Done D-done done

Yes yes yes. Chemo is done. I am home and, somehow, I am awake. I am happy through the fog. And now it’s on to the next stage. In three days I see the onc for a sign off (I hope) and the surgeon to get the ball rolling on surgery. Today is the day…

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Red carnation day

Today I have earned my chemo red carnation. At Oxford, when you do your exams, you wear a carnation. White for the first, pink for the middle, red for the last. Those people who walk out of Exam Schools with a red carnation get showered with champagne and gifts. You know that you have got…

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Contrariness on chemo

Being on chemo is a bit like having PMT in lots of ways. No wonder, as they both mess with your hormones. One of the worst things about this is feeling the opposite of how you (and others) think you should feel. I feel gung-ho about things that would turn others into shivering wrecks –…

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A note on feeling guilty

So much of the time since being diagnosed with BC I have found myself feeling guilty. I know it’s not my fault and I don’t really think the guilt is guilt about being ill. It is guilt about the effects of me being ill on other people. In the spirit of my Top Ten theme,…

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The runs

I bloody hate the runs. They wake me up in the night. They have me dashing down corridors at work. Phone calls are cut short. Conversations are abridged. Yuk. It is debilitating and embarrassing and not one of those side effects that you can moan about out loud. That’s all.

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Foooooooood

Here’s another quick top ten. Top ten best things to eat after chemo: 1. Chocolate 2. White carbs 3. Super fresh and juicy fruit 4. Salty food 5. Pineapple (great for dealing with a manky mouth) 6. Ice cream 7. Cake!! 8. Boiled sweets (same reason as pineapple) 9. Chips 10. Anything you damn well…

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Ten things I hate about you

So here are my top ten breast cancer hates. 1. Fatigue/feeling weak. I’m such a doer. I can’t stand being immobilised. I get frustrated and depressed. It’s not easy to just sit back and do nothing. 2. Chemo brain. The only thing that I really value about myself is my intellect. Chemo brain takes this…

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Top ten people

I know, I know. I’ve posted a lot about the people I love. But you can’t be too grateful. And it makes for a good Top Ten. Don’t hate me if you’re reading this and you’re not in it. That doesn’t mean I don’t love and appreciate you. I do. Very much. But these are…

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Natalie

I just gave my daughter Natalie a goodnight cuddle. She is 6 going on 16 and incredibly stubborn, independent, intelligent and often grumpy. She is also extremely perceptive and caring. She smelt of soap and shampoo and strawberries, and she was almost as soft and warm as the day she arrived in the world, with…

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