Disaster day

Day 200- Monday

Day 2 of the course is less extravagant! In the afternoon I choose to go to the workshop of the current top physio in neurodynamics (the likely cause of my shooting pins and needles). I catch him afterwards to get his advice on what I should do about my symptoms. My symptoms have worsened slightly today. I am now getting shooting pins and needles around both ankles when I am standing and bend my neck. This is not good. He suggests that I get an MRI of my whole spine and brain to rule out anything horrible. This sends me into a panic so I am going to speak to Dr K on Wednesday after my colonoscopy. I cry as I drive to pick Matt up as all the horrible 'I'm dying' feelings return.

We head to the car showroom as finally the car is ready to pick up. Not even this cheers me up and I cry in the showroom as I'm talking to Matt. They send us away for '10 minutes to 2 hours' whilst they register our car, so we go to a local coffee shop. Two and a half hours later the car is ready!

I am so excited and Matt takes loads of pictures of me in the car for the blog. Then the problems start. It takes me 6 turns to get out of the car park as the steering is so bad and heavy. I must be doing something wrong. Then I start to drive on the road and I realize at the first turn that the car doesn't have power steering. It is heavier than a bus to drive. How does it not have power steering? Matt phones the showroom and they say 'Oh if you wanted power steering you needed the higher model'. We are both so cross. We asked what the difference was between the basic and higher spec and we were told 'alloy wheels, blue tooth, a sunroof and electric mirrors'. None of these things I needed so we went for the low spec. If they had told us about the power steering we would have upgraded, obviously! I even test drove a Rio with power steering! So they basically lied to us to get rid of the rubbish car that they never thought they could sell. So now we have a car that I can't drive and no one will buy! Soo upset and annoyed. Matt is going to speak to them tomorrow about what we can do.

So this day is turning into a disaster. Go to bed and have a cry. It actually turns into a big cry. I am scared the cancer is spreading, I don't want to die, and I have a terrible car. And to top it all off tomorrow I am fasting and taking laxatives ready for my colonoscopy on Wednesday. Bad few days coming up I think. 

Course Dubai style!

Day 199- Sunday

Have a physio conference to go to today. Leave early and arrive early! Very different to a physio course in the UK. Firstly it is being held in a 4 star hotel with valet parking (Obviously!), then there is entertainment in the form of an Emirati dance and music whilst you wait for the course to start (which it did 30 minutes late!), then we had the national anthem followed by a reading from the Qur'an, all finished off with an awards presentation. After this there is a coffee break and then the lectures start. Lunch was a buffet that almost could have been a brunch- salad bar, hot section and then dessert bar with a selection of about 6 puddings. Not forgetting the waitress service getting you drinks! Beats the UK hands down, in fact I don't think I could go on a course run in an NHS hospital again!!!

Roll on tomorrow- day 2 of the course. And hopefully the day we get the car!

normal day

Day 198- Saturday

Work, cross trainer, TV = very 'normal' day!

Car park madness

Day 197- Friday

The hotel was nice. The room was really new and modern, to the point that it took Matt and I 10 minutes to find out how to turn the lights off! (control panel on bed side table!) We met Matt's colleagues in the English pub where they had a live band. Had a lovely evening with lots of laughs. Managed to chair dance for a few hours- legs too weak and too sober to dance properly!

Breakfast was really disappointing though unless you wanted salad! Had an hour by the infinity pool before we head home. Poor mum hasn't left the house for two days so I decide to take her to the cinema and dinner out. Dubai Mall is packed. It takes 20 minutes to park! Crazy when you think there are 14,000 car park spaces!!! We saw The Lucky One which was a really nice film. Zac Efron was the main character so quite easy on the eye!

Saw a film advertised about a guy in his 20's who is diagnosed with cancer and the film is about dealing with cancer, the treatment and he has counselling. Really want to see this film, not to be morbid but to see what he discusses with the counsellor. Been thinking about seeing a counsellor myself to help me deal with the anxiety so I think this film will be interesting.   

Hotel tonight

Day 196- Thursday

Been emailing Dr Salti about my portacath removal. His reply was that he could remove it in his office! Now I am a bit of a baby and this freaks me out slightly. I was sedated for it going in and all I can picture is that tube going into my vein! What about if I bleed to death in his office!

Busy at work this morning and then had to rush home to pack. Matt and I are staying at a hotel in the marina tonight as another end of chemo treat! His work colleagues are joining us at the hotel in the 'English' pub for a belated 30^th celebration for Matt. Should be a good night!

Now I am off to pamper myself there before Matt finishes school!

Sun tan

Day 195- Wednesday

Mum stayed with Holly last night so we were in charge of Buddy. He was so naughty all evening and then spent half the night barking. We wake this morning exhausted and he had been sick and weed in the spare bedroom. The joys of being parents!

Managed 3 hours by the pool today and I now have a bikini mark! Yay! With my freckles now out on my face I look healthier. Did 21 minutes on the cross trainer and then mum and I went to the mall. Had to re-buy black flip flops that Buddy had eaten!

Was meant to pick up the car tonight but at the last minute the bank said it wasn’t ready- annoying! Hopefully will have it by Saturday at the latest.

Off out tonight with some of Matt's colleagues for dinner. Normality returning!

Nails turn bad

Day 194- Tuesday

Had a little cry last night with Matt. Felt much better after although I don't think he did. Managed to sleep right through.

Did my nails today and they are now showing signs of chemo damage- ridges running across them. Can't believe they were good throughout chemo and now they decide to look ugly. Next week I start Perfectil for hair, nail and skin so hopefully that will make a difference. On a positive my skin is starting to clear up.

Manage 20 minutes on the cross trainer tonight so hopefully can just keep increasing by a minute a day until I reach 45 minutes. Is 20 minutes enough to burn off the Crunchie I had earlier?!