Blondes Have More Fun?

Upon arriving for my final chemotherapy treatment, all the nursing staff on the unit cheered and congratulated me, which was a lovely gesture and made me feel elated that my treatment was going to finally be over! The week went as well as usual and there were even a few funny incidences! Late the first night Mum went to the car to fetch her sleeping bag, which was in a bin bag and got stopped by security, asking her what was in the bag, if she was a visitor and where she was going!

Later on we finally set up camp for the night; I plugged in my electric toothbrush, phone charger and iPad – all the essentials! Meaning there almost wasn’t a spare one for my chemotherapy pump!

We had a few issues with the camp bed in terms of putting it up. Mike the male nurse eventually assisted us and promptly lay on it to test it out as it was a new model he’d never seen before. So I asked him if he was coming to the sleepover, to which he replied he’d get his pyjamas! 
 
I was on a four bed bay this time and felt like I was in a goldfish bowl one day, with a mass amount of visitors appearing on the unit, who were even taking photographs! They were obviously on some guided tour!
Leaving the ward after my final stay, I felt a mixed bag of emotions – relief and elation but combined with sadness for those other patients I was leaving there, who have become friends in this last year. A week later I was back though to deliver cards and cakes as a special thank you to the hospital team who have supported and cared for me over this past year. I will be back at hospital for my first scans in October and I have an appointment with my Oncologist, Dr Spooner two weeks later to discuss the results and plans for scans hereafter.

I went to collect my new wig a couple of weeks ago too! It’s completely different to the first one I had – people aren’t recognising me! A honey blonde colour, very long and a side fringe – only having a side fringe is definitely taking some getting used to, but I’m extremely happy with it and feel so lucky to have been offered another one.

Now treatment has finished it’s finally time to start packing up and making tracks back to Wales, until I get back on my feet - I’m definitely ready for a dose of normality. Packing has commenced at the Brummy pad and we plan to move at the beginning of October. Florence says she’s winding down her duties and must hastily hit the shops before rural life suppresses her addiction! Dad tells us there’s going to be some new rules when she gets back home, but he’s yet to inform us what they actually are!

The Final Countdown...

Sunday 1^st September 2013

It was Mum’s birthday a few weeks back and with some of the money she received, we decided to treat ourselves to some sightseeing, courtesy of the Big Brum Open Top Bus Tour! Although an enjoyable and interesting experience, it was quite windy and there were a few low trees, meaning I did have to hold onto my wig a few times! Still, we decided that if it did get stuck in the branches, we’d just have to do the tour again to retrieve it!

 
Talking of hair, I was fortunate enough to be offered another wig through Teenage Cancer Trust a few weeks ago! So on Saturday, Mum and I travelled to a salon called Aesthetics near Solihull, for an appointment with the owner called Adrian. He was a nice guy and between us I decided to opt for a blonde/brown mix in a long length, which I’ll have cut and styled in a few weeks time when it arrives. Watch out for the pictures!  

But eventually I hope to have my own hair back in some form. I had an appointment with my surgeon, Mr Peart on the 20^th August to discuss any operations he could do to sort my hair out. I hadn’t seen him personally since last year and since the radiotherapy, so was unsure about what he’d say he could do for me, if anything at all. Luckily he didn’t seem fazed by the procedure he’d have to undertake to give me back my hair. He said he could do an operation in about a year’s time, once my hair’s grown back fully on the one side of my head and I’ve recovered from all the treatment. He said he would do something called tissue expansion to stretch the skin and hair follicles across my head. I’m pleased by what he’s said he can do and happy it’ll be in a year’s time, giving me a chance to get back on my feet, to full health and normality for a while.

I was asked during my last chemotherapy session, whether I’d like to be on the interview panel, to interview for a new teacher on the Young Person’s Unit. As the ward is primarily for 16-24 year olds, many are at school, college or University and require support and tutoring so they are able to continue with their studies alongside treatment. I was thrilled to be asked and spent a day helping to question potential candidates, before contributing to the discussion about who we thought should be selected for the post! Hopefully I was of some help to the rest of the panel!

Rachel and Hannah (friends from home) visited last week to present a cheque for £1,482.25 to Teenage Cancer Trust, following Rachel’s amazing achievement of completing the London Marathon earlier this year. Mum and I had a lovely day with them both, dining out at Red Peppers for lunch and then onto a few shops...well we did have to show them the sites of Birmingham! ;)

 

I go in for my last session of chemotherapy tomorrow. I can’t believe I’ve actually made it to the end of treatment. Remembering back to that very first session, I broke down in tears after what was an extremely tough week, struggling to see how I could cope with any more. Thankfully with the support of many people, I have actually done it! I’m looking to the future now, although many scans and results await me for at least the next five years, which is a scary prospect. Although I know I’ve got amazing support to help me through it.