Tuesday 31 July 2012

Long gap

So I haven't written for a while. Not sure if that is a good thing or not? I was very lucky to get to go to a MacMillan pamper session at QA Hospital. Was a really lovely afternoon and was really nice to meet people in similar situations, although i was the only person who had not had/going to have chemo.

It's the summer holidays for me at the moment, and along with my new level of dosage for tablets, I'm feeling much more energetic and staying up later. Although because i'm not at work i keep forgetting to take my tablets :( not good. I also am really struggling to lose weight which is making me feel a little miserable. And comfort eating is not helping ;) I went to a yoga session last week and would really recommend it to anyone who has had/has cancer, it really is very calming and focus' on breathing and staying calm, which is really good when alot of bad stuff is going through you mind 24/7.

I'm also going to try going back to Zumba when i find a class, it is an excercise you can control the input to without annoying anyone or looking stupid.

My scar is going down, however i still get itchy spots come up on and around it, which are a pain in the bum, and my hair still falls out every morning,  but i'm not going to complain too much. I guess you unfortunatley get used to all the crap that comes with having cancer. You know you are fortunate (i hate the word lucky) but it does affect the rest of your life. And that does take some getting used to. I find i'm less grumpy, less miserable and less pessamistic about life now. I have gone back to being a vegetarian, and stopped having milk and eggs (the eggs are because we have chicks and had to pick them out of their eggs when they hatched and it completely grossed me out!).

So anyhoo that's the latest update. Not sure who reads this, if anyone, but it's nice to keep a track of how things are going. Kind of puts things into perspective and makes you realise that however slow it is, you are getting better.

Now to shift that 2 stone.....

Sunday 1 July 2012

Birthday Weekend

On Friday it was my birthday, I turned 26. For those reading this who don't know me, i love birthdays! I hate getting older, but i love celebrating another year in my life and reflecting on what i have achieved in the previous, and then to set goals/targets for the next.

I listened to my body and persevered until the doctors were also listening.
I was brave having the cell sample taken (needle into throat with no anasthetic) and very brave to go back for a second.
All those blood tests.
I walked to the operating theatre and climbed up onto the table on my own, i was then operated on.
I put on a brave face and coped with recovery the best i could.
Realising my mum is even more amazing than i already thought.
Going back to work 2 weeks after my op reinstated the truth that i am working the job that i love.
I have become more open to people around me and now say when i need help. (Sue Oster is the best co-worker anyone could ask for)
I have laughed, cried, shouted and felt lost, and this has just been the last 2 months of the year.

I also travelled back to South Africa to hug the children that have taken a hold of part of my heart, worked in the orphanage and felt at home once more.

I have qualified as a teacher, and started my first job teaching Year 2 and am absolutely loving it! I have been sad in the holidays and can't wait for term to start again.

I have said goodbye to some friends, and grown closer to others. Each year shows us who really is there for us and who we really want to be there for.

I was finally a bridesmaid, for my sister-in-law, and had an amazing day watching her smile from ear to ear early in the morning til late at night.

This year i have learnt to love life and live every day as best i can. You can never see what is round the corner and you have to be ready to tackle it with everything you have. Cancer is a scary thing, it does knock the wind out of your sails, but with the right people surrouding you, family, friends, consultants, surgeons, anaethetists, colleagues, you can tackle it and you can come out of it. But it is not the only thing in this world which is awful. The orphanage is still there, they are still fighting to stay open, and have just accepted into their world their 809th baby. Others are not so lucky with their fight against illness and they leave behind broken hearts and sad eyes. The world continues to spin and we have to keep up. For this coming year i want to stay healthy and positive, optimistic and honest. I want to travel, to make some friendship bonds closer, i want to move in with my partner and i want to continue to work the job i love. I want to help others and i want to learn to let others help me.

I will keep smiling :) the scar around my neck is my battle wound against life and it won't be my last. Remember that life is one great big adventure! We wouldn't want it to be boring would we?!