A beautiful gift...........and the roller coaster ride continues.

I was hoping to be able to post some good news today after my visit to my Oncologist yesterday..........sadly it is not to be. My PET scan has revealed that the cancer has spread into the lymph glands, it means that they are not confident of getting rid of it all with chemo. The hope is that they will reduce the size of them and prevent them from spreading into other parts of the body. This news seems to have hit me harder than the original diagnosis did, I think it's finally sinking in how serious my condition is.............it really felt like a kick in the guts hearing that news yesterday! The weird thing is that I don't feel like I'm ill right now!

I start chemo in around 2 weeks from now, I'm just waiting on notification from the hospital........my life seems to revolve around doctors' appointments and diagnostic procedures lately!

Thanks again for continuing to post positive, supportive comments.....I really appreciate it! I refuse to let this disease get the better of me and am trying my best to remain confident of a good outcome.

Anyways, that's enough of me, please have a look at the beautiful gift my lovely blogging friend, Sonya - Pickles Patch, from NZ sent me! It's a beautiful journal with lots of stamping and pockets and spaces to put photos and journalling etc. I've photographed the cover and just a few of the pages, so please scroll down and have a look at them all. Thanks so much Sonya for such an awesome gift!

OSA Sketch Layout #41 and more DAK/RAKs.

I've been feeling pretty good over the last week, so managed to have some craft time. This week's OSA sketch layout #41 was a fairly simple one, so here's my effort. I used Stampington's Acey Deucy "Calligraphy Robe" stamp....one of my favourite Oriental images.


Here are yet some more DAK/RAKs that I've received from other OSA members recently, please scroll down the page to see them all. I feel so blessed to belong to such a wonderful caring group, thank you all so much for thinking of me.

Cards from Bonnie B. and Carolyn S.

From Willow and Sandra G.

From Linda I and Margo S.

I had my PET Scan on Wednesday and go to see my Oncologist tomorrow. I will probably find out about how much Chemo I'll be getting and when it starts......fingers crossed that nothing has showed up on the PET scan!

I'm still here!!

I just wanted to give my blog readers a long overdue update on how things are going here, and show you some of the lovely cards I've been sent by well-wishers from around the world.

I can't believe it's been 5 weeks since I had surgery! I'm pleased to say that I'm feeling much better now, it took me a while to figure out why I kept feeling so nauseous during the night. Finally the penny dropped that it was a gastric reflux thing.........and I already had medication for it, I just thought I didn't need it! I haven't had any nausea for almost a week now so I'm eating a little better now, but still not up to a proper meal size portion. I've lost around 9.5kg since I got sick, but have only put 0.5kg back on again, so I have to take some protein supplement drinks to try and get my weight back up again.

My CT scan was clear, but my oncologist tells me that it won't show up microscopic sized cancer cells, so he's sending me for a PET scan next Wednesday. He hasn't scheduled me for Chemo yet as I was still feeling so sick when I saw him, but I guess I will know more when he has the PET scan results.

Here are some of the beautiful cards I've been sent from some of the online groups I belong to, and from my wonderful blogging friends. Thank you all so much for caring about me, I can't tell you how wonderful it's been reading your heartfelt messages!

Clockwise from top left: Sandy Nolan, Sharon Williams, Sonya Pickles, Janis Rothermel, Elaine Cox and Shanti Keogh.

Mary Waspe, Margaret Ashby, Bonnie Waliezer, Bonnie Belk, Margo Seegrist and Lyn Wareham.

Lydia Storey, Nancy Freckelton, Carole Meisenhelter, Diane Young and my dear friend Wirgie.

Suzanne Boyer, Marie Doody, LaVerne Wilson, Vicky Fernando and Minda Oberle.