So much to tell since my last blog that I've had to write down a list of headings so that I don't forget to update on everything.
I returned yesterday from a few days staying with friends in Mallorca where I can honestly say I had the most positive few days that i've had throughout this entire period. I was able to forget about treatments and prognoses and just be with friends. I also heard just before leaving that a friend who was also in treatment with chemo had received the all clear so it's been a good week for us survivors. Over the last month or so a lot of you will know that i've been a little withdrawn and a lot of chats/coffees that I arranged have been rescheduled with a non-commital "i'll be in touch when I feel a little better". Well today I woke up with a much better outlook so look out for your diary invites.
I was having such a relaxing time, the Husband and I spend the last few days in the hills in a place overlooking Palma, that I wanted to extend the trip a little. But a consultant's appointment looms on Thursday where we have to discuss my lungs. The day before I went away I had a lung function test which involved a guy telling me to blow, blow, blooooooow a lot and then ended with a slightly concerned look and a comment that he'd send the results up to my consultant so we could discuss them. We'll see what that's all about in a couple of days. In the meantime, I still have to take it easy when walking up stairs and I'm noticing that I take a lot of gulping breaths every now and then. Something to do with oxygen transfer apparently.
In other news my hair re-growth is coming along amazingly with comments throughout the last week on a daily basis that it looked like it had grown overnight. It's still quite downy but there is now a hairline and it's darkening a little. In addition, the downy hair on my face has now all gone and i'm back to stubble. But here's the thing. It's a lot darker and thicker than it ever used to be and, in a strange ironic twist, I think that this year's 'Movember' is going to actually be a success!! Those of you who remember my tragic attempt last year will find that rather funny. So it seems I needed a dose of what I was raising money to support in order to try again this year. I was so embarrassed last year that I vowed i'd never try again. The charity gods obviously didn't like that pronouncement!
My resumed positivity has meant work has resumed on the secret project and i'm also thinking about a little information booklet or something that tells people about what to expect if they have to go through the same as me. There is so much information that would have made things easier if i'd known them in advance. I know everyone will have different experiences but it's the little things like "don't scratch when having bleomycin" that I found important. If you scratch, the chemicals can gather in the area and you can get brown scars all over your skin.
One other comment to add about the idyllic hotel I mentioned earlier though... When you book a sea view and get a tree view, you don't expect the ancient guy at reception to tell you "I don't know why they still describe it like that, twenty years ago it was a sea view..." TripAdvisor here we come....
I returned yesterday from a few days staying with friends in Mallorca where I can honestly say I had the most positive few days that i've had throughout this entire period. I was able to forget about treatments and prognoses and just be with friends. I also heard just before leaving that a friend who was also in treatment with chemo had received the all clear so it's been a good week for us survivors. Over the last month or so a lot of you will know that i've been a little withdrawn and a lot of chats/coffees that I arranged have been rescheduled with a non-commital "i'll be in touch when I feel a little better". Well today I woke up with a much better outlook so look out for your diary invites.
I was having such a relaxing time, the Husband and I spend the last few days in the hills in a place overlooking Palma, that I wanted to extend the trip a little. But a consultant's appointment looms on Thursday where we have to discuss my lungs. The day before I went away I had a lung function test which involved a guy telling me to blow, blow, blooooooow a lot and then ended with a slightly concerned look and a comment that he'd send the results up to my consultant so we could discuss them. We'll see what that's all about in a couple of days. In the meantime, I still have to take it easy when walking up stairs and I'm noticing that I take a lot of gulping breaths every now and then. Something to do with oxygen transfer apparently.
In other news my hair re-growth is coming along amazingly with comments throughout the last week on a daily basis that it looked like it had grown overnight. It's still quite downy but there is now a hairline and it's darkening a little. In addition, the downy hair on my face has now all gone and i'm back to stubble. But here's the thing. It's a lot darker and thicker than it ever used to be and, in a strange ironic twist, I think that this year's 'Movember' is going to actually be a success!! Those of you who remember my tragic attempt last year will find that rather funny. So it seems I needed a dose of what I was raising money to support in order to try again this year. I was so embarrassed last year that I vowed i'd never try again. The charity gods obviously didn't like that pronouncement!
My resumed positivity has meant work has resumed on the secret project and i'm also thinking about a little information booklet or something that tells people about what to expect if they have to go through the same as me. There is so much information that would have made things easier if i'd known them in advance. I know everyone will have different experiences but it's the little things like "don't scratch when having bleomycin" that I found important. If you scratch, the chemicals can gather in the area and you can get brown scars all over your skin.
One other comment to add about the idyllic hotel I mentioned earlier though... When you book a sea view and get a tree view, you don't expect the ancient guy at reception to tell you "I don't know why they still describe it like that, twenty years ago it was a sea view..." TripAdvisor here we come....
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