Three Good Things

Hi anndanv

I heard about them on a TV show and somehow dredged it out of my memory. As to their geographical coverage, I know nothing. This is their website: 

https://www.ambulancewishfoundation.org.uk/

Xx

Yesterday really enjoyed:

Sunshine with a gentle breeze 

Northumberland coast

Fish and chips followed by real dairy honeycomb ice cream

Video clip of youngest granddaughter dancing in a puddle 

Hi

That sounds like three truly lovely things. 

Xx

Thank you Daloni. The loveliest thing is that I’m seeing her next week. She’s a total sweetie but lives at the other end of the country. I try to squeeze as much time as possible with my gorgeous girls while I’m feeling reasonably well. 

Hi

this is the week you see that darling granddaughter. I’m so excited for you! 

I’m having a tricky time managing nausea and pain at the moment (and the fear that comes with them). So it’s all the more important for me to focus on the good things 

1. My daughter is back from her trip to meet her new brother. She’s come home happy. 

2. I took her out for dinner at her favourite restaurant this evening to congratulate her on a great grade in her GCSE English literature. It was the only one she took this year - the rest are next year. She worked hard and got a great result. 

3. I have some cooking apples from a friend’s tree. I’ll make apple custard tomorrow. Yum. 

Xx

Hi everyone

So sorry it’s been so long since I posted anything. I’ve been struggling to find joyful things to put down on paper. I’ve enjoyed reading all of your positive responses it’s been a great help. 

Scan at the end of July showed further spread to Liver,kidney and Lungs so I’ve been feeling a bit doomed. Also feeling really shabby which is not surprising as when a turned up for 1st Chemo (Caelyx) last week there was a very much touch and go moment as I was anaemic and needed a blood transfusion. Finally they went ahead with chemo but then I was back to the hospital again on Friday for the transfusion. Big week.

Amazingly I felt better after the chemo. Came home hungry having been off my food for about 3 weeks. Bloods gave me some energy but I’m on the slippery slope just now. They tell me day 10-14 are my worst days and I’m only on day 7.......another week to go before I pick up!

However my good things are

Thoroughly enjoying this beautiful weather and having an excuse to just sit about in it eating ice cream  

I now have my daughter and wee Ted home until Thursday morning  I’ll be making the most of my cuddles.  Maternity leave is wonderful when they chose to spend it here.

I’m enjoying making plans for my 60th birthday which is in a few weeks time. I think the fact I’m still here is cause for celebration. I’m hoping to be well enough for a sneaky trip to Mallorca (not sure) and also thought I may as well have a ‘do’.  I may as well ‘milk it’

Polly

Dear Kircal, it sounds like a tough time and I am glad that you are now feeling more lively and hungry. Hope you manage a trip away and you enjoy your birthday. Love and courage

Xx

Claire

Hi Polly

that sounds like a pile of pooh. I’m sorry things are so tough for you. I’ve had Caelyx and have to say it wasn’t as bad as carbo-taxol. I didn’t lose my hair or have the long bone pain or breathlessness. I picked up after about day 7. I hope it won’t be so bad for you as you’ve been led to believe. 

Your three good things sound like really good things. Cuddles are the best. 

My three good things 

1. Cuddling on the sofa with my little one. She’s needed lots of cuddles today. 

2. I took my girls on an alpaca trek. Not so much a trek as a very gentle walk, holding alpacas on leads while they ate grass and dandelions. I couldn’t honestly say the girls led the alpacas. More the other way round.  I got a hilarious video of one of them taking off across the field with my little one running along behind. 

3. I made frozen yoghurt with honey and raspberries. Delicious. 

Xx

Hi Daloni

Thanks for your message. The chemo unit had/have painted a very grim picture of Caelyx but so far it’s not been quite as bad as I expected. If I can keep my hair I’ll be chuffed. Used the Cool Scalp as before but it just about finished me off this time. I think the Cool Scalp combined with the ‘here we go again moment’ was just about too much for me. Anyway I’m on day 8 now and this morning I actually did feel a bit more normal again. Sorry everyone for the complete misery guts message the other day. I wanted to delete it after re reading. 

Good things today

Daughter was driving all the way to London with wee Ted in the car so I travelled as far as Harrogate in the back of the car playing with him. Heaven

Managed to buy some Betty’s treats for home

Time to have a quick bite in Bettys which I love before getting the train home to Berwick. 

All great except now I’m stuck on the Harrogate to York train which is stationary. Missed my connection. Complete bumber!

Hi Polly

Oh I am glad to hear you’re picking up physically and emotionally. Don’t worry about the moan. Everyone I’d entitled to their funny five minutes. 

I wonder why the chemo unit painted such a grim picture of Caelyx? I thought the whole point was that the poison, sorry, chemo is wrapped in a fat molecule so it’s released slower thus reducing side effects? That’s the way it was explained to me. Sometimes I wish someone would educate health professionals on the importance of hope. 

Betty’s and a grandchild. Now there are some treats. The train not so much. I once left my bag on the York to Harrogate train en route to a conference.  

I am currently at the cancer centre waiting to see my oncologist to talk about what’s next. Too early for my good things today....

xx