Hair bands

This photo makes my nose look gigantic!!!! I have had to start using tape.  I am not allowed to touch my hair or scar.  It ha been fixed away from my face, but started dropping,  The tape is doing the trick.  When I meet people they always ask if they can take the tape out of hair.  NO

Thank you from Mum

We would like to say a huge thank you for all the food treats, wishes, help, support and prayers received to date. It has all been incredible and exceedingly gratefully received. Sarah will soon be able to appreciate all the good will at home. Which we hope will happen towards the middle of the week.

It really is  fantastic that everyone is giving so much thought to supporting the family as well as Sarah.

We don't know who to thank individually, there are soooo many of you............. THANK YOU

30 June 2013 15:50

Dave looked good, and Gee was on form. He gave me a head scarf and a bracelet. I will use both when home, but for now I have to spend my day in jimmy jams and sport an ugly hair do ... No touching my head or scar at all.

30 June 2013 15:47

Both girls were truly amazing. They understood that they could not touch my head, but I did catch katy having a close look at my scar. It looks like a big hair braid, all the way over the top of my brow.

Katy wanted a cuddle (a huggle) and had a cry. Katy, I love you so much - you are so special to me. Both sat close with me and joined in chatter.
When left alone, they showed me their new gizmos. Katy has an ipod touch, and martha has a kindle fire HD. We played a logo game - can you recognise the logo??
I think they were in good spirits when they left, but if not, I know that they are with family who will support them. Remember that I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. S xxxxx

Making progress....

My canula - all removed this afternoon.

Martha and Katy's GIANT card

30 June 2013 15:39

Hello all :) :) :)

I have just had a visit from Martha and katy, and dave, Bev and Gee.
Martha and katy gave me a giant card with 7 pictures of the four of us stuck onto it. Inside katy had made a stripey banner and written across it "happy hospital". Martha decorated her side with little messages on post it notes. You're amazing, happy hospital to you, I want you back ... On the back of the card it says "love from martha and katy". It is a beautiful gift. Thank you girls xxx

30 June 2013 10:54

Pain has been reduced thankfully :). 

I have been taken to a kitchen to "practice" by an occupational therapist. I made a cuppa tea and a buttered piece of toast. We have chatted about my house and help I will require.

They are going to give me a chair for upstairs and a chair for downstairs. These will be used for me to rest at the correct height. OT (oCc therapist) has taken Dave's number, to organise delivery.

A new waLl bar will be put up and down my staircase. It is not safe for me right now - too steep. What I will have is stair rail on one side and new rail on the other.

With these in place we expect that I will be able to move around the house. Again, OT is going to plan this with Dave.

Initially, I guess that I will be upstairs in bed and using bathroom.

My tea and toast making skills were good. I am, of course, very slow and very tired. However, I can plug keTtle to wall; press on off button, put water in it, find a cup, tea bag, fill cup, find milk, pour milk, tea bag into bin, drink. Sounds easy I know, but it did take me a long time ...
We are both very happy with my progress.
Love you
Sarah xxxx0000xxxxx

Sunday 30th June

Woke up on Sunday 30th in pain. Ward sister realised that I have had no pain relief since 10pm. I have taken it and it is starting to bring me back ...
Not a nice experience, but it is ending.

...and one smiling (Ouch it hurts ;))

Lost and found: Sarah's blog posts Saturday 29 June (cont'd)

Sarah has been posting to the blog from her Blackberry. The posts have uploaded as comments to the 'Thank you all' post of June 26. Here they are again.

29 June 2013 17:55

Drug regime:
My steroids have been reduced to 4mg in morning and 4mg at night. I took 2 steroid tablets, 2 paracetemol, 2 codein and 2 tablets to help me pooh. I have not been able to pooh!

Before op I took 8mg steroids in morning and 8mg at night. Everyday I take one other pill in the morning to protect gut from steroids. S xx

29 June 2013 21:32

Coming out of anaesthetic, my mum tells me that my answer to the questions was helen.

Who is the queen?
What is the name of the prime minister?
What day is it?
What year is it?
What hospital are you in?
What did you come in for?

This is true! I can remember doc karabatsou asking me questions. I can also remember my fantasy - helen was at the hospital with her dad. He was in the next room under a general anaesthetic. Whatever the doc asked me, my answer, Helen, was guiding her to take Helen t he Dad

29 June 2013 21:54

I was interupted by the ward sister, to take my pulse, blood pressure, ask me all the questions written above ...
I have had a gOod day today. Max came to visit me, from bristol and she shared the tennis progress with me. I so want to be watching andy beat djovic in the final. What a good year that would be :). Max was not blubby either. She kept bursting into tears whe I last saw her - I had diagnosis and was getting ready for op. I cried only once - when katu gave me a get wellcard.
Bev and mum and no doubt max have all been looking after martha and katy. They showed me videos on katy's ipod touch. My favourite by miles was a vidoe of them doing a cup song to a song they had composed for me. I am hoping bev may be able to upload it to BLOG forall to see.
More to ome - having a hot choc .

29 June 2013 22:05

Bev was astounded by how well I am looking. We think I may be through the worst of the swelling, but let's wait and see. She brought me some meringues - these are my no 1 cake. The french meringues are the best, but the M and S version are top quality too :)
Louise dropped in for A quick visit too, which was spot on because I was very tired. I loved seeing her. And know that as we go along, louise will undestand the subtleties of my experience. Eg I gave up my job because I couldn't cope. Hmmmmm. I had a brain tumour. All different to me now...
Off to bed and a good sleep. Lve you all. Keep sending messages - they are all warming me. Sarah xxx

29 June 2013 23:38

It is the middle of the night and I have given up on sleep for a while. I share the ward with two women. Victoria has had an op yesterday, something to do with collpsed veins and shakeyness - when she walks she shakes her arms, her legs, her head. She has her antibiotics through a drip. The drip is set up to bleep at various stages. It is bleeping now. Bleeep. Bleeeeep. Bleeeeep ...
Victoria is actually the quiet one! Directly across from my bed is Jo. She is a stroke victim, who is close to my age. She has a stunning husand(a builder) and three beautiful children aged 6 10 and 12 I think. (Hooray victoria's bleepig has stopped). Jo has had a tracheotomy - she breathes through a tube into her throat. She is fed using liquids directly into her stomach. All day se has been "nill by mouth" because she was due to have an operation today. At about 5 pm the sister discovered it had been cancelled (and she had not been informed). Since then the sister has been trying to feed Jo. The sisters change over at 6 pm, so this continues with new sister ... They are still at it. I do no know if they will go beyond 2am. I guess they will stop there for jo to be ready for op tomorrow. I don't know. But the bleeping continues. I am so sorry that jo has to go through it ...

Lost and found: Sarah's blog posts Saturday 29 June

Sarah has been posting to the blog from her Blackberry. The posts have uploaded as comments to the 'Thank you all' post of June 26. Here they are again.

29 June 2013 01:37

Good night to you all. I have been worrying about my scar and horrid hair. I have just had a chat with the nurse that looks aftr us, and I feel so relieved. He tells me that a scar like this must be left. No touching it until it is ready to be removed, which is usually around 6 days after op. In short - I must not do anything until tuesday onwards. Enjoy the horrid hair! It is stayin...m

29 June 2013 09:52

I had breakfast and had a shower. I cannot shower above neck, but have had a good wash from neck down. Shower gel was fab too - a lemon fragrance.
My bed has been made and I am going to have a sleep. Lots of love. Sarah x

29 June 2013 11:08

I have just had visit from Ms karabatsou (my surgeon). She came with 2 docs and a nurse. She says my scan "looks good" - this is the scan they took yesterday. She expects that I will need further treatment - meaning chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Thus won't be confirmed until all the tests have been completed (some time next week). She is happy I can walk to loo unaided, and that I have showered today.
I am not worried about the future treatment at all. I remain focused on having had op and being ecstatic that I can communicate properly. Let's wait and see what will happen next...
There will be a party at some point. M and k bought me a running mag, so I can start thinking about running again. My volcano trip - will be researched when I am convalescing at home.
Love you all
Sarah xxxxxxxx

29 June 2013 13:56

I have had a visit from occupational health. She was pretty and well spoken - good company. Her role is to help me be ready to go home. We are agreed that I am not ready yet! She has tested all my reactions eg put both arms above my head; push her hands away; pull my feet against her etc etc - loads of body tests. We have talked about who will be available to support me when I go home. I have answered honestly, in that I don't know but that I do know someone will be with me 24-7. The OT checked my vision too, which is hilarious because I had double vision and damaged vision before diagnosis, my vision and life improved the night that they filled me full of steroids (21/6/13). OT has left, content with my progress so far. Love. Sarah xxx

29 June 2013 17:27

Saturday 1725. Have just been visited by a neurosurgeon, to check my legs :). I had pain in one of my calves (left) this morning. We are made aware of possibililty of blood clots, and we are made to wear tight anti-clotting tights. I knew I had to tell the nurse.
The nurse checked it, and has referred me.
The surgeon has just done some physical tests, and measured both calves.
Everything is in good order :)

29 June 2013 17:46

I have an injection every day to prevent blood clots. My lef arm has two massive bruises from this. We moved to the right arm tonight :). S x

Lost and found: Sarah's posts Wednesday 26 June

Sarah has been posting to the blog from her Blackberry. The posts have uploaded as comments to the 'Thank you all' post of June 26. Here they are again.

26 June 2013 09:37

We wait for the op appointment. I go in 3rd, straight after lunch. Hope the doctors don't have a macdonalds.
I have seen a string of different doctors. The top op doc, the anaesthetist, an event planner (sadly not a party planner); I missed the nurse but Dave was able to answer drug questions.
I have an arrow on the side of my head - gotta make sure they go in the right way :).
I know the op should take about 2 hours. I have been reminded of the risks, and again, I feeling simply positive - let's get Shirley out.

26 June 2013 09:42

I am being supported by my mum, brother, sister. Dave is trying to coordinate them and bamboozle them with liverpudlian jokes.
Best one: my mum asked if he was looking forward to taking M and K to Herm (camping holiday). He laughed and said "I am looking forward to it like a hole in the head".

26 June 2013 11:07

Hi again, I have seen another nurse. I have my tag on my arm that give name and date of birth. I am the correct Sarah C - not my duplicate!
I have had my pulse taken. It was 61 - not bad, I thought.
Blood pressure was ok too.
They tried to take blood samples. I have been stabbed with a needle several times, and the nurse had to give up. My blood sample will be taken when I go in for anaesthetic.
We have filled in loads of forms: I don't have allergies, illness, don't smoke, don't drink, ate at 1145 pm last night, drank at 930 this morning etc etc. It is all done.
I am waiting to be told when to go and get my gown on.

26 June 2013 11:18

I have snuck outside to the garden. Beautiful garden. I have sat on a bench and talked through a set of pocket photos that we have made for M and K to use, if they need to be with us. They will each have a photo of me, dave and eachother.
I have talked through each photo and told them what the photo represents to me.
I know they will like it. I know they might laugh too.
A favourite is one of us at sport relief run. I remember talking to dave and saying that I was getting slower, so he should run with fastest daughter. Maybe we know why??? Or maybe we don't. WhAt am I going to blame for being thick, when I am functioning properly??

26 June 2013 12:16

A funny chuckle for you. I canceled my life insurance in October 2012! I have saved £6 a week, but if I don't make it Dave has lost £49, 000.
I have left him the letter in my finance file ...
Ps I do expect to make it in good shape.

26 June 2013 13:21

I have just seen ms karabatsou, who is surgeon. She looks smart and ready.
I was having a doze. My brother is snoring right now!!!
I am told I will go for op within an hour.
Also, my friend Helen is popping in and it looks like I will see her before op, which is a bonus. S xxxxxxxxx