You can tell that the chemo side effects are easing as at last I was so tired that by 12.30 I went to bed. That’s amazing for me to be tired enough to want my bed. I woke at 5 am which is fine and I think that my sub consciousness just wants to be at work as I could always survive on around 5 hours a day. So the usual routine of 1/2 biscuit, coffee and a fag first as Tia the cat is confused as it’s so early. Not wanting her food yet she just stares at it and walks away, that cat has never been grateful for being rescued lol.
By 6 am I’m thinking of moving into the chemo gazebo with my hot water bottle from Linda as my quilt and pillow will still be outside from yesterday. So I get all my stuff ready. Laptop, ashtray, fags, lighter, hot water bottle and of course another coffee. I go outside and this is what I saw:
So back to the sofa I go as how could I disturb them? Turns out Richard couldn’t sleep and was still awake at 4 am. Typical as the first night in months I actually don’t stay awake until 3 am alone and my son decides to come down with insomnia. Is it just me or was that a Peter Andre song? Thankfully his fan base have all forgotten about me and my phone has stopped pinging every 30 seconds.
So I start working and continue for hours without a break. This leads to a massive headache and I have to take a break and painkillers. I long to lie still in my chemo gazebo and rest. So I’ve had enough by 11 am and wake Richard up, sorry my boy but I need to be outside. I love being in my garden, I’m dreading the winter as I won’t be able to sit outside, let’s hope for an Indian summer.
I sleep resting my eyes and hope that the painkillers work. I thought my mom would be down at 1 pm but when I woke within minutes she was there and Molly Moo went mad as normal, she loves her Nan as she takes her on walks and fusses her. After a coffee my mom gave me an early birthday present ‘Oh wow’ Rita you are going to love this, here is a picture first and then I’ll explain why she did it. However before you read the explanation anyone born in the 80’s onwards had better have an older person present to translate.
It’s a mounted 78 original copy of Reet Petite, this was my Dad’s. Now this record used to be played when I was growing up on our record player which my mom still has. It was like a box, it had a lid and a carry handle. I was a Teddy Girl as a teenager and loved Rock and Roll. I can’t believe that we don’t have the song in our record library at home so I instantly download it from iTunes as Richard says he doesn’t know the song, but as soon as he hears it he says ‘oh that one, I know that song’ The song was re-released in 1986 I can see my dad now dancing in the family home as the song came on the radio. He went and proudly showed me the 78 record and kept saying how the kids of today don’t know it’s been re-released, that we don’t appreciate good music and he dances and repeats his joy of actually being able to sing almost every word of a current top hit single. Like he is ‘hip and with it’, my Dad, oh how I miss him everyday of my life. His laugh, jiving with him, going to family parties with him, having a fag and a natter with him and just sharing life with him.
I am so chuffed at my present firstly because every time I look at it I shall see my dad that day dancing and laughing (now I’ve started crying) and because I will also think of my Rita too, my Reet Petite ‘the finest girl you ever wanna meet’ my angel who sends me a message every morning and night, who’s comments on my blog make me laugh so much, or cry. I am surrounded by so much love everyday from so many special people but in the early days, very early days she was always there every day with a message or a photo. The days when I just sat hour after hour, day after day in pain and completely cut off from the normal world I knew and just stared at a bird table through the window. Thinking of everyone and their busy lives and me missing out on sharing life with everyone. Okay stop it enough sadness and dwelling on those dark days (stopped crying now).
So my framed precious record of my dads will be hung pride of place in our home, thanks mom.
So how did my first twitting lesson go I hear you say? Well it went okay I think as Steve tries to explain the tweet, retweet, favoured tweets, hashtag thing and then he starts on about twitpics and that’s it for me, lesson over I think. Maybe that’s why I was so tired last night, brain overload. I actually like the way Countess Teresa Judd put it on her comment last night on the blog. Facebook is for us lot for friends and Twitter is for the stars and the celebrities of this world and the two don’t mix. Rebecca says that it’s like shouting out in the middle of a crowd, a statement about yourself and I just think it’s another language like ‘klingon’ in Star Trek where subtitles throughout would be really helpful.
At least it has taken away or diverted the focus off Friday’s meeting for 24 hrs. This morning I actually feel like the swelling maybe going down in the tumour in my leg. I showed my neck to Steve this afternoon and asked him if he thought it was going down and whilst you can now feel the tumours more than you could before the swelling around them seems less, Is this a good sign? I bloody hope so, we could do with some good news on Friday. I’m having far too much fun living and looking forward to 5 days away from Saturday and don’t want to be sad.
As I’m typing this post another email comes in with a donation, this always gets me excited and I quickly stop typing to see who it’s from and it’s only from Mr Grumpy Bum himself, bless you Vaughan and thank you. What’s now funny is that he has signed it from Mr Grumpy Bum (I think he has accepted his name suits him now lol) We are now at £1825. Thank you all so much as I have had numerous messages today from Nancy at the charity who is delighted with our support and how much we have raised to help them in such a short time already. I have also been contacted by the regional fund raiser who is also going to try to help us with the social networking stuff. I did say to Nancy in one of my messages that I hoped my naked bum hadn’t shocked her and she said it did a bit haha. Whoops but hey it’s all for charity and I’m never going to sit in a bath of cold beans for anyone, show my naked bum yes but I drawn the line at baked beans, evil food.
Yes I am the ancient friend who danced in jive marathons to Rite Petite,turning up to local dances with boys in brothel creepers and D’As (ask your Mom) I remember your Dad At your birthday party just after you joined Debs.must have been your 30th,at a pub but can’t remember which one.Dont know if you pick up in my face book but apparently one of the students met Marcia with news of the whole family who were the hardest working family I ever met,all doing v well.The kids as I call them are having a reunion but I can’t drive after dark now so won’t spoil their fun,I love to see how their lives are going.Good luck for Fri, do try the pillow spray I am back on it as tossing and turning with my poorly knee, sad old bird!are you away for your birthday? XD
Hi Dorothy, I don’t need my mom to explain as I was a dedicated rock and roller, I even used to soak my under skirts in sugar water.I was thinking about Jeanette the other day to, bless her and June. I know Jeanette died but what about June? I am sorry you suffer with your knees and pain. Any pain is so draining. I’ll be posting on Friday as normal but it maybe late as appointment isn’t until 3.40 pm xxx
Hey wen. Your mom is fab isn’t she What a thoughtful present. Bless her. Your dad loved a drink and a dance didn’t he. Lol. Especially after a few beers. Love him! I’m glad all of the family are there for you at the mo as I know you must be bricking it for Friday as I know I am. We could all do with some good news. That would be brilliant if it is getting it under control. Love to all of you and see you very soon!!! X
He certainly did bless him and have a cocktail for me too and we shall share precious memories together next week hey xxx
Oops meant sing and a dance. Lol. Too many cocktails. Lol. X
Hey there my little ray of sunshine x
What a beautiful gift, your mum sure is something special xxx
More beautiful daisies for you <3
Oohhhh and that handsome Richard even in his sleep , sure if I was 30 years younger I'd have fluttered my eyelashes at him 🙂 lol
Reet petite, an amazing record sure I thought Jackie Wilson wrote it for me
🙂 I too have done some strutting of my stuff at the discos with that one tee hee lol x
How old does that make me ( Discos ) lol
As for #tag Tweet twoo Twitter I'll wait til you get a grip of it, then you can educate me !!!!!! Lol
Well you have a wonderful evening and get a reserved sign for the chemo Gazebo as it looks like Richard & Molly are trying to claim it lol
Love & Hugs Always <3 <3 <3 xxx
Oh P. S
Reet petite will always remind me of you too because all those years ago when we met at our HR work shop you sang it to me then and have done ever since x
You know, it’s said you cross paths with people in your life time for a reason.
You have got me going back to Mass every Sunday without fail xxx
Love & Hugs xxx
It always will be a special song for us both. He is a handsome boy 🙂 he gets that from me lol xx
In British slang, “Reet” means “Righteous. This song holds the record for taking the longest time to reach #1 in the UK. Released in 1957, it finally topped the charts in 1986.