Sunday 26th February

Progress Report

Papa : B+ Has improved greatly over this last week, still has slight discomfort, but appears to rectify with painkillers. (A* for initiative).

Bex : A-  We have seen a significant improvement in weight gain over the last ten days, this has also contributed to a positive change in personality. (A*for effort).

Jill : D- Sadly despite Jill's enthusiasm for the subject she has been unable to maintain her progress, we have therefore decided that as she finds the syllabus too demanding, that it be curtailed for the foreseeable future. However we wish her well and hope to see her back on the course shortly. (B for "bother").

It's been a busy week this week, but I love it! Monday saw me playing tennis, walking the girls and playing badminton in the evening. Tuesday was my tough (!) but mentally rewarding yoga class, and I even managed to play three quarters of a game of Netball Tuesday night, yeah.

Wednesday had a cheeky game of racquetball with the lovely AB ( thats the Scottish/Jersey one NOT the mad aunt), and more badminton in the evening. Flitted into hospital for a blood test, fortunately the port worked beautifully.

Thursday was plumber/aga man morning, then I was lucky enough to get hold of two 'carers', who walked with me and the dogs through the lanes for a five mile stroll and even took me to lunch..... Clinic meeting at the hospital with my Oncologist. Steve came too as its helpful to have another pair of ears. We talked about my recent blood counts- pretty rubbish!

Last week HB 9.5, this week 8.9. White cells dropped from 2.2 to 2.0, neutrophils dropped from 1.46 down to 1.29 and platelets about the same 91 to 90. That's all without any chemo last week.

No more chemo, and in order to help my HB and give me more oxygen/energy a blood transfusion in the next few weeks, plus a CT scan just to see whats been happening to those tumours. The best news is that my CA125 has dropped again from 62 to 47... whoooppeee.

I am being as careful as I can with general hygiene, trying to wash my hands loads, not hug/kiss friends with colds etc, and sadly keep away from small children with chicken pox... :-(

Followed  hospital appointment with  yoga at Macmillan and a little tennis in the evening . It was absolutely freezing, and I couldn't wait to get home and run a bath, however upon my arrival back at the house lo and behold my lovely daughter had already sorted out a hot bath! How did she know? She had sneakily tracked my phone and saw when I had left the club, so knew I'd be ten minutes......

Friday was fab, played tennis with friends and the lovely, lovely AH had made me not one but two fish pies, so supper was sorted! Be jealous. Whizzed into town to the 'pub'. (more of that later!) , then a little food shopping, dog walking (very cold, not that they mind, splashing in the sea!) and then a visit to the nail parlour. I should really have had a facial, I do realise there is no hope but my sun damaged skin seems to have taken a bit of a battering with the chemo, and all the basal cell carcinoma ( Basal-cell carcinoma (BCC), also known as basal-cell cancer, is the most common type of skin cancer. It often appears as a painless raised area of skin, that may be shiny with small blood vessels running over it or it may present as a raised area with ulceration.) are far worse. I am visiting the doc on Monday to see if I can get a referral to the skin specialist.   

Dates for your diary....


On Wednesday the 14th March 5:30pm to 6:30pm is a lecture at the hospital Halliwell theatre on the "Menopause". Its been given by my lovely consultant, free of charge , but there will be a an Ovacome bucket for donations towards helping my daughter in law Steph reach her target for the London Marathon in April. I am going to try and add attachment poster. 


If you like to take part in a quiz, keep Thursday April the 5th free, I have booked the Posthorn pub in town to hold a meal and quiz, once again hoping to raise money not only to help Steph with Ovacome, but also my other son's girlfriend Baz with Alzheimer's....It's all happening! 

Finally, Steve and I are off to London on Friday for the w/e to attend the Ovacome conference on Saturday. Will be nice to put faces to names, and bring back more donation buckets!