I managed to run just over 4 miles the other day (7km+) in training without too much trouble. Legs getting bit jellified - not surprising considering I dont eat carbs or grains! - but other than that on track I think with fitness! First race is 10km on Feb 19th with my dear friend Shelley. If anyone else wants to run with me this year my dear mum has offered to pay our entry fee's so give me a shout to my email maustokyo@gmail.com or text me +44 7896 868099! Find a race and I am there!
Keep the pledges coming!!!
* * *
RECOMMENDED
Mandala Yoga Ashram - anyone in the UK who wants to go deeper this is the place to go. I am going back in february for Karma Yoga week and longer. Cant wait!
Considering a trip to India too lately... love to get to the Satyananda Ashram in Bihar... their books are FANTASTIC!
Thursday 26 January 2012
Monday 23 January 2012
Diary entry 12/6/2011
My Dad said I should include more of the personal musings I often include in my letters to him so here goes ... erm ... something...
Dec 6th
After a mostly self-inflicted lovely but hectic day before - presents, treatment, running, then a comedy club with some family and friends - and not enough sleep by half somehow today I feel a real power & strength leaving for Japan. Writing Christmas cards I realise that this year has actually been utterly incredible really - my trip to the Lake District with the Willow Foundation, my (albeit belated) Japan trip in July, Mauritius with my father and lovely brother and sister, lots of wonderful support from my family in the UK & of course the most amazing one of all my alternative treatment fundraising success. When I think of all that the challenges I (it feels more like we now though) faced throughout the year: 2 months of chemo, my ill-fated colostomy reversa leading to the very disappointingly (at the time, now it doesnt seem to matter at all) cancelled japan trip in May, 3 visits to Accident & Emergency including rudely interrupting a hatha yoga courseI didnt even get to start at the ashram (quite the opposite physically I can tell you!) - just fall away into insignificance. I find myself with only one sentence hanging in the air, like a clean sock tumbling from its apex in the dryer: I wouldnt change a thing! If I did I'd have to give up the most incredible thing - the knowledge that I am loved & the feeling of being supported when a hippopotamus-like load is balanced precariously on your state of mind. The stress destroying positive energy in the comments and generosity of you all - family & friends across the globe - has been nothing short of overwhelming, allowing me to invest in my body even so deep as at a cellular level with some of the things it has given me the purchase power to do. And guess what? … digestive troubles aside I feel fantastic for it! Finally my fitness and energy levels are getting back to around June 2010 levels, the last time I was really physically fit enough to run 30 minutes. I have a long way to go but its a start…
When I think of my nephew Louis' cycling efforts raising over 1000 pounds so far, Josh & crew in Tokyo raising over 1500 with the help of all my amazing friends out there doing a party in my honour, plus all the individual donations and comments I feel something really intense happening. The earth feels like its moving, but around me & in support of me rather that falling away from under me - how I feel when I am buried in the mud of chemotherapy - or that the ground has given way beneath you - how it feels when you're suffering the post-op agony of major surgery. To the backdrop of that mire the kindness of this last year takes me far beyond thoughts of 'why me?', 'did I do this to myself?', 'what did I do wrong?', that so many fellow cancer patients seem to suffer with … I am left with the insight bursting through that my cancer far from being a curse is actually a gift - granted wrapped in a rather displeasing box. With it came unending love from my family, unfaltering and sometimes surprising support from friends even thousands of miles across the other side of the world and of course the grateful realisation that I am still one of the lucky ones - one of the luckiest I sometimes think - to not only have all this but also the beauty of natural all around me every day, which I appreciate like never before.
Thank you everyone from the bottom of my heart where I discover a little pulsating ball of increasingly bright light of a soul you know as Dave quietly resides, biding his time. For what only time will tell, but time is something we all have - NOW is never ending.
http://vimeo.com/34236830
* * *
ps. some books you might like...
Benjamin Hoff - The Tao of Poo & The Te of Piglet - officially my favourite book ever so far!!!
Eckhart Tolle - The Power of Now ... wonderful handbook how to live more in the present
Swami Nirmalanda - Yogic Management of Cancer ... has helped me so much this year!
Dec 6th
After a mostly self-inflicted lovely but hectic day before - presents, treatment, running, then a comedy club with some family and friends - and not enough sleep by half somehow today I feel a real power & strength leaving for Japan. Writing Christmas cards I realise that this year has actually been utterly incredible really - my trip to the Lake District with the Willow Foundation, my (albeit belated) Japan trip in July, Mauritius with my father and lovely brother and sister, lots of wonderful support from my family in the UK & of course the most amazing one of all my alternative treatment fundraising success. When I think of all that the challenges I (it feels more like we now though) faced throughout the year: 2 months of chemo, my ill-fated colostomy reversa leading to the very disappointingly (at the time, now it doesnt seem to matter at all) cancelled japan trip in May, 3 visits to Accident & Emergency including rudely interrupting a hatha yoga courseI didnt even get to start at the ashram (quite the opposite physically I can tell you!) - just fall away into insignificance. I find myself with only one sentence hanging in the air, like a clean sock tumbling from its apex in the dryer: I wouldnt change a thing! If I did I'd have to give up the most incredible thing - the knowledge that I am loved & the feeling of being supported when a hippopotamus-like load is balanced precariously on your state of mind. The stress destroying positive energy in the comments and generosity of you all - family & friends across the globe - has been nothing short of overwhelming, allowing me to invest in my body even so deep as at a cellular level with some of the things it has given me the purchase power to do. And guess what? … digestive troubles aside I feel fantastic for it! Finally my fitness and energy levels are getting back to around June 2010 levels, the last time I was really physically fit enough to run 30 minutes. I have a long way to go but its a start…
When I think of my nephew Louis' cycling efforts raising over 1000 pounds so far, Josh & crew in Tokyo raising over 1500 with the help of all my amazing friends out there doing a party in my honour, plus all the individual donations and comments I feel something really intense happening. The earth feels like its moving, but around me & in support of me rather that falling away from under me - how I feel when I am buried in the mud of chemotherapy - or that the ground has given way beneath you - how it feels when you're suffering the post-op agony of major surgery. To the backdrop of that mire the kindness of this last year takes me far beyond thoughts of 'why me?', 'did I do this to myself?', 'what did I do wrong?', that so many fellow cancer patients seem to suffer with … I am left with the insight bursting through that my cancer far from being a curse is actually a gift - granted wrapped in a rather displeasing box. With it came unending love from my family, unfaltering and sometimes surprising support from friends even thousands of miles across the other side of the world and of course the grateful realisation that I am still one of the lucky ones - one of the luckiest I sometimes think - to not only have all this but also the beauty of natural all around me every day, which I appreciate like never before.
Thank you everyone from the bottom of my heart where I discover a little pulsating ball of increasingly bright light of a soul you know as Dave quietly resides, biding his time. For what only time will tell, but time is something we all have - NOW is never ending.
http://vimeo.com/34236830
* * *
ps. some books you might like...
Benjamin Hoff - The Tao of Poo & The Te of Piglet - officially my favourite book ever so far!!!
Eckhart Tolle - The Power of Now ... wonderful handbook how to live more in the present
Swami Nirmalanda - Yogic Management of Cancer ... has helped me so much this year!
Wednesday 18 January 2012
NEW YEAR, NEW CHALLENGES!!! I NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN...
Happy New Year! After a glorious month in Japan & 2 successful fundraising & inspiring events unfortunately my Year Of The Dragon started with rather disappointing news that my lung tumours are still growing, albeit only moderately quickly. So, another year of my anti-cancer challenge has begun, hopefully paired up with a whole lot of joy & creativity through some fundraising, learning and laugh-like-a-child fun. With your help. Unfortunately my fund is rapidly diminishing, I was informed by YesToLife that only 5000GBP remains & I have an important 2500GBP dental surgery to clean up chronic infections coming up next, yet another marker for my cancer and possibly the reason why my immune system seems unable to see my lung tumours, while being on the face of it very strong. I haven't been ill (except post-op or post-chemo of course) since before I was diagnosed & my allergies (caused by an unbalanced immune system) have all but disappeared. In fact this last few months I have been feeling fantastic, thanks in large part to you guys & girls and the money for the supplements, treatment and nutritious food I have been able to buy.
So, I have decided to combine raising money for some charities dear to me with hopefully continuing to add to my treatment fund pot. I would certainly like to continue the vitamin c & I have some other ideas to try too. Chemotherapy is still on hold for sure. I have decided to treat myself not the scan. Let's hope it works! So, this year I HAVE SET MYSELF THE CHALLENGE OF RUNNING 100KM OVER THE YEAR IN RACES on road or trail, which I hope to manage via a couple of 5k's, several 10k runs, a 15k or 2 and hopefully a half marathon towards the end of the year. I am thinking marathon next year maybe even (!!!), inspired by a fellow cancer survivor who did it last year just after getting her Stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis. What a trooper!
My first race will be February 19th in Kent so feel free to come and support if you are in the UK and can spare the time. My goal is to raise 10,000GBP or more over the year, so that means 100 people sponsoring me 1GBP per km. This money will go towards my treatment fund but also to some other wonderful causes close to my heart. The first is the Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre in Canterbury, currently trying to raise a million pounds to build a smart new centre for patients all over Kent to receive Hyperbaric Oxygen (also useful for cancer patients - I have tried it!) providing not only relief of the debilitating symptoms of this horrible disease but also giving those who cant work and who are often in a wheelchair somewhere they feel a real sense of community. I will also be donating a portion of the money raised to Willow Foundation who helped me have a wonderful weekend in the Lake District last year and who provide dream trips & days out for seriously ill young people. The final part will be donated to an orphanage in Japan, working with kids who lost their parents in the tsunami of 2011.
Please email your name, email address & pledge (e.g 1GBP per km) to: dave@mymtokyo.com - I will be collecting the pledged amounts according to completed distance in July and November.
e.g.
Dave Twomey . dave@mymtokyo.com . 1GBP
Stella Twomey . xxx@stellatwmey.com . 0.5GBP
So, I have decided to combine raising money for some charities dear to me with hopefully continuing to add to my treatment fund pot. I would certainly like to continue the vitamin c & I have some other ideas to try too. Chemotherapy is still on hold for sure. I have decided to treat myself not the scan. Let's hope it works! So, this year I HAVE SET MYSELF THE CHALLENGE OF RUNNING 100KM OVER THE YEAR IN RACES on road or trail, which I hope to manage via a couple of 5k's, several 10k runs, a 15k or 2 and hopefully a half marathon towards the end of the year. I am thinking marathon next year maybe even (!!!), inspired by a fellow cancer survivor who did it last year just after getting her Stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis. What a trooper!
My first race will be February 19th in Kent so feel free to come and support if you are in the UK and can spare the time. My goal is to raise 10,000GBP or more over the year, so that means 100 people sponsoring me 1GBP per km. This money will go towards my treatment fund but also to some other wonderful causes close to my heart. The first is the Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre in Canterbury, currently trying to raise a million pounds to build a smart new centre for patients all over Kent to receive Hyperbaric Oxygen (also useful for cancer patients - I have tried it!) providing not only relief of the debilitating symptoms of this horrible disease but also giving those who cant work and who are often in a wheelchair somewhere they feel a real sense of community. I will also be donating a portion of the money raised to Willow Foundation who helped me have a wonderful weekend in the Lake District last year and who provide dream trips & days out for seriously ill young people. The final part will be donated to an orphanage in Japan, working with kids who lost their parents in the tsunami of 2011.
Please email your name, email address & pledge (e.g 1GBP per km) to: dave@mymtokyo.com - I will be collecting the pledged amounts according to completed distance in July and November.
e.g.
Dave Twomey . dave@mymtokyo.com . 1GBP
Stella Twomey . xxx@stellatwmey.com . 0.5GBP
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