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Little wins and #LittleLifts
When people talk about “little wins”, they often mean the obvious things: getting through a difficult appointment, reaching a treatment milestone, or ticking something off the list that once seemed impossible. But sometimes a little win is much smaller than that. Sometimes it’s simply getting home. After my unexpected hospital stay, I was allowed home…
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Positivity vest
My positivity vest has worked!! 🎉 I can go home around 5pm… Honestly, I am so very grateful to be allowed home at last, and I got all teary when the oncologist said I could 🥹 She is reasonably positive that this was a one-off, and that things should be much better next time. To…
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Pieces of a bigger picture
If you’ve followed my story so far from the beginning, you may have got the impression that I am a very independent person and – under normal circumstances – more than capable of looking after myself. However, I have recently learned the hard way that sometimes we need to call upon others, or ask for…
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Food for thought
British hospital food has long been the butt of jokes. I haven’t exactly helped, having rated the breakfasts here in earlier posts. On Saturday, based on the previous couple of days, I reduced my expectations slightly for the breakfast by omitting the Bucks Fizz. That was a good move on my part, because today’s breakfast…
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Settling in
Once again, I could not sleep. So, around dawn, tentatively stepped outside the confines of my room for the first time since I arrived and peeped into the little garden across the corridor – there was a tiny finch in the tree singing its little heart out 💛 Breakfast review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆A definite improvement on yesterday:…
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Well, here we are…
I survived another night, so things are looking up IMHO😀 The upset stomach continues, so I’m back on a drip for fluids. I’ve also developed a skin rash, and my chest has now been “Sharpied” with what looks like a pirate treasure map. 🫣 The doctor will be round later to review everything, but all…
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Never saw that coming 😱
After an unexpected emergency overnight stay… I survived the night! (Always a good start to any day, I think!) I was admitted with kidney failure and sepsis following my first round of chemotherapy, which wasn’t quite how I imagined this week would go. Thankfully, the care has been excellent, and I will be transferred to…
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First chemo: Days 5–7 – One Step Forwards…
NB: These posts are written from notes I made at the time. Some days they are reflections; some days they are simply a record of getting through the next hour. Previous The next few days became a lesson in not getting too excited by small improvements. Day 5 began much as the previous ones had…
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First chemo + 4: A very long day
NB: These posts are written from notes I made at the time. Some days they are reflections; some days they are simply a record of getting through the next hour. The honeymoon period seemed to be over. After feeling reasonably OK for the first few days, things really caught up with me overnight. The stomach…
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First chemo + 3: An unexpected trip to A&E
NB: These posts are written from notes I made at the time. Some days they are reflections; some days they are simply a record of getting through the next hour. Previous After a dreadful night dozing on the sofa, I woke around 5:30am feeling weak, exhausted and nauseous. My throat was painfully sore – possibly…
