This is a long post. Sorry in advance.

GLORIOUS DAY over London from Archway.

December 30th

It has been weeks since i last wrote a post.  It’s not that I haven’t written at least one it’s just i never finished it and with Christmas I have been busy.  Back to my normal self of doing 101 things and not having enough time.  As my Mum put it, “ I know she’s better as she’s getting bossy again”  Thanks Mum!  Here is the post I started on the 11th December…..

December 11th

 It’s been a pretty busy time of late and that’s not including all the Christmas fun. Last Wednesday I saw my Consultant Joanna Franks and the great news is that she  gave me the all clear.  I have to take Letrozole  for the next 5 years but I don’t need scans and so on anymore. Sadly the Letrozole is giving me yucky side effects, well if the truth be told just one, achy stiff joins.  Some mornings I wake up and can barely move. I feel like the walking dead.  Poor Nick has to listen to me grunt, groan and sigh as I manoeuvre myself out of bed.  I was told I have to give them 3 months to see if the side effects wear off before they will consider changing them. This week so far joins seem a bit better.  If the truth be told I most probably did to much at the beginning of last week that put my hole body into shock…..

As of Sunday I can officially say Palmer Towers is fully decorated for Christmas. Tree was purchased very early Sunday morning in Columbia Road.  Always a bit of an adventure, last year it snowed when we went and we were lucky to get home as the roads were like ice rinks, this time we ran out of petrol. I can’t remember the last time I ran out of petrol, most likely in the 80’s when I had my first Beetle. Back to Sunday’s story, thankfully Saint Jenny Taylor came with us and while Dolly and I stayed in the car with the tree 

She and Nick went in search of petrol.  Thank goodness it was a lack of petrol as Nick was thinking the worst….. Finally got home and can say this year is the first year we have been able to put the fairy on the top without a ladder. Hooray! 

Noah took it upon himself to say how he wanted the tree to look, so for the first time I think in my life the tree is only white lights and red, white and silver decorations. Makes me twitch a bit to look at it as there is NO pink anywhere to be seen but it does look good. Please don’t think Noah did it all, tinsel placement was his then he lay on the sofa with Dolly (their normal position) and directed Nick and I !!!!

Last night I watched on BBC iPlayer the program The Truth About the Menopause. Fascinating and informative showing advances to understanding it and medicines. What I came away from it thinking was I wanted to say my view on HRT, cancer and me. So here goes…..

At the age of 40 I began to feel the effects of the menopause, after living with them for at least a year (I watched my Mum for decades live through trying to come off HRT so was adamant I would not go on it.) I went back to my GP and started on HRT.  For 11 years I took HRT in the form of patches and LOVED it.  It was my Prozac and I know it made my life bearable.  Without it I think I would have killed someone and be divorced by now.  Even with my diagnosis this year and everything I have been through if I could have my time again I would still take HRT. I always said I would rather be happy and not suffer.  11 years of normality, no flushes, good nights sleep and happiness.  I am still here, you can’t get rid of me that easily and with the side effects of all the treatments I have had, one of which being hot flushes it’s made me realise what HRT did for me. Last night it was 2 flushes that woke me, some mopping of my brow, neck and chest and thankfully back to sleep pretty quickly. Some nights I am awake for 2 hours and loss of sleep is dreadful, equalling loss of energy during the day therefore loss of jobs done, sometimes grumpiness and fun had. Again a reminder of what for 11 years of HRT has spared me. 

What I am getting at is that even with HRT and both my cancers being oestrogen positive I would do it again. One’s state of mind is so important as is quality of life.

Back to today’s post , so what has happened since the 11th?  Arrrr yes on the 12th I went back onto the Wellington Hospital to have one of my ports removed. This was the port that they used to give me Chemo. It was close to the sink and rather sensitive to touch so it is great to have it gone.  This did mean the very attractive fashionable out fit was adorned again ….

On the 14th December we unveiled our Advent Window.  For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about I will explain.  In our neighbourhood 4 years ago we started a Living Advent Window, from the 1st to the 24th of December a different house decorated a window and it gets revealed at 6.30pm on their day.  Most houses offer mulled wine and mince pies.  In our first window I made my Cinnamon buns and now the neighbours expect them….  I have been taking part since the beginning and to be well enough to do a window this year was a real achievement for me.  Another fabulous Christmas tradition.

So the 14th was our day and back in October when I signed up to do it Nick and Noah said they would design the window this year.  Great I said, I can just consentrate on the food and drink this year.  But I did say they had to show me/ prove to me by the 1st December  they were going to pull it off.  On the first of December as Nick and I were in the car going somewhere I said to him “Would you like a 12 month extension on your window?”  “Yes” was the answer…… Thankfully I had pre warned my lovely talented mate Giles that I might be needing his help and between us over two afternoons we had a very jolly time with tissue paper, glue sticks and black paper to create (even though I say it myself) rather a stunning window.  Thank you Giles for all your help and idea.  I made the customary Cinnamon buns and melting Snowmen Cookies for the kids.

Sunday the 16th attempting to do some laundry I managed to do my back in, I won’t say what I said at the time but it was not pretty.  3 trips to the Physio and it was good enough to manage Christmas and Boxing Day.  I was in a lot of pain almost all the time and standing walking was the least painful for me.  Also Gin and Tonic and Ibuprofen helped with sleeping at night!  More grunting and groaning for Nick to have to put up with, not pretty.  On the 28th Nick and I went into the West End for a bit of a mooch.  After walking about all day a good nights sleep I woke up yesterday morning and got about of bed without thinking of my back.  It suddenly occurred to me, Bloody hell I did that without any pain. I literally Walked my back better.  I felt I needed a fanfare I was SOOOOOO happy.

Before Christmas I wanted to thank all my doctors and nurses for the amazing treatment and the kindness they have given me this year.  I am truly grateful to them all and the only way I know how to do this is to bake, so I had a lovely day making them Christmas parcels filled with the following…

The gingerbread men were decorated with the help of Hope.  I did the white icing while she got creative with the black and did the rest.  One hell of a crazy Gingerbreaad family we created. What a good sort of therapy it was.  Feeling low?  Get some gingerbread men  and ice away.

So we’ve now had Christmas drinks for the neighbours on Christmas eve, with Snow as always, Christmas Day and Boxing Day

and am now back to realality and the enormity of what i have been through this year.  I could keep giving you a diary type post of what I have done but I suddenly thought you might be thinking get on with it we don’t need to hear all your day to day shinaningins.  I would like to tell one little story as it’s quite funny now it is over….Christams Eve dinner was spent at my parents (thanks Mum xx) On our return, Dolly had taken it upon herself to open some of the presents under the tree and eat what she found, 15 Tunnucks Tea cakes and some chocolates filled with Guinness.  Needless to say she didn’t really eat for two days and looked like she ate the turkey!

 

I would like to say with the year almost at an end a massive THANK YOU to you all for reading this, supporting me and the family this year in whatever way it was, big or small – it all really, really counted and helped and for that I will be eternally grateful.  I am beginning to reflect on what the hell happened this year and I can truly say, as I said to Nick this morning, I think it is only just sinking in.  I am here, alive, clear of cancer, 2019 can’t come soon enough.  Things are afoot, things are going to change and I am really excited about that.  I am thankful I found the lump, had such amazing doctors and am feeling strong and recovering fast.  Cancer is not going to define me, it’s made me realise what is important.

Appointments – 99

Hair Growth. Coming along nicely and as for colour, very exciting.

Lastly a few Glorious day photos form around the world, well Australia.