Weekly Blog No 96 – Life Continues

I thought it’s been a while and I should give you an update and elaborate what I’ve been doing in the mean time. 

I’ve been missing in action for a while now because of the challenges of carcinoid cancer. It’s been an  ongoing obstabcle course and I’ve had to climb over walls, swing on ropes and jump through hoops. Only, my adventure is not the wonderful experience you would imagine. 

My new Family Physician has been excellent and on the ball referring me when there has been concerns and there haven’t been many. I had scans, tests and Specialist appointments. On one appointment my medication intake increased a further 5 different meds due to my symptoms. The medical hamster wheel never stops for me.  

Next week I have an endoscopy and the following week my GA68 cancer scan. My tumour marker blood tests that have always remained normal even though, I’ve had 3 cancer ops. My tumour marker result has done a long jump out of normal range with a personal best and doubled within 6 months. Well done cancer, what are you telling me now.

Here’s comes the honestly part. There has been occasions were I have thought is this my downward spiral. Do I seriously need to get my life in order before I decline anymore. My life was in complete order in Canada but isn’t so complete in the UK. It’s something that I need to address. I have ideas but it needs to be down on paper.  

I’m not the person I was and my life has changed so much. I miss work but I do understand why I can’t work. Furthermore I’m don’t have the freedom I once had but I’m also grateful for the freedom I do have. Going anywhere is a challenge, yet you have to try to get to places if you can and Mr Zebrakat is very supportive and never a whinge is heard.

I’m not a crier as a rule, however I did end up crying to Mr Zebrakat a few weeks ago when nothing would take the pain away. It was a Sunday too, so not everyone was accessible for assistance. On the Monday my butt dart nurse saw I was out of sorts and crossed the procedure line to get me assistance. A box of chocolates is in the waiting for my next visit. Thank you so much to my nurse and her diligence.

You do start to question things, for instance, is this it, or if your deemed to have an extended life, how can you possibly maintain symptoms like this every single day. I now understand why people want to throw in the towel. Trust me it’s very easy to comment on these things, when you haven’t physically experienced it yourself. Therefore please be mindful when discussing people’s health issues. I have personally made comments on people’s health in the past, saying I don’t understand why people don’t try more or I don’t understand why they are doing that blah blah blah. Speak to the person and get their prospective on the situation.   

Yes it’s wonderful having a life but no one wants to be feeling horrible everyday. We have all had a viral infection at some point and you feel so terrible. Imagine that feeling most days, it’s the only way I can explain some of the symptoms/situations. Don’t worry, I’m not giving up and my Specialist is working hard to control my symptoms.Thank you Prof C.  The reality is that I may look ok but truth is my life is tormented by my cancer. 

My priorities have changed in life, what may have been my 1 – 5 year goals have immediately become my current goals. I’ve been fighting this for 4 years on Mothers Days (UK), which is a wonderful achievement. Even longer if you count the years it was growing inside me before being diagnosed. 

I will continue to fight and challenge my body. I will keep reading and thank you to Auntie P for the continous supply of reading material. I will be lost in Victorian times for a while. Thank you to K for keeping me up to date in showbiz gossip.  

The house renovation plans are nearly completed for Local Authority submission, well done Mr Zebrakat. Roll on brick dust. 

The garden is now missing a silver birch tree, conifers and  a vine. Hello, fresly painted bird table and proposed space for veggie boxes.  I have sowed some seeds indoor seeds for bedding plants and veggies. A new skill for me and I’ve been learning from others and a big thank to Lady T for the beginners guide. 

I’ve also being working on Mr Zebrakat family tree and mine at times. His is my priorty, I’ve rechecked the facts that I have gathered to ensure that I’m following the right line. It’s amazing how people attach your family members to thier family tree. Clearly assuming that their family member is married to yours.You can’t make assumptions, you have to get the certificates to double check the info provided is correct. The Scottish certificates tend to give a little more info, like marriage date of parents and addresses making the trial a little easier, although I will be crossing over to Ireland now. I know with my family tree, Ireland is a little harder to trace and I believe a lot of records were destroyed by the British. However on a good note, Mr Zebrakat was able to reconnect with a 1st cousin through my research. #happydays.

Althrough i’m problematic times and I may question things, I’m still proactive in one way or another. I would to thank Mr Zebrakat, my family and friends for keeping me going, you know who you are. ❤ #specialpeople. 

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Weekly Blog No 45 – Family Tree Update 1

Over the last couple of years I have been in and out of researching my husband and my family trees. I would strongly recommend you concentrate on 1 family tree at a time for ease. I personally love a challenge, so I take on 4 family trees because of my inquisitive mind. I am flipping between them all and to be honest, I’m stark raving mad, however I do have the time.

My new hobby is proving to be costly, time-consuming and addictive. Furthermore it can be very frustrating if you don’t have patience trawling through realms of information. Whatsoever, If you don’t use your diligence along the way, you could inherit imaginary family members taking you down the wrong track. It still tickles me when I see family trees on a not to famous family research website, claiming to be my family members. I can imagine what they are thinking ” They have the same name as me, so let’s attached them to my family tree”. Cross referencing is the key to success.

My husband’s father side of the family tree seems to be the most successful so far. I have reach 7 generations back, I’m currently in the 1700’s. Its seems that his family originated from Ireland and moved to Scotland in the early 1800’s to work in the mines. In Ireland they were farmers/farm labourers went on to Scotland to be coal miners. I know some family members worked in the Glasgow ship yards but I am going up the line rather than being side tracked and going sidewards.

Photo Credit to Terry Harrison

I’m currently investigating the following leads to either eliminate them or own them. A family priest, a convict sent to Aussie on a convict ship and finally a family member connected with slavery. I hope not the latter and can’t see how its possible but still, you never know. This is were you see your researching is very important as you don’t want to be jumping to any conclusions.

Some additional facts;

• There is a trend of family forenames, J being the most popular initial.
• His surname was misspelt approx 4 times over the years.
• His Scottish grandfathers always married Irish woman.
• His immediate family and previous generations always had a minimum of 7 children.

I will do another update in the future as there is some interesting family history.

Weekly Blog No 12 – Family Tree.

Family Tree

I do appear to be falling behind with my blog entries lately as I am struggling with various cancer symptoms. Cancer is causing me some limitations; nevertheless I am finding it both difficult and very frustrating at times.

This week’s challenge was to continue the family tree as I am intrigued by the information that is discovered. I am intrigued to see if my family worked in mines, farmland or is there something else I will discover. I love family history and I am a fan of the TV programme “ Who do you think you are”. My parents were born in Ireland and moved to the UK in their early twenties for employment.

I am looking forward to investigating the family history through British Rule, The Great Famine and Land War etc. I am just waiting for more information from my Auntie to continue my mother’s side. On my father’s side, I have to ask some questions before I can proceed further.

In the meantime, I have started my husband’s Scottish family tree; however he has been led to believe he also has Irish roots. I am curious to see if he is related to some Scottish King or Queen, ok I’m being a little ambitious.

I have managed to discover on his father side there is a generation of coal miners and he is very much Scottish so far, as I am in the early 1700”s. He has relatives that have served in the Great War & WW11. His Christian name has been used from generation to generation; likewise I have both my grandmothers Christian name too. I have a feeling that his grandmother, which is his father’s mother may be the Irish link and only time will tell.

I will keep you posted on the family history.