For the last two weeks or so, we have been dividing our time between home in Oxford, family in Bristol and (in my case) a work-related trip to Guernsey, with lots of packing, unpacking and repacking in between, depending on who was going where and for what purpose. There have been times when I have woken up and wondered for a moment where I was......
The GP advised the family that Steve's mum is fading fast, so we have been visiting her in her nursing home in Bristol as much as possible. Usually, she has been sleeping but yesterday she was awake, recognised us and smiled. We even had a sort of conversation - not easy when one person is profoundly deaf and talks in a whisper - but worth the effort of writing in big letters on a white board, knowing that it might be the last chance to give her our love and kisses.
The previous weekend, we enjoyed a lovely meal out with friends Ruth, Anne and Colin...the same friends who persuaded us out of hiding back in December when Steve was feeling very low, and helped us get back on the path of positivity.
We have also enjoyed our son's company at our home in Oxford and his house in Bristol, which we are helping him do some work on at the weekends when he's not working in London. Makes a change from working on our own house...
Because we've been away, I celebrated Mothers Day on our return home yesterday where a big bunch of tulips from our daughter was waiting for us - thank you Katie!
Steve is still doing well, no pain and maintaining his weight. Doesn't need to wear a belt to stop his jeans falling down now! The neighbours all admire his new look with short hair and a goatee beard...one even walked past without recognising him. He looks like a new man :)
The garden is doing well; daffodils are taking over from the crocuses and winter flowering pansies in the pots, and the clematis Armandii which climbs over the back of the house is in full flower, along with the rosemary in the little herb patch. Steve was given a large, beautiful glass cloche for his birthday by our dear friends Sally and Jon. It's warming up a circle of soil ready so sow some rocket which we look forward to eating fresh in our salads in the not-too-distant future.
Plans for the next 3-4 weeks are coming together nicely. However, we are reluctant to look much farther ahead than mid-April when Steve has his next clinic appointment with Hannah, the mesothelioma/lung specialist nurse. Nevertheless, we are keeping tabs on suitable clinical trials which are recruiting, so we can hit the ground running if and/or when Steve decides he wants to have another go. In the meantime, we are just enjoying life taking each day as it comes, with no horrible side effects to manage and improving energy levels.
Carpe diem, as they say!
The GP advised the family that Steve's mum is fading fast, so we have been visiting her in her nursing home in Bristol as much as possible. Usually, she has been sleeping but yesterday she was awake, recognised us and smiled. We even had a sort of conversation - not easy when one person is profoundly deaf and talks in a whisper - but worth the effort of writing in big letters on a white board, knowing that it might be the last chance to give her our love and kisses.
The previous weekend, we enjoyed a lovely meal out with friends Ruth, Anne and Colin...the same friends who persuaded us out of hiding back in December when Steve was feeling very low, and helped us get back on the path of positivity.
We have also enjoyed our son's company at our home in Oxford and his house in Bristol, which we are helping him do some work on at the weekends when he's not working in London. Makes a change from working on our own house...
Because we've been away, I celebrated Mothers Day on our return home yesterday where a big bunch of tulips from our daughter was waiting for us - thank you Katie!
Steve is still doing well, no pain and maintaining his weight. Doesn't need to wear a belt to stop his jeans falling down now! The neighbours all admire his new look with short hair and a goatee beard...one even walked past without recognising him. He looks like a new man :)
The garden is doing well; daffodils are taking over from the crocuses and winter flowering pansies in the pots, and the clematis Armandii which climbs over the back of the house is in full flower, along with the rosemary in the little herb patch. Steve was given a large, beautiful glass cloche for his birthday by our dear friends Sally and Jon. It's warming up a circle of soil ready so sow some rocket which we look forward to eating fresh in our salads in the not-too-distant future.
Plans for the next 3-4 weeks are coming together nicely. However, we are reluctant to look much farther ahead than mid-April when Steve has his next clinic appointment with Hannah, the mesothelioma/lung specialist nurse. Nevertheless, we are keeping tabs on suitable clinical trials which are recruiting, so we can hit the ground running if and/or when Steve decides he wants to have another go. In the meantime, we are just enjoying life taking each day as it comes, with no horrible side effects to manage and improving energy levels.
Carpe diem, as they say!
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