extreme tiredness

Hello. Just checking in with you all. I've been so so so so tired this cycle - sleeping is the new cool. I do it a lot - mostly during the day. Annoyingly, I've had some restless nights - I think the anti-sickness steroids I've had to take are to blame.

I did have a good birthday on Saturday, inbetween sleeps. PP and I had mini Victoria spongecakes to celebrate. I've really enjoyed opening your cards and presents over a nice extended period of days when I've had the energy - thank you all so much for bringing cheer to my sleepy days. X

tea in the North Laine

On the occasions that I do feel up to going out we try to make it a special treat. So here I am having tea in the North Laine the other week. Click here to see me enjoying my cuppa!

a dab of paint

I haven't painted anything (except bedroom walls) for ages. It was great to have an afternoon of it the other week. Yes, I know the actual tulips are a different colour to those I painted...

Koa Wing creations

Check out my swish Koa Wing craft labels. If I put them on anything I make for myself or for any of the Koa Wing family they will double up as name tags - what value for money. Just like being at school again.

Thank you, Anna and Brighton Vox!

I was sad, really sad not to be able to make last night's Brighton Vox fundraising concert - but I heard they sang beautifully and raised nearly £400 for Macmillan Cancer Support! Brilliant! Great organising from Anna and support from others, and thanks to everyone for generously giving their time, energy and cash on the night - you're all so wonderful. Big Hugs! (photo taken by MD on his cameraphone)

bowel cancer information

OK, so only now am I only vaguely starting to feel ready to find out more about my illness. I think this is only thanks to all the love and support I get from PP and my family (my in-laws as well as biological), and also from having counselling sessions with the Macmillan nurse counsellor and also making a new friend in L who has breast cancer and is of similar age to me with a good perspective on life and good sense of humour.

I also wonder whether you, my friends, are feeling ready to find out more, too, or whether you have already been looking things up. I think I will point you in the direction of a few relevant sites that might be useful:

Cancer Backup is a very useful site with good information. There's also a section about 'Talking to someone with cancer' that you might find helpful. For me, the part about keeping in touch is great - I love your cards and letters, and as before I still prefer these to emails or phonecalls as they are less disruptive to both PP and I. www.cancerbackup.org.uk

Macmillan Cancer Support have an excellent website. You may already know that Macmillan are a brilliant organisation. They have helped me, PP and my family from the time of my diagnosis to now: the brilliant colorectal cancer nurse specialists MD and KD whom I am still in touch with; the district team based at the Martlet's Hospice (LC the Macmillan nurse is brilliant, and so is my complementary therapist MC); and the Macmillan nurse counsellor AA based at the Sussex Cancer Centre. Without these people's support I'm not sure I would be coping that well. www.macmillan.org.uk

Beating Bowel Cancer have some useful links. I'm hoping to be part of their national patient voices group. www.beatingbowelcancer.org

Bowel Cancer UK are a campaigning organisation for improving bowel cancer care and raising awareness. www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk

Cancer Research UK are probably the most well known cancer charity in the UK. Their website is also packed with useful patient information. You may remember my blog entries from summers 2004 and 2006 - the annual Race for Life is an all-women 5km fundraising run. I know KW, LW and VC have signed up for this year's run. Perhaps others might, too? There are other runs and fundraising ideas for the other cancer charities, too. www.cancerresearchuk.org

A concert in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support

Brighton Vox Community Choir

plus

Too Many Strings


are holding a concert in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support

at St Margaret’s Church, Rottingdean

on Sunday 18th March

at 7pm

£4/£3 concessions

Join us in a concert of joyful folk and contemporary song from England and around the world, supported by some of the finest folk musicians in the Brighton area.

The concert will be in two halves with a break in the middle when the audience may purchase drinks at the bar.

www.brightonvox.org.uk
www.stmargaret.org.uk
www.macmillan.org.uk

extra time

Here's me on the seafront last week before going in for my chemotherapy session. Click here for my latest video message. As before, my lips don't seem to be in synch with the audio. This isn't a new Police Academy type talent but a technical fault of some kind.

I got back home that day to find two wonderful parcels from NP and LC - thank you!