A year in review

As I write this we are waiting for news of the arrival of Hannah and Mark's baby, she has gone in to hospital to be induced today, 21 September, the whole family is collectively holding their breath in anticipation.

Tallulah returned from a 3 week holiday in Mexico with her Mexican friend Tania. They were largely the guests of Tania's Dad and her extended family, they obviously had a great time because Tallulah hasn't stopped talking about it. However, while they were there they went to a 'witch doctor' for a 'cleansing', part of this process involved spraying the girls with a dubious chemical which removed the beautiful tan that they had cultivated previously; buyer beware has never been so apt! Fortunately the skin damage isn't permanent  although the tan will have to be worked on carefully next year.

I am neither a royalist or a monarchist but I must admit I was intrigued by the recent collage of the young and old queen made up of 5000 photographs of the proletariat. My interest was piqued by the fact that both Martha and Stella's brother, Doug, featured in the  portraits, Stella, Martha and I went to see it at Rochester Cathedral with Stella's Aunt Jean and Steph, her oldest sister, the photos of both were instantly recognisable (Doug is wearing the Christmas crown and bow tie).

This picture is particularly poignant, Doug died suddenly 2 weeks after Martha was born, they never met. As a priest he had baptised most of our other kids, Martha's full name is Martha Lily Douglas Day.

It's been a year since I contacted my GP from France and started on the road that (hopefully) I am near finishing, I start the penultimate chemotherapy cycle today (21 September). The year has truly flashed by and has been a year of changes, not just for me, but the whole family there have been pregnancies, births, marriages and deaths I have never been so aware of the life cycle.
When I look back at the blog entries I think some were quite dark in content, I don't feel this anymore I think I have come to terms with my condition, although it still has the power to scare, I am much more able to rationalise my feelings and do far less 'navel studying'. The overwhelming side effect I have from this prolonged treatment is fatigue but despite this I still try to push myself physically. I have become more grouchy as time has gone on, some of this is down to frustration but the hernia caused by the stoma has become more uncomfortable since the operation to remove the tumour. It drags on both my stomach generally and my back.
 I have recently got back on my push bike and although I can't do any off road work I have managed to 'wobble' round on the road for 4-5 miles, Stella and I still go for walks regularly and after a period of these walks getting shorter we are now expanding them again. I feel cautiously confident that I will come through this trial and continue with our life together, I wasn't always this confident.
The immediate future holds a CT scan on the 3 December, the results of which we will know on the 17th, after this we see the surgeon on the 20 December to discuss reversal of my stoma. Hopefully this operation will take place very early in the New Year.
I will retire from the Fire Brigade early in the New Year and this represents a new beginning for us, I am looking forward to that challenge. As much as I have enjoyed my time in the Fire Brigade I feel ready for a change, I dare say this last year has influenced my feelings. I see the future as a virgin sheet of paper waiting to have another story written on it, quite exciting!