Wednesday 14 May 2014

Stomach in knots

The knot garden at Sudeley Castle (review: grounds lovely, museum um a bit of on the scatty and smelly side)
Oh my giddy aunt, it's that time again.  I've had a CT scan and am now in a state of scaniexty, waiting to see the oncologist next week for the results.  This is pretty much the lot of someone with secondary breast cancer - scan, treat, repeat.  (I nicked that phrase from the excellent Metavivor website just in case you thought I suddenly come over all sharp and snappy.  Don't worry, no danger of that happening anytime soon).  Anyway, as I said, it's scan, treat, repeat that is, of course, until the 'treat' options run out.  I've written before about the horribleness of waiting for results, here, for example.  However, I've found someone who sums it up a million times better than I ever could.  If you want to see what I'm talking about have a look at this short film from the brilliant Katherine O'Brien, author of the I hate breast cancer blog.

While I'm in my default mode of moan, moan, moan.  Jenni Bloody Murray.  Yes, again.  If you don't know what I'm talking about this should explain it or have a look at my latest post for Vita (the online breast cancer charity magazine for a more restrained version).  Amazingly, given her views, Jenni Bloody Murray is listed as a 'celebrity supporter' by a breast cancer charity called Breast Cancer Campaign.  Click here for the evidence.  I contacted the charity to ask why she still appears on their website after she'd expressed sentiments which, I think, are pretty offensive to anyone with secondary breast cancer.  I got a predictable 'we-don't-agree-with-her-but-she's-entitled-to-her-own-opinion' response.  So what now?  Do I 'let it go' and move on or stand my ground and argue the toss (probably to no avail).  At the moment I'm pursuing a third option, which is to do absolutely nothing other than seethe inwardly in a self-destructive and unhealthy fashion; a course of action that I feel is much underrated and one I'm very good at.  

And, lest after all this whinging, anyone feels the urge to counsel me to 'be positive' may I please draw your attention to this post from the Telling Knots blog which says it all.  I should point out that I'm lucky enough not to be surrounded by the type of people who come out with the positivity stuff and have had had very few encounters where I've been admonished for not being a little ray of sunshine.  So no-one reading this who knows me need feel guilty (or angry)!

It's not all scanixety and seething here at Discombobulated Towers though.  My broken wrist is on the mend and  I've been to the Cotswolds on a sunny springtime day:


While in the Cotswolds I bought a guidebook which contained a typo that gave me hours of amusement.  See below. 

Look, I've never claimed to be sophisticated


Finally, in an effort to cheer myself up this morning, I went internet shopping and ordered a pair of shiny bright yellow sandals.  So place your bets as to what gets me first - cancer or the fashion police.

3 comments:

  1. To be fair, the flames licking at the walls of your hiding place would bum you out. Would me, anyway.
    Hope the scan turns up good results. You could always stick pins in a Jenni Murray doll to distract yourself whilst you wait. An action that has the added bonuses of a) not being a exercise in positivity and b) making people back away from you.

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    Replies
    1. Jenni Murray voodoo figurines! That's a fantastic idea. I'm sure there's a market for the Worry Murray Doll.

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  2. Ahhh I love your blog posts...humour but reality...big love xxx

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