I know, I know, I know, I haven't written for ages but what with travelling to Oxford every day and still trying to be normal in between (a feat in itself for me I know you will agree) I have run out of time regularly - as the late book at school will show, but that is a completely different story for another day.
The radiotherapy is finished. I have had twenty five doses, travelled 1400 miles and acquired some pretty horrific radiation burns. Thankfully, a week after finishing the radiotherapy these are beginning to heal but they are still very sore and generally not much fun! I have to recommend Sue at our surgery as a fantastic bandage applier - at least I get some sleep once she has dressed them as otherwise the duvet rubs on them and makes them worse, not to mention the need to change the bedding every other day as they have soaked into the sheets! Lovely.
Ian has once again been fabulous. He has allowed me extra lie ins as the tiredness accumulated and is now a pro at the school run, which he relishes doing in shorts and a t-shirt even in the coldest weather. I am looking forward to hopefully being able to be back up to full speed for all the Mummy duties next term which thankfully doesn't start until the 8th January.
In the meantime the farm is still not making any progress, the weather is still a problem and the fields are, as a result, still bare. I can see that the whole farm is going to have to be put down to Spring sown crops this time but that will only ever happen if it stops raining by then.
Now I do have a little time to reflect I have been reminded of something a friend said before I even started on this journey. She had realised that being diagnosed with cancer has the unenviable task of making you realise exactly who your friends are. This is something Ian and I have discovered too. We have been overwhelmed with support from so many people, some of whom were most unexpected but we have been so grateful for even the smallest of kindnesses. I am not going to list the people or their actions but you know who you are and I know he will join me in saying thank you.
This is not to say that anyone should feel they haven't done anything or think they haven't helped in any way. Believe me, the very fact you are even reading this has helped me through my treatment which has had its many highs and lows. OK. Lots of lows, not too many highs. OK. No highs really. Apart from it ending which was quite a rush!
Although having said that, it feels like I'm on my own now. I know I'm not but it does feel like I am now once again solely responsible for noticing anything that isn't going right or has changed. Every single twinge or ache is internally monitored and assessed. I feel like I am some enormous computer constantly running system checks and making sure that the mechanisms are still working correctly with no error codes coming up.
So. If I don't get another chance to sit down and update before Christmas and New Year then I will take this opportunity to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and join me in a toast to a new healthy and happy new year in 2013.
