I dont know her, she doesnt know me but I have followed her threads.
I know all us secondary guys plan our own funerals but Kate’s blog seems very final. What do we do or say? julie x
Hi Juliet
How do I acces Kate’s blog?
Maddison
Hi… if you type dippykate into google I think Kate’s blog is top of the list of results.
Yes Kate’s blog does come up first if you google dippykate.
Do and say? well I know Kate and I know she really appreciates just any messages that people want to give. One of the things I value most about Kate is her capacity to tell it and live it as it is…she is living her life as fully as is possible while acknowledging and planning and organising for her death.
Kate’s away with her children at the moment so probably not on-line…don’t mean to speak for you Kate…just sending my love in cyberspace
Jane x
I can’t think of anything to write that makes sense or sounds right,but I am thinking of Kate and her family.
Love
Dot
xx
I appreciate the way Kate continued to post on the site - even while quite ill - to help more recently diagnosed people .
Thinking of you and your family Kate.
Love Anthi x
Kate I am so pleased that you have been able to get away with your children and hope that your time with them was very special. Your room sounds lovely, very peaceful and comfortable.
You are certainly loved and respected by so many people. We don’t know each other but I have followed your blog and threads and in doing so have felt very close to you. There must be many others who feel this way.
I want to send you my love and hugs. I am thinking of you. Wishing you peace and strength,
Margaret
Have a lovely time with your family. PM me if you are in Cornwall.
Thinking of you.
Love Debsxxx
Dear Kate,
I have so appreciated the advice and support that you have given to me personally and to so many others.
I have also been following your blog, I have smiled at some entries, been in tears at others, but above all have been so touched by your openess and honesty.
So - lots of love to you and your family, hope you have a really good time together.
Magsi x
I just cried after reading that. My wife is quite similar
Hi All
I am having trouble getting onto Kates Blog…no matter how I put it into google. Any links or tips pls…
I so hope she is having good time with kids and look forward to her update,right eyes closing rest time,xxxxxx
Hi Paula
Try:
www.dippykate.blogspot.com
Hope all going as well it can with you-have been thinking about you and hoping for good news. You sound amazingly upbeat-what an inspiration to the rest of us.
Love Gill x
Kate’s last blog entry is really moving. During the five months that I’ve been on this forum Kate hasn’t minced her words about her treatment, prognosis or her desire to spend this summer with the kids. It is no surprise that she would be very specfic about her final wishes. I am grateful for her honesty and frankness, however unpalatable it might be for me at times. People so often dismiss our fears or change the subject when we address death. When I read her posts I now know to expect a quirky sense of humour and the blunt truth. I am inspired by the way in which she bounces back after each ordeal and resumes “business as usual.”
Kate, I hope your LFTs normalise so that you can get cracking with the chemo. Enjoy the summer hols with the kids, and your new boudoir. Lots of good vibes coming your way.
xxx
Paula, It’s called Fighting the Invader, so pop that in Google and it should be the second entry. Hope you’re well, hon. xxx
I was rather stunned to log on at my sister’s this morning to find this thread about me!! I’m very moved and grateful that so many people read it and touched by your comments.
As you have probably gathered I was a nurse and then worked as a health visitor and as a specialist young people’s sexual health nurse so got used to be being quite upfront with people and I suppose some of this upfrontness comes over in my writing and generally how I live my life. I like to be organised and know how awful it was when my dad died 11 years ago and he had nothing planned for his funeral even though he was a highly religious man with strong views on certain hymns and readings and knew he had a terminal illness. It was so stressful to try to remember what he liked and disliked and to do what we thought he would like that I was determined not to put my family through this again. The funeral service then put us in a dilemma whether to laugh or cry as my Dad’s name was Brian and the priest had obviously no idea about Monty Python so kept saying ‘we thank you for the Life of Brian’ - it was quite awful but funny at the same time so I think that has also influenced me about how and why I’m organising my dying wishes.
My hubby can’t cope day to day at the moment so it is also for him that I’ve written this all down - but he and close family/friends have a much more detailed/intimate copy which I have discussed with them and others have access to the blog one which covers the main points which I thought would be useful for people as I want it to be a thanksgiving service rather than a doom and gloom service so they are prepared for that.
Emotionally, I’m all over the place at the moment as I wasn’t expecting my liver to be such a big problem so suddenly. 3 weeks previously to me becoming jaundiced the CT was clear of my liver so it’s scary how quick this has happened and how violently my liver became so inflammed when my bilirubin was only 320. They were sure that I would be well enough to start taxol 2 weeks after the stent went in but my biliribin was still 40 and the other lfts were still abnormal last week - 2 weeks after stent - but all improving .I still think my bilirubin will be too high as have some yellow patches and my wee still too dark. Since last week I’ve stopped the MST and reduced the dex but have come out in a strange rash which nobody knows what it is so am going for blood test tomorrow and see onc thursday.
Am just so scared that in 3 weeks a cancer can pop out of nowhere and make me so ill and it’s now been there over a month and still no chemo nd the way the lump has grown under my other arm has grown and changed I’m really scared that this has happened in my liver too and my lfts will never be normal enough for me to have chemo and that this is now the end. I know some women seem to have had low dose xeloda in this position but my onc seems to be refusing this - it feels it is taxol or die and no other option and I have’nt the time to get a second opinion now.
All I wanted was a peaceful summer with the children and now I’m supposed to be having weekly chemo if I’m well enough!!! Even though I sound organised, I can assure you I’m not!!! I’ve got lots of loose ends to tie and have overcommited myself to making things for friends/family which I want to do but scared I won’t have time for. Just trying to prioritise at the moment.
Anyway - off on holiday to Kent this saturday and after bank holiday, going away with the kids overnight to go to 2 zoo/theme parks and thinking about going to france for day when in kent to see the big aquarium in Boulogne and trying to see if can have a few days away with mum and hubby so still have plans - just don’t want them scuppered by my liver or the taxol!!
Just reached the stage where I know I feel ill and look ill and won’t go on for much longer whereas in the past, I always felt the treatment would work and would have more time and it is just a horrible, unreal situation and just very scared of the process of dying.
Bedroom - was enjoying it till hubby decided to build daughter a new bed so now have her stuff in my sanctuary. The bed is now built and the carpet down and looks much better. Her bedroom is only 6ft by 9 and she had a high bed before. Now he’s built the bed under the window so gives her more space but had to buy special 6ft
mattress and waiting for wardrobe to arrive and for hubby to put up shelves in our’s and her’s bedroom. I want the shelves up so I can unpack all my penguins and ornaments and get the photos back up!! Plus one of my friends gave me a beautiful tile full of penguins today so want that up as well!!!
I’ll have more time when hubby reduces his hours in sept to look after me. He’s just got this week to work and then 2 weeks holiday and then 16 hrs a week so we’ll get there hopefully.
Think I’ll copy and paste most of this into my blog so you can just bypass the next entry!!!
Honestly, I’m only an ordinary person - if you were in my shoes I’m sure most of you would do the same as I’ve done - I just write about it that’s all!!
Thank you so much for all the care and support you give me. I’m so glad I found the forums - actually it was the research nurse that gave me the address - the bcns had no idea!!! Still battling with communication issues at the hospital and will continue to do so!!
Thanks again
Love Kate
Hi Kate,
Good to see you back on line.
Hope all the holiday plans work out for you.
Lots of love
Magsi x
Love to you and yours dear Kate,as always Valxx
Hi Kate
Thinking of you
xx Manon
Hi Kate - you are no ordinary person…you are very special to us all.
See you soon…
Lots of love
Heather
x
Kate
You are just incredible, so strong. Thinking about you a lot and wishing you happiness with your darling kids and hubbie and so glad you are Ok to travel and do stuff with them. You are creating many happy memories>
Katie 61
Sleep tight Kate and stay the positive lovely person that you are. You are an inspiration to all of us. Have a good break
Best wishes and love, Jilly xxx