Writing things down is a way to get things off your chest, to get your thoughts and feelings out there without actually having to say them out loud. It seems these days it’s the thing to do, especially if you’ve got some time on your hands, as I do at the moment.
On Valentine’s day this year I was diagnosed with breast
cancer. Instead of going out for a nice meal with my boyfriend (something we
usually do after Valentine’s Day so we don’t get charged ridiculous prices for
dishes we can’t even chose ourselves) we were sat at home with the task of
telling our families. The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. After only a few
hours of being diagnosed I couldn’t really bring myself to say the word
‘cancer.’ At 25 years old it wasn’t on my list of things to do, on my rough
plan on how I wanted my life to turn out but it is now something that I have to
deal with every day, as does my family.
A few people suggested I write a blog or keep a diary, which
I was unsure of at first. Why would I want people, some of them strangers,
knowing personal things about me and about what I am going through? My mind
starting to change when James (my wonderful boyfriend and solid rock through
this awful ordeal) encouraged me to set up a justgiving page to raise money by
shaving my head for the Breast Centre Llandough, where I was treated and will
continue to be treated. I wanted to raise a couple of hundred pounds, just as a
thank you to my Breast nurse, my doctor, and all the other people at the Breast
Centre Llandough. A special mention to the singing receptionist (the Grease
melody I think it was) for managing to give me and James a laugh on one of our
visits, something not common in that place! Little did I know what an amazing
response this page would receive. Currently the total raised is over £1500.
Friends, family, friends of family, friends of friends and even some strangers
have donated generously and completely overwhelmed me with messages of support and
encouragement.
And so I think this blog will be born. It will not be all
doom, gloom and cancer however as that is not the kind of person I am and I definitely
do not want this thing taking over my life, nor will I let it. I will keep you
updated on my day to day adventures - I seem to have taken up gardening. I am an
expert gardener; this is what I believe anyway.
Ask my parents and James and
you may receive a different response. Also ask James’ dad Graham, at the end
of the summer how his vegetable patch has got on as he is allowing me to plant
a few things! So far I have a few little broccoli plants popping up to say
hello and some sunflowers that seemed to have stopped growing….. I also have
increased my baking repertoire, something I have loved doing for years; however
sugary dairy filled goods are not highly recommended with cancer, so I
bake, have a little treat of what I have made and leave the rest for others to
eat.
So I will endeavour to keep you
updated on my ever increasing gardening skills, my interesting concoctions in
the kitchen, as well as how I am doing.
Hi love. I can't tell you how much you've been in my thoughts and prayers lately. I am sitting here with tears in my eyes, not because of your situation with being diagnosed with breast cancer, but because of your tenacity, courage, and strength. Although we only spent a few short weeks together in Costa Rica, I am so happy to call you a good friend. Keep blogging, baking, and broccoli growing- these are all ways to heal!
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