Happy Canniversary to me!

I think it was fitting that my last blog should be on my canniversary, this day last year, 24th July 2013, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The last year has been a whirlwind where my life was flipped on its head. All I knew and did was up in the air, my thoughts, dreams and aspirations. This night last year, I was drinking copious amounts of wine (nothing changed this year!), crying and asking why me? Something's I have realised this last year is to be grateful for what we have, we take everything for granted, we moan about the smallest things and when you put it in perspective, we are so lucky to be walking around being healthy able to do the things that we enjoy. To sum up what procedures I have gone through, 8 rounds of Chemo, a double mastectomy, 32 sessions of radiotherapy and another surgery.
This night last year I was a mess, but tonight I'm sipping my glass of wine, I got my hair done today, just after getting a spray tan and my biggest worry was getting caught in the rain so I wouldn't have any streaks, (first world problem!)

The 1st July saw me return to work, I was a wreck, so nervous, would I be able to do my job again, have I dumbed down over the last year, will I be able. That morning, I was so nervous, I have gotten up earlier to apply my make up, trying to look my best, I had a knot in the bottom of my stomach, Gordon got up and was getting dressed, he came to say goodbye and I know he was going to give me the speech, like you can do it, you will be great, go and knock 'em dead.

I couldn't even say anything to him, I was so emotional, this was a huge day to me, so with a lump in my throat, I told him to go and not say a word. He knew by my face that I was about to burst into tears so he did as I asked, don't even start me on Mr. Bond, (my silver tipped chincilla persian) my baby, his big sad blue eyes, I couldn't even bring myself to look at him. You know those mom's that go back to work and they are upset to leave their children at the creche, well I now understand. I left the house without saying a word to him or giving him a big kitty snuggle.
When I got to work, everyone was so nice and understanding and made me feel so welcome. They even had cakes and surprised me with flowers, I have to say it was great to be back into the swing of things again, talking to adults, having adult conversations.

There are something's again that we take for granted and that is appreciating your friends, some people have been great to me through this whole ordeal, I'm not going to do the Gweneth on it and go on forever thanking everyone but I do want to note some people that were especially kind to me.

John, Cathal, Dee, Alan, Breda, Pauline (Mama 2), Angela, Martin & Teresa, you don't realise what your friendship and kindness has meant to me, they say when a crisis happens that you know who your friends are and really, I was so lucky to have you in my life. Being brought off to various castles around the country to sample afternoon tea! Coming out after your long day of work to give me my injections and listen to me moan and help me down glasses of wine. Calling out to visit me and again listen to me moan about being bloated, getting masses said for me. For those of you that send cards and messages, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Last but not least to my long suffering husband, Gordon, someone once said to me that "Gordon has a lot to put up with", this was before I got sick! Yes, I am a diva, I have a penchant for expensive bags,I like nice things, and he has to drive up to Dublin to bring me shopping while he waits for me, puts up with my cats and then he had to nurse me, mind me, clean the house, do the washing and all this while working on growing his own company. So the biggest thanks is to you.
I've done so much this last year, I went to London at Christmas, I started back running again, I did the Galway 5k series and I ran 8k out in Roundstone, visited lots of castles and became an expert in afternoon tea sandwiches and pastries. Once the "girls" were reconstructed I went on holidays to Tenerife sporting my new bikini so all in all, I had a pretty good year considering what I had gone through. Gordon always says to me that when I am 80, I will have the perkiest boobs in the nursing home!

To anyone reading this that is about to go through your journey, its not easy, but if you surround yourself with good friends and family, you will get through it. Stay strong and there will be times that you will look in the mirror and think you are uncle fester in a wig, but it will grow back!

I hoped that you enjoyed reading my blogs as much as I enjoyed writing them. So to life, love and happiness. Cheers.. !

I'm signing off now with one of my favourite songs, anyone that knows me personally will know straight away that this song sums me up! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNSUOFgj97M

I plan to run a 10k later this year and if you would like to support a great cause, the NBCRI. The key is curing breast cancer is research, this is for your mother, sister, aunt, daughter. So donate if you can, every little helps! http://www.mycharity.ie/event/yvonne_dolans_event/