Plans for November

This year has gone by so fast, it’s hard to believe that it is nearly November! I love November – and not only because of my birthday! The dark and the cold are things that make a lot of people miserable but I’m rather fond of them – rain, not so much.

My birthday is on the 7th November, which I will doubtless mention every day until then. Both of my brothers are now working away from home, one in Sheffield and one in Devon, and they’ll both be coming back for it. We’re hoping to celebrate with a meal out at one of my favourite restaurants.

I’m also hoping to take part in NaNoWriMo again, though more successfully than previously – in the past, I’ve usually given up around day 5. This year I’m going to try and actually finish the challenge, and maybe blog about it as well. I’ve almost reached 110 books on my reading challenge too, which means 10 books in November and December will see that completed!

Aside from reading and writing, I’ll be watching TV – the new His Dark Materials starts at the beginning of the month, and after being bitterly disappointed by the film they made of it, my hopes are high for this adaptation – along with the new Star Wars and getting to my 28th birthday, it’s pretty high on my ‘things to stay alive for’ list.

Those of you who are friends with me on Facebook will know this, but some of you may not. Back in 2015, my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer and had surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Sadly after a couple of years of being broadly okay (while I took my turn at being ill) she’s now been diagnosed with cancer again, this time in the sternum. She starts treatment in early November. If you’re the praying type, please pray – if not, keep her (and the rest of us) in your thoughts. Although I know that statistically, one in two people will get cancer in their lifetimes, it just seems very unfair right now. On that note, here is a link to my fundraiser for Macmillan Cancer Support – https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10157545685711212&id=682761211

(The link should work even if you aren’t a Facebook friend, but if it doesn’t and you would still like to donate, you should be able to via their website)

I am currently campaigning to get mum a recovery kitten of her own, as I give about 80% of the credit for my tumour shrinking to Arya. I’m not sure she would be too happy with another kitten around the place though…

Health Update

Just a short post from me today!

After last week’s MRI scan, today I saw my oncologist who told me that the tumour has continued to shrink! It’s good news, from an appointment I always go to convinced that the results will show the worst possible outcome. I’m not quite sure why it’s shrinking as I’m not really doing very much, and my doctors seem just as bemused, but I’m certainly not complaining! And, as I said after the appointment, ‘like Shakira’s hips, these scans don’t lie’. (I thought it was funny anyway!)

After the appointment, we went into town and had a lovely meal. I may also have spent far too much money in Foyles… But you can never have too many books, right?

We’re now home, and watching Pointless on the iPlayer – it’s our second episode, so if you recognised me on it, well done to you!