Hello! I’m here underneath the empty Immodium packets!

Well it’s been a funny old time since last I blogged.  The thing is about the massive amount of drugs I’ve been on recently and another side effect of the Radiotherapy is that sooner or later your tummy is going to REALLY complain.  It has two ways of doing this.  The spasm that leaves you speechless with pain and if that doesn’t work the …. let’s call it the tsunami approach.

Life becomes an endless 30 minute cycle of getting up, changing Tena bedpads (yes they do bedpads), hobbling to the shower to clean up, getting back in bed repeat.  This means your burns are constantly getting wet which means any soothing cream you’ve put on is washed off…. it’s a logistical nightmare.

Anyway, this isn’t about that.  This is about the visitors I’ve had since I got back.  My Essex Blondes on Tuesday who turned up with a balloon, party food and some fizz and made me feel “normal” for the first time in weeks as we gossiped and laughed for a couple of hours.  My neighbour Elaine who has a key and has come round every day forcing me to drink that disgusting salty minerally drink for dehydration as well as “just doing that little bit of washing up” and is just THERE on the other side of the wall.  My friend Lindsay who caught the worst of the tummy spasm time on Thursday night and just silently held my hand as I grunted (attractive eh?) with pain.  The lovely Pam, we call each other “my oldest friend” although we prefer the term “long standing” and her daughter Carleigh who I’ve known since she was a baby and who brought her son Oscar, 2, to see me today.  She’s having another baby soon and just think, when I meet her (it’s a girl) I’ll be healthy I hope!Heather, back from America, who I haven’t seen in ages who is coming over with beer, pizza and hopefully some quite scandalous gossip tonight.  My big bro Andy who is coming over on Wednesday and will no doubt be a bit frownily worried when he arrives but will leave with a grin knowing I’m recovering every day and I’m still very much his little sis.

Aside from that I’ve had phone calls, texts, tweets …. all from people who have just paused in their day to wonder how I was and to let me know that they’re in “Team Dolly”.  It’s incredible and humbling and empowering.

I’ve also had an unexpected and unwelcome visitor in the form of a mouse.  Believe me, the definition of “helpless misery” is watching a mouse confidently scamper inches away from a bed you can’t get out of easily.  I tried humming the Tom and Jerry theme but in the end I’ve decamped to the sofa bed in the living room.  Now that the need to be near the bathroom appears to have ceased it’s actually quite nice.  Nice view of the trees outside, satellite telly, ok it’s a bit difficult going up and down the stairs but again now one side effect has stopped then hopefully the burns will start to heal properly.

So, I’m smiling today….. and waiting to hear the “snap” of a mousetrap!  Thanks for reading, if you are then you’re in Team Dolly and you, yes YOU, are helping me tremendously.