Special Moments - Happy Memories

My niece; Lois Dawn sent me a text during a break between her hairdressing clients, I have written a poem she said: (...three months before my brain tumour...)

It's my lasting memory from our holiday in Cala D'or in 2008 she said...

The sky was dark and the stars shone bright,

over the bannister we climbed

Lay on the hard scratchy grass,

we stared up at the twinkling lights.

Isn't it beautiful Dawn said, whilst staring up at the sky,

I was more concerned about foreign bugs

crawling in the grass,

wondering if any could fly.

We were hoping to see some shooting stars whizz past up above

It didn't matter that I missed them

I was just happy to lay there

next to the Auntie I love.

One of the last glasses of wine I drank with Lois beside me

Getting out to smell the hyacinths

Mr H has arranged a bouquet of spring pots outside our front door. As I pass, the sweet fragrance of hyacinths floats in the air. Tiny yellow and white daffodils smile as they sway in wisps of spring breeze.

I smile too. 

I push my nose down into the delicate flowers, as I breathe in I close my eyes and summer meadows float into view. Bird song permeates the air despite the odd car passing by. I open my eyes as a blue tit passes and watch as he dips his beak into the feeder and takes a seed before flying away.

I have just been for a walk, for my waxing, keeping my routine in place. Myriam my beautician and friend treated me to a manicure while I was there. My hands are so relaxed they flop over the key as I open the door...

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference - Winston Churchill

Everyone should snog a giraffe

My welcome home from hospital was a sparking candle on an Ecake, it's @dawn_hamill  first Twitter Birthday. 

It is also the week that Uppity was born.

I turned my head away from Uppity in the beginning. But I am happy that every cell of her is mine. She is blue and yellow; train tracks run underneath her and also around her black grafted nipple.  She throbs like she has her own heart. When I let her soreness grow, Uppity is as heavy as a sack of spuds and I cradle her in my hand. The nurses scold me for being mean with the pain killers so now like a military operation I swallow some every two hours. My dad's reply only when I laugh rings in my ears every time someone asks if it hurts! 

I decide to name Uppity's sister Dippy...

I felt cradled and safe in hospital and met some gentle kind staff... an arm around my shoulder when I could no longer keep tears trapped inside... questions answered with facts...tablets given as soon as pain peeked its head out.

The dark haired, smiley male doctor tells me a sports bra will help squash the swelling and ease the pain when I move.  Swimming Sue arrives M&S bag in hand. Mr H, Sue and the ward housekeeper leaning on her broom, giggle as with rolling eyes I pull the monstrosities out one by one...

Chats with hospital staff have kept me entertained; a shared love of Lindt chocolate;...when I first trained the turn back on the sheet had to be the length of Matrons forearm...but I am left bemused when a nurse shares tales of his African adventures and says: everyone should snog a giraffe once in their life! 

Before we head for home my Breast Care Nurse and Surgeon bring The news...

The cancer in the ducts has already formed a tumour and has cheekily swum its way into your lymph node...you have grade 2 invasive ductal carcinoma...

I see an oncologist in a week...

My exhaustion consumes but I still want to blog. To write, sharing my news calms my mind.

That and our Peach Tree blossom.

Breast Cancer blows the A out of Z

As you all know a brain tumour blew up my old life and as debris fell, epilepsy settled in the dust. As I grew my new normal I found writing and Blogging. 

Choosing my Blog name was easy. Like a petulant child 'Gap' bounced up and down squealing Me. Me. Me! A Gap in my head which I had to protect. Gaps in my life which the debris had caused. And when the train conductor calls out 'Mind the Gap' I tremble. No longer able to step off without launching myself head first at the briefcase carrying businessmen as they carefully avoid helping me...

So Mind The Gap was born but the name already existed. Somewhere. I added A-Z and whoopee I was in. I had something to focus on each day. I decided to start at A and slowly work towards Z. Occasionally I broke my rule if an out of sequence blog demanded to be written.

Until now.

Breast Cancer has destroyed the structure in my weeks. Like a volcano my life has once again erupted and the A has been blown out of Z...

By my next blog I will be different. I will feel different. I will look different. I wonder if my writing will change?

But Ray Bradbury reminds me...You fail only if you stop writing...

The milk that went in the teapot...

Some years ago I went on a birdwatching holiday cocooned in welsh countryside. From the first introductions we filled the minibus with laughter. But we over-heard bickering between the couple looking after us. Then one day at breakfast as we recapped on birds seen, I poured the milk into the teapot thinking it was extra water. I told the lady with long brown hair and we never saw her again... 

This breast cancer is like the milk that went in the teapot...the final straw...I feel like I have been tipped over a cliff, into the stormy sea and am fighting the powerful waves to get to the shore. But I have recently learnt to swim and I must reach solid ground. I have Mr H to think about. I love life. I want to live. So I find my way through the treacle of days leading to surgery...

Days out with friends talking until their ear lobes throb, taking short strolls on the blue sky days and on the wet ones I devour a good book. As questions pop into my mind I drop them into the recommended websites. I cry a flood when my heart beat runs a marathon even though my feet are still, then cradle myself in the calm of camomile tea and Mindfulness. Mr H and I watch a box set of Frasier and titter together before bed. I go shopping and buy a new dress, camouflage blouses and of course a new smiley bag to take my things into hospital.

Mary Poppins be jealous...

At the end of the day  as Nelson Mandela said...…I learned that courage was not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid but he who conquers that fear...

... I am trying...