Hi Hope,

Glad you've found me here! I'm going to 'cut and paste' your sentence about my loved ones giving me a massive pamper package and leave it lying round the house in various places . . . Maybe with a few ideas as to what constitutes pampering (for my partner!!! Say no more!)

It's good to read that you're going to do a charity run, some time in the future, for the local hospice who cared for your dad and who have helped you too.  I'm sure it will be a 'mixed emotions' experience when you run it, but hopefully an uplifting one, doing something in your lovely dad's memory!

I'm glad you're finding the chat site such a support and you are certainly doing your bit to support all of us out here! Even though you have said you know darker days are ahead, I'm glad you are making the best of the way you feel at the moment.

Stay strong, lovely Hope,

Meerkat x

Hi Meerkat,

I have been thinking about you  quite a lot recently and have been wondering how you are. ?

Did you manage to get a holiday, it's been difficult to tell as you have been so active on the forum helping so many others.

How are you feeling about your surgery which is coming up soon.?

The trouble with going into hospital these days is you don't get all the lovely bouquets of flowers anymore. you have to wait till you get home. .!!!!!

Then people forget!!!!!!!! By the way your picture of (?YOUR GARDEN?) looks lovely.

Anyway just wanted you to know I am thinking of you and am here if you need anything

Annabel. xx

Hi Annabel,

Lovely to hear from you. Thank you for thinking about me. It's funny, I've seen your supportive posts to so many on here recently, and wondered how things were going for you? Does it seem a long time since your surgery? I hope you're feeling much better now.

Ah, the holiday! After much deliberation, we've decided to head up to Scotland  (partner's home country) for a few days. He can take in a Celtic game and I can get some sea air at Largs. We'll spend a couple of days in Glasgow before heading east to visit his daughter and grandson. Although we're not guaranteed sunshine, I couldn't face the stress of airports and transfers etc. plus, I always seem to get a cold after being cooped up in a plane!

Yes, that is a picture (thumbnail!) of part of my garden. That particular bed reaches it's peak in June, then becomes less vibrant. I'm trying to add more plants to ensure seasonal colour and interest, but it's an expensive business buying plants, and sadly, I haven't inherited my mum and grandma's green fingers! You're a gardener though I believe?

My surgery date is looming and I confess to having a few wobbles over the past few days! I try to keep busy during the day to distract myself, but at night, my mind tends to go into overdrive! I have a yoga cd which I intend to look out ( Hope's relaxation tape gave me the idea!)

I'm just sitting here now, thinking about my colleagues who will be going back to work tomorrow (I work in a school) and I'm wishing I could be going back with them, because that would mean that I wasn't unwell! I'm lucky that I can start my sick leave tomorrow, as I'm pretty sure that the lovely children would be sharing their lovely germs with me! A pre-op infection is a big no no!

Well, as I'm on kitchen duty today, I'd better go a prepare something for dinner (I'm spoilt, because my partner is a chef so he usually does the catering!) I just do all the other household chores! (Good distraction technique!)

Take care, Annabel, and I'm sure we'll chat again before I go into hospital.

Thank you again for your message.

Best wishes, Jo xx

Hi Meerkat,

Thought I would just say a quick HI! and say I am glad you have chosen a destination for your holiday.

Scotland is a beautiful place and I have seen many parts of it although I have only ever driven through Glasgow once on the way to the west coast peninsula a few years ago.  It is actually a bit odd that I haven't visited that city since the head office for the company I work for is in Glasgow.

You mentioned to Annabel that you are getting "a few wobbles" when you think about the surgery and I am not surprised at all.  I am one of the many people who just haven't figured out how to shut my mind off at night while trying to sleep and when you have such a worry on your mind it must be so much more difficult.  Just think about Scotland and that lovely sea air and hopefully you will just drift off.

Enjoy your holiday and please come back before your operation.

Take care.

Garf. x

Hi Garf,

Thanks for your recent message . . . I was going to hang on to reply until I came back from holiday, when I'd probably have something more exciting to post! But couldn't resist saying hi to you too!

It's funny you should say about not visiting places even when they have a relevance to you (in your case, your Head office being based in Glasgow) My admission is to not visiting all the beautiful areas in my home county of Shropshire. I no longer live there, but when I see it if it crops up on TV I always feel wistful and wish I'd explored more of it when it was on my doorstep! Most of my family are still there, but visits tend to be staying with relatives and not venturing far from their doorsteps!!

I have posted a reply to Annabel (above this one) I do hope she sees it. I find that the longer a thread becomes, you need to go further back to make sure you catch all replies. I see that you are still doing a great job of supporting others out there too!

Well, I should really get on with sorting things for the holiday. Haven't looked at the weather forecast for the next week, so maybe that's my first job. . . Don't want to pack tee-shirts and shorts if thermals and waterproofs are the order of the day!

Hope to post on my return, with tales of whisky, haggis and shortbread. (All are guaranteed to enhance my holiday experience. . . Though maybe I should really only sample the shortbread!)

Take care and I hope you are managing to get some more restful nights' sleep.

Chat again soon, best wishes,

Meerkat (Jo) xx

Thanks so much for replying before going to scotland.

I have to admit to being guilty of exactly the same as you because I no longer live in North Wales and now regret not seeing more of such a beautiful part of the world.  I have never even been up Snowdon and I lived not thirty miles from it.

I am off next week too and I'm afraid I have seen the forecast, for London anyway, so I will be packing jumpers and a brolly.

I look forward to tales of whisky and shortbread when you get back but I will let you edit out the bits about the haggis.

Have a great time and a safe journey.

Garf. x   

Hi there Meerkat,

Lovely to hear from you too.

Didn't answer you straight away as wasn't sure exactly when you were off to Bonny Scotland.

I think you are doing exactly the right thing in not getting on an airoplane just now with all that recycled air and catching anyone elses bugs before your surgery.

As for the sunshine it's not always necessary, and sometimes you can chase it, just need the pro weather app on your mobile.

like you I am a keen gardener but never seem to have enough time to garden, and having 2I/2 acres and a business to run means I do what I can but some of ours has to be as nature intends.I do have green fingers and often have new plants from old in pots but it's become such a disease with me that I think I should start selling plants to our guests.!!!LOl. 

I have to say I envy you your chef, it's one thing I have lost interest in over the years is cooking. Used to be quite good at it. Now it's just a neccesity.HE HO.

Oh well, have a lovely time in Scotland (I love scotland) and we will chat when you get back. I'll be here for you.

best wishes

Annabel.xx

Hi everyone!

Hope you don't mind if I write to you all in one group message?

Firstly . . . .HUGE Congratulations Grandma Annabel! I look forward to hearing more about names and weight etc! Hope your daughter's feeling ok too!

Well, we're back from Glasgow where we enjoyed fantastic weather! We went to Celtic Park on the Sunday to watch a charity match for Leukaemia research. One of Celtic's players (Stilyan Petrov) was diagnosed with L and so this match was arranged with 'old' players and celebrities playing against each other. A brilliant, but emotional afternoon!

We went to Largs on Monday and enjoyed chicken and chips on the beach! And then my partner had a knickerbocker glory to finish off! It was called A Flying Scotsmen as it had everything that you associate with Scotland in it . . .  Except Haggis!! The sun shone and we had a lovely relaxed day!

Tuesday saw us heading off to Braehead . . . A massive shopping centre! We didn't do much shopping, but went on a 'date' to the cinema to see About Time (new one from Richard Curtis) a bit of a chick flick, but the message within the film is certainly one we can all relate to on here, about making the most of every day!)

We headed back home on Wednesday and had intended to visit my partner's daughter and grandson on the east coast, but unfortunately, things conspired against that plan happening, so we just came home!

It was great to spend some time without thinking about being ill! And the Scottish air plus all the walking we did, certainly helped improve my sleep pattern!

Only one slight downer though. . . I've come back with a sore throat and swollen glands! Ah, the irony of it! we didnt go abroad so that I didnt risk getting airline flu! Still, as long as I'm ok for Tuesday! And some vitamin C tablets and paracetamol seem to be doing the trick!

So, the past few days have been spent sorting out last minute things ready for next Tuesday's admission and that includes logging in to see how you're all getting on. I can see that you've all been doing what you're all so brilliant at; supporting each other and any newcomers! I hope to respond individually on your various threads over the next few days!

Well, it's time for dinner . . . I'm making the most of eating lots of food before Sunday when the 'low residue' diet becomes compulsory!

Wishing you all a peaceful and happy weekend, folks! (I'd like to say sunny too, but looking at the forecast, I think that's asking a bit much!)

Take care, Jo (Meerkat) xxx

Hi Meerkat,  I was thinking of you earlier and wondering when you were back, had intended to post you over the weekend as I guessed you'd be back by then.  So glad you had a lovely time in Scotland, and wonderful that you got to do so many lovely things without thinking about illness.  I want to wish you heaps and heaps of good luck and best wishes for your forthcoming operation on Tuesday.  Don't forget about the "pampering" afterwards, I'm sure all your friends and family will spoil you.  Also hope the charity walk that your friends are doing this Sunday goes will, fingers crossed for good weather.  Please try and keep in touch with us all on here, this site has helped me so much.  Take care.  Hope xx

Hi Jo,

So please to hear you had such a good time. I must say we have all missed your input.

I wish you all the very best for Tuesday and will be thinking of you. Please take good care of yourself, best wishes, Brian.