Glad to Have My Blog Back

Before I get started on this blog, I just want all of my blogging friends to look at the picture above of Mike Peters and his wife Jules. They helped found the Love Hope Strength Foundation which aims to put cancer centres in every country and make cancer a curable disease. Mike himself has battled the beast twice in the last 15 years and his type of cancer is incurable but can be managed.

They have done so much, you must visit the LHS website to see what amazing things they have achieved. They have donated thousands to the cancer centre where I received part of my treatment. They have climbed Everest, Snowdon and now more recently Kilimanjaro.

As a result of this quest, Jules is now seriously ill in hospital suffering with not only DVT but a tropical disease. She is in isolation so will not even be able to see her two very young sons. I want you all to say a prayer for this amazing person. Hold her in your thoughts and pray for a fast recovery.

So.... I am back home from the caravan and now I can access my blog and everyone elses. It has been quite frustrating not being able to visit blogs or even pick up the comments left on my blog! I will be busy catching up with you all over the next week.

I am back in the pink! I only let myself have one blue day every once in a while, I think it helps to cleanse the mind and body but thank you for all of your messages of support which helped turn me from blue to pink.

The only other frustration I have at the moment is that my scan disk is not allowing me to upload my pictures so my wonderful husband has allowed me to use his from the holiday and will be working to fix my disk so that I can share the fab photos I took on holiday.

The above picture is of Joe pretending to fly a "Vampire" aeroplane at the museum.

Harry loves aeroplanes and so last Christmas we bought him an authentic pilots flight suit and Jason managed to get badges and a beret which he loves. In this picture we were on Llanbedrog Beach and he was busy enacting war scenes. This took me back years to my own child hood when I used to play the same games with my brothers!

Harry was flying a helicopter in this picture and by the look on his face, I think he must have been about to crash!

This is me and my Joe, Jason was insisting on taking photos of me which I dont like because of my weight gain, hair and general poor self image. We decided to pull extreme faces for this one!

We had a lovely week away, it is so relaxing on the Llyn. The best moments were the air museum because the look on Harrys face when we got there was just why I love being a mum, I also enjoyed the bonfire on the beach. Warm autumn night with leaves falling onto the sand, the magic of the fire, waves crashing on the beach and only us there - what a magical experience.

Friday Shoot Out - Relaxation (a day early)

So many ways to chill and relax..... I have learnt them all since February 2009 and my war with breast cancer, so how do I capture them on film? Great challenge. I put on my thinking cap and came up with a selection of photographs. My first is...... watching my baby boys sleep. When they sleep they are so innocent, full of peace and my heart brims with sincere and pure love for them. Above is Harry aged 8.

Above: my little Sunshine Boy - Joseff aged 10

I love it on the beach no matter what the weather. It is so lovely just to sit and watch the waves, listen to the sound of the sea, collect stones and shells....... and writing in the sand!!!!!

I love walking in the woods, again, no matter what the season, there is a gift in each one. Here Springtime is depicted in Darland Woods with the first scatterings of heavenly Bluebells and wild garlic.... ooooh I can just smell the cascade of perfume - wonderful!

Of course I love parties! Relaxing with friends, fun with good, sincere friends.

Unplanned days out with my family and the dogs. Always good fun when you just "follow your nose and heart"

Finally, relaxation for me is knowing that my children are healthy, happy and safe. When those three elements come together I can truly relax and enjoy life.

Chemo Session 1 - Running

I haven't updated my blog for a few days because we have been away to the caravan in Pwllheli. We had a lovely weekend break, the weather wasn't fantastic but theres something theraputic about lieing in your bed listening to the rain thud off the caravan roof.

Cancer makes you see life in a different light. The things you take for granted, simple pleasures previously ignored. I loved walking along Llanbedrog beach, a different scene with each new day. Looking for skeletons of small crabs, pretending to sail an old beaten up rowing boat stranded on the beach, saving shell creatures by throwing them back into the sea and examining rock pools. We had fun. Lots of fun. I missed bringing the dogs though so perhaps next time we come for a weekend break we will bring them too.

The side effects of chemotherapy are catching up on me; sore gums, constipation, poor circulation, dry mouth, inflamed nasal passages. The poor circulation thing bothers me the most because my skin has taken on a rather "purple" hue at times. This would be fine if it just affected my body but my face goes a funny shade too and I can see it through my make up!

Anyway; TODAY I did an important thing! I took control of the cancer! Yes, I ran!

I haven't been able to run since the biopsy because of the bruising and associated pain. I tried to run a couple of weeks ago but the bruising was still bad and it was too painful. I have surfed the net searching for other cancer sufferers who may have run through their treatment but have not been successful. I decided that the days I feel up to it, I will run. I have a short training circuit which is a pretty route around the country lanes. It is quiet and free from attacking dogs! Rather than measure my pace and distance etc which is what I was doing before the cancer struck me, I decided to take it easy and run for the pleasure.

I really enjoyed my run. The sun was shining but there was a fresh breeze, the lanes were quiet and I was sensible. I ran most of the 2 miles but when I found my heart rate was too raised, I walked then resumed the running - this is me being sensible. I returned home on a high. Not only did I have the high of running which other runners will understand but I had made a major achievement. I had run, I had run!

Sadly; I then went on to "over do" it. I cycled to my friends house for a coffee then after a hot bath to stimulate my circulation and reduce my purple hue, J and I took the dogs for a walk. It was during the dog walk I felt as though I really needed my bed. As soon as I got home..... I went to bed!

However, today was a good day - cancer hasn't beaten me and it aint gonna beat me!