Calender Girl

After her operation, Joy had great difficulty knowing what day it was and lost the plot entirely from time to time. Thats where Rene Hermans stepped in. He constructed the most amazing calender for Joy and it has really been an enormous help in keeping us both on track. Lorna Morrissey has kindly loaned us a Bemer mat that Joy lies on several times a day and instantly erases any feelings of nausea. What incredible friends we have. Deeds like these have beaten the life out of my cynical armour plating that has served me so well all these years. We are humbled and overwhelmed by all your continued love and support. Week two of radiotherapy and chemo, draws to a close and, touch wood, nausea is pretty much a thing of the past. Our loveto you all.

Let the Chemo Begin

Tuesday morning was the beginning of chemo. Instead of just giving me some pills, they handed us the entire dispensary to take home! (See the picture of me outside the Oncology dept) So much has happened since then and we have been backwards & forwards to Constantiaberg hospital daily for radium therapy which doesn't hurt, but makes me feel (and look) a lot like Hannibal Lector. Having to be stapped in so that i can't move my head at all. With the mask they have fitted me with, I must look pretty scary. The first day was a big learning curve for us as we were told to experiment and see what the best time of the day suited me to take the chemo capsules. I took them early on day two (wednesday) ...... big mistake! I thought was done for but hey, I'm still here! Things have got a lot better since then and I have felt a lot less nausia and thursday was much easier, so things are looking up and I had a constant stream of visitors coming to wish me well. Gayle gave me a foot massage and Hannah gave me reike which made me feel very pampered. Today, (friday) is the end (briefly) of radiotherapy for the week but the chemo continues throughout the weekend. I fall asleep at the drop of a hat but I'm told the way through all this is lots of naps. I love hearing from you all so much and it really makes my day. Thank you for your love and good wishes. xxx

Sunday 17-06-07

Hi everyone, what a fantastic day yesterday! So much has happened and it's all been good. I got to go to the nursery twice, once with Neil in the morning to buy some compost and again in the afternoon with Lucie and her mother Anna for lunch to buy some plants for the garden. Apart from getting me out into the open in the lovely sunshine, it was great to bump into friends there & just chat to people I haven't been able to see for a while.

This blog is absolutely wonderful and I am so enjoying getting all your messages and reading all your news. I still find it a bit taxing as my sight is very disturbed but I am assured that in time this will sort itself out. I feel as though I need a lot more water with my gin (I wish) but being able to go out and about for even a short while is wonderful & puts a smile on my face.

Life is good and I intend to make the most of each day because there is so much to be greatful for. It still seems odd not having to get up in the mornings or go to work, or get up in the in the middle of the night to catch a baby, but I look at this as getting time off for good behaviour, I've scored on the brownie points big time!!!

On Tuesday next week I start my chemo and radium therapy, and I look forward to evicting the unwelcome tenant very soon.

The Rollercoaster called Life

Neil: Hi all, after a pretty shakey weekend, things seem to have been brought back to what passes for normal, with both determination and large doses of cortisone. So, sorely in need of some cheering up, and after a quick manicure and pedicure, we all took off on Tuesday night(12-06-07) to the Madam Zingara's Theatre of Dreams (thats a circus to the people wot don't know!) It was Bohemian, it was loud and it was fabulous and we all had a brilliant time. Not often we get home after midite these days. Following morning was a patchwork re-union at Jenny's in Pinelands. All her old buddies talking about working on a new project with Joy in the coming months. busy busy busy! Joy popped in on her well baby clinic this morning(14-06-07) and got to see some familiar faces and babies again. Food for her soul!!! We're off to the neurosurgeon later today and treatment is due to begin early next week.
Joy has asked that I thank you all for your wonderful messages of support. You have absolutely no idea how they inspire her and cheer us all up....thanks

Time to take off the gloves and get tough

After the oncological chat on Monday with Georgina McAdam, Joy is booked today (8th June)to have a model/mask make of her head (for when the neuking process starts) also a CT and MRI scan and then we're home again. We still have a few scores to settle with the nursing staff at Constantiaberg, who were way beyond wonderful. So we shall pop in and see them at the same time.... The lengths we go to to get an afternoon off!!

Dear everyone,
I've just been trying to catch up on life via this incredible multi media format. and i cannot find words to express my gratitude to you all. I am totally overwhelmed by the countless messages of love and good wishes that have poured through the internet. it takes my breath away! These past few weeks have turned our lives upside d0wn and inside out it's true, but with so much love and support, friendship and kindness from all over world, how can I fail to get better!
We have a wonderful team of doctors, who we are going to see today at lunchtime to discuss the care plan from here and so the journey to health and a better life has begun.
I am grateful to each and everyone of you for your unbelievable interest, input and positivity. I love your energy and thrive on all this attention so keep it coming, it's a lifeline to us all.

Good morning everyone, how wonderful to wake up to a wet and wintery monday morning and have nothing better to do than lie here and listen to the rain falling outside. cape town is waking up to the sounds of cape talk, and i have a day of r & r in front of me wrapped in the arms of my family. Why did nobody ever tell me about the virtues of retirement until now? of course I can imagine that in a few months i could become bored of this life of leisure, workaholic that I am, am will need to find other creative pursuits. Getting back into my patchwork being top of the list as it will improve my motor coordinationskills.

Time Out Day

Neil: Other than having her stitches out and no pain killers all day, not much new happened yesterday. Today was a different kettle of fish. Trevor and Lucie arranged a picnic and took her mum Anna, Joy and Me to Groot Constantia for lunch on the grass in the afternoon sun. Emma did mom's make-up we whisked her off on a breathtaking ride via Camps Bay. It was a magical afternoon. We were surrounded by balloons attached to kids running here and there.

Trev: We ate and sang while Dad played guitar and my folks and Anna got to spend some time getting to know each other better. As Mom keeps saying, every day is a gift, this was one gift we all soaked up and appreciated infinitely. I realised that, as the saying goes : if life is what happens when you're busy making other plans, then I was done with making other plans and more days like this are on the agenda. Gorgeous!