Weekly Blog No 20 – Preparing for the Inevitable

As I seem to be gaining more health issues, I thought it would be wise to give some consideration into “preparing for the inevitable”. I’ve been doing things on and off for the last few months including entering information into my Katipedia. Link to my earlier blog. Challenge No 2 – Katipedia

I do need to tackle these things when I am of sound mind. I’ve had various conversations with my husband but now it’s time to put things down on paper. Over the next few months I will be planning my funeral, finalising my will, discussing my health care wishes and organizing my financial records. I really don’t want to add to my husband’s grief with him trying to decipher our records to meet my wishes.

This week I held a Q & A on my Facebook to family and friends, there was no bars. No question was considered a stupid question. I’m sure some people think I’m  complete nut case but I wanted to drive awareness of this horrible disease and give people the opportunity to ask me what they are really thinking. I have copied some of the  questions and my responses.
Q. What do u miss doing and why?

A. I do miss work terribly as you know. I did love building relationships, problem solving, helping people meet their construction goals and having responsibility. Maybe I could start a foundation to help people with education in the construction industry.

Q. If you could have one wish what would it be and why?

A. My one wish would be that there is a cure for all cancers. I would Imagine that is the same response for all cancer patients and people who have lost loved ones to cancer.

Q. Kat, you know I am not afraid to ask the difficult questions that probably a lot of people wouldn’t dream of asking. Given that there is no cure for your cancer we are faced with the inevitable truth that this will, at some point, kill you. Are you making preparations for when this day comes?

A. I have given a lot of thought to certain things but most of them are still in my head and not on paper. I’m going to actively get some of them done over the next few months to give me a peace of mind.

Q. Is there anything throughout this NETs journey that you would change, if you could..apart from the obvious?!

A.  I would ask doctors to listen to the patient as they know their body best. Cancer units shouldn’t expect the patient to do their own research, one leaflet through the mail is just not acceptable.

Not every person could even face what I’m doing, unfortunately for me I go back to my work principles by planning. Yes I’ve been called brave and yes maybe I am, however I don’t want my husband to have any added burden. He’s going to be heartbroken and I need him to look after himself and Lottie my little dog. I’ve had a good life and I’m totally content with what I have achieved in my lifetime.

Memories will continue through my family and friends❤️

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Weekly Blog No 2 – Katipedia

Katipedia

Katipedia is a play on words. Kat being part of my first name and ipedia from Wikipedia.

Before I went in for my last operation in Jan 2014, I came to the realization that I had a lot of information stored in my head that my husband does not have access too. I had never previously gave any thought to how he was going to do certain things if I was gone. He always praises me for the fact that I can store 16 digit numbers etc in my head and reel them off without even thinking about. It is definitely a skill that I have found very useful over the years, if anyone was to ask me a about a job on a construction site, I could remember all the facts and I have seen hundreds maybe even thousands of job sites up and down the UK. Nowadays, my skill is getting rusty and having fatigue doesn’t help me either. I’m sure there is many cancer patients that have lost some of their memory for various reasons whether it is treatment, medication or fatigue.

This week, I started a Katipedia for my husband, I got him a lovely green book so it was visible and easy to find, it has nothing to do with the fact he is a lover of Glasgow Celtic, a Scottish soccer team for those that don’t know. You can take a Scottish man out of Scotland but not Scotland out of a Scottish man. This book will be his “go to” book for any information he doesn’t know already because it’s all in my head. The sort of information that I will be supplying him is the 16 digit numbers, passwords, addresses, birthday’s, where he can find important paperwork and what organizations he should be contacting. Oh my the list is endless but every time that I remember something important now it will go into his Katipedia. I may even expand on one of the entries, in one of my weekly challenges in the few months.

Some people may be thinking, why is she doing this, she’s not dying. No I’m not, nevertheless it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. In fact we should all have one to be honest, how many of us store information somewhere yet our partners/family don’t know where it is. Gone are the days of picking up a bill and saying I must contact that company to notify them of the changes. Nowadays everything is done online so there is not always a paper trail of information.

I was talking to a dear friend the other day and she said what a good idea, she is considering a Katipedia for her family. I can see all your little brains ticking away, gosh she is right, I should get myself a Katipedia and start writing things down.

Maybe I should market this product and some of the proceeds could go to research for Carcinoid Cancer.