Me,Ski? No

Chocolate!

Made it into work this Thursday, but was very tired. GJ bought me some eggs.

Today my buddies are going skiing, I usually go with them. They go to Söll to ski the mountains, I go to Mount Vernon... it's just not quite the same (or fair)!

Miss you guys

Slept solidly after work, I am absolutely worn out.

Went to buy camouflage trousers the other day
...Couldn't find any

Twin Peaks

Today at work, Grant, who works upstairs, was in the office and I realised that he could be my long lost twin; he has the same hair as me! (No, he doesn't wear a Common Bob). in fact I think mine is actually greyer than his.

After school I took Oscar to football training - I haven't been for months and was really looking forward to watching him; especially as it had been a lovely sunny day. But oh boy, was it cold and windy... I had to hold on to my wig!

Now as my hair is getting longer, I am venturing out sometimes without Common Bob (I keep forgetting to put it on)! It's not quite the punky pixie look I had imagined, but once I am allowed to get some colour on it, I'm sure I will be experimenting.

Give me a grant, I don't have a bob!

Just Another day at the Office

A little visit to the doctors this morning. Into work then a pub lunch with work colleagues. Powernap after work.

Didn't really need to feed the kids before they went to clubs tonight. At Brownies tonight they made.... Brownies! At Cubs they did Highland Games for Burns night with shortbread. 


The difference 'tween Bing Crosby and Walt Disney?
Bing sings - and Walt disnae

Blooming Looming

Well hello bloggies and bloggettes, not much to report today. I think that my recent bout of depression has come from having finished my chemotherapy, then had the mastectomy and then having a break.... I feel now as if I don't actually want to have to do anymore treatment. 

If I had gone straight to radiotherapy sooner after the operation it would have felt more like a flow-though, and all part of the same process.  I had such a lovely Christmas break with all the family that I nearly forgot what was still ahead of me... and now that time is looming nearer.

A friend told me I was delusional, 
I nearly fell off my unicorn

What a Lift

Still on the bike hunting CYCLE. I still am not not sleeping well at night and trying to put off doing the hurty exercises... but I do get round to doing them. 

I think that I have all my chauffeurs now booked on for my three weeks of radiotherapy. What wonderful support. 

I think that I am now getting used to the Tamoxifen as I am not waking up feeling sick any more or getting so depressed in the afternoons. 

Tommy did a lovely family Sunday roast.

The chickens have come to roast

Sporty

No work for me this Saturday, we went out to look at bikes for the twins' birthday... wow, are they expensive! Is a tandem a bit too random?

Are tandems any cheaper?

Rebecca had a wall climbing birthday party to go to, Oscar had a swimming gala with the Cubs. 

I went up the road to help Sam with her hair for a fancy dress party. 


Tandem rider stopped by police car: "What've I done, officer?"  "Perhaps you didn't notice sir, but your wife fell off your bike half a mile back ..." "Oh, thank goodness" says the rider - "I thought I'd gone deaf!" 

200 Posts

This is post 200! 

28000 hits

374 comments

Duvet Day

Another duvet day, after 3 days at work I needed a day off to catch up on some rest. I caught up on some sleep, local mums helped with the school runs. I tried to organise a schedule for lifts for my radiotherapy treatments, but one of the weeks falls within half term! I wish I could drive there myself, but they have said that I should not and that I will get tireder as the therapy goes on. 


Forecast for tonight: Dark

Tit Tat

Tired at work. Heidi and Kitty popped in to see me, I showed them my tit-tat. When I got home I had my dates for radiotherapy in the post. I start on Thursday 7th February for 3 weeks (including half term)! Most appointments are around midday. 

Popped up to Helen's to give her her birthday present, had a good catch up.

How do you make a pirate angry?
Take the P out of him

Heads will Roll

Today I found the head of the headless snowman!

I was showing a house to someone through work and this snow head, up to my hip, was outside, perhaps it fell of the top of the car yesterday!! 

The children were allowed back in to school today, work was quiet, GJ bought me some gingerbread men. I had shooting pains on my right shoulder blade today. 

I cannot work out if it is icing over or thawing out, but my breast is frozen and will not defrost..... I think that our microwave is broken and that my chicken salad is off.

If you don't like the way I drive....get off the pavement

Snow School

S'no head.

The school was closed today due to snow, snow, snow. Tommy worked from home whilst the twins played out in the snow with their friends. I went to work. A car pulled up outside with a headless snowman on top! 

I had a few pains in my scar today. I do not enjoy doing my exercises but know I have to.  After work I was very tired again so had a little nap. 


For sale 6ft real snowman, 
requires assembly (carrot not included)

Drizzly Snow

Mums lemon drizzle cake.

What a lovely lie-in. Followed by OJ, coffee and bacon sarnies. 

Mum and dad trudged up through the snow to see us and to bring us a lemon drizzle cake. We had it for pud after our Sunday meal. I had another snooze so that I could sleep through my low and tired time. It snowed all day, making everything look clean and wonderful.

Charlotte and her doll.

The kids made a snow fort with their friends. One of them, Charlotte, got a beautiful bald doll for her 5th birthday. 

Still doing my horrible exercises, nails peeling off, hot flushes and taking the Tamoxifen. A few peppery hairs are now showing through my greys.


Move your vowels every day 
or you'll get consonanted

Bye bye Booby, booby bye bye

Went to work today, a few people cancelled viewings due to the weather. I felt oh so tired in the afternoon, it was a long day for me. Kats asked if I fancied a glass of wine after work, but I was just too tired. Came home and had a powernap. Tommy took the kids sledging today and to a swimming party this evening. I knocked up a chilli for dinner.

I think I have realised that at the moment, be it tablets or lack of sleep, I seem to feel very down and tired each day around 5pm. 

Every morning when I wake, it hits me again that my breast has gone.... perhaps I need to mourn the loss of something which was very close to my heart!! We had good times together me and my boob, now I've lost it to cancer. Anyway, now I've got that off my chest!! 

No, I do NOT sit in my living room all day watching TV 
I also have a TV in my bedroom

The Snowy Mount

Tommy took the twins down to school. Once he was back and had scraped the car we set off to find Mount Vernon. As the journey progressed the snow progressed,  it took an hour to get there through the snowfall. 

Once in the large hospital, we waited and then when I was seen, I had to be drawn all over with pens before having a CT scan. Once that was over they tattooed me in three places, LOVE on one hand, HATE on the other... answers on a postcard for where and what the third one was! 

Actually the three tattoos (yes they really are, and will never go away) are each a pin prick size, one in the centre of my what was cleavage, one to left of my rib cage and one to the right. These will allow the radiotherapy machine to recognise the place to zap me each time. They did not give me a  starting date or times today... I will get a letter in the post in the next 7-10 days. 

CT scanner

By the time we were leaving the snow had really set in. Driving home between 3 and 7mph, seeing a few smash ups on the way took forever. The children left school early due to the adverse weather conditions and went back to Andrews house.

Once home Rebecca attempted to build a snowman, but frankly the snow was just not right! >>>









I have to work tomorrow, hopefully I won't be showing any people around an Ig (house without a Loo).

Still Sick

27000 hits!

Still not quite ready to back to work today, Emma took R&O to school again, I rested at home for the day. Tomorrow Tommy and I are off to Mount Vernon Hospital to meet with the radiotherapy team. I will be given my times and dates. 

They will tattoo me so that each time I go, the radiotherapy will be concentrated on exactly the same place. (probably 3 pen point tattoos, though I may opt for a anchor, angel and dagger instead). 


The dead batteries were given out free of charge

Cancer, Cancer, Cancer

Arrrggggh! It seems that every time I have a good day or two, I then need a rest day off. Emma took the kids to school, I phoned work... then woke up at 1pm.

Three letters for me in the post today: 
A. A lovely letter from Linda, an old work colleagues wife, who has a similar story and has volunteered at Mount Vernon; living close by.
B. A help card to keep in my bag from Macmillan.
And more C. A letter inviting me to a breast screening!!... a bit late for that.

The children were kindly invited to tea with friends, which gave me more rest time. 

Leo the lion, voted the favourite sign of the zodiac, 
after a long battle with Cancer

Just not Right

Snow melt down. Felt that I had more energy today to get things done as I had had a good nights sleep. I can just about lie on my right side now. Scar and arm a bit more painful today (perhaps that means that I am not quite ready to lie on my right just yet)! 

I feel as if I am a trying to get things done and organised before the next stint, although radiotherapy is not as bad as chemotherapy, it will make me tired.

I really need to confront my phobia of German sausages, 

but I fear the wurst

It's all White Mate

Hertford Castle in the snow.

Well the snow is here. Tommy slid the kids down to school and then we went to Lister Hospital to see my oncologist who reiterated that they are pleased with my progress. What a lovely scenic drive. I returned to work, parking in my new castle space (No, not Newcastle).

More kindly offers for chauffeuring to Rickmansworth. I will probably be starting towards the end of January, I should find out dates and times on Friday, and only have to do 15 days now. 


Copywight 1994 Elmer Fudd. 
All wights wesewved

On the way to St. Evenage.

Sweet Feet

Cuz Tim came round today (flowers and chocos). He laughed about how grey my hair is. 

We then went footwear shopping for the kids; snow boots; school shoes; trainers and we also got another sledge ready for the weather. I made Sunday dinner (had a real panic as I'd lost my lemon zester)!!  

Had offers from my pals to offer Mount Vernon lifts. So I am getting well sorted for my three and a half weeks radio. I had originally thought that I would get the free transport offered, but have heard that it can take all day; having to be ready at 7am and to wait around until everyone had finished before heading home at the end of the day. 

How painful is it when ones nails fall off? Ow

Appointment with my oncologist tomorrow.


Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get

Wii had a lovely day

This morning when Oscar was at his football match with Tommy, Rebecca was playing on the Wii, I suggested that she should change my character to have baldy grey hair... she then explained that her cousins had already done that to me on theirs! 

We had fun in the opticians today all choosing glasses for Tommy.

STRANGE FACT
Now when I drink either a really hot or really cold drink I can now feel it going down behind the right hand side of my torso. 


The golden years: When actions creak louder than words

Bob-a-Job

Yee ha, no more needle draining. I drove over to the QEII this morning to see Claire, who said that my body is starting to do it's own draining now. I bumped into Amanda who I had met having the same operation as me back in December. She still cannot lift her arm or drive so will have to postpone her radiotherapy; I am seeing my Oncologist on Monday and then going to Mount Vernon on Friday to discuss when I start mine. 

Walked into town to meet Lorna and Lynn for lunch at Baroosh. It was busy (full of ladies who lunch). We had a great time catching up, both offered to drive me over for my radiotherapy when I start. I am going to organise a rosta of drivers for the three and a half weeks.

On leaving the bar I saw an old friend Mark who has gone bald... I leant him my wig! Then everyone else wanted to try it on.

I'm going to Mount Vernon
He has no choice in the matter!

Rest is Best

OK, so three days back at work proved too much for me! Had a bad nights sleep last night, so stayed in bed today. 

When at home during the day there are only so many call centres I can answer the phone to, it doesn't stop! Managed to catch up on some zzz's later on (once the centres had finished work for the day)!

Today is one of those days where I wish I could restore myself to the factory settings.

Back to hospital tomorrow morning to check out my scar, then lunch with Lorna and Lynn. 

What lies on its back, one hundred feet in the air? 
A dead centipede

Rapunzel, Rapunzel Let Down your Hair

Didn't sleep too well with my painful arm. One of the boys who came carol singing outside our house at Christmas commented to his mum today on how much my hair had grown (I had answered the door without Bob for the carols, but wore Bob again to school and work this week)!

Hertford Castle

An Englishman's castle is his home
Did quite a few property viewings at work today, the problem I have is finding somewhere to park in town near to the office each time.  So wonderpal Sonia sorted out that I can park at the Castle whilst I am recovering! 

It's not what you know but who you know.

High Five, Oh!

Our view this morning

Back to the dark cold early mornings. The school mums were surprised to see me back in the playground so soon "looking so great".

Today at work we had a 'High Five' moment... Owwwwwwwwwwwww. That was a mistake, I nearly ripped my stitches open and my arm has not moved that far back since the op. Felt really sick with the pain afterwards and took lots of painkillers, straight home to bed. 

It was a Highy Five Oh; book him Danno

Back to Work

Today was the last day of the childrens' Christmas holidays, they spent it with Mum and Dad, while we went to work. I hadn't been in for aaaaaages. It was good to be back, I felt ready to go back and it made life seem nearly normal again. In the evening I took the kids to swimming lessons.

HANDY HINT
At the moment I don't have any eyelashes, applying false ones is such a faff that I now just draw a line on my lid with liquid eyeliner and then flick upward strokes to draw on eyelashes... a bit like Aunt Sally or Twiggy! 

When I saw my first strands of grey hair I thought I'd dye

End of the holidays and Sick Leave

Today we took down the Christmas decorations... Each year I leave a little bit of Christmas up. Last year my mirror ball stayed and this year I decided that the the mirror chain could stay hanging over the mirror. Tommy cooked a tasty Sunday roast. 

Back to work tomorrow. 


Our vet has been carrying out botox injections...  it raised a few eyebrows!

Lady Driver

Yesterday I drove for the first time in ages. To practice after my op to see if I could drive ready to go back to work on Monday. I went to bed at 9pm last night and slept through to 11.30am! I actually used the iron today for the first time in months. 

In the evening we went to Lauren and Marks for dinner with the kids. Had a fab time.


I saw an inflatable ATM machine today,
the screen said 'Please do not enter PIN'

Feeling Drained

Am starting to get used to these lie-ins. We all went over to the hospital this morning. The new swelling behind my scar had gone hard but nurse Claire said that it has just gone into some tissue and was still just liquid, so proceeded to drain again. It's so amazing that I still don't need any anasthetic and that they can still stick a large needle in me without me feeling it, as the area is still completely numb from the operation. 

The kids spent the afternoon with school friends, Lauren came round for a catch up, with some beautiful flowers and another heart... A tiny wooden pic frame. 

From Loz

Hibernation Over

When we left Pete and Chris this morning... the daylight hurt my eyes, I hadn't been out at all yet this year, my hibernation was over. We drove home to Hertford not actually having seen the sea (apart from out of their window). Oh the joys of unpacking and washing, Tommy took the twins to see The Hobbit in 3D this afternoon. Back to hospital tomorrow for more draining, I don't like it, it hurts. Fingernails and toenails falling off, hair growing back grey. 

The online origami store?
It folded

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside

Ok, so we were meant to leave Brighton today, but we desperately needed a walk and some air. It still never happened! Another slobbing day. In fact I have just realised I haven't been out this year! Still doing my arm exercises, which are quite painful. Great Indian takeaway.

Happy New Year!!!

Well, the intention was to go for a walk down on the front, to blow away the cobwebs... It never happened! Perhaps tomorrow! 

Someone slipped a hangover in my drink last night

New Years Eve

Hospital for more draining, the syringe broke, ouch. After a Paula power nap, we set off for Brighton. We had a FANTASTIC evening with my brother and their great pals. Fondue and funny games, my name was Mrs Shady-Grey. 

2012, I remember it like it was yesterday