Poppy's Ponderings

Following on from a recent post on the Newly Diagnosed forum about things you wish you’d done before diagnosis, left me pondering…i have posted this on the Everyday forum also.

The things I wish I’d done before diagnosis…?

I try to turn it around. On a good day, I think of the things I have done.

I’d never been abroad until I was 49. Late starter. My sister in law invited me to her home in Cyprus. Hubby has no interest in foreign travel and can’t take the sun, so off I went on my own. It was the beginning of an amazing six years for me. I was hooked and wanted to travel the world. (On a shoestring I hasten to add). My wonderful husband was happy to let me pursue this longing of mine. He was either very confident in our love for each other and knew I would always return home, or he was glad of the rest from my incessant chatter and planning!

I travelled solo to Cyprus, twice. Turkey, Crete/Santorini, Canada, Gran Canaria too many times to count, Lanzarote, Tenerife, for weeks at a time. Using public transport and making friends along the way, who I’m still in contact with now. I was filled with energy and a Joie de Vivre.

I had been making plans for walking the Camino de Santiago for my next adventure. However,my diagnosis was sudden and my progression was swift. My declining mobility gathered speed, and I knew my Camino journey wasn’t going to happen. I remind myself how lucky I am to have done the travel I had done. I am also extremely grateful we can manage a week in the sun 2/3 times a year,only with airport assistance and hubby’s patience. No longer my adventures, but still getting “out there”.

I’m glad I was dxd aged 55 and had raised my two daughters. I don’t know how people manage with young children and they have my total admiration. My lack of stamina would not allow that today.

I’m sad I can’t drive anymore. So I have to be grateful my husband can drive me wherever I want to go. Grateful that I was given a motorised chair and we were able to buy a used vehicle with a ramp, to get it into.

I re trained as a Massage therapist, a mature student, aged 50. That was fun. As the oldest in the group where the youngest was 17 and the next oldest 28, I was again rejuvenated. The energy they brought with them was infectious. I could never manage to be up, dressed and in a workplace for office hours now, and complete a days work. Not to mind staying upright and on my feet all day! Sad I can’t work as a Mortician anymore, so I have to be glad I am able to finish my work contract as clerical assistant from home. My contract ends this Autumn. We are going to miss that small, extra income.

Sad I can no longer work in my acre of garden, that was our life-long goal and retirement dream. So I have to be grateful we can manage to pay the pittance a lovely local man charges me for keeping it tidy, because he likes me and feels sorry for me I guess.

So my conclusions are, buy those shoes, wear that dress, go on that journey, eat the cake! Who knows what tomorrow brings?

Well now, feeling very virtuous on this beautiful sunny Monday, I shall go and tell Hubby he’s wonderful and that I love him then make us some lunch. I’m not going to say Grace before it though. [wink]

I should probably add another thing I am grateful for. Diagnosed with breast cancer before Christmas, I had surgery, a lumpectomy, in January, on my birthday. Six weeks of daily radiotherapy followed, involving a four hour round trip to the city hospital.

I’m incredibly grateful it was discovered early on a random mammogram. Lumpectomy had a clear margin and a lynphnode removed was caught before it had traveled further. I’m still here and I’m still standing.

There’s always something to be grateful for, however small.

An inspiring post Poppy.

I’m grateful for my travels. I’ve had such a varied exciting life.

Now I’m happy to potter about in my chair. I’ll be doing Cyprus in the Autumn.

xx

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Thanks Poppy , it was beautiful to read , i especially liked how you said you were going to tell your husband that he was wonderful and that you loved him . Its so important to tell our children and partners infact good friends and family that we love them . Life can change so quickly you never know what tomorrow will bring . I once read that often you cant change your situation but you can change your outlook and attitude. I try to find 5 things to be grateful for each day. Michelle and Frazer xx

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Thanks Steve. I’ll want to read all about the trip!

Michelle, when i went to the kitchen and put my arms around his waist, he laughed and asked me what I was after!

You are right that though and it’s easy to find 5 things, no matter how seemingly trivial they might be.

Lovely post Poppy. Inspiring. I just had to go through 4 months of tests to find out if I had cancer. Luckily for me it wasn’t. Makes you think though. Like you I try and turn it round. Be grateful for what I still have. Looking the other way installs only pain. Keep going…hope you are enjoying yr say. Anne

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Instills and your day!!

Instills and your day!!

That’s a fabulous post, very inspiring :slight_smile:

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