2019 Retrospect...

2019 has been a year of moving forward in lots of areas in my life with a lot of good positive stuff.
A recovery year, a new job, getting out of a financial rut, and making the most of daylight time getting out and about.
I started putting this post together on a wet November evening reflecting that it was nearly a year to the day that following an MRI scan as part of my MS diagnosis a follow up CT scan diagnosed me with cancer, a kidney tumour,

My Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis is something i have tried to bury and not think about in the last year, and that was made easier when being diagnosed with Cancer, making that priority and no treatment for MS until the all clear on the Cancer treatment...

Preparing and being positive about everything despite being terrified of the news of Cancer and things not working out payed off,  and i got my home ready for the coming 2 months post Op recovering,
A successful Operation mid December and the tumour was removed and the Kidney saved...
I was at my mums for a week once out of Hospital, then i was home for Xmas eve in the comfort of my own home...

I have to say it was the most stress full and sorest thing i have ever experienced after the Operation when in Hospital when i had the Morphine drip tubes removed from the wound after it was discovered i was allergic to Morphine, and the dressings getting changed...

At 6 weeks i was given a thumbs up on a successful Op and i spent two months off work recovering and i did so very quickly, pays to be fit and healthy. All the time i had the support of my family and M who was there in the hospital when i came round, and after a few weeks i was soon out for walks and started to put plans for the future together.
First was a change of job, disappointed there with things not turning out what i envisaged and unsatisfactory working conditions,  i decided to do something about it,  and accepted a Greenkeeping position at a nearby very prestigious Golf course,  and with brilliant working conditions and extra summertime overtime available i have cleared my feet financially after being stuck in a rut on the same salary for 8 or more years (yes really!),   and we got a salary rise in November,  so onwards and upwards...

With no cycling in January and February i kept myself busy reading,  re posting old favourite and popular blog posts, looking back over 10 years of riding Fatbikes here and further afield gave me a lot of inspiration and ideas for future plans.
Then after a month feeling a lot better i repainted the house,  well all except for the ceilings-too much of a stretch!,
I was never bored when off work and at home, `Only boring people get bored` as my Dad used to tell me,
I built up a lovely Surly frame set, the new  Pugsley 2.0 that was sent out by HQ, and with a start date for March 7th i looked forward to getting back to work which i have done all my working life, so the time off went in quick...
My first wee careful cycle was with M and it was great and also quite emotional i have to say as the time off recovering made me realise how much i love what i do and will never take a day out and about for granted....

`Never put your life on hold` is a new saying i remind myself often...

The first time i mentioned on here about all that had happened was in February after a 6 week successful Op and i breathed a sense of relief, you can read that post Here...

Building the new Surly Pugsley was good to do as it gave me a new Bike build blog post...

Here is the film of the build;



Starting work again in March i was tired at night and i changed my cycling to suit with short rides from my van, just an hour or so, enough for some pics and film for the blog.
I still had to be careful as it was still early days and Junes 6 month check up kept me hoping fingers crossed all the tumour was removed and i would get the all clear.

In April i held Forth Fat 2019, full report here Forth Fat 2019
Was a sober weekend for me as had not touched a Cider since my Operation,
Thanks all who made it on either day...

Warmers days of May and longer warmer daylight hours,
Work was getting busy preparing for July`s Scottish Mens Open Golf Championships, Early starts now at 5.30am meant 1.30pm finish and afternoons out on the coast and trails ...

Evening cycle with M....


Horse and Bike ride; West Fenton; June 2019 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.

I often borrowed M`s dog Jake for an afternoon run along the coast...

One of many happy afternoons with Jake Dog...


Beachride with Jake Dog; June 2019 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.


Summer Solstice...

Solstice Cycle 2019; Pt2 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.


In July it was 50 years since the Moonlandings, i dragged out my Surly Moonlander Fatbike and to celebrate rode out to Holy Island across the vast exposed low tide sands with friend Chris on his Moonie, blog post of the event Here...

The ride out to Lindesfarne...


Surly Moonlanders; The Need for Mead... from coastkid71 on Vimeo.


I also got the 6 month all clear from Cancer and met the surgeon who preformed my operation,
I nearly broke his arm shaking his hand thanking him!, walking out the Hospital was an emotional thing and i felt elated.   Still a bit sore and the odd twinge on the scar it is an estimated 2 years to fully heal from such an operation,  i know i am real lucky, so many people are not so...

July and August were wet months at work and was out a lot in the rain during the Scottish Men's Open in July then the Ladies in August, Was a great team with the added Greenkeepers from other golf courses who came and volunteered  to help out...

Real early starts for the Men's Open in July, but was a good experience with lots of good memories...

Home early on summer hours i often spent wet afternoons chilling, reading and often snoozing! in the  driftwood lean to which now has off grid solar charged 12v lighting...

Harvest time seemed real quick this year with the rain but one local field had bales for weeks in it so often made for a short cycle and film..

Harvest Cycling 2019; Pt1 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.


This summer i cycled a lot with friend Chris who had time as he wound up his farming career and we enjoyed many local cycles on coast and trails, and lots of cake at Tyninghame Cafe!

Into October and November and a lot of short cycles after work and many at Tyninghame, Archerfield, or Aberlady Reserve...

Surly Pugsley; Evening sun, Archerfield beach; Oct 2018 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.

End of of November and another Hospital appointment to discuss my MS diagnosis and treatment which will start in spring next year,  treatment will be a preventative medication that may treat any future Relapses, the worst scenario of these is suffering side effects, and another drug programme can be tried.  Trying not to worry about it as stress and anxiety can trigger things, so be calm and carry on... I`m just going to keep cycling and enjoying life the best i can...

Nearing the winter Solstice daylight cycling now just on Friday afternoons and weekends...

21st December will be the Mid Winter Solstice, and the shortest daylight of the year,  I will cycle to work off road to celebrate as usual and look forward to New Year and the daylight hours starting to grow longer...

Coastrider; An Unexpected Journey....

A good friend often says that `Life Is Not A Dress Rehearsal`...
A saying that is so true and the winter of 2018/19 would prove this to be the case for myself...

I was diagnosed last year with what can be described as a mild condition of MS,
Relapsing Remitting MS is the most common form of MS that many people have here in Scotland and learn to accept and live with it, with help and treatments available to continue a regular life and not have an impact on their lifestyle...
And it is a condition i admit i have tried to ignore about and to carry on with life as usual - that is to say, until i have another Relapse will i worry about it, which again could not be for up to 9 years again or maybe will never happen ever again...

However something happened i could not ignore last Autumn...

One of the MRI Scans picked up something that led to another CT scan that diagnosed a kidney tumour...

Being diagnosed with a stage 1 growing cancer (as later the tumour was confirmed to be after removal) was at first devastating until i got my head around it and went on the positive to deal with the upcoming Op and recovery time.
I never thought having cancer would happen to myself and so it was a shock,
Support from NHS specialists was superb and i would soon be in for an Op to remove the tumour i referred to as my `Hitchhiker` which was successful  in also saving the kidney, and i was home for Xmas, so all went good..

Many people diagnosed with cancer talk about going on a journey,
Something i have now done and having been given the all clear mid February i know now what people talk about.
My partner M is someone also on that Journey having had surgery and for herself her  journey continues. My diagnosis had been given the green light 99% after a short 6 weeks with just yearly scans now for the next 5 years

So to be positive  (My cup is always half full) i could say being diagnosed with a mild condition of MS possibly saved my life - there!,  get that on a T shirt!,

Seriously though it`s easy to have a laugh about it but i did not really realise how big an operation and short but painful experience it would be,  and i cannot fault the NHS staff for their caring work in the  (only) 4 days i was in hospital,  but the stems and pipes wired into me i would not wish on anyone, or more so the removal of them and the dressings, it was painful, really painful....

Back home from Hospital and staying at my mums for a week  before finally back home to my own home and infection free everything went well, and i was soon out walking daily and after 4 weeks the Doc gave me the ok to drive again,
Being fit and healthy makes a big difference to recovery time from Major Ops,
I met the surgeon at my 6 week appointment who operated on me and he was impressed with my recovery, i nearly broke his arm shaking his hand thanking him i was so grateful!...
These folk deserve medals...

Here is a pic of the Op scar after 4 weeks, that beats a tattoo!  looks like a shark bite!

When things like this happen you find out who your real friends are, and i have been blown away by the support of some friends who have been great, along with my mum and my family and the amazing M,  i have never felt so close to someone before as M,
And M`s dog Jake! who has been great company as i recovered!

This winter has been really dry and settled with many days of sunshine so was great for getting out walking on the coast,  i was out daily walking 3-5 miles, often with family, friends, M, or Jake Dog for company...

I never had daytime tv on when in the house - just mind numbing dribble, I listened to Radio 6 music and read books, tided up, painted a bit, and some tinkering in the man cave,
Always positive and busy with the aim of getting healthier and fitter again and back on track...

This winters weather of many dry days of high pressure clear cold crisp days were an inspiration to get out and about on foot...

Jake, a faithful wee friend was always ready to go!

A frozen Peffer estuary,  one of many fine days out walking on the coast...

At 6 weeks when the Doc gave me the all clear on my Op he told me to get out on my bike cycling and exercise. At first it was a bit nervous after such a big Op but confidence soon returned and i could feel the improvement in health and fitness rapidly as cycling always is a great way to gently stretch muscles in the back, waist and legs...

My first wee peddle with M on her horse Johnny and i felt alive and was buzzing despite just a mile or so!...

The Future;
Having a break from working i really enjoyed the break from routine and have had a lot of time to think about a lot of things. What i am doing - what i want to do.  I know i want to continue living in East Lothian and enjoy my cycling here with my bikes i have built for around here.  `There`s no place like home`...
Something else was not right though, and i had realised how unhappy i was in my job.
It had not turned out to be what i thought it would be so decided to do something about it.
CV redone, and i was offered and accepted a Green keeping position at a prestigious Golf Course with superb working conditions, team and machinery, and i am really looking forward to the future doing what i am trained and skilled at, and with working hours that will suit me more; early start - early finish = more cycling time!
 
And i will be enjoying another bike this summer, during recovery a frame set arrived from HQ - the new Surly Pugsley, something to plan for and spec, source a few parts then build up  and get ready for the coming summer, but will post this up in the next blog post...

More soon...