I drink proper, dripped, strong coffee - I don’t drink tea. Coffee that is strong enough to stand your spoon up in it. Don’t talk to me until I’ve had at least one cup in the morning. It’s not worth it. Come 1pm, I’m coffee’d out and will switch to squash.

Except something strange has happened. I will have a cup of coffee with breakfast, but after that, I will have a cup of fruit tea. From a bone china cup and saucer. (Specifically an MG cup and saucer I won in a school raffle about 6 years ago.) Or, if it’s bedtime, a cup of camomile tea in by bone china Kate and William Royal Wedding mug (I love twee). It’s all a bit bizarre! I don’t know what has changed, but I can’t drink coffee the way I used to!

To keep my mind off the recent craziness, on Thursday, Pinky came round to show me how to crochet. We drank fruit tea from china cups, chatted about nothing and everything, and managed to make a start with a hook and wool. She’ll have to come back so we can do it again. I’m determined to be able to crochet a Granny Square, and maybe even a Remembrance Day Poppy.

Whilst all this tea is being drunk, arrangements are being made for me to have samples taken from my spine next week. This is to check that the treatment plan they have lined up to use is the best one for me. I had received a letter that tells me I have to be nil by mouth from midnight the night before the procedure. This worries me, if my pain levels aren’t under control, I won’t be able to get to the hospital in the first place, never mind have samples taken. Fortunately, I speak to a very knowledgeable and understanding pre-op nurse who guides me through what I can and can’t take on the morning of the procedure and I feel calmer. We can do this.

On Friday morning, Tash popped in for a quick cup of fruit tea in a china cup, and after a quick nap, I decided that I felt well enough to go and watch Felix’s Jungle Class Assembly with Ross and my Dad. The school have been brilliant and said we can park within the grounds when we need to, which makes things so much easier. It was still a long walk to the school hall, and I had sweat dripping off me throughout the assembly, but the kids were great. Lots of singing, information and funky dancing. My walking stick seemed to cause a bit of cause stir with the kids. “Why’s your Mum got a stick, Felix?”. He turns, shrugs, “Cancer’s spread”. Heartbreaking. He shouldn’t have to say words like that.

I spoke to as few School Mum’s who I hadn’t seen in a while. It’s good to catch up on other people’s news, remind myself that there are other things going on. Good things are going on. Happy things are going on.

The busy day that I had, took it’s toll on me, and I was in bed by 5:30pm. Luckily I have alarms set to wake me up to take my medication. I’d be in all sorts trouble if I missed them.

And so it continues.

Jx