Chemo angels

Just stumbled accross the most beautiful concept called chemo angels. Basically people undergoing chemo can sign up and are asigned to an 'angel' who just sends them cheerful cards and occassional teeny gifts, just to bring a smile to their face! I've been SO lucky with all of the support i've received, and know how much post time can make a day, but i'm sure there are lots of people out there who aren't so fortunate. If anyone fancies it, here's the link (i've gone link crazy today!).

http://www.chemoangels.net/

Just thought it was such a lovely lovely idea!




xxx

Livers and spice and all things nice

Hey!

Oops hadn't realise how long it had been since i've written-bad blogger! Hope things are going well and people are managing to make the most of the pretty sunny days. Special mention to Estelle Fest- hope u guys are having an awesome weekend... :D


Very excitingly am half way thro big chemo yaaay! Round 3 on monday has brought the predictable toilet fun, vomit (first time i've missed the bowl-gutted!) and crazily muscle cramps in my calves. Actually was walking like the 73 year old this cancer was designed for! Mentioned this to the on call sort of doc when went to get disconnected from my lil condom friend (Dom?!) who we think was Greek. He kept muttering things about DVT and poking my legs, said he was going to call my consultant and dissappeared. Completely! It took mum some detective work half an hour later to track him down, at which point he muttered no no muscle cramps and said i could go home... We concluded he is silly.


Gradually getting over the last bout now, in prep for baby chemo on monday. However rough it is, know it's a good thing that being hit so hard and fast....NUKE NUKE NUKE! One of the isssues is still trying to maintain weight. Whilst typing this am battling thro two yogurts and a fortisip (aka rank-o-sip) milkshake, as dad's informed me he'll only scan in and email me the ball photos to put up here once i've finished the lot... tough love! Think i'll have a whole new found empathy for turkeys come October time...


Dr cool did come bearing some good news on mon - we think!. He's been looking at my liver function tests, basically a series of blood tests to look at what ur liver is up to... The ALP level (alkaline phosphotase) should be below 120. When we started mine was in the high 400s, but it's now down to low 200s :D Apparently these are notoriously hard to translate during chemo, cos the liver's having to deal with all of the poison coming thro, but this is a good sign. He's also mentioned me to the liver surgery dudes in Hammersmith. Nowt will be done about that til scans are done at the end of chemo to see what's happened, but like to think they know my name...


Other good news from the land of chemo-a report's been published on the drug i've been on for baby chemo (cetuximab) and NICE, the body who decide what treatment is available on the NHS, have decided to make it so from September time-ish. This is fab, as not only does it show the results from treatment have been positive, it'll be much more widely available to those who need it.


Had a fab time at the ball couple of weeks ago, was so nice to see everyone and catch up! Hopefully (1 and a half yogurts down!) the 'formal' photos should be going up. Heelarious-Lo the stud muffin, Liz the flamingo and Chris the victim of a PR... they're going to kill me (if Dave doesn't first!) Make me smile SO much :D :D :D







Also had an awesome weekend in Bristol last week, visiting Shell with Manisha. It's such a cool city, i had no idea! Shall definitely have to return for more tapas, chocolates and sangria (first time i've managed more than two glasses of anything in aaaages!) in the very near future.


Hopefully will get a couple of old-lady-style-side-swimming sessions in next week, depending on what the baby chemo decides to do...have also got the very important job of helping to design a 'splat the rat' stall for our local fete next saturday. We're going to be raising money for KOP (the Kenyan Orphan Project) who a group of med students are going away with this summer. I should have been going too- if u want any more info or to donate, the link is

http://www.justgiving.com/kopwarwick

It's a great cause. Am also very excited about chosing a rat...

Lots of love xxx

Hey!

There's a beautiful expression i keep stumbling across:


'It's not about waiting for the storm to pass, but dancing in the rain'


To be completely honest, i think trying to stick to it is the hardest thing i've ever tried to do. Including singing an 80s rock anthem in front of 2000 chilean school kids having completely misunderstood what was agreeing to!

It's all too easy to wish days away, long for my old life and count down to the landmarks: end of august= end of chemo, christmas= end of this whole thing hopefully. And there are definitely days when i just let myself get soaked.

But the truth is, there's so much i never would have gained if it wasn't for this situation (including the surprise Wii dad ordered for us that arrived this morning-amazing!) Learnt i have THE most incredible family and friends. Sounds cliched, just don't have the words to express how overwhelmed with support i've been. Other pros include being able to eat what i like and yet get into a size 10! The con to this one is the INSANE toilet time, and that can't seem to get weight to stablilise atm- big side effect of chemo is diarrhoea and i already had it following surgery. Still- new clothes :D And shoes, even tho my feet haven't shrunk....they seemed necessary.

Popped back to warwick for a couple of days over the weekend. It was awesome! Sooo good to see everyone at Stu and Demelza's BBQ, and just hang out and be normal :D Also got the most beautiful giant card signed at the medschool- i just keep reading and reading it. Can't wait to go back up for the ball on Fri. Was supposed to be having chemo that day, but with one wave of his magic wand dr cool declared 'you shall go to the ball!' and moved it do the monday. I do love him quite a bit....

'Big chemo' tomorrow-it alternates, one week just the monoclonal antibody, one week everything including 3 days of condom fun. Joy. Am tempted to name it and treat it like a pet, just to spice things up a bit... xxx