Okay, where were we? I feel I need to apologise for not adding an update before now but to be honest, it has been a bit busy just with life stuff.

I left you with the fact that not all of Tony had been removed on the first surgery and a second attempt was needed – this happened in November and was successful. I sat on my bum for about 5 minutes to recover and returned to the shop for a six-week stint of non-stop opening and fabulous retail up till Christmas – and honestly, it was the best therapy as I had no choice but to get on with it.

I also returned to running – I realised that I had a dodgy hip due to sitting down too much during recovery, I still have it but it is manageable. I also joined the gym for strength and conditioning and I discovered a love of something else, which I will come to(see May).

So, what has happened between now and then? Best to bullet point this lot to maintain your interest:

• January was the big meet up with my family.  My two sisters, my brother, nieces, nephews, great nieces etc.  I was emotional to see them, understandable me thinks. It was a lively lunch in a pub in Sussex and felt just great to be with them all.

• February was a month of speech therapy, physio, videos of my swallowing, hospital follow-ups and general healing (and getting fitter).

• March – I felt like I was ready to venture out to the big world again.  I have been left with a legacy of a numb and stiff neck; the crooked smile from the facial palsy is marginally better (not when it is cold I have discovered today), so I still dribble when I talk and drink, have to hold a napkin in front of my mouth when I eat as chewing is still an issue, I still choke on dangly food (salad, fruit, pasta etc) so eating out is an issue for me – not for the people I am with as they are all fabulous but I still struggle with it.

• April was what I called the ‘Glad to be Alive’ month.  The month where I wanted to do stuff. Prior to this, every time I had a glad to be alive moment I booked something fabulous.  It started with going to London with Denise & Em’s (we are the three musketeers).  We planned this trip at a time when I really did not know if I would be well /fit enough to go but off we went.  A weekend in glorious sunshine, two shows (Tina Turner in sparkly frocks) and Wicked, good food, a few sherbets here and there, lots and lots of walking and we had such a good time – we even conquered our fears and went on the London Eye – honestly, I did not do heights but it’s amazing what having cancer lets you do!

The following weekend was our (mine and Kingy’s) annual pilgrimage to the Goodwood Revival – we always do this but this year it was more special and we incorporated a day in London to go to the new Tutankhamun experience at the Excel – if, like me, you have a fascination with the ancient Egyptians, you will love it, I highly recommend it.

Then it was up to Edinburgh to see my George.  We did our favourite things like eating and the cinema and we took the tram to Leith and walked the coastal path, we sat and chilled and enjoyed the spring sunshine – it was truly great.

• May – the month that literally changed my life, how? I hear you cry (assuming you are still with me), well let me tell you.  The Musketeers were taking part in a race, the Shiver Me Timbers hosted by the fabulous Winding Paths running organisation, great runs, low stress, hard work – this was a 10 mile coastal path run – anyhoo, the girls wanted to going swimming in the sea post run and I said yes.  So what you say, well I had not been in the water for 22+ years due to a fear of the sea, water and almost drowning when I was younger but I got in and I absolutely loved it and now you cannot keep me out of the water.  Kingy has joined me and also loves it and we wild swim as often as we can and have all the kit including a lovely post swim coat donated by a friend. 

Swimming is like a factory reset for me, I feel great afterwards particularly after a run (which I am still doing), we go as often as we can sewage discharge allowing, it is good for my neck.  I can only do breaststroke at the moment as my neck does not turn easily to the left but I am working on that.  I have done some work with my friend Janice who is an accomplished sea swimmer and she has really helped me find my sea legs (so to speak), I will swim well out of my depth and for as long as possible.

If you have not tried it, give it a go, you will love it.

The rest of the summer has been great, seeing friends, running, lots of swimming, exploring places to swim, working and generally cracking on with ‘normality’.

Yesterday, 22^nd September, I had a delayed follow-up at the hospital (delayed by two months due to a mix up in calendar dates) no surprise there if you know my story but it was all good and I am all good for another four months.  Unfortunately, the PET scan trial I was going to be joining is not going to happen as I was not added to the list and the window has now closed – ho hum!

Running, yep I have kept that going and have run some tough courses over the last few months, lots of hills and mud and am almost ready for my first half marathon since kicking Tony out.  I am running the Weston-Super-Mare half marathon next month.  Yes I know I have run this distance 150+ times but this is different, this is my two fingers up to Cancer, to Tony, to almost not making it, towards the future.  I am running to raise much needed funds for The Swallows, The Head & Neck Cancer Charity, so if you can spare anything you can sponsor me at the shop or via this link: https://www.justgiving.com/page/dotty-king   

Today, there was an article in the news reference Jess’s Rule.  Jess’s Rule is not a law, but a strong reminder to GPs to take a “three strikes and rethink approach”. That means taking action after three appointments with a patient whose condition isn’t improving, to prevent avoidable deaths and delayed treatment.

Some patients, myself included had to wait months for a referral before anyone took action.  So if you would like to sign the relevant petition, here is the link: https://chng.it/yRb6vfFf6r

Well, I think that it is it for now.  It has been a year of worry, stress, a year I almost missed but a year of friendship, love and learning what is important in life and discovering new things. 

Life will never be the same again.  I do not feel like the Dotty I was before Tony invaded my life.  People say all the time ‘at least you are here’.  I get that, but sometimes when I choke, dribble, or look at my scars I just want to scream and cry but when you survive if feels that you are not entitled to feel that way, that you should be forever grateful, forever jolly, forever happy but there are days when I really do want to scream and shout.  I have friends who are not as fortunate as me with their ‘journey’ and that makes me feel guilty for feeling fed up so I run (or swim)!

I have spent a lot of time on my quotes for this post and cannot choose just one so here are a few that you might like, or resonate with you or might make you think if you need clarity:

• “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it” – Maya Angelou. 
• “We don’t even know how strong we are until we are forced to bring that hidden strength forward” – Unknown. 

• “Survival can be summed up in three words – never give up. That’s the heart of it really. Just keep trying” – Bear Grylls. 
• “The strength of a human being is the ability to hold on to hope in the midst of despair” – Unknown. 
• “On the other side of a storm is the strength that comes from having navigated through it. Raise your sail and begin” – Gregory S. Williams. 

Please check yourself, here are some links:

https://coppafeel.org/ https://prostatecanceruk.org/

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bowel-cancer-screening/ https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/skin-cancer/

#bootupandstompit