Sweet things

Thank you for my Easter biscuits that arrived in the post today. So kind.



My tum tum is not well. But that is not going to stop me eating them anyway.

Snug as a Bug

I have had a very restless night. There have been digestive problems that don't need any more said about them. But also a general restlessness which tends to kick in around this time in my chemo cycle.

It is VERY frustrating. My body clearly needs sleep. It has just undergone a chemical onslaught (again.) And my cell counts will be hitting their low so really what I didn't need was to spend last night in between the bathroom and tossing and turning all night in bed.

Some very good friends of ours renamed their spare room the "snug as a bug" room. And after a couple of hours of this frustration last night, this is where I relocated myself too. My Jonny was none the wiser, fast asleep (snoring,) and no point us both suffering this. Besides which makes me feel even worse about the whole thing if he is even more tired than usual for his stupid o'clock early starts.

Our "snug as a bug" room got redecorated a few months ago. We sometimes think of it as the unnecessary part of the house. Up in the loft conversion and only really used when people come to stay and for storage. However in recent months there have been various illness reasons (understatement?!) which mean being banished to the "snug as a bug" room have been necessary.

It's all in the name you see. Call it the spare room and you feel like a spare part. Call it "snug as a bug," and it feels almost like a treat. Today I am off to spend time in my friends "snug as a bug" room just for a change of scene. I am not going there to be spare or invalid you see, but to be snug.

Grateful List

So I have been hanging out in chemo land for a few days now. There are somethings that I am very grateful for:

• Robinson's Peach Squash. It is not as acidic. I have been able to drink it. Yey.
• Gnocchi. Those potato nuggets meant I could diverge from toast and cornflakes.
• Cadbury's Chocolate Buttons. I know we aren't supposed to buy Cadbury's any more now it has gone yank, but I am allowed concession's in my state. And mid afternoon that little bit of chocolate has kept me on.
• Ann and her anti sickness drugs. Upped and upped. Nausea still present but not been sick once. This helped massively with hydration.
• It is the Tuesday after the Thursday before and I made it out of the house this morning. First time out in under a week post chemo. Even to lay on my mat in my class... paid for it later with an afternoon in bed but was worth it to get out.
• Food deliveries tastic for Jonny. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• Jon calling me from work yesterday to suggest a 3 day spa weekend over the Easter weekend. And then coming home and booking the entire thing. The rest and change of scene for both of us is much needed.
• Love.

So it is no laugh a minute, not by a long shot, but it has been better than last time. And the not so nice stuff is private and not for blog world.

So I will sit here and dream of my Easter mini break. I'm sure Bridget has a great line on that one. But my chemo brain can't remember what it is.

Reflexology

Having spent the day feeling rather rubbish due to the adverse reaction to the sleep aid (or rather aid to NO sleep in my case) I am feeling much better. I have just had some reflexology locally. I loved it.

I have written before about my lovely friend who has given me lots of reflexology over the past few years. She has a 3 month old little boy now so finding time to massage my feet is not easy. Although we may find a way yet.

I have no idea why reflexology works. All I can say is I felt like a different person after an hour of foot treatment this evening. My headache had cleared. I felt more balanced. And like I had experienced some really deep relaxation. I have already booked to go again in a couple of weeks time after my next chemotherapy. It's all about finding the things that help right now. And, in my case, reflexology is certainly one of them.

Treat on the doorstep

I have been dreaming of a proper English afternoon tea. And when I got home this evening there was a little parcel on my doorstep. It was from Betty's Bakery in Harrogate. Hmm I thought. And I opened it up and inside were freshly baked scones, jam, tea and ginger cake.

So now I can have my own little afternoon tea here. Tonight while the scones are so melt in the mouth fresh.

Thank you Kate and John who managed to send me English scones despite living in in Jerusalem. Yum.

Lucky Dip and ickle visits

Summary of past few days:

Thursday: First to enter chemo ward at 8.45 am. Last to leave at about 7pm. Only advantage is I have eyed up my favourite position (in the corner with the shelf) so getting there early means I get a choice of seats. Lucky old me hey? We get straight on with it. 1o hours later I am full of toxic chemicals, steroids, tonnes of fluid, anti sickness and I think I managed half an egg sandwich too.

Friday: Can't remember much. Friday evening we had a visit from Palestine by the boy John Edwards. Well actually I believe the official reason for his visit was it was his father's 70th Birthday celebrations but we will take the credit for Friday night. Apologies that Jonny had you drink so much whisky. Didn't see too many objections though.

I did very well with my Palestinian lucky dip gift bag. Lots of lovely fun little things. One of which is modelled by John Edwards here:

It's the belt we are all looking at it by the way. Not the T-shirt. Not that I am not special.

It was so lovely to have this visit. If a little emotional. "Don't make me cry John," I had to beg. The last time we saw John was in Jerusalem for Christmas. I drank champagne, ate tonnes, and laughed loads every day. Only a few weeks later here I am crashed out on the sofa at home full of "ugh" and not a well girl at all.

Still must be positive. This is to get me back to where I have been before. Surely. Please. Please.

Saturday all a bit of a blur. Today I had a couple of girly visits which was lovely. Am learning that this does perk me up for a bit. It's also about not being on the phone or seeing people too. Oh dear wave of nausia.

But well done United.

Pancake Day

I have just had lots of laughter and fun over a stack of delicious pancakes at my friends home. Lemon and sugar is the best way to serve a pancake in my book.

Last year I gave up clothes shopping for lent. This year I am giving up nothing at all. Far too hard given the elephant situation. There is a time for discipline and a time for enjoying grace.

And now is a time where treats are very much allowed.

Tuesday Treats

Treats of the day today have been some of these:

And I had a friend over this afternoon to watch a lot of this: