The last three months with photos - catching up again

Such wonderful weather for the first part of November, I had some clematis flowers blooming and the nasturtiums were growing madly across the fly screen at the door.  Now it has all changed, temperatures are getting back to normal for this time of year and the  rain has made the mud very slippery at the entrance to the hen/duck/goose fields.

My garden has never been so clear and tidy at this time of the year.  This is due to the brilliant Workaways who have stayed here and helped with everything, particularly, Cora and John from the States who have been here for the last six weeks, including the week I had to return to Cornwall for my tooth extraction.turtiums were still growing madly cross the door fly screen.  For the last week it hasn’t been like that though and the rain has produced very slippery and muddy entrances to the fields.

Back in August, while Libby and Charlie were staying we walked on the bottom of Lac de Guerledan while it was empty of water for maintenance purposes.  It was a bizarre sensation to be walking along the ground in an area where we swim in the summer.  The water is normally up to the level where the grass begins on the top of the banks.  I was amazed how quickly the bottom of the lake became covered in opportunist plants.

There were lots and lots of people walking there and it was a very steep climb up at the point we decided to get out.  I had to be encouraged with lots of pushing and pulling from Charlie and Libby.

They went off to Paris by train from Guingamp for a couple of days and had a very enjoyable time there.  Thank goodness they weren't there during the appalling November terrorist attacks.

In September, Oliver, Emma and Mia also came to stay.  They did the same journey to Paris and again, I am grateful it wasn't later in the year for the same reason.

Here they all are in the inflatable hot tub on the terrace in St André.

In October, Libby and Charlie drove up to London and stayed with my very good friend, June in Harefield.

They all went off to Legoland together with June's twin granddaughters, Sofia and Ella and had a great time.

The polytunnel continues to house lots of lovely produce, including at the moment, various salad leaves, lettuces and cress, herbs and chilli peppers.  This photo is of the harvest I brought back from the field on 3 October - I love the colours.

Not dressed for an occasion, as you can see, but I only popped in to sell some eggs, and I was surprised being presented with a truly lovely shrub for the garden, Loropetalum Chinense, by my Bowls Club members, because I have been away while I haven't been very well.   I was very touched and happy.

This is a pile of wood gathered from the top lane after a particularly windy night.  My Workaways kept hopping out of the Discovery and loading it up ready for sawing and stacking in the woodshed.  I can't resist a bargain!

Claude tried to worry me last week by being ill.  Unfortunately, although I knew there was something wrong he wouldn't come in and allow me to get him to the Vet until Monday this week.  The Vet discovered lots of ulcers in his mouth and throat and one on the end of his nose.  He apparently had calici virus which is fairly serious.  He got an injection and then a daily gel application for the ulcer on his nose.  He hadn't been eating or washing and smelt terrible, but is now eating well and trying to wash himself again, thank goodness.  This was a photo of him when it was starting, feeling sorry for himself and trying to fit himself into a very tiny box.

I'm glad to say he much more full of life now and a much happier boy.

Three things I like:

1.   Driving everywhere again after being off the road because of not being able to sit comfortably.

2.   Seeing my new hens settling in with the established residents without a problem.

3.   Eating Curly Wurly chocolate/toffee bars which friends have brought back from the UK for me - scrummy!  

Three months of catching up

Just realised that I haven't posted for ages and ages.  It has been a strange few months since I posted at the beginning of August, two days before I started radiotherapy.  The two months of treatment which followed were probably the worst of my life.  Initially the radiotherapy was not a problem apart from feeling tired from travelling for one and a half hours each day by taxi to the Clinic.  

Then I developed burns which, I later read in a letters from Dr Lamazec at the Clinic to my GP copies of which were given to me, were third degree burns.  At some point the burns were deemed too bad for me to continue the treatment and I had a break.  My morphine was increased weekly and my nausea increased at the same rate.  I was almost unable/unwilling to eat anything.  I lost ten kilos in those ten weeks.  I was tired, so tired but couldn't sleep properly.  Profuse bleeding was treated with tablets, but nothing stopped the lack of energy, the inability to do the simplest task without being exhausted and my emotional reaction to everything - a bit like being hormonal and pregnant.  

Eventually the radiotherapy was started again and with it came more third degree burns. These were so painful that no creams or lotions did the trick.  I had a nurse coming in daily to clean and dress my wounds.  The padded dressings were a huge relief, the smell of dead skin and healing was awful.  For about three weeks I was unable to sit, eventually I had a lying down ambulance to take me to the Clinic as I couldn't sit, even reclined, for long enough in the taxi.    

Looking back now, it's hard to imagine how bad it was.  I never want to go through that again.  I will see the referring Consultant on 5 January and then in April I will have a Petscan followed by an appointment with Dr Lamazec.  The reason for the delay is that apparently the treatment carries on working long after it stops and they want a precise result when they do the scan.   Dr Lamazec has physically examined me and says he feels very positive, so I'm hoping for a good news birthday present in April.  What I do know is that I will never go through radiotherapy again, it was far too traumatic, especially when living alone.

I have been extremely lucky this summer though.  I have had almost constant Workaways and/or Housesitters helping me out with only about three weeks when I have had to look after the animals and veggies on my own.  They have all been wonderful and kind and I am very grateful to them all.  I certainly couldn't have coped without them and all the work they've done for me.

Libby and Charlie came over in August and Oli, Emma and Mia stayed in September.  So all the children and grandchildren have been over this year which has been lovely.

I couldn't go back for my usual early October visit to the UK as I wasn't well enough. However on 30 October I had to return as I'd serious toothache and my dentist in Cornwall is the only person I trust to deal with me.  A friend's husband drove me there and back as I was too weak to be in control of the steering wheel for that long journey. I stayed with Matthew in his new house and he even gave up his ensuite room for me to be really comfortable. 

Since I've been back home in St André I've felt much better.  I did bring back a cold I caught from Matthew, but all the effects of the radiation have now disappeared thank goodness.  I did have trouble coming off the morphine and had to be given another drug to take the edge off, but finally have weaned myself off that medication too and feel back to normal again, thank goodness.

I had a brilliant first time back at bowls for ages and ages last week and was, unbelievably, runner up in the final of a club competition.  I've never played so well - perhaps it was all that radiation! - and will have a trophy to display and dust once I'm presented with it.

No photos this time, just catching up and getting back to normal.

Three things I like:

1.   Feeling like me again, with energy and colour in my cheeks, being able to eat, sit and drive, simple things that I have always taken for granted.

2.   The kindness and support I have had from so many different sources.

3.   I've written all my Christmas Cards!