Brailsford family updates

 I have to admit, I wrote this about five weeks ago, in a notebook I take to church to write down anything from the sermon or service that I want to think about more in the week. I've only now got round to typing it up. My ears were still listening even if my hands were busy. If anyone's interested it was an Easter Sunday sermon, with a title or theme of Jesus is Lord overall, based on John 21:15-25, when Jesus reinstates Peter, or breakfast on the beach as it is often titled in the Bible. I don't think I'll talk much about that, so look it up in a bible or bible app, if your interested.  Now, onto what I wrote during that sermon. If I'm not writing notes, I generally crochet or knit during church. So far, no ones told me they mind me doing it. I tend to find that if my hands are busy my ears work better. When you know you're going to be having chemotherapy, possible side effects is one of the things you naturally think about. I hadn't realised that there ar...

 looking at the stats of how many people have visited our blog (BECAUSE I am that egotistical!) it would appear that people are expecting an update (we can't see whose been for a look, just how many people) So at long last here it is. I'm trying to think of what we've done since either of us last wrote. We had a hospital appointment last week, and sadly found out that the remaining tumours have grown. Apparently this means there is no point carrying on with the treatment as if it hadn't started to work by now it's not going to and I was having the full whack I could for the kind of tumour. They were saying they want me to have the best quality life I can at the moment, and the treatment did make me fairly ill. On that note we are trying our best to have good family times. When there's time we enjoy a little game together between tea and bedtime. I try to save energy where I can for us to do things at the weekend. We love booking holidays! I am one of those peopl...

I realise it's been ages since we've written here. And to be honest there is not loads to tell. I finished my five days of chemo tablets. And the course of radiotherapy. They left me wiped out, still am and still get quite nauseous. I have plenty of tests a day which helps some, but everytime I get out of bed I feel like I should be getting in for another half hour at least. We saw the hospital doctor yesterday who has prescribed some different anti sickness tablets. Hopefully they'll help nicely too. Unfortunately I've had a couple of in grown toe nails which have now become infected so we've also added anti biotics to the concoction of tablets I take. And lucky me it's another med that can cause constipation. I think most of what I take at the moment either causes it or treats it. Mark continues to be Zebs and mine stalwart. I honestly don't know how we'd be getting through each day without him at the moment, practically and spiritually. He currently d...

Well the news from last weeks hospital appointment is that as of today, in fact twenty minutes ago, I started back on the chemo. It's the same kind as before but s much stronger dose which comes with much stronger side effects. It will be a six month course. Taking it for five days and twenty five days off. It has to be timed carefully around food and the anti sickness tablets I have to take. So to be eating breakfast by half past seven I have to be awake and taking the first tablets by half past five. This will mean the ever patient, ever serving Mark is also awake at that point as he makes sure I've got all my tablets right. If we look even more wiped out/tireder than normal, it's because we are getting even less sleep than normal! Then it's at least half an hour until the next tablets with another half an hour until breakfast. And I get hungry in the morning. So have to watch myself that I don't start to get hangry! (Dad, that's when you're so hungry you ...

I had two letters from the hospital this week. The first one confused me a little as it told me that my next appointment was the date of the last appointment. I couldn't work out how I could have an appointment on a date that had already been. Then I read the rest of the letter and realised that it was a summary of the consultation we had on that date! Then later in the week another letter came from the hospital with a new date of a week on Friday, that made more sense. Hopefully our actual consultant will be well then as he was off with COVID for our last appointment. We've been looking at holidays for the year ahead. Which is nice to have something to look forward to. I think the planning part of holidays is one of my favourite parts, thinking about what we're going to do, take, etc. How far the beach is from where we are staying -is generally quite close as Zeb and I love a bit of holiday beach time, especially if it's a sandy beach. This holiday we're staying in...

 Unfortunately Mark and I have both had positive lateral flow tests. Mark before the weekend, and me today. On the positive side, so far neither of us have felt that poorly. Itchy throats and that's about it, I've been more tired than usual but that could also be ongoing medication/treatment side effects. The other positive is that with the extra time at home we've had more time together without a child than we would normally get, being able to fun things like play board games when we have the brain capacity and have a conversation where you don't have to watch what you're saying as there are small child ears that miss nothing wigging around. On the not so positive front today we had to cancel a foot care appointment to sort out a couple of funny toe nails that they want dealing with before the next stages and an acupuncture and relaxation session I'd been gifted. This can easily be rearranged, but we where already on about the third arranged appointment what wi...

Which one to start with. Let's start with the good, hadn't the sunshine been so good to see, making everything so bright. The daffodils I see seem to shine brighter in the sun. There is a house I pass regularly with daffodils lining the path to the front door, even I see them they just make me think, happy, cheerful. And so onto the pretty. Aren't the spring flowers coming out just so pretty. Magnolias are my very favourite. I never want a magnolia as the clear up when they drop their petals would be easy to much. But they are so pretty, even in bud. We generally keep flowers out of the house thanks to hayfever. The bed isn't so bad, I was just reflecting yesterday on the state of our pavements. Between ironworks, tree root damage, wonky paving slabs, pot holes, bits of stick and the angle of driveways. As good as the scooter is and as thankful as I am for it. I felt all of these, and my back continues to feel them today. Another bad is Mark testing positive last night,...