The treatment is doing the job though, there’s no sign of regrowth (yay🤩) so now it’s all about rehab with my next scan and follow up in February 2027.

I lost a lot of muscle during the later chemo cycles so I’m now working on building up muscle tone with daily exercises.  Just to add insult to injury, I developed very painful tendonitis and frozen shoulder in my right arm, partly due using a walking stick, so now I use a rollator to get around.  I’m trying not to use the wheelchair, but some days it’s easier for Adrian than having me wobble and shriek my way around the uneven pavements, manhole covers, non-dropped kerbs and doorways.  Turns out I have an embarrassing tendency to let out an involuntary scream the second I feel myself lose a bit of balance.

My balance is not improving and my awkward gait is causing knock on effects, mainly hip and back pain and other assorted annoyances. As with recovery from anything, progress is not a straight line and I am learning to accept the bad days and celebrate the good ones.  It’s hard to plan ahead though as it all depends how I am ‘on the day’.

I haven’t been able to get into my studio as the step up is a bit too much for me, but I bought a little two-tread step with a handle and have been practising. I’ve managed to get in there twice, but haven’t had the energy to do much other than look through old sketchbooks and art journals.  That will come in time and I’m learning to be patient with myself.  I do wish I had put a loo in there when it was built though as I can’t get back to the house quickly!

I have been able to do a little crochet, but have to be really strict about doing it in short bursts only so I don’t aggravate the arm pain.

I saw a lovely pattern for a blanket made of octagons and squares, but I don’t have a great track record with sewing motifs together, so decided to use the octagon to make a beret.

It looks a little skewed in the photo, but will block out fjust fine.  For berets, I have an old plate that I put inside while it’s wet.

I made a beret last year before my arm got so painful, it’s very autumnal colours and made from hand spun blends of merino and blue-faced leicester.

I gave it a soapy wash to felt the fibres together a bit and promptly put it away and forgot about it.  It’s a ‘make it up as you go’ pattern using brioche crochet techniques.

It is so weird not to have a crochet project (or three) on the go, maybe it’s time to dig out those blankets and finish sewing them together!