I’ve been meaning to write a catch up for a while, but despite only working 10 hours a week, I never seem to find the time. I suppose it’s because I know I’m going to have to concentrate for a decent amount of time. Something that I find difficult to do. Even when I’m working I struggle to concentrate, and trying to find apply logic to a software problem can sometimes have embarrassing results. Thankfully my line manager accepts these limitations and is glad of anything I produce, and if it actually works properly, then that’s a bonus! :-D

So, it may take me a few days to complete this post…but I will complete this post! So far, I’m a week in.

The title of this blog post is a nod to the fact we are in the midst of a two month (and counting) heat wave. Everyone has a sweat sheen on them, and the ice cream van is doing a roaring business. In fact Imy saw 3 outside the local waterpark last week.

I left the last post not knowing whether I’d be able to have Cyberknife or not, and looking forward to our holiday in Sherwood Forest and Felix’s 10th birthday.

We left the decision making re. the Cyberknife to my Oncologist and went on a break to Forest Holiday’s in May half term. It was just what we needed to take our mind of things. We stayed in a cabin in the forest with it’s own hot tub. We knew I’d be limited in what I was able to do due to my levels of pain and fatigue, so I was careful not to overdo it. There were activities we could take part in nearby, so we went on a wildlife walk (which despite being short, wiped me out for the rest of the day), Ross and the kids went on bike rides, Imy and I did an art class, and the highlight was doing archery and air rifle shooting on Felix’s birthday. Also for his birthday, we organised for a cake, present and decorations to be delivered to our cabin whilst we were out. It was a lovely surprise for him when we got back. One of the best things was seeing the wildlife coming right down to the patio of our cabin to feed on the seeds and snacks we put out for them. We saw squirrels, Jays, sparrows, crows and a lizard!

Once home, we were given the news that the Cyberknife was going ahead and I needed to go down to Mount Vernon for a planning session. This involved a CT scan so the team could create a plan to make sure that the tumour was targeted, whilst minimizing the damage to nearby healthy tissue and creating a mould of me with a vacuum packed beanbag. This was to be used so that I wouldn’t be able to move and stay in exactly the same position for all sessions. I was to have 5 hourly sessions on my hip, and 3 on my shoulder. We decided that in order to reduce the traveling to and from Mount Vernon, I would have a hip session and then a shoulder session immediately after, so I only needed to travel there 5 times rather than 8.

Things went to plan for the most part, apart from a small delay due to a faulty part. All we have to do now is wait until the next scan in August to see if it has been successful.

Next up in the list of events in the Lawley House came Ross’s visit to New York for a work for a week. The airline he was having flying with had problems with it’s operations, and his return flight was cancelled. Thankfully, he managed to get on the one scheduled to leave before his and he was home earlier than expected. Had he not done that, he would have been stuck in New York for an extra 2-3 days.

Then we began with the school end of term wind down and all that came with it. Kids coming home with bags of books, work done throughout the year, p.e. kits that were in varying states of use, our attendance was required at dance displays and music concerts, and everyone was generally very sweaty due to a very heat.

Of course the first decent rain decided to start the week our building work commenced. At the minute it’s all groundwork to level the garden, but it can’t be done in the rain. Hopefully things will be back on track soon.

I think that’s everything and I’m up to date now… We’ll be going up to visit my Dad and Step Mum later on in the holidays which we are looking forward to.

In the meantime, keep on keeping on!

Jx

p.s. It seems appropriate to mention a fellow school mum who I met as she has a boy the same age as Felix, as well as a younger son. Last month after dealing with cancer for 8 years, she sadly died. It makes me so cross that cancer is so indiscriminate in who gets the disease. Donna and her family deserved better. I think of her often as she was a very plucky, no nonsense woman, and did everything he could to spend as much time as she could with her boys. Rest in peace. xx