Skiing was fantastic!!! Amazing!!! Exhilarating!! Happy!! Exciting!! Stunning scenery!!

4 months post oesophagectomy and 4 weeks since my last chemotherapy, I really wasn’t sure if I’d be fit enough to ski at all, but packed my ski boots and all my ski clobber just in case. I also packed my walking boots to join the walking group if skiing was too much for me. We left home at 3.30am to get to Bristol to catch the flight, so I wasn’t the only tired person to arrive at Canazei in the Italian Dolomites, Deidre or no Deirdre!

On arrival, I optimistically joined everyone renting skis. It was great meeting up with our ski buddies from previous trips, plus Devon friends Neil and I had introduced to the group, and my dear friends Jayne and Lisa who flew in from Gatwick. I love my life with Neil in Devon and I’m so lucky to have made so many good friends here over the last 7 years, but I do miss my old friends so it was great seeing Lisa and Jayne mix so easily with everyone. And they are great skiers!

The first morning I decided to ski as I hate missing out on anything. I was so surprised as skiing was so easy and it felt absolutely WONDERFUL!!! All I had to do was stand on the skis and let gravity do the work. I have always loved skiing and it felt like Deidre had never happened. With Neil, Lisa, Jayne and others, we whizzed around the slopes and even threw in a few black runs for good measure. I ended up skiing all 6 days, taking just 1 afternoon off mid week as I listened to my body telling me to rest.

As Devon and most of Britain ground to a halt, enduring the biggest snow falls for many years, we skied the Italian slopes enjoying blue skies, chilly mountain air, dramatic Dolomite scenery, vin brule (hot wine), good friends and good Italian food. Occasionally I skipped meals in the hotel as my tummy is a bit random as to whether it decides to be hungry or not. I still have the odd half hour or so when I can feel quite sick and need to lie down and we haven’t figured out what triggers this. But it’s early days after such a big operation so I’m not worried at all about it.

I got quite out of breath polling the flat sections between skiing, so I’m guessing the lung they deflated isn’t functioning quite at 100% yet. Gentle exercise will be the best way to recover to full fitness. With my new electric bike, I can join Neil and friends cycling through our pretty Devon country lanes, or enjoy the many picturesque walking routes which start right from our back door. We have quite a few trips planned already, which always includes some exercise or another, so 2018 with Neil is going to be a GREAT year!!!

I’m a very, very lucky lady.