Lots of visitors

Oh my goodness!  Yesterday we had so many visitors - it was amazing.  First of all the Specialist Care Nurse from Farleigh Hospie came at 9am to speak to me about the services that the hospice have to offer.  She came with a junior doctor on work placement at the hospice and they were here for about an hour and half.  Her name is Sharon and she has been assigned to my case.  The most incridible thing was that she was able to go through all my medications, explaining everything, make changes etc.  She then phoned my GP surgery and updated my prescription and asked them if they would delivery it to my house that evening.  This is so wonderful because it means I don't have to get up to the surgery, wait in a queue and collect the prescription myself.   She has increased the background painkiller Oxycodyne from 20mg to 30mg twice a day and added some other medications as well.  So I am very pleased about that.

Derek (Ian's brother) and his wife Sharon arrived at about 9.30am to help with the garden.  Such a pity that the weather was cold and wet.  But Derek has dug and weeded the vegetable plots and Sharon has started on weeding the flower borders.  Peter from next door came round to help with removing the overgrown weed from the pond - so at least the fish can now breathe!  After lunch the rain was becoming a bit relentless, so we sat round the table eating and drinking coffee etc. 

Then another surprise visitor.  Danny came with the most wonderful hamper of food for me from that posh store in Marks Tey.  He had read the blog so had bought some of the food on my "what I can eat" list.  What a man!  I am full of admiration for him.  I've never had quail eggs before - so that was a first!  Thank you very much Danny.  He also said he might be able to help us with clearing some of the rubbish from the garage next week too - which will be great.  So many offers of help - its wonderful.

Then next to arrive was Lindy and Mum.  They had been to Margery's funeral in Stansted Abbotts.  Mum said it was great to see her cousins and members of the Atkins family she had not seen for a very long time.  Margery was in her nineties.  I have not seen my Mum for months and months as she has not been well with her sciatica and not being able to travel too far.  So we had a good catch up.  Lindy made some beef stock from the bones Ian had got from Holts.  It has been simmering on the stove all night.  It is wonderful stuff - so good for the gut.

Our last visitor (briefly) was Kath Adkins.  She had very kindly made us a shepherds pie and just dropped it round.  What a kind person she is. 

So today is D Day - off to Broomfield Hospital for my first session of chemo.  I am bracing myself for this and not particularly looking forward to it.  Ian will take me but will come back to the house because Derek and Sharon are here again today to work in the garden.  Hopefully they will be able to get a bit more done as the weather is supposed to be better.  Anna is going to come up and see me at lunch time.  Then she will come back at about 4pm to pick me up and bring me home.  She will have Zaffy with her then so will not stay in the chemo unit - just pick me up.

I will need to take supplies for today.  My lunch time pills, food to eat, a good book, suduko, maybe some music to listen to.  I might even get a bit of nap in! 

Its good to be able to write this blog and record everything and just reflet on things as well.  Thank you for reading it.  Do leave a comment if you want, or email me.