Friday 7th August

I told Michael this evening that I had never felt so tired in my whole life, even when I was having chemo. In fact, I was so damn tired this evening that it really did feel like the ‘chemo exhaustion’. The difference, of course, was that the chemo tiredness lasted for days and days. So far, this tiredness is curable / treatable with some old-fashioned sleep!

And it’s only the result of a week of hard work, running around and generally ‘giving’ – which is what real life is all about, surely 🙂

During all the running around and running a little errand, I met a fellow cancer survivor. At least, she is going through the last part of chemo, so she is just about clear and will have to deal with a few more chemos before her body is able to really shake itself clean again.

It was amazing, though, how we just kind of spoke a shorthand language, because, as one of us mentioned something (like ‘the taste’), the other just understood, including all the implications.

It really is different – and good – to speak to someone who I know knows.

It’s also good to be able to see someone else being strong through the treatment and just taking life on as it happens – and winning.

There must be hundreds of different types of ‘cancer’ around and each case is so individual that there must be many, many permutations of each one. Cancer is cancer, though, and everyone who survives has a particular link to everyone else.

Bridget is well on her way to being one of us ‘on the other end’. Chemo ended yesterday and she has now to rest a bit before facing surgery and radiation. Another long road in this journey, but she will get there. Being strong and going slowly, but surely, is the route that takes most of us through any difficult journey.

It’s just a matter of keeping on going.