Almost human again

Still coughing, still coughing up phlegm and still slightly headachy, but man I am feeling almost quite human again today! After three days of being locked up at home, mostly in bed trying to recuperate so I can get my ass back to work tomorrow, I am so bloody over it! So over it, that I am sitting in our back courtyard area (which is now enclosed in!!!! Yay, exciting!) lying on the couch with blankets over me, feeling like I have escaped the house...and its great! The sun comes out, the wind blows a bit and then the rain pisses down and I am snug and warm and dry as a bone! LOVING IT...

Its one thing to not go out for three days when you just don't feel like it but it is completely another when you are doing it so your bugs don't get any worse. God by last night I was ready to rip my hair out with boredom. I had been asked by my baby girls 'other' family to go over there for a birthday celebration last night and I had been thinking I would quite like to go even if just for a little while. But after feeling so crap on Friday and feeling guilty about the amount of time I have had off work over the last wee while, I decided it wouldn't be such a good idea and that I wasn't prepared to do anything to freshen the bugs up again.

But hey, it is Sunday, I am feeling pretty good and happy to be trotting back off to work tomorrow. Lets see if I can make it through to Christmas without any days off. My goal for the remainder of the year.

My lovely young cousin made contact with me yesterday after reading my previous post, where I was wondering if I am really more susceptible to bugs now that I have this blimmin cancer in my body. She confirmed for me that my immunity is very probably compromised now - both hubby and I actually so thank you xx. I often wonder if I am just being dramatic and making everything about me. "Whoa I have cancer, look at me"...I bloody hope that isn't how I come across.

My baby girl and her mate are doing the Pink Star Walk next weekend. My baby had asked if I wanted to do it with her but just couldn't summon up enough oomph for it but I am so glad she has a friend to go with her because it is something she has been very enthusiastic about doing. I am doing the Pink Ribbon Street Appeal next Saturday from 10.00am to midday. I am happy to stand or sit around holding a bucket for those generous enough to donate. It feels good to know I am doing something to give back. Breast cancer sufferers receive phenominal support I believe - it has such a high profile. So many other types of cancer or other illnesses even, whom don't get quite the same. Pity money is such a contributing factor whether people get support or treatment or not. I saw something on the news last night where people are feeling left out because a drug called Keytruda has recently been approved by our biggest drug company but only for those with melanoma whereas the drug also works for lung cancer patients. My belief is that they are choosing melanoma because there are less people with that than there is with lung cancer. My take only...I don't really understand this sort of stuff. Sad to know though that there is a known drug which could give people more time with their loved ones and they aren't given the opportunity. I have heard so many stories of people who go overseas on a regular basis to gain access to drugs which either aren't available here in NZ or are so over the top expensive, but they are still having to fork out $5,000.00 a month in order to give them more time. I find this so unbelievably sad...and as my youngest daughter said recently, our family will never be able to afford this kind of money. And we aren't the only ones.

Its the beginning of the month of October today (isn't it?) and so marks breast cancer awareness month. The radio will be full of adverts about checking your breasts, or going for mammograms - and everytime I hear one of them, I feel like they are speaking directly to me but why didn't I hear these adverts three years ago? While I get this weird feeling whenever I hear these ads, or see something on facebook, I understand completely the necessity for it. Education is the key...until a cure is found for it and even then we should not relying on that - people need to be vigilant in knowing the symptoms. This is what will save lives...passing that information to each generation as they come into your lives. I know breast cancer is just one of many to be aware of, but perhaps the importance of eating healthy and not consuming too much alcohol - these are also contributing factors in a lot of illnesses. Heart disease, strokes, diabetes just to name a few.

Life is precious, as far as I am aware, you only get one chance at it and yet we all seem to be on this self destructive path without even being aware of it..or caring about it. Or having this mentality, either 'it won't happen to me' or 'I'll worry about it later or when the time comes'. Easy for me to preach 'now' - I often wondered what would get me in the end - now I know and I could have changed the outcome if I had been more knowledgeable. To this day, I still don't understand why I never went to the doctors to have that lump checked out. I sit and beat myself up sometimes but its pointless, its done now. The only thing I can do is use my story to warn others so that they don't do the same thing.

Sunday 1st October 2017 - 3.33pm