Welcome to the reality of 2017

Well for once (I know you won't believe it ;-) I really am lost for words and don't quite know where to start.

These are the words that I have heard numerous times in recent days and weeks. That is since our world as we knew it began to fall apart just before Christmas. Words which I never thought we'd have to use as part of our everyday vocabulary have sadly once again become standard and will be for the foreseeable. Words such as Hickman line and neutrophils to Oncology and lymph nodes.

We were given a very unexpected Christmas present 5 days before the guy in the big red suit was due to put in an appearance. We were told in no uncertain terms that it was highly likely I have breast cancer and would need radical treatment to try and rid me of it. We then had an agonising 2 week wait until the New Year until they could give us 'the formal diagnosis'. Limbo land hell, sleepless nights and disbelief don't quite cut it.

We gradually told family and close friends and the children. I can't even bring myself to put into words at the moment how difficult that was. Sadly cancer isn't a stranger to our family, having lost my Godfather to secondary kidney cancer a few years ago and Mother in Law to the most agonising death from vulval cancer more recently, none of us, the children included, were ready (is one ever?) to enter this world of uncertainty again.

Since then we have gradually told more friends and family, colleagues, school mums and dads, teachers. On the whole we have received nothing but support, offers of help in so many different ways (we have accepted as many as possible with open arms and gratitude). Colleagues especially, couldn't be more accommodating, which really does make a HUGE difference!

So as I embark on a monumental week; firstly starting my role as a full-time lecturer in Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy at Leeds Beckett University and the following day my IV chemotherapy to try and rid myself of this dreadful disease, I have not got much head space for a great deal else as you may imagine!

Although, I will mention my friend Sally's blog; through another bizarre twist of fate, I will be seeing far more of her than either of us had planned. She has written a recent post about me here https://onelegoneboob.wordpress.com/

In posts over the coming weeks I'll upload the thoughts and experiences I've recorded over these last 5 bizarre weeks, as well no doubt, as the experiences as I face what is to come.