Day 84 has seen 6 miles walked, Balance restored, 8.4 miles cycled, cross country skied, Ran and Rowed and a frustrated computer fixed.
The last few days have seen some rather wobbly attempts at balance. It has felt as if the balance has been getting a little worse over the last week and a bit so I decided to go back to basics, get the litter picker out and tackle some litter exposed by the receeding vegetation around the park in order to work the brain and force it to get better at the balance function. It was a warm enough morning so went out once the children had gone to school. It went well in fact so well I gained a rather good buzz of contentment when looking around the park and seeing it neat and tidy. Clearly I needed to celebrate with a Mocha and while getting a Mocha bumped in to Nigel Bishop who runs the village information and heritage centre and very kindly agreed to give me some flyers for the challenge so felt even better. I have managed really well without them using instead the offer of a chance to watch a video with a glass of wine as the enticement to come and join me! But have on the odd rare occasion been met with suspicion and therefore dismissed where as on both occasions I really did feel that a flyer would and does give me a little credibility so this is really good news. Thank you Nigel. Back home that was 3 miles walked now a little more steadily, some litter disposed of, a happy dog and a Mocha collected.
Talking of Mocha’s however my brilliant Oncology specialist nurse Kirsty, who has been keeping a running report on my goings on on the Challenge for the Oncology team, has suggested that I ought to have a running tally for Mochas and Flapjacks. Of course Kirsty is absolutely right so I will start today but back track it to the start with a presumption of a Mocha and a flapjack for each and every day completed. I have missed one or two but have also managed a couple on other days so will take the Mean as 84 from today!!
The rest of the morning was spent getting increasingly frustrated with my computer and printer as I tried to print off some copies of some posts for a friend in the street who cannot use a computer but wants to keep a check on how I’m getting on. I tried everything. I switched everything off together and then back on again to see if they would find each other. They did but when I checked it was a document in the print queue that was blocking any other attempts to print anything. I couldn’t delete it despite a number of attempts. So I went back to basics and downloaded the Printer driver from the hp homepage. Reinstalled the driver but the printer still didn’t work. Time was ticking away for me to have to go to catch the bus to Callander but I was fixated with getting the printer working so found a helpdesk number for hp, dialled it and waited and waited and waited, listening to very poor quality classical music that helped me to grow more frustrated rather than calm me and just as I was about to give up a very pleasant gentleman answered the call. After 10 minutes of questions and answers about me and my account we discovered that my warranty had run out. There was nothing he could do!! I had a choice – catch the bus to the gym or run out the back door in order to run around the garden screaming loudly and pulling at my hair while disintegrating in to a blubbing mess in the corner by the fence. I ran out the door, the front door to catch the bus to the gym.
Once in callander I walked up the hill towards the High School and leisure centre. It was lunch time so had fun saying hello to the high school pupils going in to the town for lunch.. Some, who didn’t know me, were so shocked that I smiled and said hello that they burst into fits of giggles which in turn made me giggle a little so I was feeling a little calmer by the time I reached the gym.
I was however feeling a little fazy. Nothing too serious and was just ignoring it but was aware of my surroundings closing in a little closer and then back out again every so often. It was how I imagine things would look if I was to be walking around sticking my head in and then out of a goldfish bowl every so often. Clearly I wasn’t actually doing that. That would have been really silly but the visual effects I was having were I think very similar. I also had that very sharp focal headache in the top of the right temporal lobe but all in all was feeling okay and needed some exercise.
I went for a cross training circuit around the aerobic exercise machines in the gym. It was good fun especially as the machines are very clever. So I set them on to the random programme which meant that I could go cycling, or running, or cross country skiing on the machines and then every so often the machine would change the resistance or on the running machine raise the running bed in to a slope to replicate having to cycle, ski or run up a cheeky wee hill on the way. It was a great way of getting a good workout but also adding a little spice and interest to the circuit. On the rowing machine I make it a little more challenging by playing beat the average. Basically I set the little computer up to show me the average time it would take to row 500metres. I then start the row with a first pull at about 30% maximum effort. Then I have to keep my estimated actual time to row 500metres, as estimated by the computer, to a time that is always 5 seconds faster than the average time. A great cognitive challenge to be working out the maths as I row and become more tired with the figures dropping rapidly but it also means that I can start relatively slowly and so warm up in to the row. Very quickly the average row time starts to come down quite quickly thus pushing me a little harder, and harder, and harder, but the longer I row for then the reduction in the average row time starts to slow allowing me to get in to a rhythm while ensuring that I have to keep my rowing pace up and even pushes me, very slowly, to work a little harder, work a little harder, work a little harder Archie!! I get off the rowing machine with jelly legs and a numb bum but a big smile as I have managed to cycle, ski, run and row using the 4 different machines the equivalent of Doune to Callander over the top road. 8.4 miles. It was really good cognitive and physical training combined but also quite challenging. A good session.
Back to Callander and delight. The Deli Ecosse was open!! Not only open but full. It was great to see everyone again and have a Mocha and a flapjack ……..then another flapjack before the bus. I was feeling good, less like I was watching the world through a goldfish bowl but needed to get home to solve the computer problem. I had had a brain wave. I phoned Computer Division in Stirling for advice. The chap who answered the phone knew exactly what I had to do. In 5 minutes the entire problem was fixed and the printer working. Genius!! Why didn’t I phone them before. One things for sure. They are my first stop shop from now on.
A late lunch of a poached egg on toast served on a bed of spinach, rocket and watercress salad with a medley of broccoli, carrot, tomato and red grapes!! Then it was admin time before cooking tea for the children and I. Pasta Marinara again. Red Pepper, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Olive Oil, Salt, Crushed Chillies, Fresh Basil, Dried Oregano, Fresh Garlic, a Medjool Date and Chopped Tomatoes blended together and served with spaghetti. It was yummy!!
So overall a great day, goldfish bowl put away and no seizures.
So the challenge in numbers total since the start:
Days completed: 84
Total Miles Cycled: 477
Total Miles Walked: 416.5
Total Miles Run: 25.6
Total Distance Cycled, Skied, Ran and Rowed in the gym: 8.4
Total Distance Swum: 300 metres
Total Miles covered under own steam.928.5
Total Height Gained under own steam: 31,645 feet
Mountains Climbed: 5
Hills Climbed: 17
Days of Voluntary Activity: 5.5
Organ tunes learnt and performed: 5
Salmon Caught: 0!
Curling Matches played in: 4
Curling stones placed on the button (the centre of the target): 1
Weight Training Sessions: 8
Aerobic Circuit Sessions: 4
Press Ups: 188
Pull Ups: 48
Sit Ups: 188
People Met and Hands Shaken: 289
Pots of tea shared: 19
Prayers joined on the top of a hill: 2
Prayers joined in the street!: 2
Prayers joined in a Train Station: 1
Pills popped: 358
And most important of all – Money Raised as at Day 77 – £5,395.
Considering I started this challenge 12 weeks ago very quietly with no target beyond a fiver, thanks to the brilliant advice from a friend of mine, I am absolutely thrilled and again thank you all. So far that is £70.06 for each and every day that I have managed to find the will and energy to do something worthwhile and my goodness it has been worth it for my peace of mind, for my healing and for the five wonderful charities you are supporting through your generosity. Long may it continue.
Thank you all for your incredible comments and support. Please continue to spread the word.
If you see me around do please give a cheery hello and shake my hand or toot your horn and give a cheery wave to show your support and encourage me on.
Thank you
Yours aye
Archie