Hi all, Firstly tea alert !! I have a feeling this is going to be a long read, go make a cuppa then come back :)

I am new to this and its took me 2 years but I have always at the back of my mind wanted to write a blog, write a book, do something to share my experience to help others get through what may lay ahead, so here I am with a post to support newly diagnosed. I too, was where you are now, 2 years ago. quick summary: came home from a lovely holiday in Sri Lanka with dodgy bowels ! Put it down to being in Asia and the usual holiday tummy. Doctor at first thought I had a parasite oooh errr, but after 2 weeks no change, sent me for colonoscopy , and yes it did feel like the whole of my entire body fell out of my rear end ! So with that and subsequent scan I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. vvvvrrrroooooom that bolt of lighning hits you and with that I somehow morphed into someone Im not sure I recognised. in my private moments I was a rabbit caught in headlights, to my husband and family I was some sort of supermum with strength and determination that I never knew existed. The operation date was booked and I had a few weeks to get myself 'operation table ' fit. Soldering on I donned my sons snazzy headphones, plugged into my phones playlist and stomped off for daily walks blasted by my 'inspirational' song of Lady Gagas voice booming in my ears lyrics of ' Just Dance..everythings gonna be Ok, just dance"  Next I stocked up on Q10, green tea, and probiotics. I already considered myself a healthy diet, and a non smoker, with a (large) glass of red wine most nights being my vice, oh and maltesers yum, oh infact any chocolate...! . ANYWAY .. 12 days in hospital, operation succesful tunour removed which by now I had named Trevor  and I often told Trevor, he was only a temporary guest in my body and soon to be evicted, which kinda helped me detach my real self from the cancer in my body, albeit my kids thought I was perhaps slightly bonkers! So Trevor had now left the building yipee, after a good recovery, very slow at first especially in the toilet department, trying to twist round to do the ceremonious wipe was a challenge for a day or two, but manouver was eventually mastered and when I was allowed to shower and I was so glad to have bought gorgeous smelling shower gel I started to feel slightly normal again. Recovery involved 25 weeks of RT as precautionery, so there I was having little dots tatooed on my pelvis and thighs, another conversation peice, and daily trips to the clinic. Funny how after just a few sessions where each time you are required to strip naked from the waist down, you give up trying to climb onto the treatment table all ladylike and serene, each day its the same team usually and hey ho theyve seen my bits enough times now, Im past caring. Bonus of RT was It also acted like laser hair removal so the old Bic razor had a few weeks rest , lovely. 

so why did I want to share this with you?

because when I was first diagnosed, I tentatively dipled in and out of Cancer forums, and I used to live it when I read someones success story, so here is mine.

I just want you to know, that I am now 2 years down the line, and I can honeslty say for the past 6 months easily I am more and more almost completely back to my 'normal' self , cancer is still present in my vocabulary as are 6 month check up scans, but I never thought I would ever move on from this, and it is so strange that when I look back, it didnt seem like me, I think how did I do that, how did I get through that, how did I cope, but somehow I just did. The support of freinds and family is amazing and talking to others that have been through, or going through what you are going through also helps, but I would only talk to positive people, no negativity!. A dear freind of mine that in the past had beat skin cancer was a rock, and I will never forget a few simple words she said to me, that really stuck, and really helped me, she said ' amoungst everything, above all , stay in control' 

I would kick myself for not appreciating waking up each morning as a healthy person, but here I am now having the chance to do just that. I havent  made too many changes, I continue to eat healthy balanced diet, take probiotic tabs every day, I have fantastic bowels that are so effecient I have to stop myself from talking about how wonderful they are to my freinds and family! I threw out loads of beauty products and now use mainly chemical free and organic creams and shower gels. It makes me feel I am looking after myself.

So to finish, I also wanted to share my favourite quote:

Ive learnt there are troubles of more than one kind,

some come from ahead, others come from behind,

But...Ive bought a big bat, Im ready you see