Almost a whole week has passed now since I finished The Pink Escape adventure and I'm happy to say that the experience was a fantastic one. I had an absolutely brilliant time and as a collective of 33 we managed to raise over £8000 for Breast Cancer Care. Aside from the unforgettable event itself, the thing that struck me the most was how incredibly generous and keen to help/donate, the people who we met along the way were. Understandably, there was no shortage of inquisitive looks as we wandered through streets and railway stations around dressed in pink Lycra, but more often than not people would come up to us and inquire about the charity and show genuine interest and desire to help our cause. It was a once in a life time opportunity and not only did we manage to contribute, just a little bit, to a great charity, but on a personal note I had a bit of time away from hospitals and a really great time.
However, as my doctors did warn me, the days following The Pink Escape were really tough. I had pushed myself probably too hard and I was absolutely exhausted after we had arrived home, to the point where my body couldn't really cope and I ended up vomiting and effectively crashing, for the remainder of the week. While it took nothing away from the experience that I had enjoyed, I forgot (and should probably have learnt by now) to give myself a period of recovery. I'd had a lot of chemotherapy the week before I "escaped" and I suppose that I should have assumed that it would take a little while to get back to full health. Looking for what is good though, I'm really glad that I did push my body and I felt that I managed to prove to myself that cancer doesn't have to be an absolute controlling influence in my life!
Monday 24 February 2014
Sunday 16 February 2014
One More Day To Go
After weeks of planning, raising support, pulling in donations and generally getting quite excited, tomorrow is the day of The Pink Escape. From 8am tomorrow, I'll be trying to get as far away from Stroud as possible with only £10 and my wits...so yeah, £10! I will be the donning the pink morph suit with my friends and striving to leave the bleak South West far behind, even if it is only for 36 hours.
Not only has The Pink Escape provided me with a little bit of a break, it's given me something to really look forward to and I've felt that I'm doing something that my cancer has no bearing over. Although, saying that, my Doctors have repeatedly asked me the finer details of the trip and I am taking a stash of various drugs (customs will be interesting), just in case things do go awry.
So I'm off to pack and if you see anyone clad in bright pink by the side of the road tomorrow, yeah, I'd just drive by to be honest...but give them a wave anyway!
http://www.justgiving.com/thepinkescape
Monday 10 February 2014
Getting Plastered
I've had a fair amount of treatment this afternoon so apologies for the brevity of this post as shortly I'll be heading for bed!
Something that I've really enjoyed doing, since being diagnosed, is public speaking about the experience of cancer from my perspective. I've always felt confident about talking in front of any audience and my last year and a half of treatment as helped me put that passion of mine, to some use. I have given talks on behalf of Teenage Cancer Trust and various local blood donation charities and after appreciating the fact that people would be interested in my views, I've really thrown myself into as many opportunities as possible.
My Head of Sixth Form called me into his office today and being a typical 18 year old, I panicked! In actual fact, he was asking me to talk to some of the older students in an assembly, about why donating blood is so important. Safe to say, I was pretty relieved! I am also hoping to talk to some younger cancer sufferers who are reaching the end of their treatment, it came as a real boost to be seen as someone who is on maintenance and suitable to discuss my experience, as I'm no longer on intensive chemotherapy.
Finally, I'm just throwing this out there, but does anyone think that it's a little weird that I get to choose the plasters on behalf of the hospital and sadly, enjoy it very much even though I'm 18 years old?? I've got a great doctor who is a dab hand with the needles and is always happy to spend time selecting dinosaur plasters with me! It keeps me entertained.
Something that I've really enjoyed doing, since being diagnosed, is public speaking about the experience of cancer from my perspective. I've always felt confident about talking in front of any audience and my last year and a half of treatment as helped me put that passion of mine, to some use. I have given talks on behalf of Teenage Cancer Trust and various local blood donation charities and after appreciating the fact that people would be interested in my views, I've really thrown myself into as many opportunities as possible.
My Head of Sixth Form called me into his office today and being a typical 18 year old, I panicked! In actual fact, he was asking me to talk to some of the older students in an assembly, about why donating blood is so important. Safe to say, I was pretty relieved! I am also hoping to talk to some younger cancer sufferers who are reaching the end of their treatment, it came as a real boost to be seen as someone who is on maintenance and suitable to discuss my experience, as I'm no longer on intensive chemotherapy.
Finally, I'm just throwing this out there, but does anyone think that it's a little weird that I get to choose the plasters on behalf of the hospital and sadly, enjoy it very much even though I'm 18 years old?? I've got a great doctor who is a dab hand with the needles and is always happy to spend time selecting dinosaur plasters with me! It keeps me entertained.
Monday 3 February 2014
26-24
After the awful news last week, I am pleased to say that my Aunt's condition has improved a considerable amount and she is now talking and is out of intensive care, on the road to recovery. What a huge difference a week can make. With everything that's happened recently, I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed emotionally. I certainly won't be watching any heart wrenching films anytime soon, although in all honesty, they are nothing compared to witnessing England fall short in Paris at the weekend!
I have the prospect of a double dose of chemotherapy next week looming over me, so I have immersed myself in taking an active part in aspects of Sixth Form life and getting as much work as I possibly can, done. I know that next week won't exactly be the easiest or the most fun, but I'm definitely looking forward to it being over and having half term to enjoy!
I asked my Mum earlier tonight if she thought I had changed much in the last year and a half and she said yes, but not entirely as she had expected. I would like to think that I have a more balanced outlook on life, in that I try not to worry about the smaller and less significant problems, but I can't argue with the fact that this has made me more self absorbed. I find that I struggle to empathise with my friends and their issues in the same way that I once felt I was able to. Often, I feel alienated by the differences in everyday dilemmas of the people I socialise with, as well as my own ones at home. What makes the situation stranger for me still, is the fact that I know that if I was in any of their positions, I would be exactly the same and none the wiser about some of the difficulties that people of my age face. I realise that I am coming across very self righteous which isn't what I'm trying to convey at all. My friends are incredible people and I know for a fact that I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am today without them, but what I'm trying to say, is that sometimes it can be quite lonely when everyone else has gone home and the dramas of school life dissipate into my personal reality.
I have the prospect of a double dose of chemotherapy next week looming over me, so I have immersed myself in taking an active part in aspects of Sixth Form life and getting as much work as I possibly can, done. I know that next week won't exactly be the easiest or the most fun, but I'm definitely looking forward to it being over and having half term to enjoy!
I asked my Mum earlier tonight if she thought I had changed much in the last year and a half and she said yes, but not entirely as she had expected. I would like to think that I have a more balanced outlook on life, in that I try not to worry about the smaller and less significant problems, but I can't argue with the fact that this has made me more self absorbed. I find that I struggle to empathise with my friends and their issues in the same way that I once felt I was able to. Often, I feel alienated by the differences in everyday dilemmas of the people I socialise with, as well as my own ones at home. What makes the situation stranger for me still, is the fact that I know that if I was in any of their positions, I would be exactly the same and none the wiser about some of the difficulties that people of my age face. I realise that I am coming across very self righteous which isn't what I'm trying to convey at all. My friends are incredible people and I know for a fact that I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am today without them, but what I'm trying to say, is that sometimes it can be quite lonely when everyone else has gone home and the dramas of school life dissipate into my personal reality.
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