My Birthday Yesterday!

I have been so lucky this birthday with all of the wonderful gifts and cards I have received! Last year I was in Rome for my birthday but this year I was at home which is truly where my heart is! The only sad part of it was that my youngest son was away from home on a school trip. My mother-in-law bought me this gorgeous PANDORA bead. I hadn't seen this one before but it is so pretty.

This horse PANDORA bead was one of my gifts off youngest son Harry. He also bought me a glass paperweight shaped like a diamond which he chose himself. He gave me his gift just before he left for Nant BH. Harry loves sparkly things.

This card is just gorgeous! My friends daughter, Chloe made it for me! I have a special "keep sake" box and this card is definately going in it!

These are a gift in themselves! 12 years ago I was almost at the point of giving up on the possibility of having children and now I have two gorgeous sons! Having two birthday cards sporting the word "MUM" means more than words can explain!

My Auntie Heather and Uncle Phil gave me this card. They know how significant the blue butterfly has been for me during my fight with breast cancer. The blue butterfly is means "healing, sent with love".

My husband always gets me the nicest cards with a really slushy message inside!

Just look at all of my gifts!!!!! I have been so lucky! I happened to spot the Carvella boots in Chester a week or so ago and I was lusting after them secretly and just look........ Jason got them for me! The NOA perfume is from my eldest son Joe, we sipped the sparkling wine, the Clinique body stuff is devine!

I love my new boots!

Not sure if everyone is familiar with GOK but in this country, he is a fashion and style guru. He has brought out his own range of body pampering products and just look at the size of the box I have been given!

My dad bought me this dirt devil for my car! What a thoughtful gift this is! I was struggling with my big hoover but this will make the job so much easier.

I had lots and lots of lovely things including a schnauzer glass keyring, a wolf t-shirt, a wii fit, a red scarf and a puzzle photo of my cousins children in Australia! I have decided to put the puzzle together then have it glued and framed!

I am so grateful for all of my birthday cards, gifts and good wishes.

End of Chemo and PANDORA GROWS

Those of you who have been following my blog for some time, will know that my War with Breast Cancer is being commemorated by my collection of Pandora beads. My best friend started me off by giving me my Pandora bracelet, together with the Breast Cancer Pandora bead when I was a "supporting parent" for her daughter Chloe at her "naming ceremony" earlier this year. From then on, I have been marking each stage of my fight with a pandora beads. Some have been purchased by myself, others come as kind and thoughtful gifts - all come with LOVE.

I purchased the above bead myself to commemorate the start of the last session of chemo (one session consisted of 2 rounds of chemo a week apart) which also happened to fall on our 15th Wedding Anniversary.

I had such a rough time of the "wedding anniversary" chemo, with canulas not going in, veins shutting down and then the nurse pushing the chemo in so fast I became ill that my husband purchased this bead for me and it came from John Greed Designs the very next day. He wanted to cheer me up and I will treasure this particular bead forever. www.johngreeddesign.co.uk Super fast and efficient service from John Greed Designs, as always.

To mark the end of Chemotherapy, my best friend bought me this bead. This comes with such love, thought and caring because she understands just how much my faith means to me and how strong it has kept me in this fight. She herself is unconvinced so the gift is even more special because of this.

My final bead to mark the end of Chemotherapy came from my mother-in-law. I particularly wanted this bead because of its significance in my cancer fight. Early on, at the start of my treatment, a friend sent me Reiki healing in the middle of the night. I received the healing in the form of a vibrant blue butterfly. I didn't realise its significance until it came up in conversation. Forever in my life, a blue butterfly will mean love, hope, strength and faith.....

My bracelet is not yet complete. I have to tackle radiotherapy, my first hair cut (can't wait), my first swim, my first running race, getting to goal weight, my one year after surgery, herceptin. Once it is complete, it will be an eclectic range of beads and colours but to me.... it will be priceless and a lasting reminder that life is good, life is wonderful, life is for living........

Pandora Bracelet - New Bead!!!!!

If you have been following my blog, then you will know that my best friend bought me a PANDORA bracelet with a BREAST CANCER bead on it to thank me for being a standing parent for her daughters naming ceremony. Since having the bracelet, I have started to use it as a markway for my breast cancer journey.

So far I have the "Love, Hope, Faith" bead because that is what I live by these days, my mother in law bought me a ball of love hearts, I had a red bead to represent the end of Epi-Rubison the nasty red chemo drug, my mother in law bought me a rabbit to mark the start of CMF and now I have just bought myself my much promised hedgehog because my hair is growing back and my eyebrows are all there now!!! So excited! So there is a picture of the little fella (much nicer in real life).

Stephanie "Bah to Cancer" - we must meet up one day to compare our bracelets!

Massive thanks to John Creed Designs Ltd (yet again) for a super fast delivery! I only placed the order yesterday and it was with my 9am this morning. Brilliant web site for pandora authentic beads! http://www.johngreeddesign.co.uk/ Check em out!

Day 2 following CMF and I still feel tired but the medication is working and my stomach acid is abating along with my upset tummy! Tiredness I can deal with, upset tummys and acid reflux - I cannot!

Session 4/12 Pandora Bead Celebrate!

Just thought I would share this with you all!

My dear friend Jan bought me a Pandora Bracelet for being a supporting parent for her daughter. She also gave me a breast cancer pandora bead to put on it. I purchased the "Love, Faith, Strength bead" to signify my fight with cancer and my mother in law bought me a gorgeous silver bead encrusted with hearts to show her support.

I promised myself a bead for every journey and occasion through my fight with cancer and as I have just finished my Epi-R (the lethal red stuff) I decided to buy a red pandora bead and it is pictured above at the start of this blog.

I ordered the bead from John Greed yesterday afternoon and it arrived in record time, this morning, I am so proud of it and I can highly recommend John Greed for pandora purchases.

http://www.johngreeddesign.co.uk/