Sit down and move your tea away from the keyboard; here’s the post I hoped I would never have to write…
On Wednesday Tom and I travelled to The Cotswolds to see a herbalist, exploring further alternative treatment to complement Professor Hope’s conventional medical approach. I’ll skip the part about the picturesque surroundings, the 17th century limestone hotel and get to straight to the serious bit. From now on I will be giving up sweets, chocolate, cake and (I’m shaking as a I type this) Rocky Road.
Ever since I was a little girl I have loved chocolate raisins, a weakness I inherited from my grandma Betty who always had bags of them lying around the house – some of which I suspect to have been months out of date, hastily grabbed from a drawer to keep me quiet. Then two years ago my innocent fix took a sinister turn onto a much harder confectionery; when I found Rocky Road I was hooked. It was just like chocolate raisins but with extra good stuff; Rice Crispies, marshmallow and e numbers galore! Alas, our beautiful relationship has now tragically ended in Splitsville, and it’s the herbalist who will be cited as the third party in the divorce papers.
Gone too on his recommendation are alcohol, red meat, shellfish and dairy; in are more vegetables, brown rice, brazil nuts and rye bread. White meat and fish are still allowed as is the occasional tipple so it all feels very manageable, and as well as helping to tackle my diet he also offered further encouragement that I truly can influence my destiny.
As well as a sense of purpose, we also left carrying five, very suspect-looking bags of Chinese herbs. I was relieved we had driven rather than getting the train, as an arrest at Brixton tube would have been a dead cert. The process of soaking the herbs, boiling them up and straining them in our little kitchen is a chore, but the hardest part is definitely getting two cups a day down me. It’s not as bad as the green shit but certainly no Maccy D’s chocolate milkshake!
And for those of you wondering how the week went on the new drug, I’m happy to report that it went surprisingly well. Aside from feeling a bit tired and my right eye still being a bit bleary I have to say that this is the best chemo I’ve been on. I don’t want to tempt fate as I have just had the second injection today, but so far so good. It helped that I had an amazing chemo nurse looking after me. She was like a proper old school matron; on the ball, authoritative yet kind – and she got a vein straight away!
The hair is coming out thick and fast now and there are a few bald patches appearing at the back, but I think that this is more from the whole brain radio rather than the chemo. I’m desperate to be well this week as a friend from home has organised a charity fashion show for Coppafeel back in Middlesbrough. Lora has put so much effort into it, as well as getting support from local businesses and friends, so I would love to be able to attend to show my appreciation for her amazing hard work. Hair or no hair, as long as I feel well I’ll be there.
So that’s me. Cracking on with the treatment and mourning the end of a relationship I thought would be life long. If you want to do something for me this week then I have one small request. Treat yourself to a bit of Rocky Road for me, please…