Spring is in the air!

Despite another sprinkle of snow this morning, I am sure that Spring is in the air! I was delighted yesterday to purchase a fantastic T shirt for the sunnier warmer days that are ahead! I’m developing a good eye for folds and gathers in the right places on garments that might cleverly disguise my mastectomy without the need of always wearing a scarf. I’m very pleased with the jazzy print, ruched top which does not require a prosthesis or scarf! I’m on the look out for some more t shirts to add to my wardrobe! Also on order is a bikini, I had resigned myself to the fact that I would be wearing a one piece going forward and even that has proved tricky choosing not to wear a prosthesis. Most swimwear is padded or shaped, not suitable for my new shape. However, River island have a lovely bikini in stock which has a simple top with folds of fabric over the bust evening out the imbalance. Ideal for a splash in the South African swimming pools that I will be heading for before very long!

It was great to get in the gym again this week, I’m swimming regularly, a couple of times a week but I haven’t had the energy for much more than that recently. I was very happy to manage 20 mins on the running machine, 5 walking and 15 running, albeit at a somewhat slower pace that I was used to this time last year! I endeavour to continue with that!

 It was suggested to me that I buy a home blood pressure kit as some of my symptoms could be due to low blood pressure. Having tested myself every morning over the past 5 days an interesting pattern is emerging, of steadily rising blood pressure together with steadily rising energy levels! At its lowest, I was reading 97/70 increasing to 118 / 72 today. All within “normal” ranges but clearly some fluctuations. I had good energy levels on waking this morning, but was feeling rather tired the day of the low reading. I shall keep a record to take along to clinic at the end of the month.

I enjoyed another session of reflexology at CLAN this morning, an hour on the couch relaxing with a foot massage and gentle music! I was also invited to take part in some research to help shape the training of professionals who will be involved in future cancer care and service provision across the North East of Scotland. This is a joint project lead by Robert Gordon University and the University of Aberdeen in collaboration with CLAN Cancer Support. I shall be attending a focus group to share my cancer journey and to voice my experiences on how the professionals worked with me during the journey. It will be interesting to hear the experiences of others in the group, perhaps it will help restore some of my faith in the NHS!

 

Coping with fatigue

My two weeks away have been very restful. I didn’t do anything! I mostly sat in the rocking chair by the fire. I was grateful for the two weeks rest as it seemed quite quick falling back into a busy life after surgery. You are forced to resume normality as life moves forwards and there’s no choice but to “get back to normal”. I’ve had time to think and go over events and have thought about all that happened. I re read all the text messages in my phone from the day before and the day of surgery. That made me cry. It’s part of my healing process, to deal with the pain.

This last week was quite a tough week to get through. The journey home from France did not go according to plan and I finally arrived home after some 17 hours of travelling. Combined with another heavy period, which arrived five days early, I was, needless to say exhausted by the time I got home in the early hours of Monday morning.

Tuesday I was very tired and Wednesday I felt completely fatigued with absolutely no energy or motivation to do anything other than get showered and dressed. I felt weepy, lonely and exhausted.

Thursday I had an appointment at CLAN (Cancer Link Aberdeen North) for reflexology massage. The timing was just right as I really felt the need for some TLC and a chat with the therapist. It proved to be a bit of a “pick-me-up” on Valentines day and forced me to get up and out of the house. I was told it was quite normal to get these bouts of fatigue with all that has gone on physically and emotionally and of course combined with the effects of the Tamoxifen.(Fatigue can be  a side effect for many people). My hormones are taking a bit of a battering! I came out of the centre feeling brighter and went on to have a lovely evening with supper out followed by a brilliant short dance event in town. I was still suffering the fatigue to some degree as I felt every foot step from the car park to the theatre.

What a difference a day makes. Friday morning I woke with bags of energy, as if a switch had been flicked. I spent three hours outside in the garden, general tidying, nothing to heavy, but grateful for the fresh air, milder and drier conditions and a chance to work and stretch some muscles. No fatigue or tiredness and I realised just how unwell I had felt in the early part of the week. This seems to be something of a recurring event just after my period so I need to try to manage my social diary so I can rest if needs be. This was one of the worst bouts I have suffered but no doubt the travelling was something of a catalyst too.

I’m interested in the forthcoming release in March? of the movie “Decoding Annie Parker” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decoding_Annie_Parker

Based on the true story of Annie Parker, a breast-cancer patient whose belief that her illness had a genetic component led researchers to discover the breast cancer gene BRCA1.