After surgery at the end of 2012, I began 2013 with chemotherapy followed by 4 weeks of radiotherapy.
Chemo sucked. I can't even properly put into words just how much chemo totally and utterly sucked but boy, it sucked bad! The hair loss was an experience in itself and the nausea, which thanks to the high dose steroids didn't turn into full scale vomiting, was hideous. The steroids kept me awake for pretty much days at a time but left me so starving hungry. All I could eat was ginger biscuits though, which I munched through six packets at a time. I'm still finding open packets of ginger nuts around the house now.
The chemo also caused mouth ulcers that were so painful and at one stage the inside of my mouth began peeling. I won't go into too much detail about the bright yellow diarrhea but I will never ever forget hubby and his gentle touch with the sudocrem. He won't let me forget!
The worst part of the chemo was the damage it did to my blood. It killed off ALL of my infection fighting white blood cells leaving me with no protection against infections. This happened on 3 occasions and each time I got an infection ranging from shingles to chest infections. The term for this is called neutropenic sepsis and could kill me so 3 times I had to spend in isolation being pumped full of hardcore antibiotics. I have never been so scared in all of my life and on the third occasion I really thought my luck had run out. It was at this stage that my oncologist decided to stop chemo. I needed potassium infusions as well as blood transfusions and platelets transfusion. The risk of chemo killing me was too great so the next step was radiotherapy.
Radiotherapy was a breeze. A painful breeze but on the upside I could finally leave my bed and walk. My strength was returning. The journey to Oxford every day for 4 weeks was tiring and the radiotherapy itself left me fatigued.
By October I had the strength to return to work for a few hours a week.
2013 wasn't all bad though. I had a glorious week in Cornwall. I dreamt of those beaches whilst I was isolated and depressed in hospital. To actually be there with the sun on my face seeing my kids have fun in the sea, it was beautiful.
My best friend had a little girl and I was asked to be her godmother. I was honoured and we all had a lovely time when Eloise was christened.
The Willow foundation also paid for me to have a party in a hotel to celebrate the end of my cancer treatment. The Willow foundation is a charity that organises special days for young people between the ages of 16-40 with serious illnesses. They organised a function room with buffet and disco for 80 people so all my family could celebrate with me.
2013 also brought me closer to my mum who has been amazing through all of this. She has kept me calm and looked after me. She has also kept me entertained via Skype. I've honestly never needed her more and she was there. I can't explain how much that means to me but it means A LOT! 
2013 was also the year that I met Bananarama thanks to my beautiful friends Jackie and Jo. Jackie treated me to tickets for Rock the Moor and Jo had contacts and so arranged the back stage meet. I cried when Jo told me the news as 4 times I had written to Jim'll Fix it and 4 times he ignored me. I mean that man has done some terrible things but that takes the bloody biscuit!
The day was bloody amazing and as is often the case, I became star struck and made a complete arse of myself. I shall never forget Sara Dallins face as I whipped my bandana off and showed her my bald head. I even offered to let her stroke it. I blame the drugs!
Bob Mortimer tweeted me as did Prince and Boy George and Nick Neyward followed me on twitter.
Bob Mortimer then tweeted about free tickets to his new sitcom with Vic Reeves. I managed to get 2 of these tickets and a couple of weeks ago I headed to Elstree where I also got to meet SharonGooner. We have been tweeting each other for over 3 years now. Total strangers but best of friends. Her a Gooner, me a Spurs fan but we have wrong lyrics that we share a love of. It was a lovely end to a crappy year.
2013 has changed me. I'm angry about some stuff and I know just who and what is important to me now. I don't have time for idiots and I try to not sweat the small stuff.
2011 was the year I lost my dad. Every year since then has been awful. I will be giving 2013 a big fat fuck off because 2014 is my year. It has to be.
I wish all of you a healthy and very happy new year and I want to thank you all again for your support and helping me to raise almost £2000 for cancer research when I did my Race for Life back in June. Your comments and messages have really kept me going and kept me smiling, which is important. From the bottom of my heart THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU XXXX
Peace, Love and Chocolate cake xxx
