A year on....

I’m not posting this for congratulations etc, or to be “inspiring”
but i am proud of myself and thought my post might help newly diagnosed ladies who are in the depths of despair.

I am 37, a mum of two boys now aged 3 and 6, and was dx with bc in march 2010. On the 15th May last year, my friend shaved off my hair after it started to fall out following my first chemotherapy. However, on the 15th May THIS year, i will be running in the Bupa Great Manchester Run 10k (thats 6.2 miles in old money!).

I am not a runner, never done it before, but with the support of some friends, and under thr guidance of my brother in law who has run numerous marathons, we set up a beginner’s running group in January, 2 months after my radiotherapy had finished. We have all trained really hard, starting off from running/walking a mile to now judt about managing the 6 miles. As a group we have raised over £3000 for various cancer charities, including BCC. I have raised £800 so far for Breakthrough Breast Cancer (sorry BCC, I’ll raise money for you next time!)

So i just wanted to highlight the difference a year can make. I feel so lucky to feel well enough to do this, and i do not take my health for granted as i know how quickly it can be snatched away. I don’t know what the future holds but i can say that at this moment in time I am happy and a million miles away from my post chemo self.

I suppose thats all i have to say! Thanks for reading,

Vickie
x

1 Like

Hi Vickie
Hope you do not mind me responding to your post - I just wanted to say that you have every reason to be ‘proud’ - very, very proud indeed! I feel proud of you and I don’t even know you!!!
Esbee x

Brilliant - best of luck on the 15th, and hope you don’t do a Paula!

finty x

I think it’s great. I dragged my sorry a** ( and my 3 and 5 year old kids) around the 5 mile challenge for bcc on my I year anniversary of dx. I certainly could not have run it. I think you should totally be proud of yourself. See you next week.

Dx

Hi Vickie, that is fantastic, it is great to hear that you are feeling so well now, and it gives me hope that I can get back to something like normal fitness next year - hope you have a lovely day on 15th and the run goes well.
Sue x

Vicky

That’s wonderful, marvellous and sorry to say it is inspiring. I hope to be where you are in a year’s time.

Please Vickie take the credit you are so well deserving of! Doesn’t matter what you call it, after the cr@p last year you are showing that there is light at the end of the tunnel. You don’t pretend it was easy, you say it as it is which makes it the more believable. But you are coming out of your comfort zone, and getting on with it! PLEASE BE PROUD OF YOUR ACHIEVEMENT!! Remember we wanted it to be August so much from the start, hard to believe that was nearly a year ago. Thinking of you on Sunday! x

Vickie, you might not want it, but Congratulations!! I think it is fantastic and a real inspiration to me.
Wishing you lots of best wishes, Ill certainly be thinking of you on Sunday
Marguerite

Vickie, your post brought a tingle to my spine and a tear to my eye -I’m so pleased that you have come so far and are now doing so much. Well done and best of luck for Sunday!
Loula

Thanks everybody, i didnt post this for praise, but i am very happy to accept your lovely words. They made me smile!

Vickie
x

Well done vickie!! Too right you should be proud of yourself, not just for all the training but for raising so much cash also! I’ll be thinking of you on Sunday- I’m sure you will kick ar*e :wink:
love tina x

So pleased to hear your doing so well Vicky, hope the sun shines for you on Sunday!!

XX

HI Vickie

I just wanted to wish you the very best of luck for your run. I am so proud of you especially as I still can barely make it round the block.

As we were diagnosed around the same time and have chatted several times over the last year, I know what a tough journey you’ve had. Its great to hear that you are well enough to tackle the 6 miles and have come through the other end.

Sarah xx

That is just brilliant Vicky! well done and you should be proud of yourself. It’s such a huge thing to get through but you have shown that you can come out the other side. Look forward to seeing you again at the BCC meetings.

hi well done vickie,

what an inspiration, and with such a positive attitude, which has to rub off on all of us,

thank you so much for being a brave a determined individual, whose has given a lot of us proof that we can do it,

lots of love and all the very best for your run, will be thinking of you and urging you on, liz xxxx

Damnfinesplendid, or as we say up here in the chilly north, gonyerselhen!!!

Cheers ladies :slight_smile:

anyone who was around on thevforum last year will know that i was a “sharer” and virtually bled my feelings onto the page! I was just rereading my chemo thread and came across this post. I had forgotten all about it. I was truly miserable, ill, down and p*ssed off this time last year, and am reposting it to give anyone feeling like that now some hope!

"
tors
tors says on 04 May 2010 17:52
i apologise in advance but i am going to have a rant because i am really really annoyed, upset and generally pssd off. I have had enough of sitting in my room listening to my mum mind my boys instead of me, i have had enough of being stuck in, i have had enough of feeling rubbish, its not like i am feeling really really ill, i just feel yuk, like i have a lump in my throat, no inteerst in food, dry mouth, worried sick of catching the germs downstairs, hating that the boys are missing me, not sure whether i am tired cos i am down or vice versa, or both, no energy, jst all crp crp crp crp crp, and to top it all off my husband is having to get collect me a prescription for piles relief cream caused by constipation, caused by chemotherapy, caused by yet again that stupid **** ***** *** stupid argh cancer, stupid stupid stupid. 3 months ago i would have been making tea for everyone and planning a weekend out with my husband and boys and now i am typing this cos i am so absolutely totally utterlrly peed off, why am i supposed to be in the prime of my life, in your 30s, best years when your kids are young etc etc etc and i am trapped here feeling crap waiting for my husband to get my piles cream prescription.

argh argjh argh
[Report this comment | Edit comment]

Vickie
ps i just passed the £1000 threshold tonight!

Tis this kind of post that makes this site a very optimistic place. Thanks
S

Thanks for your post Vickie- reminds me that I will have my life back and feel OK eventually. Need all the reminding I can get at present. Thanks too for the fundraising from which we all benefit.

Please note I’ve not written congratulations, or how brave and inspirational you are but I’m thinking it!

Best wishes for the run tomorrow- please come back and let us know how it went- when you get your breath back!

Diana x

I have had the best time today! I haven’t smiled so much in well over a year, there was a smile on my face from start to finish, and its still there! The support was fantastic, the race was fantastic, and i felt fantastic (and a little sore and tired…!).

I finished in 1hr 08 mins, which is 12 minutes faster than i have been managing. And it looks like i have raised £1400 and that my running group have raised over £4000!

I am happy and i am very, very, very proud of myself! Thanks for your support ladies, it kept me going!

Vickie
xxx