Big, brave girl

A sight for sore eyes

This week hasn't been too bad.  Still tired, still got an aching back, but not as bad as it was before. The trouble has been on and off sleeping, especially with the hot flushes brought on by my hormone tablets!

We've got Scarlett, my ten year old niece, visiting this week, as she's on half term.  She's staying with mum and dad and who should I see waving at me from my office window but her gorgeous, smiley face on Thursday morning.  I squealed and jumped out of my seat.  Kev said, 'is that Scarlett?', 'yes' I replied and ran out of my office to the biggest hug from her.  It was literally one of the best things to ever to happen to me at work.

She told me that everyone in Leeds sends their love. What a sweetheart.

My beautiful niece, Scarlett

Ironically, it was the same day in December 2016 (Scarlett's 10th b'day), only a few hours after I'd Wattsapp'd the girls saying it was Scarlett's b'day, and how I couldn't believe she was ten, and that when I was initially diagnosed she was only 21 months old and she gave me something to live for, that I then received my second diagnosis phone call! Bizarre.  Although I will always think of that day in December as Scarlett's b'day and not dwell on the other anniversary it now represents!!

Yesterday we took her bouldering at Worcester's newest indoor climbing centre.  It was awesome and she got really good at it, although has been left with sore hands as a result!

Off she goes....

Nearly there....

Done it!

Ow! Plenty of germolene was applied

I was her official supervisor at the centre and it was great to watch her as it helped take my mind off other stuff for one thing, although I really wanted to have a go at it too, but obviously couldn't.

Three years ago

Today is the anniversary of Tim and I both quitting our jobs before embarking on our three month journey around South America (aka Project Maracas), where we took in Chile, Argentina, Peru, Easter Island, Bolvia and Brazil.  What an experience that was.  I had been under huge pressure in my job as a financial services project manager for a company that couldn't really care less about me.  Tim's company was also moving in an IT direction that he didn't want to follow so we had a huge chat about stuff and thought, 'life's too short' and as we'd never extensively travelled when we were younger, decided to leave our ordinary lives behind and embark on an adventure, not knowing what we would do when we got back, but who cares, right?!

I'm so glad that we took that opportunity as who knows if we'll get that option again.  We're both still really keen to spend some time in New Zeland so hopefully we can do that.  In the meantime, we are thinking about heading to Spain at the end of March for some sun and red wine.

Wonder Woman 2

This afternoon I had to go for my blood tests (which are required 72 hours prior to my next jabs on Monday after my appointment with my oncologist).

I was bricking it because I've been a disaster area with my recent blood tests, so I was having panic attacks and spent most of the morning on the toilet - joy!  I just wanted them to be over.

Tim took me to the Drs and thankfully it was the nurse who I've had for bloods before and she's brilliant at them.  I'd been keeping my arm warm all morning so that the veins stayed juicy (bleugh!).  She was great as she asked me how I was with blood tests and I said my previous couple had been a bit nightmarish and so she said, don't worry, we'll lie you back and talk about nice things, so we chatted about the weekend.

She managed to get the needle in but did have to wiggle around to get the flow going (yowzers), but it wasn't too bad and I was grateful to her for putting me at ease.  It then decided to bleed quite a lot so I ended up with a gauze rather than a simple plaster! Afterwards I treated myself to a Wonder Woman sticker and a new pack of Sharpie pens (easily pleased!!).

Wonder Woman

Oooo, pens.

I've now decided that despite being 40 years old I am going to have a brave girl sticker each time I have a yukky hospital related appointment and it just so happens that my Uni girls brought me some stickers last weekend and my friend Gemma has given me some Unicorn stickers, so depending on whether I'm feeling like a superhero or a fantasy beast will drive my sticker of choice.

So until the next time, may be the force be with you..... xx