Making Progress

It has ben a while since I updated this blog. Mostly that is because there has been no real fell walking. However the whole purpose of this blog is for us to keep a record of things that we want to be able to look back on. So instead of making multiple entries describing how we haven't really been up to much, there now follows a bit of a round up of the last couple of months or so!

6th February 2018 we had an appointment to see Sareth Avula - our Consultant.
Anyone who has lived through cancer will know that these are very scary days. So whilst waking up to a covering of snow wouldn't normally bother is, it did add to the stress a little! However, we took the long way round and arrived at the Hospital in good time. Mr Avula was really pleased - in fact surprised at how well Jeff is doing. He warned us that the effects of the complications and the infections are likely to last quite some time yet but expects that by the end of April, things should be getting back on track. After blood tests etc we walked out of there feeling very relieved. He doesn't want to see us again until August, so that was reassuring.

We have been trying to get Jeff out for a bit of a walk as often as possible, however this winter has not been the most helpful! Feeling the cold more than ever and having very little strength doesn't exactly encourage him out! We set a target a while ago, that once we made it up to Lingy Hut, then he will be ready to tackle small fell walks. This was taken on 19th February, about a mile from the car - the turning point on this occasion. We are a long way from Lingy but also a little bit further than the last time!

23rd Feb and we decided to go up Helton Fell. We call this the Cheats Fell because you can basically drive onto it and then have a fairly level walk

On this occasion Jeff achieved his longest walk Post illness - albeit pretty flat! We paid a visit to our friend Annie whose Ashes we helped to scatter in October 2015

26th Feb. Another day, another walk. A lovely - if cold - day for a change. This is on another of our frequent short walk routes, along Bullfell Beck

Dreaming of the Fells? Or perhaps just smelling a rabbit? Breeze is looking across Bannerdale on our way back down to the car.

The End of Feb and Early March saw quite a lot of snow.

In fact so much snow that we didn't leave the village for 5 days - apart from on foot

Road walking isn't really our thing - but when the roads are blocked......

Then the road is as good as anywhere

At this point someone had admitted defeat and turned round!

 So, we are now into March. Just before Jeff went into hospital we had held a party (a couple of days before in fact). It had been planned since before his cancer diagnosis and we decided to go ahead rather than sit at home worrying. On that night, we declared that we would have a re run when Jeff was through his op - little did we know at that point just how poorly he was going to be.
So fast forward a few months and 10th March seemed like a good date. Jeff is able to cope with an evening of excitement and it is my 50th birthday. So with 25 - 30 of our friends we celebrated both and at the same time said a very big THANK YOU to our wonderful friends for all of their support.
People never fail to surprise me. At the worst time of our lives we have witnessed immense thoughtfulness from so many people, some of whom we wouldn't have considered to be close friends until now. At the same time others, who you thought you would always be able to count on have turned their backs and been vindictive. I hope they can sleep at night.

On 13th March we headed out for a haircut and decided to have a walk on our way back. Parking at Grainsgill Bridge as we so frequently do, we set out towards Lingy - just to see how far we could get.

Whoooop Whooooop. We didn't think we were going to get this far!! Such an amazing achievement. These two mean the world to me and to see Jeff getting his strength back enough to make it up here is amazing. 15 weeks ago, getting out of hospital was looking unlikely. I have always loved this funny little hut, now it will always have a special place in my memory.

We ended up doing a circuit over Coombe Heights. A rare selfie as we get back down to the Cumbria way - 2 very happy people - one of whom is quite tired!!

 Further progress on Fell walks goes back on hold for a while as we head down to Northamptonshire for a meeting with Social services (about Dad) on 15th March

Breeze and Grandma catch up on some sleep

 And from there head on to Lincolnshire for Jeff to catch up with his boys who (other than a visit from them when he was in hospital) he hasn't managed to see since before diagnosis.

16th March. Breeze found a new friend - Chase - while we were staying with our dear friends Simon and Sally

Poor Simon and Sal had to put up with us for an extra day as we couldn't get back into Cumbria on the Sunday as planned. Chase didn't seem to mind as it meant he came for a walk with Simon, Sal, Myself and Breeze in the snow.

 So we made it back to Cumbria and then a few days later we were off back down to Northamptonshire. This time for Dad's 80th Birthday. A lovely Lunch at the Dunn Cow at Dunchurch, followed by a trip round the World Rugby Union Rugby Hall of Fame - in Rugby of all places! Uncle Bri and Aunty Jan came too and we all had a really lovely day.

The following day we headed back home, with Mum who is staying here for a week - hopefully to rest a little.So in the interests of resting, we have not done much worth recording while she has been here - although Easter Sunday, 1st April, we took a trip down to Gelnridding where we gave Breeze a quick run

Before moving on to Patterdale to have a look around the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Base. A really interesting tour. I can't recommend it highly enough and I sincerely hope they raised a lot of money for their efforts.