My Final Blog

In just 2 days time, the first of my 5 year anniversaries arrives.  As we celebrate my husband's 44th birthday, I will reflect on the day 5 years ago that changed my life forever, finding that lump that signaled the start of my cancer journey.

Over the last 6 or so months many of you have followed my journey on my most ambitious fundraising effort to day embarking on 40 challenges before my 40th birthday.  Well here now is my final challenge complete, with my very last entry, number 40 on my blog.

Last week we held a party at the Tamworth Wellbeing and Cancer Support Centre where a great many of you who've supported me over the last few months joined with me to celebrate.  It was a wonderful afternoon, with friends and family as well as clients and volunteers all popping in with food and plenty of flowers for me.  We raised a little more money on the way, but primarily this was all about celebrating the challenges and the fact that I am still standing here 5 years on.  There were a few tears shed for those who couldn't be with me to share my special day.
I carefully chose my outfit for the occasion wearing a breakthrough breast cancer necklace my parents bought me for my 35th birthday, shortly after diagnosis.  I had a pink ribbon bracelet handmade by my sister when I was on treatment, and finished it of with one of my pink bandanas worn here as a neck scarf but was used to cover my bald head during treatment.  I've always been one to make a statement since getting cancer.

Here a few of the images from the day;

3 survivors all of us have beaten breast cancer in the last 5 years

A gift from the Tamworth Wellbeing and Cancer Support Centre 

My husband who's backed me all the way with my hair brained schemes

I now know that 14 of the cubs and scouts from my son's scout pack have raised around £100 for the centre too, which will mean that my final total for 40 before 40 will be in excess of £1500, a truly amazing amount of money.

So looking back over my 40 before 40 I have had some great experiences, from riding a Boris Bike to the exhilaration of conquering my fear of heights  and reaching the top of the climbing wall.  I can look back with pride overcoming my shear panic on mount Snowdon to making it to the top and back in one piece!  I had great fun trying 40 new foods, and munching on 40 different types of crisps.  I recaptured some of my youth by playing on retro computer games and reading classics from my childhood.  I experienced canoeing and watching rugby for the first time.  I even did a few healthy things like riding my bike, and 40 days of fitness.  My friends and family will hope never to see me in public in a monkey onesie ever again, although I'm quite attached to it now!
It has been great that people have stopped me to ask how my challenges have been going and were keen to know what's next.  Now that is the big question what could top 40 before 40?!

I go into the next couple of weeks knowing they will be very emotional.  My anniversary just days before my birthday is a date I never would have imagined ever seeing when I first stepped foot out of that clinic 5 years ago.  I'll be spending my 40th with the people who matter the most to me, my family, and it will be a really special time.

Many people fear turning 40, not me, it has been an ambition for the last 5 years of my life!

I'd like to think of those now just stepping onto the path I have trodden and hope that I can inspire them to believe they will get through and will beat cancer like I have.

Cancer will always be a part of my life.  I've got a pretty big scar across the middle of my chest to remind me.  It does not embarrass me though.  I look at myself in the mirror and it gives me strength. Loosing a boob does not define a woman, it is what she chooses to do with her life after that does.

Final challenge

On Monday this week 14 cubs and scouts including my son took part in a sponsored swim, with half of the proceeds going to the Tamworth Wellbeing and Cancer Support Centre, my charity!  I visited them a few weeks ago to talk about the charity and a little about my experiences, and sat poolside on Monday helping to count the lengths swam.  It was an enjoyable experience working with kids to raise awareness about what we do.  This last challenge wasn't designed to bring in hundreds of pounds for my final total, but was to encourage greater community involvement hopefully inspiring children from a young age to get involved in charity work.  There are some shining examples of young adults and children who've been amazing inspirational role models for their respective charities, who've achieved far more than I ever will be able to, some who've sadly left us behind at far too young an age.  Hopefully we can all reach out to others and all do our bit to help someone else.

These 40 challenges have shown me a wonderful side of other people.  People keep telling me that I inspire them, but it's the reaction that I get that inspires me.  I cannot thank enough the total stranger to me who got me up a climbing wall!  The volunteers at the centre have supported me with all the hair brain plans I've had, including this weekend's party.  My own family have done lots too donating auction prizes, taking part in challenges with me, or just putting up with all the randomness that my ideas for challenges bring with them!
Finally I mustn't forget each and every one of you who's read my blog, shared my posts or put a few quid in the pot.  You keep me going!

I now enter into my last few weeks at being in my 30's and I do not fear being 40 at all.  I've accomplished such a lot, and have so much to be thankful for.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

This time almost 5 years ago, I would not have had an idea about breast cancer.  I didn't regularly check myself or pay any attention to statistics.  I never dreamed that someone in their mid 30's with no health problems would get breast cancer.  It literally was a bolt out of the blue.

I remember the couple of months leading up to my diagnosis well.  We'd had a fabulous holiday down in Dorset and even joked about buying a static down there, out of our affordability but it was a nice dream.  I'd gone back to work and was confident in my job, second year full time and going well on a uni course to study for a foundation degree.  We went to a school quiz just days before, everything fine, I'd even had a parents evening with my parents and I joked about never going to have a day off from work, then BOOM!
It was Rob's (my husband's) 39th birthday and I was in the shower.  I randomly was soaping myself up and I felt something strange.  I think I'd done the same a few days earlier but thought nothing about it.  This time I was sure something wasn't right.  I told Rob, my mum, my sister etc that something wasn't right so decided to get an appointment at the doctors.  That night we went out to the pub to celebrate his birthday.  I remember sitting there with a glass of wine, the last drink I've ever had and I just wasn't right.  I left my drink and a gloom had settled over me.
Shortly after I saw my GP.  I thought she was very dismissive of my lump.  She said she'd send my for a routine mammogram at the hospital and the appointment would be through in around 2 weeks!!  I was in complete and utter turmoil, the thought of waiting two weeks seemed impossible.  My mum did some chasing around and managed to get me into a private clinic to see a well known consultant for that very weekend.  I'd never dreamed of ever going private, but I was in such a state that it seemed like the best idea.
Saturday came around.  My mum and dad came to look after the kids.  We told hem we were just popping to the shops.  We thought they were too young to be worrying about this if it turned out to be nothing.  We pulled up in the car park in the private hospital, silly me says "ooo look free parking!"  We went in and waited.  I remember someone asking me if I wanted to see the price lists for mammograms and ultrasounds.  I agreed although there wasn't much point really, as sat there I wasn't really going to not pay for it!
The ultrasound and mammogram were all a bit of a hazy memory, I've had so many since.  We then sat with the consultant for the results.  Now everyone had convinced me he'd say it was just a cyst.  Those of you who know me know I'm usually a glass half empty kind of girl, but people had got me into thinking it was half full.  When we words "It's not good news I'm afraid" came out of his mouth I was devastated.  Words can not describe how I felt at that very moment, I just fell to pieces.
Eventually after he had got a nurse in to calm us down he came back and went through what happens next.  At that stage he couldn't confirm categorically that it was cancer, but he was pretty certain.  He needed to arrange for me to have a biopsy to check the exact nature.  He knew that we couldn't really afford to be private so switched us back into his NHS clinic for this.  My life from thereon for the next few weeks became a haze.
I remember the sobbing phone calls to various family members in the car  park.  We still had to somehow get home and tell the children.  I don't even remember how we did that.  I just remember some months later a nine year old telling me how she remembered how I lied to her on that Saturday when I had my first appointment.  After that I promised that if possible I'd always tell her the truth, even when I regularly got questions like "Are you going to die mummy?"
Those few weeks from being told in all probability I had cancer until the day I finally got my diagnosis on 3rd November and a plan for treatment were possible almost the worst in my life.  I'd got plans for the hymns and songs I'd like for my funeral.  I had to be there to take my kids to and from school.  I couldn't not see them off each morning.  I just kept thinking, "would they remember me when I'm gone?"
When 3rd November came around, I remember walking out with a smile.  The sun shone through the windows of the hospital waiting room as I left, but I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.  From the outside this seems strange, but on the inside I'd got an answer.  I knew that I had an aggressive form of breast cancer, and had been told what my treatment path was.  I knew that treatment would begin pretty quickly and I had some direction and goal in my life.

I hope reading the fullest account I've ever written about my diagnosis will help you see what being breast cancer aware is all about.  Please share this with your friends.  Remember I have walked through some of the darkest days, but I'm here still to walk in the sunshine.

Remembering friends

Today marks the 21st anniversary of my best friend's death from non-hodgkin's lymphoma aged just 18.  I shed a few tears remembering how she suffered, but battled through with amazing courage and spirit.  It's only when you have cancer yourself do you truly appreciate what living with cancer is really like.  I stood on the sidelines and watched a teenager cruelly taken away from us when she should have been enjoying some of the best years of her life.  She wore a smile and made us laugh even when she was really sick.  I will never forget that friendship.
Cancer never goes away from you.  As I sit here thinking about what her life might have been like, I think how fortunate I am to be given another chance with mine.  This is partly why I want to make a difference.  Cancer has weakened me in many ways physically and mentally, but it has given me and new strength and direction in life.  I wear my scars proudly, a battle won.  I hope like Margaret was inspirational for me, I can inspire someone else in their dark places that cancer takes them.

My challenges to celebrate my 2 major landmarks are almost at the end.  This week I visited our local cubs and scouts to talk to them a little bit about my cancer and the charity that has helped me throughout.  They will be embarking on their sponsored swim in little over a week's time, hopefully generating a little more money for the charity, but also gaining a better understanding about how a local charity works near them.
The support I've had as be amazing throughout the last few months.  It really will have made a difference to people's lives with cancer.
Margaret I hope is looking down on me proud of what has been achieved.  She will always hold a piece of my heart.

https://www.justgiving.com/Louisevernon4040/

4 years cancer free!

This day 4 years ago was one of many on my emotional roller coaster.  The day started off with a hymn at a school mass which I'll share with you.  Put this into perspective.  After mass I'm heading off to have my very last radiotherapy session after a grueling almost 10 months of treatment.  As you can imagine there were floods of tears!!  It gets me every time I sing or hear it. 

The greatest day in history
Death is beaten, You have rescued me
Sing it out, Jesus is alive

The empty cross, the empty grave
Life eternal, You have won the day
Shout it out, Jesus is alive
He's alive

Oh, happy day, happy day
You washed my sin away
Oh, happy day, happy day
I'll never be the same
Forever I am changed

When I stand in that place
Free at last, meeting face to face
I am yours, Jesus, You are mine

Endless joy, perfect peace
Earthly pain finally will cease
Celebrate, Jesus is alive
He's alive

Oh, happy day, happy day
You washed my sin away
Oh, happy day, happy day
I'll never be the same
Forever I am changed

Oh, what a glorious day
What a glorious way
That You have saved me
Oh, what a glorious day
What a glorious name

Oh, happy day, happy day
You washed my sin away
Oh, happy day, happy day
I'll never be the same
Forever I am changed

Songwriters
Timothy David Hughes;Ben Cantelon

Today I sit here, 4 years on, relatively fit and healthy.  I walked to and from work.  The sun came out on the way home. I then spent 3 hours at the Centre for a volunteers meeting. I have a job that is rewarding, I do a bit of voluntary work where I can which makes having had cancer worth something.  I have 2 beautiful children, wonderful family and friends, and a husband that isn't too bad either!

Today is definitely a happy day, and things have changed dramatically in my life, but I wouldn't change them.  I am forever changed. 

Then

Now

 

The home straight and memories of Christmas with cancer

Books and games now completed!  Prince Caspian finished off the 40 with The Wizard of Oz and The Wolves of Willoughby Chase also read this week.  A final mad Lego board game afternoon has seen the 40 family games chalked off too.

All that remains is for this blog to be completed, which I will continue right up until my birthday, (lucky you!)  a scouts sponsored swim, which I have to go in and promote the charity so they can organise it as part of their badge work, plus help out with them counting out lengths on the night.  Finally (although now not officially a challenge) I will be holding a party / get together for as many people as I can possibly fit in the centre who'd like to come who've been involved in some way or another with my challenges.

I want to make sure that it the coming few weeks I share with you some more of my experiences of living with cancer, party as a reminder to me, but in the hope it might help others too.
I hope to show not just the serious side, but the funny side of cancer too!  (There really is you know!)

Firstly some pictures dug out of Christmas Day whilst on treatment.
On the first you can see how terrible I looked (I actually was worse than the photo suggests!)
I sat there on Christmas Eve full of cold with a temperature.  For most people this isn't a problem, but if you are on chemo you're supposed to go into A+E with a temperature because of infection risk with low blood counts.  There was no way however was I going to let my two little kids wake up on Christmas morning to no mum, so I just hoped and prayed that I'd be OK.

  As you can see, although unwell, I made good use of all the winter woollies I'd been given to get me through the winter, modelling them all at the same time.
Fortunately for me the temperature didn't get any worse, but by the time I went to get my checkup in clinic between Christmas and New Year for my next round of chemo, I was given antibiotics and my chemo was delayed.  The down side to this was I wasn't going anywhere for New Year.  The upside was I got to spend it with my family, not suffering the after effects of chemo to see in the New Year!

As you can see, party hats look so much better on a bald head!  We got through until New Year without any further illness, and I had my chemo a week later.  We also made the most of a New Year's Eve together just the four of us.

Cancer threw some horrible stuff at us as a family, but we got through it.  This is why each birthday and Christmas is even more special to me now.

https://www.justgiving.com/Louisevernon4040/

The end is in sight

As many of my challenges near their conclusion the end is in sight, and an amazing £1270 has been raised along the way to date.
The cycling 40 miles was done in 5 days and only now almost 2 weeks later am I thinking of going near my bike again.

Last week we had a mammoth film fest to get them all completed, the final one being Antman which we went to see at the cinema along with my parents too.
Much of last week I've had my nose stuck in a book finishing Frankenstein and Far from a madding crowd, both requiring immense concentration to follow the language.  I now recall why I didn't go any further than GCSE English.  I've just got to find 3 more now that I haven't already read.  I scoured the library the other day and have been in second hand book shops to no further avail so far.  Hopefully I'll have better luck this week.
Board games and card games are slowly being plowed through, last night after reading through the rules a handful of times we tackled Backgammon.  Not convinced we played it properly.  It took us 10 minutes and at no point did we block each other's counters. We might need to research tactics!  There's 6 more left to go now, so currently working through the huge number of Lego board games we have in our house.  At least these are no so taxing.
Party invites have been issued to many of the people involved, so the end is really drawing close.  I'm not quite sure what I'll do with all my free time afterwards!!  I'm sure more volunteering and different types of fundraising will be on the cards.  It's going to be pretty hard to top this one though.
As I get down to my last few blog entries I might need you all to get sharing to get me some readers like I did with my first few entries, that had well over 100 views (340 on the very first one)!  Thank you for sticking with me to the end.
When I was ill I had contemplated writing a book / journal of what I was going through.  I never did get around to it, perhaps if blogging had been as popular and accessible then I might have.  I only got myself setup on Facebook when I was ill.  I have to say it kept me in touch with the world and helped me get through many hours where I wasn't really well enough to do anything else.  Time makes you forget some of what you went through, which is why I sometimes look back and think a journal might have been good.  I wouldn't want it to feel sorry for myself, more as a reminder of how far I've actually come.  Little things do pop back into my head now and again.  I remember little bits about the fatigue, and how I would try and go for a walk, sometimes just walking to the next street corner and back would actually be a real struggle.  There would be other times where my mum would do the school run, and I'd sit in the car just so I could get outside.  I was too tired to walk the short distance to the school playground and back.  It was also the coldest winter for years, great when you're semi bald.  I used to go out with 2 hats on, and even sleep in one occasionally.
I often go to support groups and chat to people, each of us has our own little story, with our trials and memories.  Perhaps that might make an interesting read sometime.  Not everything was doom and gloom though.  I recall trying to get into school in a bit of a panic to speak to my son's teacher to explain how we'd been throwing my boob around the room and he'd been holding it  that morning (to explain what a prosthesis is).  This could have been a potentially awkward conversation that she might have had to have with a 6 year old when taken out of context.  I dare not imagine what he might have said.
My parents were mortified having got me a new electric razor for my birthday, only a couple of weeks later  for my hair to start falling out.  I found this hilarious!  We also found a great use for my old bras when the snow came and the children made snow ladies!  (I add only in the back garden!)
Sitting in oncology they always used to have radio 2 on.  I still remember the irony of listening to Gloria Gaynor - "I will survive" when I'd just received some bad news about my chemo not working.  I also changed my ringtone on my phone to "Radioactive" by the Kings of Leon when I was trundling backwards and forwards to radiotherapy for 3 weeks.  People were always worried at offending me.  A friend had posted something on Facebook to me about pulling her hair out.  I remember her being horrified where as I was crying with laughter.  You definitely get a warped sense of humour when going through treatment.
That's probably enough ramblings for one morning.  I did say I wanted more people to read this!!  Enjoy your day and think of something positive!

Just 6 left to complete

The end is in sight!
Just 6 more challenges left to complete, one of those being this blog that you have been reading throughout so just 5 more really!

Today and yesterday I spent time being a real couch potato finding online the rest of the computer games I played in my youth and young adulthood.  For those who do not know me as well I've always been a bit for a computer nerd, (but only just!)  I started at a young age with the grandstand tennis as anyone who is around the 40 mark will remember clearly.  I've recently seen one up and running in a museum!!  I then moved onto various consoles including the Atari 2600 where Sky Skipper was my favourite.  Check it out if you dare.  In my teens I had an Amiga 500 with my first window based operating system,  (none nerds now asleep) before moving onto Windows or DOS games on my first 486 and then the Playstation.  The 40 games were a real mixed bag from all of these, and don't you notice the graphics when playing them on modern PCs and even phones!!

I've not just been a couch potato though, since Saturday I've been busy cycling, 40 miles in a week.  Not that much some of you may be thinking, but for me who cycles no more than 5 or 6 miles a week, this has been pretty taxing to get on my bike every day.  All being well I'm actually hoping to finish in 5 days, assuming I get to Kingsbury Water Park and back in one piece tomorrow!!

So what's left you might be thinking.  I've got a handful of books and films to finish off.  They might get finished of the summer holidays if I'm lucky, and get off my laptop.  I've got an absolute mound of board games to get cracking on with the kids, so that should keep me pretty busy too.  I'm then helping to organise a Scout's sponsored swim, well at least go and talk to the kids, and get them to get sponsorship in early October.

A get together is planned in October at the centre to celebrate what has been achieved, and hopefully tie up anything left in the few remaining weeks of being 39!

I'll have to make sure I finish my blog leading up to my cancerversary which I've now worked out is the 3rd November when checking through my original consultation notes.  Time was a blur in the weeks leading up to diagnosis, so I never really remembered the exact date of being officially being told I had cancer.  Four days later I hit 40 a wonderful feeling to still be here to be able to say that.
I am thankful for being alive, and for all the opportunities I've had since cancer.

I'm also tremendously thankful for all the people who surround and support me every day.

£1200!!!!!

In less than 24 hours, the £1200 barrier has been smashed.

I'm so thankful for each and every one of you who's donated from the £1 text donations to the tens of pounds people have donated.  It will all make a difference to the people living around Tamworth and the surrounding areas who are suffering from chronic illnesses and cancer.

We have achieved more than I ever imagined when I first embarked on these challenges earlier in the year.  I've now got 8 left to complete, and we'll finish with a party to celebrate when the centre is reopened.  There has been a real team effort to get to where I am now, which captures what the Tamworth Wellbeing and Cancer Support Centre is all about.

My 40th year has been memorable in many ways already, and I've not even got to my birthday yet!
I'm hoping that this shows that there can be life and hope after cancer and that this will inspire others who are battling now.

Snowdon conquered

Just a couple of images from my Snowdon experience, lots more can be found on the Centre's Facebook page.  The first is an extremely tired and emotionally drained me at the summit, some 3 hours after starting out in the pouring rain.  The second a much more relaxed me on the way down via an alternative route!

I have to say this has to have been one of the most physically and emotionally demanding charity ventures I've ever undertaken.  

We set off in high spirits just after 8.30am on a rather dismal morning, the heavy rain turning to drizzle as we began our accent up Mount Snowdon following the supposedly easy Miners Track.  The first hour or so was pretty sedate if rather wet following the miners track up through a number of lakes.  This changed when suddenly the path seems to scale through the rocks via numerous trickling waterfalls.  We could see others climbing ahead so followed.  The path was not well defined and I began having doubts as we scrambled up wet rocks.  Just a short way up and I began to panic.  The route wasn't clear, the weather was poor and I'd stumbled a couple of times and was beginning to get scared.  It was the thought of letting the charity down that drove me on, and the fact that I wasn't sure how I'd get back down again even if I wanted to!  As we progressed higher, I got more scared, especially when at some points the path seemed to disappear altogether.  I had visions of being lost or falling down the side of a mountain with nobody knowing where we were.

We waited for another group to catch us up.  We followed them up an increasingly difficult section (a easy route, you've got to be kidding)  At one point I'm hoisting myself up rocks using 2 metal pegs fixed into the ground.  This made the rock wall seem like a piece of cake!  Finally the last section seemed to follow a defined path again as we walked towards the summit in almost zero visibility.  By the time we got to the top, we could see nothing and it was freezing and I was exhausted.  I seriously considered getting the train back down, as I had no idea how I'd manage the return route.  3 hours after we had started we'd conquered Snowdon, but it wasn't joy that I felt, just exhaustion and an adrenaline crash.

After almost an hour's rest and a chat to the guides at the top I decided that we'd climb down but via a different route, the Llanberis path, a much longer but easiest route down.  We started our journey back, and I immediately started to feel better.  We were walking down a proper path, although rocky and a little steep in places, I was back in my comfort zone.  As we descended the fog and clouds started to lift, and we could begin to take in the scenery around us.  For the first time in many hours I actually begin to enjoy myself again.  The sun was starting to come out and and we began to warm up.  The camera came back out and I felt like I was actually achieving something again. 

It still took the best part of 3 hours to get to the end of the path, but they were enjoyable.  Towards the end exhaustion started to kick in again, and we dragged ourselves back into the village to try and find a bus to get back to where we had started almost 7 hours earlier!  

I'd beaten cancer and now a mountain too!

Two days later and I'm still hobbling around feeling the after effects of our adventure!

I was hoping that this challenge would generate some extra much needed donations to the centre, as yet I've not raised even a penny more.

Please keep spreading the word, and maybe I might just make my final target of £1200 before I turn 40.

Thank you for being part of my special journey.

https://www.justgiving.com/Louisevernon4040/

Water Water

On a day where I was supposed to be celebrating another challenge completed I was left with mixed emotions.  Whilst I was standing on a field getting sponges and buckets of water thrown over me, unbeknown to me volunteers were frantically mopping up a flood that had swept through the centre after overnight storms.  The spirit of the Centre however will not be quelled by water, neither will my enthusiasm which has propelled me through these challenges.  The flood drives us on to make our centre better than it was before, but also shows the need even more urgently for funding.

I got just a little wet, and raised another few quid in the process.  I have to say I rather enjoyed my soaking!

Today also saw me chalking off the last few minutes of my 40 hours of volunteering, with the last bit of tidying and clearing away from the school summer fayre.  That makes my tally up to 31 challenges completed, with the next 2 coming up before the end of the month.

I am hoping to get my son's scout pack involved in a sponsored swim in the weeks leading up to my birthday, with a party / event at the centre to be the finale of my fundraising.

I started my blog tonight with water and have ended on water.  With this I leave you with an inspirational quote for the day!

"Be a rainbow in someone's cloud"

Busy Times

I have 5 minutes to catch my breath to update you all before my next challenge hopefully is completed in about 12 hours time.

This time last week I was terrified at the thought of a climbing wall, this week it's a school summer fayre that I've organised going wrong that I dread!

The rock wall climb was an amazing experience.  I did not fear the height itself, just the physical limitations of my own body.  I felt safe in the harness, just found it immensely difficult to pull or push myself up that wall, but I did it on the third attempt, even if it was the easiest wall in the building.  The satisfaction of climbing the 20ft wall and giving a thumbs up at the top was huge!

Me finally climbing to the top of the wall after the 3rd attempt!

Pleased with myself!

Me and Samuel overcame our fears and did it!

Julia was a natural on the wall.  We were diagnosed 6 months apart and have known each other since our daughters went to nursery and school together.

The whole team who took part in the challenge.  All of us connected by cancer or other serious illness in some way or another, a real inspirational bunch of people I climbed with.

Tomorrow is the turn of the school summer fayre, my last as a parent, and a day I didn't think I'd see when I got my diagnosis.  I never thought back in 2010 that I'd see both of my kids finish primary school, so I'm going into the final few weeks with a real roller coaster of emotions.  Cancer might be 4 years behind me, but there are certain triggers and I'm an emotional wreck, school masses being one of them.
On the lighter side of things with the hours I've put in over the last week or so organising the fayre my 40 hours of volunteering is within reach of being hit if not this weekend then very soon.  I'm also hoping for lots of wet sponges and some more money in the tin too.  I'm so close to £1200, nearly 3 times my original target, and the amount of people who've liked my photos or have asked about my challenges has been amazing.  I think I might have made just a small difference in raising money and awareness in the process.
I will be sad when my challenges have come to an end.  I've experienced so many new things, and had so much fun on the way.  I suppose I'll just have to sit back and enjoy my birthday in November, and look back with pride at what has been achieved.

Not long now for my scary challenge

I'm hoping to have a full house of climbers by tomorrow, ready for Sunday and the rock wall challenge.  I won't look down I think!  Did I mention I was terrified of heights?!

My food challenge finally was completed on Saturday at a barbecue with a sampling of white pudding, and to my surprise I didn't dislike it.  I have to say there weren't too many items in the list of 40 I'd try again, apart from peanut butter and banana which has been added to my regular sandwich list now.

Next week hopefully will see another challenge completed, assuming people at my school fayre come and throw wet sponges at me.  I'm also hoping a few more quid might get thrown in the tin, to keep the total creeping up.  I think there will be also a huge chunk taken out of my 40 hours of volunteering in the next week too.  I'm booked in for an all dayer for the school fayre and most of the previous day too.  So if you happen to be in Tamworth next Saturday, come and pay me a visit and throw wet sponges at me.

The films are rattling away at a fair old pace, first two Harry Potter's and the first Pirates of the Caribbean this week, so done up to 2003 now.  As they get newer there are more things the kids want to watch now!

Watch this space for climbing photos next week.
Don't forget it's not too late to donate.

https://www.justgiving.com/Louisevernon4040/

Climbers needed!

My rockwall challenge is fast approaching ans as yet there are only 3 out of the 6 places filled.  I am in desperate need to find 3 more people to climb with me.  Given I am terrified of heights I'm sure there must be someone who enjoys this sort of thing.

As I type a plea has gone out, and hopefully it will get answered!

I've been busy clocking up the new foods, up to 39 now!  Jimmy Spices is a great place to try all manor of weird and sometimes wonderful Asian foods.  I also tried the delights of buffalo burgers at Download last week.  I have to say a couple of bites and Rob was given the rest.

The films are going well too Unbreakable from 2000 was my latest and the kids have insisted Harry Potter is next.
I'm also clocking up plenty of hours volunteering.  Organising a school summer fayre seems to be taking over my life at the moment.

I'll keep this short and sweet, and hopefully by my next blog another challenge might be chalked off.

Thanks for reading.

£1000!!!!

Just as I said it had all gone quiet, I check my justgiving page, that has suddenly stopped emailing me my donations to see to my amazement that I have now surpassed £1000.

When me and my little sister dreamed this 40 before 40 one evening on Facebook a couple of months ago I never thought it would get so big.  I've do fundraising even before I was ill, having lost my best friend to cancer at just 18,  but never before have I ever been part of such an achievement.

I walked the race for life on chemo and raised a few hundred.  I've done the great midland fun run a few times again raising similar amounts, and a couple of Macmillan coffee mornings, but have never even got close to £1000.

My 40th year has already been so memorable, and I have so many more memories yet to make.

Thank you for being part of my 40th year!

It's all gone quiet

Things have slowed down on the challenge front as my life whizzes around at a tremendous pace at the moment.  I'm still just a few pounds shy of £1000 which I'm still hoping to reach soon.

A lot of the challenges are taking their time to complete although I'm pleased to report that I'm half way through the films, Dangerous minds being my latest offering from 1995.  I've spent many hours this week trying to arrange a school quiz and summer fayre, so I'm easily past halfway in my 40 hours of volunteering.  If I logged every moment I spent sending email, communicating with various people, designing forms and posters, I'd have passed 40 hours already!

I'm still struggling to get people to commit to joining me on the climbing wall challenge, so far it's me and Samuel who've paid for me to scare myself half to death up a wall on a bit of rope!

We had a flurry of card games whilst away on our caravan holiday during half term, and I purchased half a dozen books from my childhood to keep me going over the coming months.

The walking group restarted after the holidays and I chalked up another 5.5 mile walk.  Now I just need to practice the up hill bit for Snowdon!

The last few weeks of school are always the busiest, but whilst all this is going on, I didn't think I'd still be around to see my son finish primary school.  When you get a cancer diagnosis, you start planning for the worst.  I'd chosen my hymns for my funeral in my mind before I'd even been officially diagnosed, and I even thought about whether anyone from the school choir would attend, as my kids have both been part of it through their time at school.  My son's last day next month will be emotional for me in more ways than one.  We all will move on to the next big part of our lives in the coming months, something I didn't think I'd see back in November 2010.  All I can say is there will be tears!

Please keep sharing and supporting.
Louise

9 days on water ..

Last day of my water challenge tomorrow, and still no-one brave enough to join me on it.  I went to a party at the weekend and purchased 5 bottles of still water over the course of the day!  Today I've developed a cough and a bit of a cold, so much for the detox.  Looking forward to squash and hot chocolate again.

I completed my salad growing challenge, two nights of cress with my salad.  The radishes are well under way and I have shoots of spring onion, let's hope they are edible too.

The books have come along nicely, Last term at Malory Towers completed, and for something completely different, the Running Man too.  I think I read that one in my late teens.  I've put out a plea for kids books as I've run out again, about to embark on another Stephen King.  He was my favourite as a teen along with James Herbert and Shaun Hutson, pretty gruesome tastes in my youth!

I finally finished listening to my 40 tracks to celebrate my 40 years the other evening, took nearly 3 hours and bought back some memories, my first record in Virgin Megastore in Birmingham, my best friend who died when we were in sixth form (she had a huge influence on my music tastes), and my wedding day too, to name just a few.

The walking has been going really well.  Last week's walking group chalked up 5.2 miles.  Just thinking back to when chemo had me at my worst I could even walk to the end of my road without feeling completely exhausted.  You don't realise how ill the treatment actually made you until you look back.  There was a short time I wasn't even left alone after blacking out one evening when sat at the dinner table.

I've noticed that my views have been dropping recently, I'm hoping the novelty isn't wearing off too much with my challenges.  It certainly isn't for me.  I've really enjoyed every moment (olives and marmite aside) of these challenges.  They've help me appreciate how lucky I actually am to be reaching this 5 year landmark.  It has also helped me see the best side of human nature.  So many people have supported me throughout the journey, and given so generously.

My final challenge which I'm hoping to finalise soon will be a party / get together in the final few weeks leading up to my birthday, at the centre.  Look out for invites!  I'm hoping to get together as many of the people who I can who've been involved in one way or another with my 40 before 40.  Just in case the guest list gets too big, I might bore you with photos / slideshows of my challenges!
I have a facebook page dedicated to my challenges

https://www.facebook.com/LouiseVernon4040

Feel free to share, comment, add suggestions on what you'd like to read about on my blog etc.
Just under £90 to reach £1000.  Keep reading and sharing and drinking water if you're brave enough!

https://www.justgiving.com/Louisevernon4040/

Wow £900

Yes I hit another landmark with week, the £900 total, £1000 is still definitely on.

Yesterday I completed the rugby double, not initially part of my challenge but I went to see my first ever rugby union match with my friend.  I've now seen both codes, and have had a thoroughly good time at both.

I think with the plans I have in place, my 40 challenge list should now be full.  I've got a few ideas in the pipeline for the last couple, more will be revealed later ....
Pipeline brings me nicely onto my next challenge.  Tomorrow I embark on the 10 day water challenge, which I saw as an idea from another charity fundraising site.  The idea is simple, drink only water (I'm allowed to eat too!) for 10 days and donate some of the money you've saved to your charity.  It would be lovely if I could sign a few people up to do this with me.  So if you're reading and thinking that's easy enough, then please take part and donate at the end via my justgiving page.
I'm going to a party on Saturday so it won't be as easy as is sounds, but I'll keep you posted.

Yesterday was a busy day, and I tried my first balti pie at the rugby, yet another new food to add to my list, definitely another like there, more than half way through now.  Can't remember if I mentioned last week's olives, but when they say a picture says a thousand words, here's mine!!

My other food challenge is almost complete, down to the last few flavours of crisps now, so I'm on the look out for the unusual ones or the ones that have slipped through the net.

This week has been very busy.  2 more books, The Wishing Chair and The Wishing Chair Again done.  I'm really not liking Enid Blyton as an adult.  Another 3 hours of volunteering ticked off too, helping at my last ever I hope primary school disco.

Snowdon finally has a rough date set now.  The first week of the school summer holidays.  I'm meeting with my sister in Wales depositing the kids, and dragging Rob along with me!  Selfie at the top I've been told.

Now I must get out of my PJs and get some ironing done for the week.

 

Sorry it's a bit late

I haven't posted in over a week, I'm not quite sure where this last week has gone.

Since my last post the total stands at almost £900, boosted by £40 yesterday at a freezing cold wet car boot sale in Chorley, Lancashire!  Me and my sister were due to do our car boot together yesterday, but my nephew was taken ill, so last minute rearranging saw my husband two boys and myself head off to a wet, windy and absolutely freezing car boot sale nearby my sister's.  I couldn't believe how cold it was for May bank holiday!!

I've had quite a few more donations since my appearance in the newspaper last week, and also had a go at canoeing as another challenge.  I didn't intend to go canoeing, it was meant to be just Samuel with the Scouts.  So there was me in the River Tame completely unprepared, and in unsuitable clothing, high-tops for a start.  Somehow I managed not to get wet, and was well looked after in a 4 man canoe in a boat which I was told was very difficult to capsize, good job really as I had no change of clothes.  I enjoyed the experience, although I had no idea how much hard work rowing actually is.

Earlier this week, the kindness and generosity of people showed again.  Someone who does not even know me has been inspired by my blog (I think) and journey and has kindly paid for me and a group of friends / volunteers to go climbing on a rock wall.  This is now booked in for the end of June.  I don't know whether to be excited or terrified, probably both.  Here is a girl who gets scared standing on a chair, so this will be a challenge for me in more ways than one!

There are very few spaces left in my 40 challenges to fill now, all I need to do is start getting some more of them completed now.  Not many more flavours of crisps left to go, down to my last 9 now.  They are getting more obscure as I go now  Monterrey chilli and goats cheese has to be the most unusual so far.

The only challenge I'm really going to struggle to compete is getting 40 people to do a challenge, or take part in a challenge for me.  If you are reading this now there are a few simple ways you could help.

You could join me in my walking group that meet on a Friday afternoon at 1.30.

You could just post an inspiring picture on the Centre's facebook page tag me and donate £1 or 2 to my justgiving page.

I'm sure there won't be too many takers to go up Mount Snowdon with me!

Thanks for keeping reading and supporting my cause.

I will finish with a thought for the wife of Rio Ferdinand who sadly died this week.  I am so lucky to still be here 5 years on.  Let us cherish every day we have.

More publicity and close to £800

After a very successful quiz last weekend, collecting over £70 by being dressed in a monkey onesie, and of course being part of the winning team, my fundraising total is not far off double my original target of £400.

Today almost a full page was dedicated to my cause in the local newspaper, which is fantastic.  It's just a shame they got mine and my husband's football allegiances mixed up!!
Just to clarify, I was wearing an Aston Villa shirt in the photo, but I support BIRMINGHAM CITY!!

The challenges have ticked along slowly this week, concentrating on munching my way through as many new flavours of crisps that I can.  Up to 26 so far, the latest being roast turkey and chestnut stuffing AKA roast chicken.

I'm up to 1987 in my film watching exploits, Robocop was added to my list last night.  It's funny how cheesy that film seems looking back now, whereas then I thought it was very high tech.

On a completely different note I watched a documentary this week about supersized models.  It got me thinking about how body image and cancer often go hand in hand.  I remember after having my mastectomy people asked me about reconstruction.  If I'd had £1 every time my consultant asked if I wanted the other one taken off I'd be rich.  I think that women are just expected to want and have reconstruction, whereas for me this was the furthest thing from my mind.  I hope never to have to go back into hospital and have another operation.  Yes, I have a huge scar across my chest, and I do wear a prosthesis, but that doesn't change me, in fact it makes me stronger.  I'm more confident about who I am and what I am since cancer.  My scars remind me where I've been, and how far I have come.  I am not ashamed of what I am. If only other women could feel so strong about themselves, and not feel presurised into fitting into social norms, I feel that my cancer may have achieved something else too.

Thank you for continuing to follow my blog, and to support this cause.  Feel free to tweet me @louise_vernon if you have any suggestions or comments that you would like to add.

A busy day eating cake

Today saw another few challenges completed and my getting nearer to the absolutely amazing target of £700.
People are stopping me now and asking me what's next and are showing a real interest in my challenges, which is wonderful, almost as good as the amounts of money that have been pouring in!

The coffee morning was another huge success today.  As well as generating another £90 for the Centre we got people through the door who didn't even know where we were or what the centre was all about.  Hopefully people left today with the same warmth I feel every time I walk in.

Another challenge today was to try a madras curry.  For some this might not seem like much of a challenge, but for me the chicken tikka girl it was a biggy!   Well I have to say shop bought madras was more than palatable.  I'm going have to try the authentic Indian restaurant one at some point, as I fear that might not be quite so easy!  I added Peshwari naan to my list of untried foods, and I purchased a jar of peanut butter, after a chat at the coffee morning about peanut butter and jelly (jam I believe) sandwiches.  That will be next on my list to try.  Surely it can't be as bad as marmite?

It was also suggested that I try being harnessed in and released down a zip wire for another challenge, for me who is terrified of heights, I'm almost considering it!

Today was a huge day all round.  I'm getting such a buzz from all these challenges, what will I do when I complete them all?  I'm not sure I do "normal"

Anyway tomorrow is the fundraising quiz, dressed as you would expect in a monkey onesie!

£400 and counting

What a busy few days!
Last night was the end of my auction, and it went with a flurry of activity.  If everyone who bids pays I will have raised over £150 with the items sold.  The matchball donated by Tamworth FC went for a cracking £30.
Today we ran our first Family First day at the Centre.  I organised it but had a great team around me doing all the work.  The idea behind it all being that we would create a fun, relaxing environment and a release for families dealing with or having gone through some traumatic circumstances.  We had a visit from the mayor and lots of activities for adults and children alike to have a go at.  The day proved a great success in many ways, including on the challenge front.  It chalked off another 5 and a half hours from my volunteering target, plus I managed to add a table top jewellery sale and a Grand National sweep to the list of challenges completed with another £38 and £28 respectively added to the total, which now currently stands at a whopping £540!!

Today also marked day 40 of the fitness challenge.  I decided to finish with a little public skipping!

The day was not all about my targets though. Today I met and talked to people who have gone through some really tragic and difficult times. If what we can do through fundraising and holding events like this can help them get through and find some happiness, no price or value can be put on this.  My cancer was sent to challenge me, and I've taken the challenge head on and hopefully made a difference.  Some people still face the battle and pain of cancer every day, and I do these challenges for them.  Many people are no longer with us because cancer took them too soon, again I remember them in everything I do.

On a lighter note, to finish the evening we had a little tea with a few luxury niceties to sample including the really unusual but tasty curry cheese, pepper and chilli   chutney and  proscuitto.  That's 19 out of 40 foods and drinks tried, the second half is going to be harder to complete.  I'm now a regular kale eater thanks to the challenges, added to my broccoli every Sunday lunch.

 13 challenges completed and my fundraising target hammered.  I'm not sure which fundraising target to aim for next.  Thanks for following my incredible journey towards 40.

Spring sunshine and a quick update

Well the sunshine has made the fitness challenge easier, plenty of walking and playing outdoor games over the last few days.  I just wish I didn't need the toilet every time I get on a trampoline!
Just 3 days left of the fitness challenge now!

The nice weather at home has also given me the opportunity to get cracking on some more of the books.  The BFG and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator are now complete.  I popped down to the library to get some more books.  Some are now on order so I've got a few to keep me going.  16 down 24 left.  The ladies were so helpful in the library getting me some reserved.

Board games are being dusted down, old and new Monopoly earlier today, and as quite often in our house I won.  We played cheese touch later, a spin off from the diary of a wimpy kid series of books and films.  I'm roping all the family into this one.

The holidays are over half way through and I haven't even opened the box for my 1000 piece puzzle.  I think the summer 6 weeks holiday might well be jam packed with challenges!

This weekend will be busy, a family fun day I organised at the centre, before my challenges started.  I should clock up a few more hours towards my 40 hours volunteering though.  I'll get to meet the mayor again, although this time fortunately not in a Villa shirt.  That's twice in one month!

Well best get back to munching my way through 40 flavours of crisps and my latest book.  John Masefield's Box of Delights.

Hopefully by my next update I'll have cracked my £400 target and I'll be looking for greater figures and greater challenges?!

Easter Update

Now if my challenge had been to eat 40 days worth of chocolate in a day, then I'd had that fixed in no time at all!

The rugby league match was great fun, and although I got no Wigan fans to post photos or donate, I did get my mention in the match day programme which was great.  Geting other people to donate who don't know me or or others to do a challenge is posing me real problems.  Please try and get your friends onboard, even if they just share an inspirational photo for me and donate £1 it all helps.


I read The Silver Sword, a favourite from primary school which I picked up in London last week.  I think I'm back onto another couple of Roald Dahl loan books.  12 completed so not bad.

I came up with another challenge today whilst playing Risk with my family, 40 games (the board / card variety) alongside the computer game variety.  After trashing my PC earlier in the week the computer variety will prove more tricky to complete.  I managed to find some apps on the tablet which mimic old games.  Who remembers snake from their old mobile phones?  or even older the tennis game on the old grandstand computer consoles?  There is one of them on display in the science museum!  Anyway so running alongside this I'll be playing old favourites of mine such as monopoly and scrabble, as well as dominos, cluedo etc.

I'm into my final week of the fitness challenges, a 5 mile bike ride yesterday and 1000 steps on the stepper today.  The end is in sight, and my next physical challenge will beckon as the weather improves.  More details to follow .....

Don't forget, this is what it is all about

I've received no new donations in the last week, so please keep sharing and help me to complete all of my 40 challenges.

Thank you for following my blog, and inspiring me to complete these 40 challenges.

Start of the Easter holidays

Now I have some time on my hands I best get cracking on these challenges.

I've got 10 more days to go on my fitness challenge, and so far even if it's just a short walk I've done something every day, and so has Samuel.

I've watched up to 1983 in films, so hopefully I can crack on a bit with these.

New challenges have started, Rob's favourite eating 40 different flavour crisp / savory snacks. Haggis and cracked pepper has been my most unusual so far, although they tasted just like steak.

I also am trying to play 40 computer games from my youth and young adulthood.  I managed 8 in one evening, and ended up needing my PC fixing after installing all sorts of spyware and rubbish on it.  I may have to be careful on the next 32.

I've invested in a 1000 piece puzzle to work on.  Never tackled one this big so should be fun.

My rugby league match is almost upon me, and I'll be going to a sell out local derby.  It should be fun.  I support the team in red not blue, I support the team in red not blue!  And I might get a mention in the match day programme too, fingers crossed!

I now have a coffee morning booked at the centre, so hopefully this will generate lots of support and visitors to see what it's all about.  I've been practicing my cake baking skill.

Did I mention that I might have to learn how to play the violin too?!  That will be fun.

I just hope I can get everything done before my birthday, and raise lots of money and awareness in the process.

https://www.justgiving.com/Louisevernon4040/

Just in case you've been on a different planet!

London calling

Yesterday I spent the day in London and managed to complete another two challenges set by friends.

The arguably easier one was to hire and ride a Boris bike.  How hard could that be?  2 phone calls lots of confusion and running between bike pickup points, and about 20 minutes I finally got 2 bikes.
There were then the tears from Hannah saying she couldn't ride it, it was too big, too heavy etc.  Once we got cycling in Hyde Park, we then had to negotiate the other rude cyclists who shouted and were abusive at us, and the teenage lads that Hannah said tried to run her off her bike by playing chicken I think with her.  Well I enjoyed my 15 minutes or so riding.  The sun was shining, the flowers were out, and I enjoy being on a bike.

The second challenge was to collect 40 different items on my trip out.
Here's the list to prove it!

Collect 40 different things in London

Train

1.       Train ticket

2.       Free newspaper

Wellcome museum

3.       Street map

4.       What’s on guide

5.       Matchbox puzzle

6.       Telescope

7.       Plastic gift bag

 British Library

8.       Paper gift bag

9.       Pen

10.   Book mark

11.   Shiny 10p in change

12.   Crisp packet from our snack on the roof terrace

13.   Map layout of library

14.   Library card

 St Pancreas Kings Cross stations

15.   Menu from café

16.   Book from my childhood list

17.   Receipt

18.   Tube map

19.   Tube tickets

 London souvenir shop

20.   Stationery set

21.   Mousemat

22.   Tea towel

23.   Postcard

24.   Fridge magnet

25.   Key Ring

McDonalds

26.   Chip bag

27.   WIFI guide

28.   Food guide leaflet

29.   Prize label from cup

30.   Stirrer

31.   Straw
32.   Condiments salt, pepper and Candarel

Oxford Street

33.   Superdrug magazine

34.   Religious magazine free handout on street

35.   Tanning salon flyer / voucher

36.   Theatre flyer

Selfridges

37.   Present for a friend

38.   Store guide

39.   Paper shopping bag

 Hyde Park

40.   Boris Bike receipts

41.   Leaf!

Nandos

42.   Napkin

43.   Pop bottle

44.   Take away menu

45.   Cup lid

46.   Kids menu / colouring sheet

47.   Chicken flavour indicator

Wembley and beyond

48.   Match ticket

49.   Programme

50.   Pin badge

51.   Toilet paper – unused!

52.   Betting slip

53.   Direction guide

54.   Child visitor wristband security tag

55.   Tube car parking ticket

56.   Rugby wristband              

I also managed to take 39 selfies, shame it wasn't one more.  I accidentally took one video by mistake.  That's my selfie challenge smashed too.

3 in one day!

Here's the link for them in their glory?!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10203928306593323.1073741968.1391613058&type=1&l=bb570b88f1