! Gotta live! Remember none of us are statistics!!
Lovely to hear. I rode for years and there is nothing like that moment of being one with your horse. They are very special friends, aren't they. Keep galloping and enjoy every moment. I envy you - wish I was a bit younger sometimes!
Hi there
Well I’m no spring chicken..65 in February so that’s why I want to ride as much as I can manage..this time next year god knows what I’ll be like ☹️
As you said..there’s a special bond you get with a horse
Quote from Winston Churchill ‘ there’s something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man’
He was a great lover of horses himself and played polo in his youth
Barb xx
That’s fantastic! Good for you, I bet it felt great to take control and do exactly what makes you feel good. xo
It did..although you’re never totally in control of a horse..lol
Riding Thursday but maybe just trotting and a canter or two..keep the handbrake on!
I just hope I can continue for a bit longer..hate this disease so much..it’s spoiling all our lives
All the best to you
Barb xx
Thanks for the great post/perspective! Reminds me to remember that if I'm "exhausted" or achey (sp?) after doing something that I used to take in stride, I should view it as a happy side-effect of / small price to pay for doing something enjoyable! Thanks! 
Hi there
It’s hard though isn’t it?..it’s easier to just give up and slouch around the house feeling miserable ( which I do sometimes and have a cry).. I try to have more good days than bad
Barb xx
Awesome!! Glad you are recovering and feeling better ❤️
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