Already 2012???

I have put together a photo book for 2011 with some of the highlights of our family's year. It has made me realise that it is already late December and we will soon be starting 2012.

It's a bit early to start all the "looking back" that comes with the approach of the New Year, but choosing photos has made me see that it has been a pretty good year in some ways and not so great in others.

And with my sporadic blogging, it may not be such a bad thing to get this in before the bell tolls midnight tomorrow night.

For my family in general, it has been a roller coaster. We started off the year not knowing what the future held for my youngest sister Erin after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2010. It has ended with her having finished chemo and recovered from a mastectomy with an excellent prognosis for a long and healthy future.

My sister Shannon has also had her trials and tribulations. In February her son Kyton was born much too soon, living only three hours. It was every mother's nightmare, losing a child.

But 2011 ends with the news that Shannon and her husband Ross are expecting a baby due on 29 July 2012, and of course we will all be holding our collective breaths until then.

The New Year will see me moving into a new life stage, one that I am ready to embrace: I'm going to have, not one, but two grand babies. My son Braden and my wonderful daughter-in-law Heather are expecting a little girl, Elyzabeth Sue (Ely) on Valentines Day and my daughter Malorie and her partner JR are expecting with a due date in June.




I am going to be a cool grandmother and have already requested to be called "Nan". It means more frequent trips to Texas but that's doable, in particular with F1 having the US Grand Prix in Austin from 2012!

One of my goals is to keep Ricky and Jack happy and healthy. Well, healthy anyway. Teenagers are rarely happy but I couldn't end 2011 without a mention of my monsters!

So here we are, Edinburgh, waiting for the Hogmanay celebrations to begin and wishing everyone the best possible 2012!




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Live Support!

Today I've come with Erin to Texas Oncology for her herceptin treatment. The doctor says everything is looking good!!!







And Elie isn't in the sick bucket this time!






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Where's My Hair???

It is done.

On Wednesday, true to my word, I went to my hairdresser, Amy, after work and had all my hair whacked off!

Okay, not quite all of it but the bulk of it! And because I'm donating my hair to the Little Princess Trust so they can use it to make wigs for children with cancer, I asked Amy if she could put it into ponytails to keep my hair all together so it could be donated. I even took two bobbles with me because I knew my hair would be too thick to go into just one.

It actually took four bobbles. My hair is so thick that we got four full normal-people ponytails out of the lot of it. I must remember to weigh it, because I'm sure I lost a couple of pounds in the process!

Amy was fabulous and she really seemed to enjoy cutting my hair. In fact she said she found it therapeutic to hack away at someone's hair and make such a dramatic change. So I really have to thank her and Hush Hair in Birmingham for doing such a fantastic job - and for not making me feel like a weirdo when I went in and asked if I could have my hair all chopped off to take home with me!

And here's the result:





It's just a bit shorter than I had planned but I figured that, if one is having one's hair cut for charity, one must do so dramatically! And it grows so quickly that it won't be long before it's needing a bit of a trim!

Now you guys dig deep and give whatever money you can spare to Cancer Research UK so that the sacrifice of my hair on the altar of vanity is well rewarded!

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Tomorrow's the Day!

The time is almost upon us! Tomorrow is the day for having my hair all chopped off to be donated to a wig-making charity and all for breast cancer research for Cancer Research UK!

I took a lot of time over it while washing it tonight. I won't miss:

1. Having to use a handful of shampoo and a handful of conditioner each time I wash it. Imagine the savings I'll make there!

2. Getting tangled up in my hair as I try to sleep. Or David rolling over on it so that I wake up when I get trapped.

3. Taking an hour to straighten it properly, which is why I rarely straighten it properly.

4. Having to worry about what might crawl into it from the back of the seat of a bus/train/taxi. You should see some of the people who use public transport (myself included).

5. Feeling as though I have a warm furry animal draped around my neck all the time! If I want a warm furry animal draped around my neck, I'll buy one!

6. Using the hair dryer for such a long time that the temperature in the bedroom rises by 10 degrees Celsius so I have to put the fan on to counteract it.

Here's a bit of a "before" picture taken tonight just after I washed it!




SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT!

Now, give a thought to sponsoring me (http://www.donatetobreastcancer.org/melindaknowles) or making a donation to Cancer Research UK, even if it has nothing to do with my fundraiser!

That is all.

For now.

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Testing testing!!!

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The Time Has Come!

Although I will keep raising funds for Cancer Research UK until November, the date has been set for me to have all my hair chopped off: Wednesday 13 July!

There are a few reasons for choosing to have it done sooner rather than later.

1. I want the hair I donate to be as healthy and useable as possible, and right now it's in pretty good condition.

2. I'm going to Texas on 30 July and this means I can take my hair with me and when I see Erin we can send it off together. My mum had a hair cut and has hair to donate as well.

3. Have you ever been to Texas in July/August???? 100+ degrees Farenheit? My hair is so thick it's like wearing a woollen hat and it's so long it's as if I have a scarf on too!

I'm looking forward to getting over there to see my family, and while I'm there I'm going with Erin to see her oncologist. It will be wonderful to meet the people who helped to save my sister's life.

In the meantime, please keep donating to Cancer Research UK! Just because Erin is on the road to recovery doesn't mean that I've forgotten all the others who are still fighting for their lives.

http://www.donatetobreastcancer.org/melindaknowles

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Race For Life and My Amazing Sister!

On Wednesday 11 May 2011, as regulars to my blog will know, Erin had a bilateral mastectomy and breast reconstruction. I was so relieved to hear that the surgery was successful, and Erin went home from the hospital on Saturday 14 May.

The next week, I proudly took part in Race for Life for Cancer Research UK here in Birmingham along with hundreds and hundreds of other women. I didn't do it with anyone (although David went with me for moral support), I just wanted to do it.

On my first lap of Cannon Hill Park, I took a picture to post on Facebook so everyone could see one of the goals I set for myself:




I had to beat the girl in the banana costume.

But amazingly, while I was on Facebook, after spending so much time reading the signs on everyone else's backs at Race for Life saying why they were participating, this popped up from Erin: "Run Forrest run!"

Okay, cute. But there was more:

"God is so good!!! We got great news at the Oncologist today. The pathologist report came back & only showed .4cm of preinvassive cancer cells in all the breast tissue they took out last week (meaning they were not invassive cells & had not broken out of the nucleus & spread)."

What a positive message to carry me on the next 4.75K of my run! Alright ... My walk.

I did have a bigger goal than just beating the girl in the banana costume (who, I can confirm) finished at least ten minutes behind me). I wanted my unfit overweight self to finish in under an hour. Easy for Paula Radcliffe but this is me we're talking about.

I did it in 51 minutes 48 seconds!







My achievement is nothing compared to Erin's. Mine was a hill to get over. Not even a hill. I might as well have walked over a sleeping policeman. (Translation for Americans: speed bump.)

Erin not only fought hard against her cancer, but eleven days post surgery, in Texas she took part in the Survivor's Lap at Relay for Life.




I have one hell of a sister.



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Surgery Success!

Despite Texas weather knocking the power out (though thankfully not to the operating theatre), my sister Erin made it through her bilateral mastectomy and reconstructive surgery - aka the Boob Job - with flying colours!

The nurses got her up and about last night and she reports having had a relatively good night. She's already talking about shopping for a cute dress to wear to my oldest son's wedding in August.





I really have to thank everyone for their kind thoughts, positive energy and prayers. The war isn't over yet, but the enemy is in retreat!

And thank you to Teresa Strange, a good friend of Erin's from whom I stole the picture!

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It's the Big Day!

Well it has seemed much longer than six months to reach this point. Erin has checked into hospital for her bilateral mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. Or as I call it, her "boob job".

Isn't laughter one of the world's greatest holistic therapies? There are no serious side effects (although a pain in the side and a rare tendency to wee oneself can occur). You can share your treatment as well, so when people offer sympathetic words about wishing they could go through treatment with you, they can.

But it's a treatment only the strongest people can have. Pessimists will reject it as if it was an organ transplant. It's a good thing my sister has taken this kind of medicine regularly!

Today my family is going to need this treatment in big doses. The mastectomy is expected to last four hours while the reconstruction has been estimated at seven. If my brother-in-law Kevin didn't already have a head start, he would probably have little hair left by the time this day is over.

(In my defence, Erin said it first!)

I don't do praying. It's just the way I am - the Wiccan/pagan or whatever label you want to put on me - but I believe that sending positive energy to Erin is similar to what those who are offering their prayers to my sister are doing. I'm doing a lot of positive energy sending today!

I will post updates on Twitter for anyone interested: @melindarice.

And for those of you with a generous nature and aren't afraid to show it, don't forget to visit my Just Giving page to help in the fight against breast cancer with a donation to Cancer Research UK. I'm also "running" (as if!) in Race for Life in one week!


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The Next Step in the Breast Adventure

I've been a useless blogger recently! The only excuse I have is work and kids, but that doesn't mean I haven't been keeping in touch with Erin or that I've given up on my fundraiser! In fact I'm participating (notice I didn't say "running") in Race for Life on 18 May! And here's the gratuitous fundraising link: http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/melindaknowles0702.

Erin continues to fight breast cancer with a strength I find unbelievable and at the same time I'm not surprised either. And because Darla is so much better at explaining these things, I'm stealing her latest update again!

"Erin is about to embark on the next phase of her "breast" adventure ... SURGERY.

Tomorrow (5/3/11) she will have a sentinel biopsy of the lymph nodes in her armpits. Her procedure is at 7:15 a.m. at Baylor Garland Plaza IV. Please pray that the surgeon finds NO cancer cells in her lymph nodes. If there are some present, the surgeon will remove the affected lymph node(s) and place a drain.

Erin's big surgery is scheduled for Wednesday, May 11th at Baylor Garland. She has opted for a double mastectomy. If you recall from my last email, Erin will have the latissimus flap breast procedure immediatly following her mastectomy, which will be performed by a plastic surgeon. She is expected to stay in the hospital at least 4 days. Kevin is taking off a week and a half from work to help care for Erin following her surgery."







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Race For Life 2011 and An Erin Update

I've done it!  I've decided that I'm going to do the Race for Life this year for Cancer Research UK! 

I had debated whether to do the event this year or not as I have another fundraiser going for Cancer Research UK, but then I thought that every little helps (an apt cliche to use, as one of the major sponsors of the Race for Life is Tesco)!

If anyone out there would like to join me, please give me a shout!  I'm doing the 5k on Wednesday 18 May at 19.30 here in Birmingham, and the more the merrier!  But I'll be there regardless, thinking of my sister Erin, who will be recovering from her surgery on 11 May. 

We have had wonderful news as far as her breast cancer is concerned.  The lump, which was 4 cm (I think it was 4cm or thereabouts) is now, after all her chemo treatments, 0.16cm!  She will be having a double mastectomy with reconstruction at the same time.  Don't worry, I did manage to stop David from recommending extensive reconstruction for my brother-in-law's benefit.

I'm still thinking of something to do that's active and fun and challenging to increase awareness of my main fundraiser, Cancer Research UK and breast cancer.  So far recommendations have been abseiling and climbing Snowdon.  If anyone else has ideas, please feel free to pass them on! 

Daffodils and Freesias

Today will be my nephew's funeral. My heart is heavy that I can't be there, but hopefully my family knows that all my love is there with them.

My dear friend Jenny sent me this message today, which I found very touching.

"Someone was telling me a few days ago about daffodils as a flower of remembrance and I thought of you and Kyton. It'd be too late in the year this year to plant them I think. But apparently the bulbs you plant divide every year and flower again, so the flowers you plant could still be coming up every year for 100 years from the same bulbs. And it also fits with him being born so close to St David's day."

I think it's a wonderful idea. Okay, we rent the house we live in so probably won't be here for decades, but most people don't have the "family homestead" anymore where generation after generation live. But the daffodils will be there year after year, and every time I see daffodils somewhere else, they would remind me of Kyton.

Another of my lovely friends, Vicki, brought me some beautiful white freesias as a gesture of sympathy this week. They were such a thoughtful gesture that, when I was ordering flowers for Kyton's funeral, I chose a basket with freesias. It turns out those are some of my sister Shannon's favourite flowers.




So I can't be at the funeral today, but I'm going to find a part of our garden to set aside for Kyton's Flowers. And I will do the same wherever I live in the future. In the future the people who live in this house might not know the significance but they can still enjoy their beauty.

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Kyton Allen Rice Bowman

My intention was to give people a chance to recover from Christmas, have a couple of paydays under their belts and make up a bit of the shortfalls in their bank accounts before I started hounding everyone in cyberspace for donations to my fundraiser.

Isn't life strange. I was all ready to spend Sunday preparing a blog about how wonderfully my sister Erin is doing with her cancer treatment.

And she is! She has her last chemo treatment on 16 March, an MRI on 21 March and and appointment with a plastic surgeon on 7 March. Because of the generous people who have given donations in the past that have helped to research treatments, my sister is looking at a long and healthy life ahead of her. I know there is still a long way to go, but there is something to be said for the power of positive thinking!

So why didn't I spend Sunday preparing a blog that would have updated everyone on Erin's progress and stunned you all with my mediocrity? Why did I not badger celebrities on Twitter to retweet the link to my fundraising page to help me get closer to my target? Because life is a story filled with joys and tragedies, routines and the unexpected, beautiful highs and devastating lows, and on Sunday my family was dealt one on these previously unimaginable lows.

Erin is a twin. She and Shannon look nothing like each other (they once won a county fair "Most Different Twins" contest, and Shannon actually looks more like me than like Erin) and they act nothing like each other.

Shannon found out recently that she was expecting my most recent nephew with her partner Ross. I was looking forward to meeting the newest member of our family when I travel to the US for my son's wedding. But it just wasn't meant to be. I woke up Sunday morning to the news that, at 21 weeks, Shannon had gone into premature labour that they weren't able to stop, and on Monday 28 February at 4.05 pm, Kyton Allen Ross Bowman was born. His parents had a few precious hours with him before he left this world that his poor little body just wasn't ready for.

My partner David had some beautiful words about Kyton.

"Kyton Allen Rice Bowman - the smallest & brightest stars last the shortest time. He came into this world had time for one dream then left before the world could dim his shine. Sleep well."

Do I still want to ask you all to make a donation to my Cancer Research UK fundraiser? Absolutely. But if you don't want to make a donation to such a worthy cause, consider making a donation to a local neonatal unit so that, in the future, little ones like Kyton might have more of a chance to grow up.

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Erin Update!

Erin has had a second MRI following her two chemotherapy sessions, and this week she got the result: her breast cancer tumour has shrunk by 50%! What a fantastic result, and it's so much better than we dreamed!

Her third chemo is this coming Wednesday so although I'm sure Erin is not looking forward to all the nasty side effects, now that we know it is actually doing some good, I'm sure it must be easier to bear!

Another congratulations goes to Erin and my sweet brother-in-law Kevin who celebrate their 16th wedding anniversary this weekend! I'm guessing their joy is overflowing with having such good news on top of their 16 years of marital bliss!


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Let's Get This Party Started!

Right, it is now 2011.

My goal for my fundraiser is £2,000 by November of this year, and thanks to the generosity of so many people, I am almost 10% of the way there! (I will be there after adding the pledge my Better Half has made.)

My sister is doing very well, fortunately. She has had two chemo sessions and last week had an MRI (no word on the results yet). She continues to fight breast cancer with courage and, I might add, a certain style, exhibited by her recent shopping trip for wigs!




Thank you, Kevin, for the fantastic picture!

Now, I know we're all skint after the holidays, but when you have a few quid in your pocket, would you please consider a donation to Cancer Research UK? Unlike that "one more pint" or pair of shoes you paid more for than you really wanted to, it's a decision you won't regret!

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