Well i'm writing this post from bed having seen a lot of it over the last three days. Chemo #3 is done and dusted and I'm starting to get to the other side of the intense symptoms. I had a reaction to one of the drugs they give you in the hospital which was unexpected and caused some nasty symptoms. The first 24 hrs were the worst yet but rode them out and have felt surprisingly better with the nausea just v.tired; thus the need for sleep.
Since last time I posted we've had a lot on. Got keys to our new place, hurrah, but said good bye to our car which decided to conk out on a busy roundabout in Bournemouth at rush hour. I was driving down to pick Ray up from the train station and despite feeling a bit ropey was not anticipating having to make get the RAC out and the police to help push the car out of a busy road. Thankfully I didn't get ill as it was really cold and had to wait a good hour in the cold before my dad rescued me with his fancy car with heated seats! So having to figure out how to buy a new car and pay for the house, but hey as Ray says, it wouldn't be faith if you could see how it was all going to work out.
I've been slowly getting more tired and Millie seems to be getting more active so together we've had to bring in a new babysitter who helps me out two mornings a week every two weeks on. When Mum in Law is down, she takes over, and it is great as Millie adores her so I can rest and my Mum can get some time to do other stuff too. She has been an absolute star through all this and I thank God daily for her faith, strength and generosity.
We celebrated out 5th Wedding Anniversary the day we got the keys to the house and remembered that we actually stayed in Bournemouth on our wedding night so it felt like a full circle to be out to dinner that night not far from the hotel. Millie will probably think we've always lived around her as she grows up but we've got lots of stories to tell her about her brief stint in London and her posh birth certificate showing she was in fact born in the Borough of Chelsea and Westminster.
We've been sorting stuff out with the house and saw a builder this week to get a quote for some reasonably extensive building work. He seemed really positive about the whole thing and can turn it around quite quickly. With the unexpected car expense may have to put that on hold for a bit but exciting that our plans weren't totally mad and he said the kitchen/diner would look great.
I've noticed most people down here look so tanned and healthy despite being winter. Seems like the sun ignores the season and shines a lot more down here and we've had some lovely days exploring the New Forest and Beach. Millie is already a beach babe and adores the beach so much that she has started making her own sandpit down the bottom of Mum and Dad's garden with some of Dad's left over patio sand. She is quite a girl with a plan and now she is starting to really talk it is hilarious keeping up with what she's decided to do with the day.
On a final note, been really struck by the verse above from the Bible that has been encouraging me this week. I had a good chat with the specialist MacMillan Nurse this week who always helps me with the symptoms. We don't know if we are getting it yet but I've found out that after more investigations my staging is the earliest which means that they are assuming the drugs are working. We were talking about how it feels to start loosing your hair, energy, appetite, etc and I spoke about that even though that is all happening I still feel peaceful. It is true though. I'm learning to live in the moment and as the chemo is getting more in to my body it is very hard and sad at times which me waste away before my eyes. It is especially hard to watch the impact on those closest to me who have to care for me and take over with Millie. I often think it takes just as much courage to face this alongside someone as to go through it as they can feel at times helpless and scared. But inside I can feel my character being refined, I'm growing up lots, learning a lot about courage and what it really means to enjoy every bit of life. I know it may sound strange to some of you but I wouldn't change the path I'm on (at the moment anyway :)I'm learning so much about God's compassion for me and getting an insight in to His Love for me and strength that I can relate to Paul, the writer of the verse, that even though I may look like I'm wasting away, inwardly I'm getting all I need to be Gen, love God back and get enough energy to get through the day.
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