Half way through Chemo
20 January 2018 | York city centre
Half way there!!!
It is a wonderful thing to be half way through chemo and to be feeling so very well. We have had a wonderful month since I last wrote, which started with so much snow. Having been in hot climates for Christmas for the past four years it was lovely to get out and walk in deep snow, although I am not too sure that the dogs liked it much. Scrappy held up his paws in disbelief and demanded to go back into the house and Tinker who would walk to the ends of the earth with you, just looked pitiful and sad. Our Christmas tree looked fabulous and we had decorations from all our friends at home and from across the world. It was very moving to read so many kind messages of love and support and reading the many different reasons the decorations had been important to the person who gave them.
With Jules working away it has been friends that have kept me occupied in the week. Wolverley quilters are a lovely bunch of ladies, who are very friendly and kind and their shared lunches and cakes are definitely not something to be missed. It is a delight to be sewing again with Madge, Jan and Sue who I learnt all my bad habits from over 15 years ago. We all have a motto, "if it does not fit, snip it off"! We had our 'Christmas lunch' last week, which was great food and company. Jo and Connie have kept me and Cherryl entertained with stained glass making, we have made angels and are now trying something far more complex. We are not entirely certain that they will look anything like they should, but we have had real fun making them, and Tinker and Scrappy anticipate my return, as Connie sends best doggie biscuits for them. Jo's fire is always roaring and we like her taste in music. I had forgotten simple pleasures like going to a cinema where the films are in English, and I have enjoyed the 'silver surfer' showings,( obviously living away from the boat is taking its toll, as they let me in to the over 55 showings) where I have got into the delights of salted popcorn with my friend Lois. I have been meeting friends for breakfasts, lunches, morning coffees and afternoon teas. I saw two friends Nigel and Sarah who I had not seen in at least twenty years, and the years just rolled away. I have made a new friend called Pam, and I spent a lovely morning at her house, where she gave me the best reiki I have ever had. I had friends drop by with presents and mince pies and have enjoyed my next door neighbours popping in to check on me whilst Jules is away. I have taken up Pilates and yoga classes and my sun salutations and cobra are looking quite good. Unfortunately one lady always has 'the wind' as we go into downward facing dog which has me stifling the giggles.
It has also been a busy month on the family front. My Mom and sister visited before Christmas and we had a beautiful day in Bridgnorth, taking Mom on a trip down memory lane and having breakfast with my Uncle. We had a lovely evening at my brother's and went to Christmas Eve service with his family. I have never seen a church so packed, with at least 300 people sitting and standing in every conceivable space. It was a little different at the 8am Christmas morning service where we did not get into second figures!!! Despite having the spinal chemo altered as my oncologist was meeting with Jeremy Hunt, we still managed to get to Yorkshire for a night, and enjoyed after Christmas presents and meal with mom, Ruthy and Farmer frank. We had a wonderful day in York and got to go on the helter skelter , even with the excesses of Christmas our bottoms still managed to fit!!
I have never had new bike in my life, being the second child, I always got the 'hand me down', so I was extremely excited when a big box arrived a few days before Christmas with an electric bike inside. We opened then on Christmas Eve and cycled to Jules family for an evening of festive fun. We enjoyed cycling out to country pubs on the week after Christmas. It is no wonder I have put on weight, I can not turn down a bag of Tipton's finest scratchings in front of a roaring log fire.
We had a superb day out at Worcester, where we enjoyed seeing over 100 Christmas trees, but it was the mulled wine in the cloisters that I enjoyed the most on a very cold and crisp day. We have also done plenty of walking along the canal and at Himley Hall and have enjoyed the crispy frosty mornings, but are not so keenness on the grey drizzly days.
We are slowly getting the hang of towing the caravan and had a great weekend in the Cotswolds, on a site right in the heart of Broadway. We found a superb country pub for a few ciders and made our way back to the caravan where we had a toasty night with all the electric fires blazing. Tinker spent the night nosing out of the window where little bunnies were clearly visible against the snow. This weekend we went to Ludlow and found a lovely site just outside of the town. Jules was my hero when we found a sheep hurting itself trying to escape from a barbed wire fence. He went into the field and managed to rescue the poor thing which was extremely distressed.
Next week sees my third round of chemo into the spine, not my favourite way to spend an afternoon, but it is working and that is all that matters. I have tried to suggest knocking me out before hand might be a good idea, but my oncologist just shakes her head and tells me they only do that for children!! On both tests, no cancer cells have been detected in the spinal fluid, so we are delighted. We continue to blast those cells out of the blood and are half way through treatment.