Back Again!

Back again after another break but I can't tell you how busy I am these days! The children are into their second week back at school and I am able to do all the things I am not able to when they are around.

The good news is that at my Weight Watchers weigh in last week, I lost 4lbs! I had to get on and off the scales 4 times before I would accept the reading and then I jumped up and down for joy, the other members must have thought I was bonkers. I am keeping on track with my diet and exercising alot. Rather than use my car I am walking or cycling and its amazing what an impact that has had on my weight loss.

Cola is wonderful! We took his rugs off last week. We still put his stable rug on at night because it tends to be chilly but during the day he is comando! You can tell the spring grass is coming through because he is totally fixated and is chomping at the bit to go out to grass rather than have his bucket feed which he normally enjoys.

The boys and I spent the weekend at my friends house on the top of a mountain. We camped in their back garden but oooh it was cold at night. Luckily I had quite a few glasses of red wine so the cold didn't get to me too much!

I have left my camara at my friends though so my blog will be pictureless for a while until I get it back unless I can find any appropriate pictures in my archives.

More herceptin on Wednesday; dose 10 out of 18 so I am over half way there.

I am part of the Secret Post club and I received my parcel last week which was so touching! However, I want to share the pictures with you before I tell you more and the picture is on my camara so you will have to bear with me for the next few days.

I Have Made a Decision.....

Well, I am totally fed up with my body even though it has served me well through chemotherapy and surgery and now radiotherapy. I am 2 stone overweight (28lbs) and I am fed up with being breathless. My once well toned arms through dog grooming and swimming are now not and I am fed up!

I have decided to really get back on track SENSIBLY!!!

I am going to re-join Weight Watchers on a Friday morning once I am through radiotherapy at the start of October. At the same time I am going to start my running programme (Running Made Easy by Zest). Again, I will start that at the begining of October. In the meantime, I am going to start walking in preparation for running.

The first thing I am going to do which I have never done before and I must admit, I really dont like the idea at all....... I am going to have a set of start photographs and measurements and I am going to visually document my battle with fat to keep me going.

I have done this before and I will do it again. I need to drop 2 dress sizes to get down to my previous size 8 (US size 4).

I feel as though my life has been on hold with cancer, continually feeling rubbish and ill and tired.... I know it will take me a while to recover but I must make a start for my physical and mental well being.

Don't worry, I have been a fitness freak all of my life. Before marriage I cycled 30 miles a day because I didn't have a car, I did aerobics twice a week, I swam every day and I weight trained seriously, my spot partner was a bloke and I could beat him with sit ups and with weights. I know my stuff and although I have never been this unfit in my entire life, I will do something else I have never done before..... I will start at the begining.

Wish me luck!

Session 3/12: Mole is OK

I have just returned from Wrexham Hospital having been referred there for a suspicious looking mole thing which I discovered when my hair fell out. It was multi coloured and a strange shape but funnily enough, I "knew" it wasn't cancer. I have just been told that it is a non infectious wart which I have probably had for a long time and the doctor offered to freeze it off for me. I declined his kind invitation because I know this process hurts and when my hair grows back, nobody will be able to see it. Why have needless procedures done? All I wanted to know was that it was not cancer and it isn't so - good result!

Forgot to mention that I power walked 1.90 miles today at 15min mile pace - it feels great to be exercising!

Session 3/12: Power Walking

Today, despite mentral cramps, (yes I am still having them!) I started my power walking regime. I managed 1.54 miles of actual power walking with a warm up and cool down walk added on. My pace was 15 mins per mile which was good for a starter! I followed the walk with some stretching out and that felt good.

I am focusing on walking as much as I can during the week and as I become stronger and fitter again I will increase the distance.

Before I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I had a hip flexor strain which has been nagging me so I am taking the next six months of power walking as an opportunity to strengthen my muscles in preparation for running.

I am so proud of myself.

It was a warm sunny morning with a brisk breeze but the sky was blue and I enjoyed soaking in the surroundings. Sheep grazing in their fields, pheasants in the pig farm, blossom on the trees and my robins. I always think of good things when I see Mr Robin Red Breast. When I am feeling down or sorry for myself, a Robin appears from nowhere and I instantly feel revived.

Its good to be alive today!