Shaky Shoulders and Ovarian Cancer

Today I decided it was time to do something to share my experience of life as a cancer survivor.  What an odd phrase that is!  I've always thought of survivors as people who have lived through an earthquake or air disaster. Living through a diagnosis of cancer, the treatment and to reach the other end and be told there is no evidence of disease, to go with the no hair and no energy and earn the title of survivor is quite something.  I hadn't thought of myself as a survivor until someone asked me what it felt like to be a survivor.  I couldn't provide an answer and still can't! It makes me feel sort of odd, embarrassed, pleased and scared all at the same time. But a survivor I am and a record of my return to normality (if ever I was normal or if that state even exists) begins today and I hope that I survive long enough to become the worst sort of mother in law, the best sort of grandma and to grow disgracefully and thankfully old.

My chemo ended just before Christmas 2009 and it's now 1st April (All Fools Day - is there some relevance in the date).  Last month I had my first three month check - No Evidence of Disease and a low CA125 level.and my new title of Cancer Survivor - ta daa.

So now I sit here looking out at the garden with it's freshly cut lawn and frost battered plants, I don't think they will all survive the ravages of the winter weather, a 4 month old springer spaniel puppy chasing sticks around the kitchen and an ever growing list of jobs that I want to do, places I want to visit and people I should write to - people who have shown me a huge amount of kindness and support over the last months and without whom the time would have been very different.  I should also shout at the kids to get out of bed but it is the first day of their Easter break and why shouldn't they have a lie in?  I have ticked the first job off the list and that is creating this blog.

So now I have to get a wiggle on and do some more jobs before it rains.