Bognor or Bust!

A couple of things to update you on since Monday. Firstly, Bertie (my drain, see previous post) is still with us. This has caused much hilarity from Briony who I think is secretly quite pleased. We named him so that Briony wasn't too upset about the drain. I went to have him taken out last night and it turns out that I am draining about twice the volume they want me to be before they are happy removing it. I've been re-booked for tomorrow morning for another attempt. but to be honest I'm still draining the same volume so am half expecting it to be staying for the weekend too. It's a bit of a pain as I need to keep carrying it around, but apart from that it doesn't hurt, so if it needs to stay it isn't the end of the world. The risk of taking it out too soon is that the fluid then doesn't have anywhere to go and ends up accumulating under the skin and needing to be aspirated. I think if those are my options I would prefer to keep it in a couple of days more...

Well, I'm still here! The operation went remarkably well and the aftermath (so far - it's still less than 48 hours post op) hasn't been as bad as I was expecting. Breakfast was early on Monday as I had to be at the hospital for 7.15am. I went off in a taxi at around 7am as Stephen had to take Briony to school. There were a few tears from Briony which made it very difficult. I had my little letter that she had written me, so that made things easier. The taxi driver was quite chatty for 7am in the morning and it transpired that his wife had been recalled from her most recent mammogram and was being seen at Wycombe that day for further tests etc. There's a lot of it about it would seem. Hopefully her news was better than mine. I was duly shown to my room and introduced to the lovely nurse who would be looking after me for the day. Apparently I was due to have the wire inserted at 8.30am. Here began a long day of waiting around and day-time TV! I'd like to point o...

It's operation eve as I'm writing and I'm ready. Partly because it has been such a lovely week and barring the obvious I feel pretty much the fittest and healthiest I have ever felt. I've made it a bit of a challenge this week to do some form of exercise every day as I'm not sure when I will be able to exercise again. I managed to complete my mission despite the unseasonably warm weather. Monday was a 5k run, Tuesday a 10 mile walk, Wednesday 5k run, Thursday a personal trainer session and Friday a 6k run. The weekend doesn't count! It's also been a week for catching up with friends and family. As ever a huge thank you to you all - without you all, your thoughts, wishes, cards, texts, presents, chocolates etc etc I would not be feeling as positive. I'm humbled by all of the support I have received and wonder when you will all get bored! Because I am now utterly bored of all of this! As I have now run out of things to tidy and E-bay at home I have ...

After the recent good news I'm feeling remarkably blessed. Every day is, as the picture says, another chance to live life. I've always preferred to think that I am living with cancer - it is merely a troublesome intrusion into my life. Some days it is more of an intrusion than others. For the first time since November I have truly been able to get on with life in the past couple of weeks. Life is good. I have a beautiful daughter who is an absolute rock in how she has handled all of this and could not make me more proud. I have a husband who has been more supportive than I could have ever hoped or wished for. I have a circle of friends, some close, some distant who have all rallied around me and I feel very supported and loved. I've even managed to get back in contact with some university friends who I had always been a bit wistful about loosing touch with. That was as a result of a hospital stay during cycle 2 where something on the telly sparked me to reach out. I wou...

It's been a while since I posted, so what have I been up to? The after effects of the last cycle were bearable, but the tiredness did take its toll. Probably because I overdid it and booked Center Parcs for the "wrong" weekend. I thought I had booked it for 9 days after treatment, but sadly it would appear that all of this cancer business seems to have impacted my ability to count and I instead booked it for the day after treatment. Oops. Having said that we did have a lovely time. Say what you like but you know what you are getting at Center Parcs. We went to the Longleat one as there is more there for Briony to do on the swimming front. Unbeknownst to me it also has a hot tub where I spent a significant portion of the weekend! I did make it down the rapids with Briony, but drew the line at the cold plunge pool. We did a few of the activities as well - the highlight for me was the pottery painting as I got another comment about my wig! Next on the list was Easter. ...