Warm up to treatment

Wednesday, 5 May 2010
Due to mix up on my part I missed out on a lunch with the friend. So as a change to my diary I decided to take myself off to the cinema. A place I have not been for while. Mainly due to time and the fact that there has been very little released lately that has inspired me to hand over money.
So what was my choice for this return to the cinema. Well there was a limited choice and I thought I would try out 3D, something that I have always had problems with due in part to the glasses. As a glasses wearer it has been difficult to co-habit two pairs of glasses on your face when they are flimsy paper/card versions. Thankfully now they are robust and go over a pair of glasses with no problems. The only thing I did feel was some sort of motion sickness effects at some points.
Not that I am a film critic and I know I have certain likes and dislikes within film. I do understand that viewing films is down to personal taste. I have to be honest I was not a fan of Alice in Wonderland. I love Tim Burton and he has a habit of breathing new life into certain genres but on this occasion the saintly Johnny Depp could not help this film. Ann Hathaway was so hammy and camp I thought I was watching the wrong film. All the British acting talent was mainly through voices and minor roles. Overall it was a couple of hours in my day and something that I could have waited till was on DVD. However, all that said at least 3D is now something that will not stop me from watching a film and if it is dedicated to 3D then I will see it.

Thursday, 6 May 2010
First thing of the day was to go to the hospital for my blood test, this will determine if I am fit enough for my next treatment. She took two attempts to extract the two files of blood required. I am now bruised and marked again. I hope people don't think that I doing anything else?!
I think I should have revolving doors fitted to the front door. At lunchtime I had two colleagues from a previous office come in their lunch 'hour' to see how I was getting on. It was great to have the banter and carried on from where we left off.
Not long after they left Tesco came round and delivered my weekly shop. I can really recommend online shopping with your local supermarket. People worry about the substitutions or not having the quality that you like. So far I have had few disappointments. The only problem has been the idiot who has been doing the shopping through the website (oh, that would be me - I have so far managed to order a frying pan that was tooooooooo small. I did have to go back to the supermarket to return the pan and buy a more suitable version.)
On the back of the delivery man was another friend. She is now over 6 months from finishing her treatment from ovarian cancer. I have had great conversations about what to expect and what to expect as it goes on. We had a laugh and caught up on family things and then planned our spouses diary. I have found that some friends are just happy to get on with life as usual even with everything that is going on.

Friday, 7 May 2010
Early start as we had an early appointment at the hospital for my third treatment. We are now officially half way through.
This was a treatment that I felt for the first time. I could actually feel it enter and make its way round my body. A very strange feeling. We then went on to a local pub for a quick bite to eat.
When I got home by the evening it was taking effect, for the first time I was taking the third set of anti sickness drugs. I struggled to get to sleep and then woke up at 04:00 and struggled to get back to sleep.

Saturday, 8 May 2010
As I could not sleep I decided to make use of the time and called my Mom. We had a good chat and started planning their trip over. I was really phoning to also apologies for not sorting a Mother's Day card out for her. That it would be late arriving. I have to be honest that I was going to put my foot down and we would only have one Mother's Day and one Father's Day, but it is difficult as I have all the cards over in England in March for Mother's Day and then they have all the cards in Australia in May, plus Mom gets all the questions from friends if I would be sending her anything or if she is doing anything special for the day. The same sort of goes for Pops for Father's Day.
I had a dose and then my husband brought me up my breakfast and provisions for the day. I am still not one hundred percent, not that I was expecting to be dancing round the garden, but the accumulative effect of the drugs is taking its toll.
Managed to set up the computer to watch the F1 qualifying and catch up on other TV that I would not normally watch. By the evening I was watching Doctor Who - still not sure about the new doctor and his companion, still early days.

Second Treatment

They said it would and it did.  That is get worse. Thankfully the anti sickness drugs are doing what they say on the tin, it is just all the other internal side effects that I just can not reconcile.

Friday, 16th April 2010
So a week last Friday I went to the drugs party at Halton Hospital. Met up with the Breast Nurse and one of the Oncology Doctors, all very happy with me and my progress. My hair was doing well and hanging on in there!
Ivan spent the time listening to Robin Williams on his iTouch.  I on the other hand had a lovely conversation with one of the nurses who was in charge of 'feeding' me the drugs.

Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th April 2010
That weekend I stayed above stairs and gave the excuse to view trash TV on BBC iPlayer, 4OD and other catch up TV websites. I also watched one of the best F1 races this season, what overtaking and the rain really sorted the men from the boys even the self appointed Rain-Meister Schumacher struggled!!!!

Monday, 19th April 2010
By the Monday I had enough of sharing the bed with a Yeti and bath looking as though I bathed with one, so I called a friend and she came over and shaved my head.  This will not reduce the hair shedding but it will not look that bad and it won't be so noticeable.

Easter Weekend

I have been thinking a lot about the Easter story this weekend, as well I should I hear shout at the computer monitor, but I think this year it has meant more than anything.  Not that I am religious but I do pray in my own way.  It is surprising that when I say this I am considered as some sort of freak or not even religious only on the grounds that I do not formalise my prayer with going to church and be told how to pray and when to pray.  My only other thought on the matter is that some unknown man we call Jesus died for something he believed in, I believe in chocolate, that Sunday should be a family day if not a religious day and that we should love our fellowman/woman/person (sorry Mrs Harriet HarPERSON - watch Matthew Wright for reference) no matter what.
Soapbox dismounted with full double back flip scoring 6 from the Russians (must have been impressive).  I am now sitting on this Sunday afternoon in the conservatory with iTunes on shuffle and the cat (he has adopted us) sitting next to me.
What a weekend.  Not only did the trip to buy the all important post operative underwear went better than expected but had the opportunity to play with my nephew on the wii and watch the grand prix (what were you doing Webber next time drive like you are an A380 so that Vettle can not pass you on the first turn and Button remember you can overtake a Ferrari when there is downshift problem just have the nerve you had in Brazil last year), sorry Murray Walker just took over there or something.
Finally I settled down to the listen to the chocolate voice of Mr Richard Armitage in the final part of Clarissa, as Valmont before him he stuck the rapier in deeper than it need to!!!  As much as it was a wonderful adaptation I have to that Sean Bean just edged it as Robert Lovelace, but I think that is because I could see the wonderful costumes.  They do say that radio has the best pictures but sometimes it can be a little difficult.
As with all things during this time I have set myself some small highlights and objectives my first one will be this week.  I will be attending my first Toastmasters meeting since the operation, I have a fellow member picking me up and will bring me home when it is all over.  I am really looking forward to seeing a room full of people and even getting the opportunity to see if I can still give a 2-3 minute speech.  To some this sounds like torture but believe me when you have taught the butterflies to fly in formation it gets easier (not easy but easier).
Please do follow the links on the left to some of my favourite blogs, websites (for more information) and have a go at the vote it is after all only for fun.