BACK TO REALITY

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After a really fantastic time in Toronto John and I spent 7 hours sitting and waiting in Toronto Airport for our plane back to Newark. The sun was shining, the snow was clearing so no problems we thought. Wrong! high winds were preventing the planes which were little 50 seaters from taking off. Our flight home to England was leaving at 7pm and when we finally boarded a plane at 5.30pm we thought the 1hour trip might just make it, if not the threat of sleeping in Newark Airport was becoming a reality again.We landed on time but maintenance didn't bring the steps for 15 minutes and as we all waited stifling on the plane with no air conditioning frustration and despair set in - we had no chance! Finally we were free and we ran like we have never run before and arrived at the boarding gate hot and dishevelled at 7pm sure that we would find it empty. I truly believe that someone up there is looking after me because the plane was delayed by 15 minutes and so we caught it and were homeward bound to England at last.

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I had thoroughly enjoyed the festivities of Xmas and on the night we returned John and I opened all our Xmas presents that we had left under the tree and it felt like Xmas all over again, but now it was "back to reality".

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I had 2 hospital visits that week the first was on New Year's Eve when I went to have a bone scan at Heartlands Hospital. Chemo and steroids had caused problems with my bones and I had been having pains down the spine for some time. As you have probably gathered if you have been watching my video diaries of my journey with chemo, I try not to let these things affect my life, but when you are a cancer patient you can't afford to take risks so my doctor sent me for a scan.

The department had been completely revamped and had a brand new scanner. We are so lucky to have access to excellent hospital facilities here in Solihull and Birmingham.. A friend's grandchild has to travel 4 hours to her nearest hospital to have regular kidney dialysis where she lives in England.

I was greeted by the team of Matt and Julia and they were so friendly and kind. This makes all the difference to your hospital experience. I was injected with a radio active dye and sent away for 4 hours, so I popped to see my brother John who kindly house and cat sat for us. He announced he was going back to Australia at the end of the week to catch some sun and I can't blame him. When I returned to hospital I went through the new scanner which completed the job in less than half the time of the old one - such is progress and after wishing each other cheery "Happy New Years" I went home to prepare to enjoy our New year with our friends Jean and Ray who cooked us a lovely hot curry and we toasted in the New Year full of hopes and dreams for a better life and a better world.

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I was due to see Professor Poole, my oncologist at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire on Friday, 2nd January to see if he thought I should start chemo again. This is a new hospital for me but my oncologist left City Hospital to have a baby and I have great faith in Professor Poole so I transferred so I could be under him - so to speak! I had a phone call to say it was cancelled so I am now going tomorrow and I am just as nervous as ever.

Tonight is the start of our Solihull Cancer Support Group and our speaker is Mr. Budhoo who is a colorectal surgeon. He saved my Mom's life several years ago when he diagnosed her with bowel cancer when everyone else in the medical profession had missed it. He has also helped me over the last year, so it will be a privligege to hear him speak. The speakers are always fascinating - never depressing and I always learn so much and the people who support it are so jolly and friendly and we would really welcome new faces.

The joy of being on holiday for a cancer patient is that you can actually forget that you have cancer, no one knows your problems and you can live normally. That is a tonic in itself.
My friend Sandra, who has ovarian cancer like myself has just finished chemo and is off for a well earned holiday in South Africa next week. She and her husband Alan are coming to our house on Sunday for drinks so we can show them all the places we went to and give them some tips, I know it will make me want to go back again, but in the meantime let's see what tomorrow brings.

P.S. You probably noticed that I managed to put photos on my blog from Canada, that was thanks to my son Jonathan. I am still struggling to find out how to do it so if any of the team at the Birmingham Mail can help me I should really love to be able to put photos on so that I am not just a faceless person.