Forum Discussion
Doing what you LOVE to do - before, during & after BC! What's YOUR favourite?
Hi guys
I am really lucky in that I have 2 BIG passions that consume a lot of my time ..... and (no surprise to some of you ....)
Ukulele Playing - this was a library gig we did last year .... (I am 4th from left, front row.) Our ages range from the 50s - 80s. Every 4-6 weeks we play 'gigs' at 4 Nursing Homes - and we practise weekly at another nursing home ... so I guess you can call us 'volunteers'?? Some of our members are older than the people we are playing for! LOL
and
Kayak Fishing - I love nothing more than hitting the lake with a bunch of buddies.
Yesterday, I was getting cabin fever from lack of fishing (wet & windy here for the last week), so I grabbed a warm jacket
& walked the edge of the Boat Ramp .... I was busted off on the first fish :( (a good sized Flattie from the power of it's head shakes!) then dropped the next few that spat the hook .... then finally landed another nice one, that came home for dinner!!
So WHAT IS IT that puts that 'gleam in YOUR eye' - is it Golf (I play it badly), Playing Bridge (never tried it - I think you have to be 'serious' to play Bridge), Singing (that goes hand in hand with Uke Playing), Community Groups/Volunteering, Tapestry, Running (I couldn't run round the block to save my life!), ..... that gets you out of bed quicker in the morning if you know you are going to 'do it' ........
How has your surgery/treatment impacted on you doing 'YOUR TIME" stuff? Have you had to stop doing it or can't do it as often due to your treatment? Do you find you find you are still expected to do EVERYTHING ELSE at the expense of 'Your Time'?
Prior to my surgery, my uke group were amongst my greatest allies - I had to tell them straight away as we were gearing up for a big performance at the Blue Mountains Uke Festival - and I didn't know if I would be there for them!! After my surgery, I was back playing again 2 weeks later - but was very mindful of where my uke sat - as it was right across the affected boob!! The Blue Mountains gig was 3 weeks after my surgery - and luckily, I made it!! 4 of my Uke group have had BC & were able to offer info & support.
My Fishing Buddies were also an immense support to me as well (as indeed they were when Hubby was going thru his cancer in 2010) - I've caught up with a fair few of them since I was diagnosed & it has just been terrific. A bunch of my kayak fishing ladies had also had BC and were a wonderful source of info & advice!
Part of my philosophy to recovery is to try & keep 'busy' with 'stuff' so that your mind is kept active & is a 'happy thing' compared to what we are going thru daily just now (Hmmmm - tho I REALLY should be decluttering our home - but that doesn't excite me as much! LOL)
SO, let's get a list going of all your favourite pastimes ..... then, if anyone on the forum is living near you or passing thru - you may be able to share your passion with them to help them 'while away' the time!!
I am really lucky in that I have 2 BIG passions that consume a lot of my time ..... and (no surprise to some of you ....)
Ukulele Playing - this was a library gig we did last year .... (I am 4th from left, front row.) Our ages range from the 50s - 80s. Every 4-6 weeks we play 'gigs' at 4 Nursing Homes - and we practise weekly at another nursing home ... so I guess you can call us 'volunteers'?? Some of our members are older than the people we are playing for! LOL
and
Kayak Fishing - I love nothing more than hitting the lake with a bunch of buddies.
Yesterday, I was getting cabin fever from lack of fishing (wet & windy here for the last week), so I grabbed a warm jacket
& walked the edge of the Boat Ramp .... I was busted off on the first fish :( (a good sized Flattie from the power of it's head shakes!) then dropped the next few that spat the hook .... then finally landed another nice one, that came home for dinner!!
So WHAT IS IT that puts that 'gleam in YOUR eye' - is it Golf (I play it badly), Playing Bridge (never tried it - I think you have to be 'serious' to play Bridge), Singing (that goes hand in hand with Uke Playing), Community Groups/Volunteering, Tapestry, Running (I couldn't run round the block to save my life!), ..... that gets you out of bed quicker in the morning if you know you are going to 'do it' ........
How has your surgery/treatment impacted on you doing 'YOUR TIME" stuff? Have you had to stop doing it or can't do it as often due to your treatment? Do you find you find you are still expected to do EVERYTHING ELSE at the expense of 'Your Time'?
Prior to my surgery, my uke group were amongst my greatest allies - I had to tell them straight away as we were gearing up for a big performance at the Blue Mountains Uke Festival - and I didn't know if I would be there for them!! After my surgery, I was back playing again 2 weeks later - but was very mindful of where my uke sat - as it was right across the affected boob!! The Blue Mountains gig was 3 weeks after my surgery - and luckily, I made it!! 4 of my Uke group have had BC & were able to offer info & support.
My Fishing Buddies were also an immense support to me as well (as indeed they were when Hubby was going thru his cancer in 2010) - I've caught up with a fair few of them since I was diagnosed & it has just been terrific. A bunch of my kayak fishing ladies had also had BC and were a wonderful source of info & advice!
Part of my philosophy to recovery is to try & keep 'busy' with 'stuff' so that your mind is kept active & is a 'happy thing' compared to what we are going thru daily just now (Hmmmm - tho I REALLY should be decluttering our home - but that doesn't excite me as much! LOL)
SO, let's get a list going of all your favourite pastimes ..... then, if anyone on the forum is living near you or passing thru - you may be able to share your passion with them to help them 'while away' the time!!
184 Replies
- OK .... a bit of an inspiration story here ....
Not so much a BC story ..... but for my husband, who had 3/4 of his stomach removed due to Stomach Cancer back in 2010 ..... he was an accomplished runner & triathlete, having started Triathlon late in life - in his 50s, after mainly only running previously - all distances from sprints to Marathon - he even did the Comrades Marathon (ultra distance race in South Africa) and was leading it when run off the road by a bus & injured :( ...... these days it is a closed road race!
We thought the Stomach Cancer & surgery would be the end of his sporting life ...... but he is a tough cookie! Only 25% make it to 5 years even AFTER successful surgery & chemo. Bryce Courteney, the writer was one who didn't even make it to the 5 year mark. He had identical surgery & treatment to Keith.
A bit of background .... he was born an identical twin in the UK in '36 .... with war about to break out in Europe. His mother died when they were 6 months old & their father's unmarried sister agreed to help raising them in the family home. The father left for war & was gone 6+ years. He'd sold the family home prior to leaving for the War, so the sister had to find accommodation for her & the twins where she could, all over the countryside, often doing midnight flits to avoid paying the rent as she was their full time carer - and they were a handful too of this tiny woman!
Their Dad came back from the war in '45 & didn't want a pair of 9 year olds under his feet (or their older brother - who was living with the father's parent's family during the war.) The older brother left for the USA shortly after the war ended as a teenager, being 9 years older. (Keith & his brother wouldn't see him again for 40 years.)Keith's father (he never called him 'Dad'!) saw an advertisement for sending young folk off to Rhodesia, Canada or Australia to attend 'boarding school' and learn to be Farmers (for the boys and Domestic Servants for the girls) ...... and decided a one way ticket to Rhodesia would be the way ahead for them. So they were wrenched away from their beloved Aunt (who they had always known as 'Nan') and put on a boat for Africa with 20 other young lads & ladies, some as young as 5-6. They were the Child Migrants that everyone has been talking about in recent years - where the UK had been offloading it's waifs & strays since the 1600s on a one way ticket to another country half way around the world - to fend for themselves!
Keith and his brother actually LOVED living in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and thrived. They were both excellent runners & Keith represented South Africa in later years, before moving to NZ for 35 years, then Australia, where we are now.
SO .... being diagnosed with Stomach Cancer in 2010 was a real shock - he NEVER ate anything fatty, or too much sweet stuff, he never smoked or drank alcohol - he really considered every little thing that he put into his mouth .... and continued to compete at high level in both running and triathlon, representing both NZ and Australia over the years, breaking many records. At age 50+ he took up triathlon - and did his first Ironman on just 3 months preparation (most people take 12 months preparation!) He qualified for & competed in Ironman Hawaii World Champs twice (coming 2nd and 4th) and had been crowned World Champion Triathlete in Olympic and Aquathlon distances just months before he was diagnosed - so had actually competed whilst having cancer - just not diagnosed.
We thought that was the end of his competing days!! He had 3/4 of his stomach removed - his small intestine was re-attached to the bottom of what remained of his stomach. Slowly he regained his strength, then he started a regime of really strong chemo, which knocked him backwards again. He was only 50kg. His surgeon was adamant he not fall below 50kg or he could die. By the end of the year, instead of eating a cup of food per meal - he was back eating a plate full - as he is today and his weight stabilised at about 57kg.
So basically for all of 2010 - he was a 'write off' - a strong puff of wind would have knocked him off his feet. We flew to Perth for a holiday in Nov (he was supposed to compete in Ironman there, but we couldn't get a refund on our flights, so we stayed at a buddy's place whilst they were away.) He would hop on their bike & go for short rides. Slowly he figured "I can do this!" By the time we got home in time for Xmas - he was planning his first 'come back' triathlon. He did his first triathlon in the January of 2011 - just over 7 months after his surgery and 3 months after finishing chemo! He has only stopped competing this year!!
2 years after the surgery, he did another World Champs in NZ & won both races and again just 2 years ago in Mexico - he won 2 races and came 2nd in the other - just 2 mins behind the winner - and was the best performed Aussie in the whole Team!
SO ..... from a very ordinary start in life, with many obstacles, the biggest being the Stomach Surgery ...... and now, dementia - he has had an extraordinary life.
Even now, at 82, he is still out there running, swimming & cycling (even if he DOES forget how to get home every now & then!)
Yes, there IS a lesson in this .....
DON'T GIVE UP!! Keep doing what you LOVE TO DO BEST ..... or at the very least, the BEST THAT YOU CAN DO!
All the best for those doing it 'tough' just now ...... it WILL get better! xxx - Hey @ sisiter the walking/bike trail at Pt E is great - my favourite is towards Victor as sea views up close all the way.
- Gorgeous options to have @Sister. I hope you enjoy your beach time this weekend. Very good for your soul. K xox
- Yep @sister it’s a wonderful spot as is the bakery. Whales are usually at Crockery bay in August having their young not sure atm.We head for chips to Goolwa day one as the crowds in Victor are too much but sure miss the old days of hand cut chips at Pt Elliot.
Can understand your reluctance for a bigger drive to Yorke Peninsula as well as dealing with a tribe in a small space esp if wet.But there will be other times.Do what you enjoy with whom you want to be atm that’s more than enough.You are entitled to some time for you.xo - I love Port Elliot, too @Romla, as do my kids. We've stayed down there but mostly it's just been day trips. Berlinners at the main street bakery are always a favourite indulgence (have to get there before the queue goes down the street, though). In fact, I'm hoping that we're heading there today to look for whales - my little treat for this long weekend. We often finish the day with fish and chips (from the Victor Harbor fish and chip shop) eaten on the foreshore at Victor.
Our other alternative for this weekend was to head to the shack down near the bottom of Yorke Peninisula. A REAL shack in a backwater fishing town, built right on the dunes. Now that the kids are older, there's nothing to do but read books, walk on the beach, eat, play games, get out the bows and arrows, and kayak. Just wasn't sure that I could face the drive and being sociable to the extended family down there on a long weekend. It's funny - I used to almost dread it when the kids were tiny because it was so much work and trying to fit into a small space with so many people of different ages and ideas and everyone having different needs. Now it's so easy for me most of the time - just not at the moment. - @arpie Pt Elliotis a little SA secret near Victor Harbor about 80km south of Adelaide. Development is very controlled so high rise nightmares won’t happen with miles of beaches to walk/ swim / cycle for all to enjoy.I’m a real book girl and have thousands - I like biographies of interesting people and vintage crime like Margery Allingham as the puzzle is great but violence minimal.However that said been downloading heaps of audiobooks from the State libraries because of my surgery and use ebooks for travel.Op shopping is great fun way of meeting people from all walks of life and am constantly amazed at what people donate from vintage tails and top hats to a battered old ww2 German binoculars that raised at auction $380 for the local country fire service.PS wWe have had ukeles too! This has been a great post @arpie !
- 'The best laid schemes of mice and men...' has been the story of the last six years @arpie. But optimistically I shall keep making plans! I'm going to give it a red hot go anyway. K xox
- @Romla You'll have to tell me where Port Elliot is ...when we eventually 'do the lap' - I'll add it to the list!! ;) I LOVE reading!! Every night I read for at least 1/2hr no matter WHAT time I turn in. Do you have a kindle or prefer 'real books'? I like real books. I'm enjoying a few Di Morrisey ones just now. Gosh, I'd be lethal working in an 'op shop' ..... I love ferreting thru them as it is!! LOL Yep, my computer takes me all around the world from the comfort of my living room. I can keep in touch with buddies in UK, USA, NZ and Zimbabwe - at the press of a button!! SO GOOD!
- @kmakm We feel your pain :( You have been handed a 'job lot', that is for sure! And it is not one that any of us would voluntarily choose - but you hold your head up high & continue to help all of us here with 'our' problems ..... you are AMAZING! With your 'add on' family & the circumstances leading up to that, as well as your own cancer experience - you have surely been dealt a rather grotty hand of cards. I just hope that slowly but surely, the mountains you are climbing become 'gentle hills' and that you spot something now & then that you think 'I could give that a go' and can go forward with it? Hopefully there is some 'YOU time' rather than 'US time' down the line too - I really hope you find something that can 'take you away' from your treatment into another world, even for a few hours now and then. xxxx
- My little piece of heaven is a month every year at Port Elliot in the van. I have travelled the world extensively but can honestly say there is no where else I’d rather be. I am a book addict - my husband used to say it was cheaper than wallpaper but now mutters a lot about floorboard strength.I like being out and about in my community be it volunteering at my local op shop , having a cuppa with my neighbors or shopping with a friend. Since bc I have discovered a twice weekly Stretch/Balance class I enjoy and have taken up walking which I also like. I guess I like being around people and being active. I wish I was creative be it gardening or artwork but I do looking at others efforts.Finally , I love my iPad which is my connection to the world and read newspapers world wide each morning - my tv viewing is much less because of it.
