Back to “normal”!

Well I am pretty much back to normal now. My armpit well and truly on the mend and pain is very minimal. I guess that’s to remind me I’m still alive! 🙂  I could have been lying in a hospital bed now with a drip in my arm instead feeling rather crap.

I’m going for a right boob scan this morning. I am hoping its all clear. But as I’ve found nothing myself I’m pretty sure all is well.

It has been a very strange time these past few months.  Being “normal” is strange for me. I go back to work tomorrow and I feel like I’ve been gone ages rather than just a couple of months.  So my first day back will be like starting a new job all over again until I get back into the routine. I’ve been there four years mind so it shouldn’t take me long to get the hang of it!  Although change isn’t my favourite thing I easily adapt to new environments. I wouldn’t have a baby if I didn’t!!

My son is the light of my life. Throughout this he has helped me the most.  Picking up from nursery after radiotherapy stopped me from ever feeling sad and recovering from my burns he kept me busy and took his first steps too! I love watching him walk now. Although tiring Its such an amazing accomplishment when your little ones start walking.  He’s getting very much like me.  Quite the tantrum if he doesn’t get what he wants haha

Did you know that whilst driving in your car you can get sunburned too! Just cause you think you are shaded in the car,  doesn’t mean you are safe.  My husband realised that. He will be more careful now.  I try to wear long skirts and protect myself on long drives.

I am hoping to organise a singathon or something along those lines to help spread awareness of malignant melanoma and raise money for PASYCAF who have helped me throughout all this.  So for those of you who live near by I will let you know so you can come and watch if you like.  I am also planning a night out to celebrate too! Whoop whoop!

Well, that’s it for me for now. Plus my latest and last armpit photo. Finally better. Yay for being better! 🙂

I will post again when I get results from scan.

Thank you for following my news! 🙂

Taken 30/08/10

13 down 7 to go!

Well here I am with 7 days of treatment to go.  My armpit is getting more sore with each passing day now and so is my wrist. I think that’s a sign of lympoedema however I am being careful with it and doing the gentle rubbings to get fluid out of my arm and it to my remaining lymph nodes in my back.  My fingers are all the same size though thankfully.  I get a pins and needles feeling in my arm sometimes and the tape has left some not so attractive red marks which are now turning black from the radiozaps! But its a small price to pay to be rid of melanoma.

A girl a barely knew died last Saturday.  I met her via a melanoma forum and she added me on facebook too but we only chatted a few times. But I am sad as she was only 37.  Melanoma is a very cruel killer and puts up such a fight sometimes that even the strongest most optimistic person can loose. At least now JH can rest in peace.

I spent my weekend with my family, I did a bit of shopping and bought a tent and portable DVD player.  I have to say during my travels during and back the DVD player has been fab! Now I share it with another passenger and she is hooked too! If we aren’t causing a riot in the bus and being too noisy… haha

The other bus driver (from another support society) apparently doesn’t like me although we’ve met very few times in the clinic.  You see he is very bossy and can be quite rude to the cancer patients which is totally wrong.  So I stood up for them and kind of put him in his place so now he doesn’t like me. I think he believes women should be seen and not heard.. and well everyone who knows me knows I’m not like that.  You hear me before you see me..haha

In a strange way I will miss my friends from the bus as its not a place i’d rather be! We all pretty much finish in August and its been really nice as we have all laughed and joked as if we are all going on a summer holiday.  It should be called George’s fun bus.. as its not a sad place to be.  We have all been quite lucky to meet each other I think.   To every cloud there is a silver lining two of my bus friends have said to me at separate times! I plan to throw a party when I’m done for them and of course some of my good friends who have supported me throughout my journey.

I think when something terrible happens to you its life’s way of saying “wake up” you are doing something wrong.  And believe me when I say I am more awake now than I ever was.

I have received conflicting stories from two different secretaries. One saying I don’t need chemo and another saying I only need chemo of my melanoma is metastatic..  well as I have been diagnosed with metastatic melanoma I am confused now.  I am seeing the doctor on the 4th of August, last day of treatment and he is a melanoma and chemotherapy specialist so I am hoping he will shed some light on my condition as unfortunately so far apart from the excellent treatment at the clinic I’ve struggled to speak to a doctor about my issues.

Have a nice week all and remember to treasure life and all that comes with it.