I booked a nail-lady (who works from home) to do my nails regularly during chemo, fully expecting to pay her as normal. She very kindly said that if I wasn’t well enough to drive to her, she’d come to me, which she did - and then refused all payment several times! I bought her a bunch of flowers, but that was nowhere near the value of her services - just such a lovely thing to do, unasked.
My friends got together and decorated my bedroom while I was away the week before starting chemo. They even had a new carpet put down!
We had meals brought round several times a week even though I couldn’t eat or didn’t feel up to cooking.
Also my husband was fabulous at looking after me and the kids too. Had cards and flowers every week.
We have a truly fabulous bunch of friends.
Polly xx
My wonderful husband who took leave to look after me while I was undergoing chemo/rads.
My kids for showing how much I mean to them.
My lovely work colleagues who sent me numerous cards/letters/flowers, and have kept in touch even though I have given up work.
My fantastic Oncologist, at Charing Cross Hospital, who allowed me to have curative treatment, when my original Oncologist just wanted to give palliative treatment.
The unbelievably kind and generous Charity (The Victoria Medical Foundation), who paid £22,000 for Cyberknife treatment to treat my skull mets, after West Sussex PCT refused funding.
The unbelievably kind and generous doctor at the London Clinic who agreed to provide his services free of charge, so that I could receive Cyberknife treatment.
The wonderful doctor at the Princess Royal in Haywards Heath, who performed my MX and has worked tirelessly to resolve an ongoing seroma (including performing a surgical excision), and has also referred me for a reconstruction (even though though the Princess Royal do not usually offer reconstruction for stage 4 patients).
The superb BC Nurse at Princess Royal, who has kept in contact with me, even though I switched my treatment to Charing Cross Hospital.
To the little group of stage 4 BC ladies I have met up with over the last year, for keeping me going with their friendship, care and sense of fun.
To BCC for providing this site, which allowed me to meet the ladies referred to above.
And here’s to you, Lemongrove, for being an inspiration to the rest of us after going through as much treatment as you have.
I raise my glass to you, and hope that 2012 brings you better health and some respite from the treatment you have received so far.
And to the rest of those using this website may 2012 be a better year for us all.
So here’s a toast to us all
Cheers!
Mazzalou xxx
Lovely inspiring post, Lg.
too many to say but the best thing is the responses on here from people who put your minmd at rest even tho they are having a hard time themselves-thanx so much xxx
And the lovely kind people on the BCC helpline.
Here here ethlydsyl, totally agree don’t know what i would have dne without this forum and the lovely people.xxx
I like this thread! There have been so many nice things that people have done for me. One of the earliest nice things was when I rang my hairdresser in tears saying that my hair was coming out and I had tried to cut it and made a mess of it. She calmed me down over the phone and then came straight round to my house. Tidied up what I had done and refused to take any money from me. We were both crying whilst she was cutting!
My best friend came with me to my Chemo sessions when my Mum couldn’t make it despite having a totally irrational fear of needles. She spent most of the sessions walking in and out of the Chemo Suite every time another needle came out in the room! but I know how hard it was for her to walk in there in the first place.
Bless her, she then nominated me for John Barrowman’s Tonight’s The Night programme (which was on in the summer and again at the beginning of December) and I got to go Indoor Skydiving with him and then to jump out of a real plane before going to Glasgow for the weekend to film the show! She also came with me to the airfield on the day of the jump and was physically sick with worry about what she’d got me into. Pmsl!
In September this year she and I and three other friends organised a fundraising evening where we went on to raise £1800 for Breast Cancer care.
I will be forever touched by her kindness and the gentleness she showed. One day I will find a way to do something very special for her.
Karen
My best friend, who is the very best friend anyone could have, on the day after my dx she took the day off work to come and talk to my BCN when she visited me at home to explain things.
That was 4 years ago and she is still making sure I always have something to look forward to. 3 theatre tickets and a Westlife ticket to take me up to May this year.
Her support and love have given me so much strength.
Shame the same can’t be said for the man I married.
J