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!

Sess 4/12: Getting Good at This!

My little Harry dressed as a Knight on holiday in Cornwall, Aug 2009

I am getting good at this blogging business... to think that I was scared of computers! Now, if I had never got breast cancer, I would not have learnt how to do this. I woke up today thinking how much I was missing swimming and running but I will do that again, in October and for now I am reading, blogging and having fun in different ways.

My philosophy on life is that no matter how bad things get, no matter what bad things happen to you, there is always something positive. I call it "my PollyAnna Syndrome" - always look for the good in the bad.

I have made so many friends whilst blogging, people who I have never met in person but who brighten my life and make me smile and giggle. I am going to list all the things I am doing which I wouldn't be doing if I hadn't got cancer

1. Dog training with Wilbur: Its such fun and has changed the dynamics of our "pack"

2. Included my hubbie in dealing with my childrens disabilities. Its great not being a lone crusader!

3. Reading: have read so many good books, its great. I will try to put some on this blog

4. Blogging: I was too scared to do this before but now it is so much fun and theraputic

5. I have made great friends who are a tremendous support

6. I actually stop these days and take time to watch the birds and the bees (forget the pun)

7. Have the Gathering 2010 planned and I wouldn't have bought tickets if I hadnt got cancer

8. Reviewing books which is great fun and I am part of the Amazon Vine programme

9. I am learning to ask for help when I need it and not do everything myself

10. I am thoroughly enjoying my rabbits and guineapigs, they are such good fun

11. I am signed up to the Shrewsbury Relay for Life as a Survivor on 12th Sept 2009

Keep watching this blog, I may yet add to the list of things I am doing that I wouldn't have done if I hadn't got breast cancer!

Its a cold day here in North Wales but at least the rain has stopped. My dogs are worrying about the bread I have just put on the bird table, they watch it like hawkes, willing the birds to drop their bounty. Its quite funny really because they work as a team, Pickles at one side of the bird table and Wilbur at the other! I am so lucky to live where I do because we are surrounded by trees and birds. Some times I clamber into Harrys bed which is raised up high and watch the trees sway in the wind, it is very theraputic.

So, my chemo symptoms are none existant for the moment except for the tiredness. More chemo on Thursday though but its a different type, fingers crossed the CMF spares my digestive system!

Oh, and I know I have shared my pandora bracelet with you all before, well, I wanted to show you my latest bead which my mother in law Margaret bought me yesterday to mark the start of the new type of chemo...... its a cute ikkle rabbit!

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/

Session 2 of 12: So Great to Have Friends

Yesterday, I was asking "Why Me?" and my friend Ron told me that I shouldn't be asking that question, I should be asking, "How am I going to deal with this.." and he is so right. Thank you, Ron for my wake up call.

I feel much brighter today. The sun wasn't shining in Rossett, we had a storm and it has been cool but I feel good. My dear friend Jan went out and bought me the most beautiful scarves, one of which I am wearing now. It is silk and feels so warm and soft on my head. I didn't realise just how cold my head could get. I lay in the bath yesterday and my head had a jolt when I rested it back against the bath side. It did the same again today when I laid my head on my cotton pillow. All these new experiences.

I do think about cancer coming back but as my friend revealed today, if I had had this type of cancer diagnosis 5 years ago, I would be in a bad situation but the fact that my cancer is HER2 pos and receptive to Herceptin means that the tables have turned full swing and I am in the best possible situation.

My pandora bead came the other day and it symbolises "Love, Faith and Hope" which is what I live by, a great partner for my lovely breast cancer bead.

My dogs are looking good but need a bath so tomorrow I think I may just take the plunge and bath them. Oh, they get conditioning treatments too followed by a blow dry, tidy up and Eau De Toilette... they get the works. I have decided that seeing as how I have this year off work as a mobile dog groomer, I am going to concentrate on my two dogs. Pickles is five years old and a complete joy, she stays close too me and apart from demanding endless cups of tea, she is an easy dog. Wilbur on the other hand is just over 1 year old and he is naughty! He barks like a wild thing when I take him on walks and it is stopping me from taking them out at certain times of the day. I am going to invest some serious time into training him now and turning him into the dog that Pickles is!

Watch this space!!!!!