Dear Carol,
Your mouth will heal and feel better soon.  At least it's out now.  It's not good that Norman made himself sick worrying about your but I think it's lovely that he still worries about you.  Can understand he's a little anxious with months of treating ahead.  I'm sure chemo does something to veins, makes it very hard for those they are trying to get blood.  I find it hard to believe the surgery, can't seem to put 2 and 2 together.  Eli was gorgeous yesterday, after his nap I could hear him calling Nan, Nan.
lovely that Margaret bought you Tulips.  Friends are wonderful, where would we be without them.

Anthea,
So dissappointing that your Aunt is now not coming to surprise your sister for her 60th.  Hopefully your Aunt will recover quickly from her injuries.  To have the stairlift installed so quickly is fabulous, it will make a difference for your husband.  Enjoy your short break with your friend.

Billy, 
The carer that came must have been very young to have not known how to flush the loo.  I had a giggle too.  Those monitors are great use one here for Eli, when he's napping, always know when he's woken.

Chriss,
Your poor gd-i-l, and at 17, so young to be going through this. It seems so unfair at her age.  Cancer made me realise you have to treasure each day, you just don't kinow what tomorrow will bring.  I don't have cancer but hubby had oesophagael cancer and passed 16 months ago. 

Take care, love and hugs to you all.  Sue xx

Thank you Carol... what an amazing bunch of buddies we have ... 

I started crying in the middle of Tescos this morn ...  my granddaughter was all ready for mickey mouse with us all two days ago .. now she's having loads of tests and chemo as soon as they can .. 

But my daughter in law is staying there with her .. while I've got little ones .. the school runs a tad hard to get used to again .. lol .. and they said the hosp in London is amazing ... gave my granddaughter a manicure and my daughter in law a massage session ..  my son's put his name down for one .. 

So wer all holding on together ... thinking of you all too ..big hugs all round ... 

Sue .. have those fires stopped yet ... not had time for much t.v ... xx

Chrissie  

Dear Chriss,

It must be so hard for you all.  The hospital sounds amazing, manicures and massages, haven't heard of anything like that in any of ours..  At least it's something pleasant in amongst all the tests.

I actually had to search for some info on the fires, (we haven't had anything on our news either for a week or two,  There are still about 40 burning all down the East coast of NSW, but it looks like they are all under control at present.  With luck we won't have any high extremes of temperature, and they will eventually get them all out.  None in Victoria, where I am, they have managed to get them all out as far as I can tell.

Hugs sent your way.  Love Sue xx
 

And so the saga of the tooth goes on!  I tell hubby I think it's infected and make a dentist appointment.  It's thick fog but I'm meeting Mary and get an appointment for 1pm.  Sue calls and we arrange to meet as well but later.  Hubby says he feels fine so will take me and come back for me at the dentist.  I collect my new spectacles and the poor optician is all enthusiastic about how they look, I'm in a lot of pain so am not enthusiastic back, but I can see out of them so that's enough to be going on with.  Anyway, I've got a blood clot and a shard of bone sticking out so another injection, a pair of tweezers and more antibiotics another twenty two pounds and I'm home!  Hubby is asleep as we had a long afternoon of treatment for him, it took two hours instead of one and guess when the next one is, yep 27th February the day I've booked us all into the theatre so we may get to eat or not depending on how long the next batch takes.  I've read all your updates and am so pleased we have this thread going,  love to you all,  Carol xx 

Hi Carol, glad you've finally got your tooth sorted. Hope Norman gets sorted early so you both can go to your theatre you deserve something to go right after all the problems you've had lately,. Wishing you both all the best. Love....... Billy xxx 

Hi everyone, I've didn't post yesterday as I've had food poisoning and what with all the meds I'm taking its virtually wiped me out!  I need to get back on track as Faye comes next Sunday and Ella doesn't understand Grandma being ill because I never have been before.  I'm the one that holds it all together and now hubby is the worried looking one as he's not used to my being unwell either.  We've just braved the wind and rain to get some papers and food for him, he's not been too hungry since his treatment but that's OK as he has plenty of weight on him!  Everyone keeps asking us about what side effects he'll get, we can't answer them as we don't know either so we live in ignorance, which is probably for the best.  I'm so pleased we have this page to chat on as it seems to help us all cope and considering how many of us are struggling with things it's a good job.  So all of you take care and I'll speak to you soon, love Carol x x

Dear Carol,

You poor thing, you can't win..At least now your tooth/mouth should start feeling/getting better.  And then food poisoning, on top of that.  Hopefully you will start to feel better before long.  Glad to hear it sounds like Norman is doing OK after his first treatment, hope this continues.
Glad also to hear that you can see through your new spectacles, also that they look good, despite your lack of enthusiasm.

I went to Stevie's birthday dinner last night, it was good apart from Cass and Gary getting a phone call from Gary's dad letting them know Neo (their neopolitan mastiff) had passed away.  He had lymphoma, so not totally unexpected but upsetting nontheless.  Not just people but pets also.  
A lazy day today, tomorrow a landscaper is coming to start on the backyard.  It's about time it got sorted.. he'll do a smllish retaining wall halfway as there is a slope to the back, so there'll be two level areas one with grass the other for a bit of garden and some fruit trees.  Nothing to fancy, but at least tidy.

Hoping this finds you feeling much better.

Take care and love to all.  Sue xx

Dear Sue, thanks for the good wishes, we're doing nothing today as its very windy and weather warnings are everywhere.  Lisa is in Scotland and flying back tonight so I hope their plane isn't grounded.  Sounds like a good night for you, but pets dying is sad, we make them part of the family and miss them terribly when gone.  I keep forgetting it's summer there so your garden should look fine, lovely for Eli when finished.  I have loads of spring bulbs peeking through and my golden wedding twig (rose) has green shoots on it, the birds are out in force and the lawn is growing.  Norman said he's going to ask our spare Norman to give it the first mow as it will be long and hard work.  Sue has just rang and she's got Luna as Luke and Hannah are in Liverpool at an engagement party.  She has their dog more than they do!  Hopefully I will be feeling better for Norman's oncologist tomorrow.  Take care, love Carol x 

Evening all! Had a really nice day for my sisters birthday although Steve didn't come for the afternoon tea as he's not been great for the last couple of days. She was expecting a quiet family tea so she was really surprised about the other 30 or so guests! Her face was a picture. The stairlift is a godsend as he seems to be getting weaker and weaker. I looked at him yesterday and wondered  how much longer he'll be here. He seems a little brighter today though. I think I'll sleep well tonight after today's antics, at least I hope I do! Sleep has done a bit of a disappearing act of late! I'm going to post a picture of the cake I made, sweet dreams to you all, Anthea xx[[]]