Dem Bones, Dem Bones!

I had a letter on Wednesday asking me to call and make an appointment for a Bone Scan (item 3 on The List) at the hospital. I called and was lucky enough to get a cancellation appt for the next day. I got there for 12.45pm when they gave me a mild (I hope!) radioactive injection. Then I was told to go away and drink 2 pints of liquid before coming back in 3 hours for the actual scan. I joked about downing 2 pints of Guinness expecting a tut tut, but apparently they don’t care what the liquid is as long as you don’t turn up again inebriated! I did have a bottle of water in the car and I downed it along with a very healthy lunch.
After acquainting myself with all the charity shops in Chichester, visiting all the public loos in the city, indulging in a coffee and a prayer at Chichester Cathedral I ambled back to St Richards. When I saw the notice in reception that one of the cameras had broken down I thought that the session would be cancelled but apparently it meant that the bed they lie you down on was out of action and I would have to be scanned in instalments – 5 to be accurate. I had head, chest, hips, legs and arms and got into some pretty amazing positions which would have put a Yoga instructor to shame. After the head one was taken I happened to glance up and saw a glowing skeleton of my head and shoulders on the monitor! Totally fascinating! The Radiographer was laughing as I pointed at it twittering “That’s me up there, not in the flesh”. I guess it’s not a sight most of us ever see, I found it intriguing especially as she told me I was emitting Gamma rays.
Beam me up Scottie!
Although it took more time it was in the end more beneficial to me as each section of my body was scanned at a higher resolution than it would have been with one all over image.
Actually trying to get out of the car park at rush hour took longer than the appointment.
CT scan already arranged for next week – yippee!
I couldn’t help it, this lovely Arthur Wood Teapot meowed at me from the top shelf of a charity shop!




I don’t really need another teapot, but it just makes me smile and when the hilarious image of my glowing skeleton has faded from my memory this little chap will keep me laughing.

Slàinte Mhath  xxx

Happy Feet!

Socks are finished and here they are being modelled by my elegant size 5s. I reckon this pink colour is so bright that my tootsies would even be visible during a total eclipse of the sun.


Being knit in double knit (Stylecraft DK Fiesta) thickness they are very warm and comfy to wear.

Fluorescent pink is one of the colours that digital cameras doesn’t do very well as is a lot of the red end of the spectrum. A true blue red is hard to reproduce both on my little Fuji Film or my big Canon 5D. Weird.
I’m currently reading the very interesting and well researched book  Stuffocation – Living More with Less by James Wallman.    
Brief synopsis - “In this groundbreaking book, trend forecaster James Wallman finds that a rising number of people are turning their backs on all-you-can-get consumption, from the telecoms exec who's sold almost everything he owns, to the well-off family who have moved into a remote mountain cabin.
Wallman's solution to our clutter crisis is less extreme, but equally fundamental. We have to transform what we value. We have to focus less on possessions and more on experiences. Rather than a new watch or another pair of shoes, we should invest in shared experiences like holidays and time with friends.”
I totally agree, it’s experiences that matter in the end and they will endure far longer than a pair of Jimmy Choos……………but if you are getting rid of a pair, bagsy I get first refusal

Slàinte Mhath xxx

Everything but the Kitchen Sink!

Dressings have been removed and a bit more fluid released in to the world. My surgeon is very pleased at how the healing has been progressing. She had 2 nurses with her who helped with prising off the dressing (which was painless btw). In my head I kept imagining that it would be like the dentist with his knee in your chest trying to grapple with a feisty tooth.

They seemed to want to make sure I was OK emotionally seeing my scar for the first time which was lovely of them, but I was fine. I initially came to the conclusion that it looked like something from a scene in Silent Witness  (BBC producers – if you want to film it please email me, rates negotiable). It is actually a curvy scar almost like a big smile. It might be quite fun to get the marker pen out and draw in 2 eyes and a nose.

Apparently I had a high lymph node involvement, 10 out of 24 nodes removed tested positive so the future treatment will be more aggressive. Ready for the list?

Echocardiogram
CT Scan
Bone Scan
Chemotherapy
Radiotherapy
Tablets for 5 – 10 years
Kitchen Sink

I am exhausted just reading this list. I’ve already checked up on my Oncologist and I’m pleased to see that in addition to his Chemo expertise he has written and published 6 papers on c cells. He’ll do!

Can’t think of any pics to put up but I do have a recent video of my clever Daisy taking her antibiotic tablet without me having to resort to restraining her in the big nasty towel. She is the only cat I’ve ever had that will take her pills willingly. It’s only a few seconds long but enjoy!

Slàinte Mhath xxx

Free Bird

I’ve been removed from my dreaded drain and have managed to get my consultant’s OK to go on half medication now. Yippee!  Apparently I was supposed to have been given a spare bag for when the first one filled up. I did wonder about that as it was starting to get heavy and I had visions of having to wheel it around to avoid developing a leaning to the left.

As I was making my way to the hospital exit after being given my freedom I bumped into the lady who was in the bed next to me in the ward. So lovely to see her up and about and looking so well. Big hugs were exchanged. We are hoping that we get to be chemo chums as well, you never know.

I’ve been doing some walking and I’ve even been to the hairdresser to get a new hairstyle! I had a nice pic of a Helen Mirren hairstyle on my Kindle, so I plonked it up against the mirror and my wonderful stylist cut it for me.


I’m driving now as well, just short hops to the supermarket and my favourite wool shop and cafe, oh and the library as I had a stack of books I’d reserved awaiting collection. I’ve even managed to knit half of a shocking pink woolly sock over the last few evenings as well. Will post a pic of them when finished. Next appointment is next Friday to have the dressing changed. I’m not looking forward to that as it does appear to be welded on and totally bomb proof! Surgical instruments may be required.

The cats have settled down now, except for Daisy my Tortie who seems to be running around playing tag with an invisible cat friend. At 14 she is the oldest but she is also the slimmest, cleverest and the most energetic of my cats (I’m covering the screen, so the others won’t get jealous at what I’ve written).

Now as I hijacked Lynyrd Skynyrd’s classic for my blog title it’s only right to add a link to the original Free Bird.
This is Free Bird being performed on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1975.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXVa3ibi6i8

Slàinte Mhath xxx

Warrior Woman

Well I’m now a fully paid up member of the Amazonian Women’s Archery Club and I’ve been told that for a while if I row a boat I will go round in circles.

I’m so lucky to be living in the UK and being looked after by the NHS. The level of care and professionalism is incredible, from the wonderful young man who taught me the trick to putting on surgical stockings to the surgeon who came in and drew over my boob with her marker pen, which tickled btw.  It’s like one of those Oscar acceptance speeches where there is a long list of thank yous.

All went well. I remember being wheeled into the anaesthetists room just before the op and waffling on about how I liked their pink walls, then holding the face mask myself just above my face saying how different it was from the old dentist masks which smelt of rubber and sweet odours (they must have been so pleased when I fell asleep) then waking up in recovery a couple of hours later being given the best tasting cup of water ever.  I did suffer a while from a bit of nausea but that did fade away by bed time later on in the evening and I was also going to the loo by myself by that time too. 
I was in a ward with 4 other lovely ladies all in for different things and I have to say the best line of my stay was from one lady who declared she couldn’t go home yet as she was waiting for her big knickers to arrive.

I’m home now with one of those wound drains attached to me which I’m going to use to terrorise my squeamish friend when she comes round later. And speaking of friends – Claire, Jan and Graham, Sheila, Stacey, Susan you are the very best mates a girl could have. I love you all xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Off to hospital tomorrow morning to have the drain removed which will be a relief as I’m currently dragging it around like chains in a horror movie!

Manchester lass – your candle worked! Bless you xxxx

Slàinte Mhath xxx

Bumps in the Road

Surgery this Monday morning! I have to be at the hospital at the ungodly hour of 7.30am. I will probably need the help of 6 alarm clocks.
I was driving yesterday and noticed this…….



I seem to be alert for all things boob shaped at the moment! Anyway my mind was very keen to change the sign to this……………….


Can’t help it, it is my warped sense of humour. I am also very tempted to stick a post it note to my boob before going into theatre. I was thinking something along the lines “Not suitable for rehoming”. That would sort of go along with my animal saving. I am sure it would give the team a good laugh. I wonder if you get scanned for post it notes on the body prior to leaving the ward.

I read the patient info sheet they give you and it says that you normally walk down to theatre. I keep thinking of that scene from the first Hobbit film where Bilbo Baggins bursts out of his front door clutching his contract with the Dwarves and shouting “I’m going on an adventure!” I wonder if I can recreate that with a quick jog down the corridor waving my patient notes.  Probably best not, I could end up recovering in the Psychiatric ward.

I do worry for my 14 year old cat Poppy who for all her life has been making it her mission to paddy paw my left boob into submission. Can you teach a 14 year old cat new tits?

Thank you Manchester Lass and Kate for your lovely comments, they were very much appreciated xxx


Slàinte Mhath xxx

Yes, I am guilty of blog neglect!

No posts from me since June 2014 – where did the time go? A lot of tea cosy making and stuff, but mostly frittering away my time. I reckon I could clean up on Mastermind with Eastenders as my main subject. For someone that has no tv I do remarkably well on BBC catchup.

All that has changed now as at the beginning of the year I got the news that I have breast cancer (no capitals, this nasty disease doesn’t deserve them). If there is one thing that makes you rethink your life and priorities bc is it. I’m just about to embark on surgery followed by chemo. No, I’m not going to post all the gory details as they unfold. I made the mistake of reading a fellow sufferer’s blog where she had described every single minute of suffering. I cried myself to sleep that night.

The one thing those wonderful MacMillan Nurses (capitals here cos they are great!) do is to warn you to stay off the internet and not to Google the disease as you can scare yourself witless. So I have decided to focus on real life in the flesh people – MacMillan Nurses, ladies I meet in the hospital waiting room and friends that unknown to me have gone through it. I prefer my situation to be one of hope and of appreciation of the great gift of Life. So here is a nice hopeful pic to be going on with until my next post.


Dolphins expressing the sheer joy of living.

Slàinte Mhath xxx