Hello blog-readers: it’s been a while! Sorry for that. Some of my excuses are technological: by the Law of Sod (one of the more malevolent Norse gods?) in the last fortnight my work computer refuses to connect to the internet despite repeated ‘fixes’, while my iPad suddenly went into ‘blue screen of death’ mode and has remained out of action ever since. So I only have the wherewithal to write this on a teeny tiny phone screen.
The other excuse is medical: Cycle 3 has been tough, perhaps because one of my drugs is now double dose or perhaps due to the cumulative build-up of the last 8 weeks. Either way, I’m often feeling rough, usually short of energy and always short of time, so blog-writing doesn’t get much of a look-in just now.
Still, I did want to write briefly today with exciting news of Team Viking! Lily the Intrepid will be doing her half marathon tomorrow and has been sponsored by over 50 people! It really cheers me up every time I check the page to see another donation to Myeloma UK and an incredible growing total. Good luck Lily! And thanks so much also for putting yourself through all that running, urgh.
Another fortnight later, it’s going global: in Brussels, it’s the 20k! You’ll see both Jacqui and Joe have fundraising pages. We all met way back in March 2002 or thereabouts when I moved to Brussels – a 6-month thing which turned into a fabulous and formative two-and-a-half years. Lots of my best friends still live there, and usually I’d be over a couple of times a year at least. I last went in March 2012 for our ten-year reunion and am keen to get back again later this year: it’s been far too long since I hopped on that Eurostar! In addition to J and J, I’m very touched that others I’ve never even met have joined the team – Laura, Dries and Fred I believe, making it a UK Belgium joint effort. Up yours, Mr Farage! You can support them via jacqui’s team page. Don’t feel you have to know them or that the donation needs to be big: every little helps and spurs them on and adds a little spark to my day on a bad day (which is now more or less every day apart from possibly the last four to five days of the cycle). Note also that Jacks not only hates running but ran the 20k three years ago for another friend with cancer and swore never to do it again: a true friend.
Vienna, London, Brussels… New York! From running to cycling – very appropriately to accompany my chemo cycles – my ‘little’ cousin Nick (actually well over six foot!) will be whizzing round an impressive and no doubt quite beautiful 100 miles on May 18th over in NYC : it’s so inspiring for me to think of all that going on in aid of Myeloma UK on the same day but in different time zones, with all the crowds cheering you all on!
Thanks so much, and good luck smashing all your personal targets, whether it’s a super-fast time or just to finish the bloody thing in one piece and with a smile on your face (which I guess is my chemo goal, come to think of it!)
Yours, still smiling (just about!)
Helga the Cheerleader
GO TEAM VIKING!!!
