My (hopefully) last chemo treatment

Wednesday was to be my last chemo treatment but it didn't go as smoothly as it should have. Just a little reality check telling me that I shouldn't get too complacent I guess.

My porta-cath (which was supposed to be the answer to all my problems) decided to get a blood clot in it which didn't seem to want to clear of its own accord so they once again tried to access veins in my hand and arm - no luck at all so they gave up. They then injected some anti-clotting serum into my porta-cath but didn't hold out much hope for it working before they day hospital closed at 5 pm but it did!! Thank goodness. So they commenced my treatment and then transferred me down to the acute oncology ward until I was finished.

So hopefully this chemo course is now finished and I hope they don't want to give me any more. Have appointments set up for another assess and blood tests and are also awaiting an appointment for a scan to check whether there is still any residual cancer. But they don't know that I have decided there is nothing there at all!! This is all holding up my operation to reverse my ileostomy - can't wait to get rid of that ghastly bag!!

Feeling okay at present so hope I don't get any yukky days this time. As I'm presently on steroids to prevent sickness I have my lovely red cheeks which makes me look a picture of health!! I'm drinking water by the gallon to help to quickly flush it all through my liver and kidneys.

Slow progress, but progress all the same.

Look what I won!

Last Sunday I went with Karen and Joan to a 5 hour scrapbooking session (complete with yummy pizzas for dinner). This was run by a Creative Memories demonstrator. I have never attended any of their workshops before and have never been a customer so you can imagine my embarrassment when I won the draw .... and look at the fabulous wall display I won.

It's quite large and can display a full 30 x 30 scrapbooking page or can be used for displaying cards, etc. It is magnetic and also has a ribbon across on which you can peg more photos, notes, cards etc.

Gee I'm so lucky and am going to get such a lot of enjoyment from this.

My very grateful thanks to the Creative Memories demonstrator, Megan, for this wonderful prize.

Our little dog is home again

It's been a most worrying time. Our dear little dog Rosie suddenly took ill with what we now know was a gastric infection caused by bone fragments in her gut after she had chewed a bone. It all happened so quick and by the time we realised how ill she was and got her to the vets she was practically comatose. The vet said that she was starting to die. I couldn't believe it was happening. They quickly put her on a drip and antibiotics and she had to stay overnight but she rallied and has just come home this evening although she is very weak and needs constant supervision and nursing. I will be forever grateful for the care she was given without which I know she would not have survived.

When you get a dog (or cat) you don't realise at first how important a family member they can become. Rosie is our constant companion and sometimes seems to be more human than canine.

Anyway she is now home and hopefully with time will be back to her old self again soon.

I had hoped 2009 would be a better year but it certainly hasn't started that way. I also got a call from the hospital to say that they want to delay my ileostomy reversal operation because they want to do a scan after my final chemo session next week - probably in about 4 weeks time. Then it will be a few more weeks before they can operate. This is so they can check whether there is any sign of residual cancer - this is something I don't want to even think about!

Felt quite despondent about this although I know they are doing it for my own good but I had hoped that by the end of February all the chemo and operations etc. would be over and done with. Now its being put back again and I am beginning to feel that there never will be an end.

On a more positive note I am looking forward to Sunday when I am going with Karen and Joan to a 5 hour scrapbooking (and pizza!!) session. Should be fun though I never seem to take everything I need with me (mainly because I can't make up my mind in advance exactly what I am going to do).

Also last Tuesday we took our youngest grandson Tyler on a boat trip across to Waiheke Island to meet up with two friends (ex-workmates). We had a lovely day and here are a couple of photos.

Left: Neville (hubby) and Tyler braving the wind on the back of the ferry boat.

Right: Tyler with my friend Sarah walking off lunch at Onetangi Beach on Waiheke Island.

It was such a perfect day and I came home feeling invigorated as though I had just returned from holiday. Perhaps it felt like this as I haven't been anywhere very much for months.

Three, yes three more Awards

Feeling a bit greedy having just been given three more awards so my grateful thanks to the following:

Firstly Deby, who gave me this One Lovely Blog Award. Cute isn't it!

Now I need to pass this on to seven other lovely blogs. These are:

Leslie

Marelle

Tracy

Julia

Jo

Trina

Di

Second and third awards were both for the the same award - the Marie Antoinette award. The two blogging sisters who awarded this to me were: Vanja and Stephanie. Having visited the Palace at Versailles where Marie Antoinette resided, this feels like a real honour.

It is now my pleasure to pass this award on to:

Elaine

Tara

Beth

Dannie

Becca

Kim

Sam

As usual the criteria for these awards is:

Link this back to the person who gave these awards ...

Nominate 7 more people ...

Link to the nominees and let them know about this award ....

Post the award on my own blog which I have done ...

Yukky day today!

Having one of my chemo yukky days today but hopefully it will be gone in a day or so. Weather hasn't helped as it has been grey with showers. Just tend to get that sick feeling in the stomach and bad fatigue which makes it hard to concentrate on doing anything, even stamping or reading a book.

However, I did want to put up this card I did the other day with one of our new stamp sets from the Summer mini catalogue. Purchased this last month but have been very strict with myself about playing with my new 'toys' and neglecting all the Xmas preparations and cards but now that is over I can play.

Loved this card as soon as I saw it on Splitcoaststampers, so what can a girl do but CASe it. Thanks for the original concept Jeny_79.

This is the new stamp set Live your Dream and on the Chocolate Chip CS I used the Lots of Dots wheel with Versamark but you may have to enlarge the photo to see. Technique I have used is called Chalkboard and is very easy to do. Just stamp your image using the SU white craft ink then apply chalk using a dabbing motion with a cotton wool bud or similar. You can blend colors easily this way and there is no need to wait for the ink to dry. To blot just use a dried out baby wipe or similar cloth. I'm also loving using my straight scallop punch.

Think once I'm a bit better I'll go back to doing some scrapbooking as I have been very neglectful in this area.

Wow - welcome 2009!

Hope you all had the most wonderful New Year's Eve. I managed to enjoy mine despite having had chemo in the afternoon - this was in place of the chemo I was mean't to have on Boxing Day but couldn't due to my immunity levels being too low. However, they were back to normal by yesterday so had my chemo then. Went to our neighbours and had a great evening with other neighbours and friends. Quiz games, lovely supper, bubbly (except for me) and fireworks to welcome in the New Year.

Had a lovely Christmas dinner at my daughters - I was so spoilt. Then on Boxing Day after being sent home by the hospital we went down to my sister's for a farewell barbeque for her youngest daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren who are off to Brisbane to live this coming Wednesday. Hope it all turns out to be everything they hope for.

Anyway here's a few photos of Christmas and Boxing Day.

(L) DH - Neville, SIL - Paul, Daughter - Nicky, Me, and youngest grandson - Tyler.

(R) Tyler, Neville with our dog, Rosie, Paul, Sam (eldest grandson) and Barry (Neville's intellectually handicapped brother). Barry lives in an IHC care home but always stays with us over Christmas as he loves spending it with the family.

Boxing Day photos -

(L) Me and my four grandsons. The three eldest tower over me now and someone suggested they look like my bodyguards - hence Sam's attitude pose.

L-R: Sam, Matthew, Me, Michael and Tyler in front.

(R) Neville enjoying the sunshine and looking more like an Aussie than a NZer.

Sam having an animated conversation with his mother.

(R) My other daughter Kim and herhusband Murray (parents of Matthew and Michael). I think Kim is just about asleep!

Well this is what I got up to - hope you had as much fun.