141, Here we go again...

As happy as can be...

However, November is disappearing fast (with 2 dental appointments) then it’s back to St James’s, first to see the physio (I really must do those exercises) and a week later to see the oncologist, possibly mildly discombobulated by the election results - tho I really can’t see me staying up all night this time. Presumably the appointment is to see how I’m doing on anastrozole.

Well, the honeymoon period is over. The medication from the GP is still disguising some of the side effects - it’s rare that I get a hot flush and I still haven’t really got back to sweating like a human should so hot flushes are more skin prickles. My hair is so thick I don’t think I’d notice thinning. I am beginning to feel I walk like I’m 90. My feet hurt. The bones to be precise. I have joint pain in my metatarsals and phalanges (O level biology recall going on here - please be impressed) and I can actually feel my toe bones digging into the toe pads - surreal. I get cramp very easily, after which I have the sore muscle, but that moves around various sites (this morning, my calf) so it’s ok after the actual cramp. My knees are beginning to ache. I feel decrepit and walk like a Hobbit, flapping my feet. Where is the elegant sway I so carefully cultivated in the years after I was so profoundly damaged by being awarded the lowest possible grade for posture in 1962?? Thank you Miss Morton. Your spite (I rocked my chair) gave me great posture. But, 57 years on, I’m walking small.

Tomorrow I’m meeting some friends at Golden Acre Park. With all the falling leaves it must be beautiful. All I’m wondering is can I make it from the car park to the cafe? Sod the walk - I’ll sit and wait for them. And they say exercise is an essential part of warding off recurrence. First, one has to be in a position to be able to do the exercise and painful feet are an obstacle. See me trying not to topple in tai chi! Go swimming, I hear you thinking. Maybe, once I find a decent costume, but I shall swim in circles as my arm is still too numb or too sore to have much strength. But I will give it a go - I have my Aqua Knocker at the ready.

My instructor Colin on the left. I’d like to say I join the outdoor tai chi but I don’t

Insomnia is the most obvious effect. 1am, 2am, there I am with my brain more alert than at 10am. I don’t think about anything but I get very bored so it’s back to the book and the binaural beats till I drift off and wake later with earphones and glasses, a book on my chest and my head attached to my ipad - not great. I must say that, once asleep, I sleep like a log, Unfortunately, much depends on which and how many machines the builders are using. One day, they woke me at 7.40 (4 hours sleep?), trundled around and then buggered off home at 10 because it was too wet to work. Why couldn't they have decided that at 7.30 and given me some unbroken sleep? There are two good things though. I don't have to get up most days till I want to and I learnt a long time ago not to be bothered about insomnia. Tossing and turning is not me.

I thought I was doing ok. What a crock!