I got through my chemo with Love and Support. THANK YOU

September 6th

This little fellow and his friends keep coming into the kitchen to say Hello!  They are so not scared of us or dolly,  they fly around, landing on the fridge, counter and the best place was on the canderlier, looks meant to be in my kitchen.  I think its my Granny, Uncle and my Aunt Joan coming to say Hi and check up on me.  The weird thing is the first time they apeared was last Thursday when Dolly got ill. More on that later.“`

So what’s been going on in the last week or so……?  For me the side effects of chemo are definatly accumulative and the tiredness has gone on so much longer.  Even at the beginning of this week i found myself sleeping a lot in the afternoon, that hasn’t happened before.  I have just given into it and go with what my body is telling me.  My taste buds are still not back to normal, it’s so hard to describe what or how it is but it isn’t normal.  A friend said Pineapple fresh or juice can help so i have given it a go today and by Jove i think it’s worked a bit.  My fear is for the next and final bout of Chemo all the side effects will be worse and I am not looking forward to it. It’s easy to say “it’s your last one, then it’s over” but that is so not the truth.  Once the side effects are subsiding the appointments ramp up again and radiotherapy starts, fun and games.

September 11th

So it’s been busy, cant remember what I’ve been doing but i haven’t written for a while. Oh yes just had a lightbulb moment and remembered my week …..Dolly ( the dog for those of you who do not know) was rushed, nick and i doing the rushing, to the vet hospital last Sunday night as she wasn’t to peachy.  Turned out it was a good thing we took her as she was very anaemia and i was told 3 days later at the time of taking her in it was life threatening. To cut a long story short, she has a autoimmune thingie and after blood tests, a 5 hours blood transfusion, a scan to check it wasn’t cancer, lots of hydration’s and steroids she was allowed home.  With all of that and doing jobs with Hope to get her ready to go off to Uni this weekend coming i have been knackered.  And knackered means only thing……..Sleep and lots of it.  This time round  with the tiredness lasting longer i have rested more, walked less, gained even more weight and seem to not have lost much more of the hair i have remaining.  It’s a wired old thing, just when you begin to think you have sussed what to expect you get a curve ball.  Anyway here i am sitting in my white leather reclining chair, canular in and dip dip dip going.  Mum is sitting here knitting another hat and Marc is here to keep us entertained!!  Hope and Noah were here a while, Hope being the regular taxi driver and Noah taking photos of me while Chemo in session as part of his photography A level.  Needless to say they got bored and did’t stay too long.   Just the grown ups left…….

Being my last session i have very mixed emotions.  Yes can’t quite believe I have got the this point.  3 months ago it felt like an age away but here i am.  So that is really exciting.  But i will be sad to say good bye to all the amazing staff here at the LOC.  They are all so friendly, happy, caring, great at making you feel relaxed, not worried, reassuring and absolute amazing at their job.  Thank  you to them all. And the side effects i have to not look forward to , but i will moan about those in a few days so i wont bore you with them now.

I had a lovely pre Chemo evening last night, Giles again took me out for a theatre trip.  King and I this time at the Paladium.  What a fun evening and a great way to forget what was going to happen the next day.  Thank you Giles.  I also, for the first time wore my wig out. Did a test run on Giles.  A big step, first outing ever.  It’s not perfect yet but boy, bloody hell it made me realise how much i miss having hair and that somehow it made me feel much happier and more myself. Made me realise that i need a wig  sometime to boost my moral once in a while.  Not the best selfie but gives you an idea plus a gust of wind got the fringe……..!

 

 

The last bout of chemo my tongue went, well all i can say is weird, taste buds were dulled and i wanted stronger flavours and Sugary drinks. So as i am pumped with liquids through my canular i am trying to counter act them with this sweet very cold drink of  pineapple juice from a glass full of ice, as Well as being told Pineapple Juice helps the tongue so does sucking on ice chips so i have put them together. Fingers crossed it works.  Pineapple juice for the next few weeks.  I’m counting on either gin or vodka will be fine with it…….

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It’s night time now and i am sitting in bed desperate to get this out there as i know i won’t get it done tomorrow.  After Chemo was over the celebrations began and the taxi driver, the 2 remaining visitors, chemo companions, and My Dad ( who never misses a celebration, especially if champagne can be drunk) all went to the Ivy Cafe in St John’s wood for a late lunch.  It was yummy and i feel very blessed it is all over, i have a great and funny family and we had a very jolly time.

 

One last thing i want to share with you tonight and it’s not a pretty sight are my hot flushes.  They get really really bad now for at least a week and my mission was to try and get a photo of one and this is the best i could do.  I’m never great at selfies at the best of time but with no hair and a sweat on, it does not bode well, but here it is,  Spot the drops…   The joy is they get worse at night so i feel it’s going to be a long damp night!  Two weeks time and i’m going back onto all the alternative remedies to conquer this that i can find.  (Marc, i do not need your what you think are funny comments Big Bro)

Thought i would end with some nice photos like i started this post.  Here are dahlias from my Mums garden..just stunning.

 

And to finish off  some more Glorious day photos, Somewhere in New South Wales, Sardinia and a cold and frosty morning from New Zealand. And then Paris and the Picasso Museum.  I might not have been able to travel this summer but Glorious Day has.  Thank you everyone.

 

Good night all.  Don’t forget to check those bumps for pesky lumps.xxxxxxxxxx