Thank You My Dear Friends ...

So after my meeting with prof and my short 4 day stay at the hospital for my back pain I came home
 :-).

My good old friend from uni James came to see me. It was so lovely to see him. He has been thru some difficult times as well. When we were first year in uni (he was studying medicine and me dentistry) we lived in the same halls of residence. What a fun place that was. I still have some great memories to look back onto. 

Around 6 months into our studies James suddenly left. Thats when I found out he had brain tumour and needed a surgery. What a shock that was for me to know someone so young suffer from such an illness. I thought about him a lot when he left.

I ve not heard from James until 2008. Thats when we found each other on the good old Facebook. 

He was training to be a priest. So finally after all this time he came to visit just after I came out of the hospital. We talked about good old times, we shared a lot of information about our cancers. 

I found out that James had 2nd brain surgery,  chemo and radio. His brain tumour growth has been halted for now which is a great news. Its been great talking to him. He is such a lovely and kind person and I finally felt that I can actually share info with someone who has been thru more or less the same and can understand fully what I'm going thru.

When he left I couldn't help but feel guilty that I wasn't there for him when he initially got diagnosed. I felt guilty that all that time I ve not found a way to get in touch with him ( there was no Facebook back in '99 /2000) . I can't believe I ve been so self absorbed in my life that I couldn't find a moment to ask him how he was, if he needed anything like shoulder to cry on, or simply have someone there... I guess I ll never forgive myself for such an ignorance and laziness form my side.
At least I ll try and keep in touch now even thought he is miles and miles away.

My lovely roses from James 

I have been truly overwhelmed by all the emails/ Facebook messages/ texts/  little gifts / cards I ve received. I know I ve not been great in replying to all of the messages and I do apologise for it . Im not being ignorant, I read them all and I will eventually reply to you all. I just need a little bit of time.

Im so grateful to people who have been so thoughtful and sent me books to read, beautiful flowers to smell, music to listen to ....

I also had a little surprise in the post as well by my friend Charlie and Kate Spencer, author of the fun, easy to read and very entertaining book called Twelve Lessons. Even though we never met thank you Kate for a great and hard to leave book. I look forward to finishing reading it soon after my recent long hospital stay.

Also my good old friend Jose has been really great and thoughtful. Thank you Jose for being so kind.

Those are just some of the most recent little things that brought me kind of a sadness and smile at the same time. Thank you my dear friends for being so kind and caring at the most difficult time of my what looks like a very short life. I ll be ever so grateful to you all. Its not about material things in life...its the way you all managed to touch my heart with your kindness. 

   Some recent books I ve been send thru the post                            Some recent cards Ive received 

Some lovely flowers from                                Some wonderful flowers from lovely Amara 

my friend Juliet from oxford

And finally present I received just before my long 10 days unexpected stay in the hospital  in the beginning of June.  This little gift  brought a tears to my eyes ....

Its a painting done by my friend Emma. Its 4 of us girls on our wonderful and such an enjoyable trip to Bruges in 2009. Such a thoughtful and fully of memories gift that brought a tears to my eyes.

 Thank you Emma my dear friend and really hope your cute little surf shop in Swansea is doing well this spring / summer 

By the way Im the one in a yellow shirt :-)