Friday 23 December 2011

A blip and Happy Christmas

Bit of a blip this week. Had to call my gp on Tuesday. Getting a chest infection whilst on chemo is not the cleverest thing I have ever done!!! My rib muscles and diaphragm are so sore from all the coughing – but the antibiotics are kicking  in . So no trial treatment this week and chemo will not go ahead next week.

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Well 2011 has been a bit of a roller coaster year for us. Last Christmas if you remember I was going through chemotherapy and we were celebrating the birth of our first grandchild Ethan and the news that we would be having a second grandchild in Canada later in the year. What a boost for us both.

The chemo was successful and bought me some time. We had a great week in Colaton Raleigh in Devon at Easter with Jon, Gaby & Ethan. Another holiday to Menaggio, Lake Como then followed in May to chill out after the treatments. We managed several trips – the highlight being the Bernina Express through the Alps.

Our granddaughter arrived in June – Lilah Thorun – and we were over the moon. Grandchildren, are a bit like buses - you wait ages for one and then you get 2 within 8 months!

In July Alan & I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary – we celebrated in style with a lovely meal at the Ashdown Park Hotel in Surrey.

In  late August we went to Canada to meet Lilah (and mum & dad!). Jon, Gaby & Ethan came too so we really had the holiday of a lifetime. Still get very emotional thinking about it.
We spent a couple of days with Tim, Anna & Lilah in Toronto then when the others arrived we rented a house on Gul River in the Kawarthas. Finally we spent some time catching up with Canadian culture and history in Ottawa.

We have also managed a couple of weekends in France and Belgium – which meant the wine/beer stocks could be topped up!

Medical tests continued and the news we did not want to hear was that my cancer was once more progressing. I had hoped for a longer spell of remission but it is no help to dwell on these things.
So I am now in the middle of a second chemotherapy regime and I am taking part in a new drug trial at Maidstone hospital. It is a double blind trial so I don’t know if I am receiving the drug or a placebo but at least I have the chemo as a backup. This does require a lot of travelling (hospitals twice a week) but if the results are positive then it will be worth it.

So from Alan & myself we wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy 2012. We will be spending Christmas with our 2 wonderful grandchildren and their mums and dads, my brother and partner and daughter. Tim, Anna and Lilah arrive on 24th Dec. Thank you so much for your support this year – knowing you are there has made a difference.

With love
                                               Tess &Alan xx

4 comments:

  1. Tess you are one brave lady and I love you so much. Thanks for being my friend and for supporting me when I needed it.
    Have a very Happy Christmas and I hope a Healthy and Peaceful New Year. Love to you both Cynthia + Geoff xx

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  2. Wishing you nothing but the best, Tess. Have a fantastic Christmas with all the family and look forward to a positive New Year.

    Janet xx

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  3. Tess, you are an inspiration to us all and a very special friend of mine. Have a Happy Christmas with all your family, especially Ethan & Lilah and my hope for a Happy, Peaceful and Healthy New Year.
    Love to you both, Christine & Colin

    PS A huge thankyou for my little gift. xxxxx

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  4. Tess, you are so inspirational and I am proud to call you a friend.
    I hope that 2012 brings you the news that we all want to hear, that you have positive result from the trial. Have a wonderful new year with all your lovely family and a peaceful healthy 2012
    Lots of love
    Trish xxx

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