Skin Cancer at 25
My blog has been redundant for the lasr few weeks, reason 1 is that beeing a Mum is a busy job and reason 2, I have just had an operation to reomve skin cancer. I have had a ‘red mark’ on my forehead for around 4 – 5 years, it started off very small like a spot but over time got bigger, so around 2 – 3 years ago I went o my GP for a diagnosis, this ‘patch’ of red scaly skin was diagnosed as Eczema so I began using a topical steroid cream. This never did anything to improve the ‘patch’ so everytime I visited the GP I asked for a second opinion and was always given the same diagnosis. I guess I have never been satisifed with this diagnosis and always had a doubt in the back of my mind. So, whilst pregant i decided that after I had my baby I would go and insist in a referal to the Dermatology department for a biopsy done, anyway, with one thing and another and all the problems after having Oliver this delayed my visit but recently I went back to my Doctors surgery and insisted on a referal, they actually agreed this time to do a biopsy for me and unfortunatly the results came back as a Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC). This is a common cancer that isn’t usually invasive but due to my age the hospital decided that it was more risky and decided to remove it (rather than the radiotherapy creams used on occasion for older people).
As I walked in to the minor ops room to start my surgery the Consultant was amazed I was so young, he thought there was mistake, said he had never seen anyone under 40 with the same cancer, so eagerly whipped it off. It was actually a rather large area so he initally thought he wouldn’t be able to do it as a minor op as I may require skin grafts but he managed it… and I have to say, so far, it’s looking good. I had my stitches removed last Friday and the cut is really neat… LARGE but very neat. The operation really did take it’s tll on me and was harder than I expected but it’s done now and hopefully things will be ok.
I have a review at the hospital on 2nd September and thankfully the removal should be it for treatment but unfortunately it does make me more susceptable to further skin cancers. This is usually a cancer on older people caused by sun damage but the consultant thought mine was a birth mark gone wrong, which makes ense as I have never abused the sun.
All in all this whole experience scared me, to be told at 25 you have any form of cancer is scary, however mild the cancer was, it is still so frightening to have that kind of diagnosis and I hope it’s something I never experience again.. but hey… I can put it all down to experience. Thankfully my family (which obviously includes Matt) were there for me and looked after me so well after my operation helping me bath and wash so I just want to say a big ‘THANK YOU’ to them. Even such a small scare puts things into perspective really and makes you realise somethings in life just aren’t worth the worry.
All in all folks I guess I just want to say… know ur body and your skin, if you aren’t happy with something, anything, the go to your doctor and persist… You know your body, take care of it!!
Long Overdue
So I guess this update is loooonnnnnng overdue??? I leave it so long to update that so much happens in my life that I forget what has happened and therefore can never think of things to blog.
I’ll start with telling you about my weekend… Well it’s been lovely, Matt has been off allll weekend, broke up from work Thursday and goes back to work tomorrow so it has been fab to have him here, Oliver loves it too as it’s not very often Daddy is here to play with in a morning!
So Friday we got up and ready quite early as we had a huge ‘to do’ list, starting with taking Oliver to baby clinic for his weighing. This was lovely as it was the first time Matt has been able to come with it being in the week as he is usually at work. We got him weighed and he is now19lb 1oz… my big boy, he is isn’t fat at all just very long all though he lovely and chunky in that lovely chunky baby way!!! Off then we went to the leisure centre to book their bar for Olivers Christening, job done, all booked, just need to take my form in now. From there we went to the School I have chosen for Oliver and gave all his registration forms in (6 months old and registered at school – madness), I have enrolled him and the same nursery, infants and junior school I went to, there are 1 or 2 schools to choose from in my area but this one was the right one for me. After the school visit we went to garden centre to pick up our yearly hanging baskets (I think they cheer ur house up sooo much), ended up leaving spending £60 on 2 new trees and some really nice pots to plant them in for the front of the house! We then went home for dinner time for Oliver and headed off for swimming but got there and it was VERY busy as some of the Notts schools were off so we gave it a miss cos we like it quieter for Oliver.
Friday night was fab…. me and Matt went on a date… lol!!! Mum came and babysat and we went to the cinema!!! I think it should be the law that any new parents go out at least once a month and have some quality time together, it always does me and Matt the world of good… even though we don’t do it often enough! We went to see ‘what happens in Vegas’ and it was really, really good!!
The rest of the weekend consists of odd jobs around the house, including puttin some shelves up in the bathroom, garden etc. A trip into town, a trip to the Talbot to watch the Leeds v Doncaster match, a trip to B & Q, 2 DVD nights (now we are new members at Blockbuster), first we watched ‘I Am Legend’, good film, worth a watch, second film was P.S I Love You, again, good film, worth a watch, a tad boring in places but really pulls on the heart strings and makes u think about things a little!!
Today we have had a trip to Meadowhall which was extremely busy but as to be expected on a bank holiday Monday… got Matt some new trainers and Oliver a little outfit but nothing for me 
(!!! Also paid Matts sister a visit and her and her partner to be Olivers godparents… to which they accepted!
So as u have probably gathered from above… We have booked Olivers Christening… gonna be a nice summers Christening in a lovely quaint church with only Olivers baptism taking place so it’s going to be lovely! Church booked, Bar booked, Invitation sorted (need to be sent out though), God Parents all asked and accepted…. there are going to be My Brother, Kristy, Matts sister and her partner… All that is left to do is catering and outfits!!!! Yay!
Unfortunately i have had a little bad news and kinda feel like I want to share on here as I think it could be a warning for some people but I also feel it is something I would like to keep to myself and not broadcast… I’m not sure. Maybe when I know a little more and whats gong to happen I may share!
I think that may be just about it for the moment, I’m sure I could go on but not sure any of it would be of any interest to anyone!
I will just have the usual little paragraph on my little man… Oliver!!! He is just beautiful, rolling everywhere, laughing, babbling and generally doing the funniest and most adorable things. I have started taking him to my local baby play sessions that are run by SureStart and I have to say they are fantastic. I was getting slightly concerned as Oliver was appearing to be quite timid and very jumpy around lous noises… I assume this was because for the majority of the day it was just me and him and then, after work , his daddy. we are both pretty quiter people and don’t shout or anything so anytime he was faced with a loud noise it would make him jump and make him cry… soooo, I decided I would take him to the Baby Play Sessions and he LOVES them and I have to say, they really are doing him the world of good and seems much more tolerable of loud noises and I think mixing with the other babies can only be a good thing too as it won’t all be a shock to him when he goes to nursery and has to start spending time with other children. he loves the toys and loves just watching the other babies… he’s a nosy little boy!! I have found it really nice too to actually meet some other mums with babies generally around Olivers age… The sessions are 1 hour long so us mums get to chat and spend lovely play time with out little ones. I think if anyone has the chance to attend these kind of session with their children they should defo go… after a week or two all the mums are happily chatting so it’s a nice little social outing!
I really will try not to leave half as long the next time I update but I’m not promising! Ooo Oooo… just a last congratulations to Kristy, so pleased for you hunnie… Excellent news and finally some happiness in ur life… Just what the doctor ordered!!!! Love Ya !!!!
Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee xxxxxx
Sinhalese???
Can anyone please translate some English in to Sinhalese for me??? Or know anyone that can???
XxX
Thought I’d Better Treat You to a Little Update…
Seeing as though I never bother any more. Well this isn’t intemtional, it’s more a case of i don’t really get time, when I do have a spare minute the last thing that crosses my mind is my blog and when it does, I sit down to start, then just can’t get my brain in to gear!
Oliver update… He is now 18 weeks and 6 days and I had him weighed last Wednesday and he weighed in at 16lb 8oz… i shall be getting him weighed again tomorrow! Heres a little pic for you…
<—- Taken 27/03/08
So today has been the day for Olivers 3rd lot of immunisations, this meant 3 injections rather than the usual 2. This whole even is a lot more traumatic for me than it is Oliver as after a couple of mins he has forgotten all about it and is back to his normal happy self… but gees, I find it so hard… I could kill the nasty lady when she hurts my little baby! It’s all worth it though because I would much rather him have the immunisations than suffer any of the illnesses they cover him against. Other than that my day has just been a rather full mummy day (as usual) and I’ve not done anything out of the ordinary.
I have started trying to walk again, I was doing oh so well back in Feb whewn we had the lovely weather but seeing as though we have had nothing but crap weather for ever I haven’t managed to get much walking in, anyway, we have had 1 or 2 days with breaks in the weather so I’ve been out walking with Oliver… I LOVE it too. Whenever I go out any where with Matt or my mum or my Nanna I never ever get the chance to push Oliver in his pram so I relish in the time I get alone to push him in his pram! This walking is also in an attempt to loose my baby weight… YES I STILL HAVE MY BABY WEIGHT!!! To be perfectly honest, I have done very little to attempt to even loose any weight since having Oliver, but now is the time. Summer will soon be upon us and I want my Size 10 body back!!! I’ve not eaten any biscuits for 2 weeks and basically tried to cut out the crap that I eat. I’m not strictly dieting, just trying to be healthier and not eating a packet of biscuits every day (shocking I know). If I fancy some crisps… I have them, just replaced normal crisps with Snack a Jacks (which I have to admit are lush) and if I need smething sweet… i have some sugar free Jelly or a weight watchers Mouse… So I think I’m on the right track. Also… no more macdonalds and poo like that (well maybe every now and again) just not quite as regular as we were having them!!! Bring on the vegetables!!! My target is to loose about 2 stone… Gonna be easier said than done I think as I really cannot be strict when it comes to food.
Think I mentioned in my last blog that we were going to see Panic at the Disco at Rock City in Nottingham.. Well we went and they were bloody awesome, would defo go see them again. Although, their new album – Pretty Odd- is rather different to their first album and I’m still not sure if it’s up to the standard of the first album.
Easter weekend was a complete nightmare for us… Matt went to work Sat, came in, got in the shower… It was freezing… Only the boiler had packed up!!! You have to bear in mind here that my house is a new build and only 1 year old so no age for the boiler to be breaking own!!! Anyway, with my house being a new one it comes with 2 years homeserve cover provided by Rippon Homes… thank god I thought… but oh no… they were shite!!! Did absolutely sod all, after around 5 hours they contacted Rippon Homes Emergency Team (as the Rippon Homes office was shut till 31st March… a whole week after Easter) and they contacted me, got a plumber sent out all within about 10 mins! The plumber came and told me the boiler was ‘broke’ – No shit Sherlock! So i got back on to Rippon and told them we had a slight issue in that my boiler was beyond repair, Ideal (the boiler company) were closed and i had no heat or hot water and a little baby… So what were they gonna do!!! Anyway… After a few options they agreed to pay for some heaters for us and also a meal… So of we trotted to B & Q and got £90 worth of heaters!!! Ahhhh heat at kast, they did the job and Oliver got a good nights sleep in a nice warm house! Mum came and babysat and MAtt and i went to TGI Fridays for a delicious meal, all on Rippon Homes – Serves em right ay… not like we haven’t had enough problems with the house since buying it!!
Right… think that’ll do for now, cos, to be perfectly honest, I’m tired of typing… lol!
Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Being a Mummy is the BEST Job in the World…
… and a bloody tiring one at that. My little boy is now 15 weeks and 1 day old and is just the most gorgeous little man I have ever laid eyes on. He has a smile that melts my heart everytime he flashes it at me and I could just eat him. He is coming along so well, chattering away to me in his own little language, trying to sit up all the time and grabbing his toys as though someone is going to take them away from him, it’s a mazing to watch his development, it’s almost as though you can see a change everyday. I had him weighed last week and he was 15lb 14oz (WOW) and i’m going to get him weighed tomorrow.
I’ve decided that he isn’t suffering with reflux, he is just simply, a sickybaby, this doesn’t make him at all unhappy or restles, he sleeps well and is gaining weight superbly so therefor if he’s happy then I’m happy.
I have to admit this mummy job is hard, tiring and is full of a hell of alot of trial and error but it’s the most satisfying job in the world… I wouldn’t change my new role for anything in the world. There have been times when it’s been a challenge (especially the first month or so) but every hard time is worth it!
A big thanks to Emma for all your advice… Having 2 lil men of ur own I know ur more than qualified in bang on mummy advice when I need it… just hope I don’t become a pain!
Other than being a mummy my life is pretty dull, don’t get out much and don’t get to see my friends much but guess thats the price u pay and it won’t be forever… As long as u all know I luv y’all!! lol
Ooo… 1 exciting thing popping up, I’m off to see Panic! at the disco on Sat night atRock City.. WOOT!
Gonna have to leave it there I’m afraid, short and sweet I know but I really NEED to watch a programme called ‘pramface babies’ or smothing on 4!!!
Tatty Bye Chums XxX
Feeling Better but Reflux???
I’m finally feeling as though I’m returning to a normal woman rather than a postnatal one! Since my d & c on Friday my bleeding seems to have improved so much so that makes me well happy! i mean, no one is happy after 9 weeks plus bleeding are they!
Everything is going well I think at the mo, the Health Visitor has been out today because of my op (I should go to the clinic now) and she weighed oliver who is now 13lb 5.5oz!! WOW! He’s been struggling keeping his feeds down lately and when he has brought it up there has been loads and he has still been hungry after his 6 oz feed so I took him to the doctors who his treating him for Reflux (I’m not convinced) and gave him some Gaviscon Infant which has done the trick but I think it’s making my lil man constipated! So for his next feed I’m going to just try him with gripe water and hope that does the trick. He’s puttin gon weight really well though so I’m not concerned in that respect!
We had pancakes tonight… mmmm!!! I made them too… Yup, first time I’ve ever made pancakes as my mum usually makes them but I invited her here instead… I thought that seeing as though I’m now a mummy I should defo learn to cook pancakes… haha!!
Ally and Laura are coming to visit Thurs which will be lovelyas Laura hasnt met Oliver yet. Other than that I have a pretty quiet week this week. I have to go to town one day as its Matts Birthday next tues and Valentines day wednesday so need to get sorted for that! Think I may have a trip with my mum tomorrow!
Ooo… more baby news… Oliver slept from 8pm till 5.15am last night… isn’t he just a clever boy! He is laughing and smiling so much now too which is just adorable and he is really cooing which makes me laugh so much.. It’s amazing how such a little person can entertain u so much, I literally just sit watching him for hours and sit pulling faces and making silly noises tgo him! Being a mummy is THE best feeling in the world! Evan at silly o’clock in the morning cos my lil boy still manages a big beaming smile for me and his Daddy!
Awww….. XXX
Operation
I’ve had an operation today (
Fingers crossed my bleeding might stop now!!!
Soooo sleepy…… zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
But my baby boy is an angel xxx
Eugh!! Lochia!!
Every woman bleeds after having a baby. Postnatal discharge, known as lochia, is how your body discharges the lining of the womb after birth. It may come out in gushes or flow more evenly like a normal period. As healing continues and the womb grows smaller, the flow of lochia will slow and turn from bright red to pink and, eventually, to yellow-white.
Above is babyworlds description of Lochia… well this is the little beaut that 6 weeks after giving birth I am still suffering and no sign of any hold up yet!! Without going into too much detail (cos I’m sure u don’t wanna hear it) mine has not yet left the bright red stage and I have had some major bleeding at times so had to be referred to the hospital. Spent all day there on Tues which was an utter waste of time as they did sod all and left me in despair. So, I have a litle guardian angel at the hosp (in the form of the one of the Consultants) who I owe my life too and my precious little boys, and when he heard the probs I was having he got me seen today by one of the Gynae consultants who was excellent and reassured me… He advised that at the moment my bleeding seems manageable. If i have another episode of heavy bleeding I have to go straight in to the ward and I HAVE to go straight to theatre! Fingers crossed I’m on the mend though!
Apart from the delightful Lochia life is good at the moment! Oliver is doing really well and starting to smile which is just awesome and melts my heart everytime! It’s so nice to finally get some interaction back from him… he is clearly recognising me and Matt too which is lovely!
He is also sleeping really well at night and roughly going about 6 hours from his bedtime feed which I think is pretty mega for a 6 week old baby! He gets weighed tomorrow so I’ll let you know the outcome! He was 11lb 1oz last week!
Matt is still addicted to his PS3 and is downstairs playing Call of Duty 4 online right now! As long as he has done his Dad duty though I don’t mind!
Gonna plan a night out to the cinema in the next week or so I think, will do Matt and I good to have some couple time as this is something just doesn’t happen when a baby is on the scene! We are lucky though cos my mum is always willing to babysit… Perhaps I should start to take her up on this!
Think thats it for today… Can u believe how quick I have updated!!! Aren’t I good!!
I’m a Mummy!
My little boy arrived on 28th November weighing 8lb 110z so I’m now a mummy to Oliver John and he is just gorgeous:
<—- Oliver at 7 hours old
I’m not gonna lie to ya… Child birth was horrid and hurt like hell but maybe that was due to the fact that my lil man was not so little… He was quite a big boy (i thought i’d have a 7lb baby at the most) andI was in labour for 24 hours. My waters had to be broken and I had to have stitches so all in all it was pretty traumatic! Worth it now though! Everyone had told me that u forget the pin when u hold ur baby… NOT TRUE!!!! I STILL remember the pain now but I now realise what a little miracle my boy is and that he was worth all the pain. One bonus is that once u have delivered ur baby the pain stops… till the awesome pain killers they give u wear off!!! Then u feel like u have been kicked by a thousand horses! I’m pretty proud of myself though cos it is bloody hard work giving birth and i did it naturally with only pethadine and a lil gas and air for pain relief (neither of which I felt did much to be honest – still agony)!
I had a real tough couple of weeks after having Oliver. I desperately wanted to breastfeed my baby and be sucessful at it but after 9 days of sheer agony I had to stop. My nipples were bleeding, my boobs rock hard and Oliver wanted feeding every hour and a half… I just couldn’t cope. i was producing so much milk I had to express but it looked like strawberry milkshake cos of my bleeding nipples. The final straw for me was getting all feverish and getting mastitus and going on antibiotics, Matt literally had to trn me over in bed cos I was in SO much pain. Every part of ur body u don’t want to hurt was hurting me… I was stitched and had the worlds most painful boobs… I was not a happy girly! I ended up suffering major baby blues and dreading my boy waking up cos i couldn’t bear the thoughts of the pain of feeding him… soooo… on the bottle he went! And what a difference! I’m SO much happier, my baby is happier and that equals a happy little family.
Oliver is doing so well on the formula, he is sleeping well, gaining weight fabulously (he was weighed today and is 11lb 1oz) and is generally a happy contented little boy!!
Christmas has been different this year with a baby to look after… it came around so quickly and I was very unprepared for it all, I tried to get organised before Olivers arrival but then when he did arrive it all went to pot… especially with me feeling dreadful at the start. It all turned out well though and I was well and truly spoilt (as usual)!
Gutted Christmas day though when Christmas morning I begin straightening my hair when my GHD’s stop working!!! They died a death!! But all is well cos I’m such a lucky girl that Matt ordered me some new ones and they arrived yeaterday… my new GHD IV Styler…. AWESOME!!!! Loads better than my old ones that were bout 4 years old!
Not only that… I’m laying in bed watching my new 19in LCD, HD Ready, built in Freeview TV!!! MEGA!!!! Think Matt got this so I can hapily watch TV in bed whilst he plays PS3 online downstairs!!!
I would like to apologise for how long it has taken me to blog… I seriously have had no time! Oliver is beginning to get into a routine so I am starting to get a tiny amount of time to myself at around 10pm (not tonight though… he is with me as we speak) so hopefully I may get to update a little more ofen (don’t hold ya breath though but do keep checking)!
Happy New Year Everyone and All the best fo 2008!!
Still No Baby
So I’m 39 weeks and 4 days pregnant and the fact that I’m pregnant kinda gives it away that I’ve not actually had his baby yet!!! No from lack of wanting though. I’m really ready to have him now, mentally prepared, bag packed, all the baby things u can imagine and abelly so full of baby that it is rather uncomfortable now ( My skin feels so tight and I wonder how much moreI can grow!
I know I’m gonna miss my bump when it’s gone though, it’s so reasurring knowing that he is getting all he needs on tap and so lovely to feel him moving around… Even though lil feet in ur ribs is NOT a pleasant sensation!
Our family and friends are all so ready and eager to meet baby too. Think everyone thought he may have made his appearance by now… I know I did. I really thought I may have delivered at around 38 weeks.
So Saturday 24th November is my due date and apparantly u have a 5% chance of actually delivering on your due date… I never ever do anything on time so the odds are pretty much against me for Saturday! If I haven’t delivered by next Thursday though I have an appointment at the hospital o arrange inducing me so at least the end is defo near!!!!!
I’m pleased to inform that we do now have the internet at home and I’m sat doing this on our laptop so it’s all good!!! 1 problem from having the internet though…. We’ve discovered facebook and are both hugely addicted to it!!!!! It’s so much easier though having internet access at home…. Wireless too so I can even play in bed!!!!
Feelin slightly head fooked at the moment. I’m one of these people that gets something in my head and once it’s there, try as I might, I cannot get rid of it and it just eats away at me and my mind wanders and I make things even worse for my self. Something happened about 18 months or so ago and it STILL plays on mind… Not good!!!! Can’t elaborate on here (Kristy u know what I’m talking about and yeah it’s back in my head again). I just find something out (as I did the other day) that is really pretty irrelevant to anything (apart from who is involved) and off goes the whirling mind again and it brings everything to the front of mind. The issue is though that I don’t know exactly what happened all those months and I never will and thats what drives me insane I think… I make it up for myself and I don’t like what I imagine… Arrrrgggghhhhhhhh!!!! Too much time spent alone thinking is the issue!!!! Just why did it have to happen and why do I still let it bother me in the way in which it does?????
Getting a tad excited for Santa now… I LOVE Christmas and LOVE getting my tree up (not too early though) but gees I’m struggling for what to get people this year!!!! I was hoping to get alot of the shopping done before baby arrives but thats not gonna happen. I’ve done a few bits but looks like dragging myself round the shops with a pram when baby is here!!!!!!!!!
Right, I’m off to get the hoovering done!!!!
XxX
