What an amazing journey this is!

I feel so humble.

Since being diagnosed I have had people constantly offering to help in any way, ringing to support me, calling in to visit, offering support in the future when I need it. And today in the post I received a gift from someone I've never met but know of through an online quilting group.

Heres the beautiful pincushion and tools holder she made me using "Quilt for a Cure" fabric for Cancer. I opened the parcel and cried. I know that people care but it really is overwhelming. My online quilt group are even making heart blocks for me, that I can sew into a quilt to remember this experience. I was told "Its the quilting culture. To show we care about you". I feel undeserving as there are so many women who are really suffering through cancer but I am still fit and well and once I have this surgery there is a 90% chance I will be cancer free without treatment.

Tonight I've been to my patchwork group and finally cut out some blocks for a row swap, which are way overdue. They need to be posted next week at the latest. I have a sewing bee that I host on Saturday so I can spend the whole day catching up on what I havent done in the last 3 weeks! No excuses! I think it will motivate me to get cracking. Working with fabric and colour is really healing and makes me feel good because I can be creative and achieve something.

This is one I made last year for my neice's wedding present. Their colours were burgundy and blue at the wedding so I used them predominantly in the quilt. It was a huge surprise for them. I told Stacey I was making a patchwork outfit to wear to the wedding and the poor girl believed me! Don't know why?

Well I've felt a little less foggy today. I had an amazing sleep last night. Slept till 5am instead of 4 so felt a little brighter when I got up. But when I was looking at clothes during my lunchhour and I saw a gorgeous blouse rather transparent, I thought "I'll never be able to wear one of those as people will see I won't have a nipple"... but as usual a friend cheered me up with their comment "Put a M&M on your boob and noone will know the difference"?? Haha I guess if I was hungry I'd always have a snack close by.

I love my friends! Thanks to all of you too for your comments today. This is a fantastic way of sharing my journey!

Karen

PS Can someone tell me how to search for other blogs through this site???

One week since diagnosis!

This time last week I was diagnosed as having breast cancer and told I would need a mastectomy. Wow, it blew me away. I have just turned 50, had a fantastic party with family and friends and thought life was pretty sweet. I turned up for my routine mamogram without a care in the world until I was called back within a few days for reassessment.So here I am awaiting a visit to the surgeon this week. Its been a good week. I've coped, stayed positive. I am so lucky they have found it early and I will live to finish all my ufo's ... I patchwork .. a lot! I've told all my family and closest friends. And I'm planning a wake for my boob. After all, its fed three kids and served me well! My friends think its a fantastic idea.. they know me well and know that this is how I would want to spend the time close to surgery date.I'm hoping to be able to have a reconstruction at the same time but wont know for sure until I see the plastic surgeon. It would be so great if they could make it a nice pert 21 year old boosey but they'd have to pin up the other one as well. And the bonus is they take the fat for my new boosey from my stomach so I'll end up losing an inch or two. Hmmm I hope they know when they've got enough, I could end up with a double H on the right and a C on the left. I"d be running around in circles!Hey I have to make jokes. There is nothing I can do about this. I have cancer! Woah.. that is weird saying that. I feel fine, look fine but I have cancer. What a miserable sneaky disease it is ah. Noone in my family has had breast cancer. I had no lumps. No illness. But thanks to Breast Screening I have joined the millions of other women who suffer from this horrible disease. Well, I dont think of it as my enemy, that would be stressful. ..It is an overstayer..and its bags are being packed.So now you know what I'm coping with at the moment. I'm staying on top though feeling like I cant concentrate by the afternoons, very tired I think from stress even though I'm not consciously feeling stressed! Its always in the back of my mind and I cant wait to find out when I'm going to be rid of this pest. I hoped that by writing a blog friends and family could share my thoughts, and share their feelings with me. I know I am not alone in this. If nothing else this has happened at the best time in my life. I have a wonderful family and more friends now than I've ever had. My boss is fantastic and very understanding. I work with neat fun people in a job I love doing. I have a cosy place to live in and I am ever so grateful for all the support I have been offered. I know that everyone is thinking of me and will be there if I ask for help (geez that's not easy for me but I'll learn).