Happy-Annie's blog

Returning to work

2010-04-20T17:33:22Z

I am hoping to return to work on a 'phased return' does anybody know what is a reasonable time schedule. I've been off work for just over a year battling with ovarian cancer. I work in a primary school and I am looking to return to 2 consecutive mornings a week for a number of weeks and gradually increasing it to the full 5 days a week before the end of the summer term. By September I hope (PG) to be back full time. Has anybody out there gone back to work on a 'phased return' and if so how did you do it? Any suggestions please!!!!!

Travel Insurance

2009-09-10T17:28:17Z

Hi Can anybody help or advise me regarding travel insurance? I am trying to sort out travel insurance for both myself and my 23 year old son. My son is going to Cancun in March for a stag week (insurance or not - but of course I rather he did have cover!). I am hoping to travel to New Zealand next year for a long tour. I keep coming up against brick walls by companies saying that they won't cover my son (even though he has been given the all clear for the past 15th months) and the same for me with terminal cancer. Any suggestions gratefully received. Many thanks. Ann x

Oh Happy Days!

2009-09-10T08:02:31Z

Long time no hear. I have looked at blogs quite a lot over the past few months but not added to many. I have been trying to deal with the side effects of chemo, or not as the case maybe now. Not that I am fortunate to be in 'remission' but chemo has been changed from carbotaxol to carbo to carbogem to nothing now because my blood count is non exsistant and my weight has increased dramatically over the past few weeks as has the size of my stomach. Apparently I have a large amount of fluid in my cavity that needs to be drained off urgently! Had an hour and 15 minutes of MRI scan yesterday.... can think of better ways of spending my time! CT next week and draining of the excess fluid. On to top it all I have an ear infection! Oh happy days!!!!! On a happier note I am going away with my dad for a few days in early October and have booked a family holiday for end of October to Dartmoor...... so all the treatment (when they get started again!) can bloody well wait until I'm ready ..... I intended to have some fun in Ireland with daddy and a great time with hubby, kids & their partners, my parents and my brother, my dog Sean and my daughter's dog Millie in beautiful Dartmoor. Well that's enough of me rattling on .... good luck with everybody's treatments, gripes, issues etc. Take care xxxxxx

1st run in with chemo

2009-05-21T17:53:30Z

Hi everybody. Had my 1st bout of chemo last Friday. Saturday felt great, Sunday..... write off!! Early hours on Monday morning was in excruitiating pain from the waist down. Didn't know whether or not to take pain killers until spoke to NHS Direct. Ended going back onto the treatment centre for an assessment. Ultrasound showed that nothing had ruptured or twisted, and with some very strong painkillers was sent back home after 6 hours obs. Those nurses on the unit are absolutely brilliant!!! Feeling rough and very tired over the past few days with diarorhea to match!!! I wasn't expecting this sort of effect for about 7-10days after chemo, trust me to be awkward. Is this the 'way' the chemo is going to hit me - any suggestions. Carbo Taxol chemotherapy. I am trying to get my strength up to be able to go to the Kent Garden Show on Bank Holiday Monday.... it is a wonderful, beautiful place, with plenty of bargins sold off cheap as it is the last day of the show....... ZZZZZZZZZZZZ Take care everybody. Lots of Love Ann xxx

Running Riot!!

2009-05-11T09:45:42Z

Emotions running riot over the weekend. Poor hubby got both barrels with knobs on!!! I guess now that I start chemo on Friday it is all sinking in just how much of a fight I will have on my hands and hubby cant ‘fix’ me ARGHHHHHHHHHH why not – he has always fixed things right in the past. Love to everybody Ann xxx

Weird Emotions - What's the Answer?

2009-05-04T09:36:25Z

A strange day yesterday (Bank holiday Sunday) hubby went off to Bude with the Y5 from his school – I insisted on this annual arrangement as it will give him the opportunity, if only momentarily, to forget about this whole bloody situation. Mind you by the time he comes back on Friday, he will be so tired after body boarding (he fell off last year), mountain biking (he fell off last year) Orienteering (didn’t get lost last year) rock climbing (didn’t fall off last year) that he will need to recover for another week before going back to school, but guess what I have other plans for him, blood tests, chemo, etc etc…. arh isn’t life a bitch!!!!! All the sprogs are otherwise engaged and so is my phone!!!! They never stop phoning!!!!! So me and my dog have the freedom to do what we want, when we want…. Sleep, eat, sleep eat, sleep….. suits us fine!!!! I think that Sean (that’s the dog) is exhausted with all the sleeping that we have done over the past 24 hours, but boy did I need it. I need to be fully re-charged because my eldest son, who is a world champion flair bartender is coming home tonight for a few days whopeeeeeeeeee. For those of you who do not know, flair bartending is a very fast and energetic way of making cocktails… Think Tom Cruise in the film 'Cocktail', but of course, my Anthony is far better looking the Tom Cruise!!!!! ….. Bring on the Mojitos… must go now to make copious about of ice for the range of cocktails we will be drinking over the next few days. Good luck everybody Love Ann xxx

How Scared should I Feel!!

2009-05-03T15:21:42Z

Went to see the ocologist on Thursday... I knew I had cancer but didn't know what stage I was at. Because I had been told that I had been 'caught early, was relatively young (good news) and was reasonably fit and healthy' I was expecting stage 1/2 - guess what..... sod's law - stage 4 with it spreading to my liver. Have to have a kidney test done on Wednesday this week and then start on the chemo the following week... the objective is to get me into remission. All my family and most of my friends (via facebook) know about the situation but don't necessarily know how I feel (mind you I'm not too sure how I feel myself!!! ???) It is amazing how different peoples reactions are. Denial, anger, frustration, scared etc.... I suspect that this is normal. I am determined that everybody knows exactly what the situation is as I go on.... I don't want people putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with 50 and the next thing I know I am 6ft under already... not ready for that yet!! Take care everybody Love Ann xxxx

Where to start - when to finish!!

2009-04-29T10:48:05Z

Hi my name is Ann and I am new to this blogging game.... where do I start?? I was diagnosed 'officially' on 24th April with ovarian cancer. I have been under the weather since about 8 months with various conditions. Excuriating back pain whilst I was in Dublin in June of last year with my beautiful daughter (a joint birthday and mothers day present from her, the trip not the back pain!) Went to see my GP on my return but didn't see her saw a locum who referred me for physio.... as you would with back ache. Although in fairness the GP that I saw in Ireland (my aunty Peg just grabbed in off the street on his way to surgery!) said after pumping me full of morphine for the flight home, that I should have a scan when I got back... thought no more of it. A couple of weeks later my knee gave out on me and once again I was referred for physio. I also had an MRI on my knee but nothing major showed up. Feeling confident enough to get on a plane again I went to New York in February this year. The back and the knee held up with the hours of walking that we did getting lost!!!! About a week back from New York I was suffering from back pain again and cystisus. Went to Boots to get a home treatment kit... it didn't work. Went to see the practice nurse who prescribed antibiotics.... they didn't work. Got an appointment 48 hours later to see my GP. ..... then it all kicked off!!! Thanks to the very speedy reactions of my GP. She ordered an Ultrasound where a 14cm 'lump' was found on my right ovary. The results of which were faxed across to my GP that morning. Thanks to my GP between 17th March and 24th April every test going was done. I see the Oncologist tomorrow and I have been told that I know have a tumour on BOTH ovaries which are too big to cut out so they are starting chemo to reduce the tumours before they do a full hysterectomy. My husband says that my tummy is now bigger than my boobs.... and that takes some doing!! Reading some of the blogs on this site with some of the negative comments about GPs and hospitals, I would just like to say very big thankyou to all the medical staff that have so far been involved in my case (especially my GP). I am determined to beat this indiscrimate disease... keep in touch and good luck everybody. Ann xxx