I caught up with a good friend of mine for lunch today. We always talk about random things and deep dive on any issues we might have and untangle thoughts and feelings to get at the core of things.

It’s wonderful to have friends like that and she is an absolute gem!

We talked about my health which has been a bit of a dumpster fire this year. My friend talked about my identity as a healthy and fit woman. She is correct, my identity is very much wrapped around health & fitness and being a role model for women in their 60s.

Heck, one of the reasons I started this blog was to talk about health & fitness and how to stay well as one ages!

My family of origin has and is riddled with heart disease, metabolic illness, and COPD.

My whole life and part of my motivation to stay healthy and fit was to keep, primarily, heart disease at bay and I can say I have been overwhelmingly successful in this endeavour.

So, you can imagine my utter shock when cancer decided to knock on the door earlier this year. Specifically, breast cancer. No-one in my family has had breast cancer and it took some time to wrap my head around it all and what that meant for my health, fitness, and self-identity.

This year has had enough plot twists to write a book about. On top of the breast cancer, I was diagnosed with non-Hodgin Lymphoma, Lymphocytic Colitis and then Sudden Sensorineuro Hearing loss in my left ear – meaning I will need surgery to be fitted with a Cochlear Implant.

In amongst all of these hectic challenges, I have kept my spirits up, dealing with one thing at a time. I have kept up my exercise regimen when I could.

There were some weeks when recovering from a procedure or two, that I have had to take a break to rest and recuperate. I have had to take the time to allow my body and spirit time to rest and recover and to get better.

If I couldn’t go for a run, I’d go for a brisk walk. If I couldn’t go to the gym to do weights training, I’d pick up an extra yoga or Pilates class. Going for a swim is always a nice option, gentle, weight bearing and slow. Dancing is a constant too.

If it was all too much, then resting, reading, walking my dog, and spending gentle time with family and my friends were the order of the day!

I also had some emotional turmoil to deal with this year. A person whose sole purpose in life seemed to be to relentlessly bully me via my blog and to get his minion to do likewise.

Generally, I am very much of the opinion that bullies are just cowards that if you ignore them, they eventually go away. But this one was unrelentingly persistent.

In the end I got rid of them, but it took some work to do so and if they ever rear their heads again, I will go straight to the Magistrate and get an AVO. I have all the written evidence and witnesses of in-person bullying and harassment. Plus, nasty sh*t sent to friends of mine, that has also been kept as evidence.

All up the year has presented some unique issues for me to deal with and overcome.

But you know what? I am resilient, I am strong, I fully believe my fitness has enabled me to deal with the health issues effectively. Exercise and eating well also helps with emotional upheaval.

The other thing I have in my favour is a supportive family and the best friends and community. They literally wrap themselves around me like a warm hug!

I am blessed and honoured and humbled by the love and support I have received this year.

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