Blog Posts From Past to Present

• Hi, I’m Anna14th Oct 2019
  Hey, I’m Anna, and I have breast cancer. Sounds a bit surreal really, like that statements not actually about me… Because I’m also a mum. A mum to two beautiful, hilarious, kind & clever children, and Russell the Jack Russell; a ball obsessed dog that could make the pope swear. I’m the eldest of three daughters,…
• Tuesday 15th October 201915th Oct 2019
  Day Two – After Diagnosis “So this is a story all about how, my life got flipped, turned upside down…” I found Titler (yes, I’ve named the little fucker) two weeks ago when I rolled over on to my boob in bed – mum’s and big breasted babes… You know what I mean. It was…
• Day Two – Tuesday Night18th Oct 2019
  So Tuesday night I told the kids. After school. In the car. In the Co Op carpark – Just don’t. Don’t say a word! I can honestly say it was the number one, hardest, most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever had to do. We were sat in the car, I felt strong enough not to break…
• Wednesday 16th October 201918th Oct 2019
  Day 3 – The Plan First thing this morning, Moo threw her arms around me before we headed out when she realised I was back at the hospital. We had another cry together. Composed ourselves and left the house. 10am – Macmillan appointment to discuss finances etc – as I’m self employed, I’m pretty much…
• 6 Blissful Days22nd Oct 2019
  It’s officially been a week and one day since my diagnosis. Ahhhhh and how wonderful the last few days have been!! Finally started to get back to my normal self (for now); I’ve wept a little here and there, but nothing compared to the tears that were shed and the sobbing that occured this time…
• Scream & Shout & Let It All Out!24th Oct 2019
  I locked myself in the bathroom this afternoon after school and cried. No, correction, I sobbed. I’m just so exhausted, mentally, emotionally and physically. The treatments not even begun… and I don’t know how I’m going to do this. This is the brutal truth of it all. I smile, I laugh, I act like everything…
• The MRI & The Wheelie Bin25th Oct 2019
  Good Morning Y’all!! So, I’m feeling better (mentally) after my rant, but physically… I think I’m starting with a UTI *insert eye roll and face palm here* However my usual attempt at throwing it off track – hot bath, pain killers, water, hot water bottle – are not working, so unsure if it’s that or…
• Friends Are The Family We Choose For Ourselves26th Oct 2019
  So today, I should have been going out with my friends for a catch up – which is mum code for “Getting absolutely shit faced at a bottomless prosecco event” It’s been in the diary months. You know the type of get together that literally takes days, weeks, months, to organise, because we all either…
• Two Weeks & 1 Day – My pretreatment assessment29th Oct 2019
  It’s been two weeks and one day since my life got flipped, turned upside down… Today was my pretreatment assessment and first visit to the oncology department. We checked in, got seated, and within a couple of minutes we’d been offered a cup of tea or coffee which was nice. My appointment was at 9am.…
• Chemo Treatment Numero Uno1st Nov 2019
  Eurgh… I feel like a zombie.. I barely slept last night. Constantly tossing and turning. And it didn’t help that Russell starfishes worse than the kids!! Little bugger!! My first session went ok.. apart from my major meltdown over the cold cap. I also found yesterday that I can’t do the trial drug as they…
• Three Days After my First Chemo Session4th Nov 2019
  Hey y’all! I don’t even know where to start tonight, but if you’re after up beat, happy clappy Anna… She left the building two days ago… So Friday… Was ok ish… Zombie mode (minus the flesh eating) and I felt a bit sick that night – my fault as I forgot to take my anti…
• I Left The House Today6th Nov 2019
  I left the house today! Yup! You read that right! I left the house for more than twenty minutes and I didn’t want to pass out or vomit!! I put make up on, clothes that weren’t pyjamas and I even ran the brush through my hair!! Given it was only to take Will to the…
• Chemo #2 Just the Paclitaxel12th Nov 2019
  Friday was round two… This time it was “just” the Paclitaxel… So in we went… With my list of ailments as long as my arm from having the Paclitaxel & Carboplatinum the week before, and my bloods form from the genetics team in Leeds. I hesitated before we entered Gate 23… Did a little “I…
• What. A. Week!16th Nov 2019
  Bonjour you crazy kippers! How the devil have you all been? So the latter part of this week has been somewhat interesting…. Some of you may know from following my Facebook page, that the dreaded D& V bug hit the household this week. I usually manage to dodge such delightful viruses when the kids decide…
• Chemo Numero Tres16th Nov 2019
  I did that dance again… The little jig that’s become habit when I get to the door of Gate 23… I just don’t want to do it! Ever! Again! Yet every week here I am. It’s like a reoccuring nightmare!!  I hate it. I just really hate it. The needles, the bloods, the obs, the…
• Hair Today, None Tomorrow…19th Nov 2019
  My hair started coming out on Sunday. Not in clumps. Not in a fashion that would have you notice. It wasn’t left on my pillow when I lifted my head that morning, I don’t have bald patches or anything that severe; but when I took the red velvet scrunchie out Amelia had given me Saturday…
• An Aggressive Chemo, for an Aggressive Cancer…20th Nov 2019
  This is what my nurse told me today! Sometimes it takes for a medical professional to give you the hard word for you actually stop beating yourself up over not being able to do your usual day to day activities. I woke up this morning, had a bowl of cereal with the kids. Felt A…
• My Body is a Stubborn Ass Bitch!23rd Nov 2019
  My Body is a Stubborn Ass Bitch!!! What an absolute palava yesterday was! My appointment was 9am. I was already super apprehensive because of the reaction I’d had to the Paclitaxel the week before, but confident they knew what they were doing; as within ten mins of my initial reaction, I was sat up having…
• Getting Wiggy With It!26th Nov 2019
  Today, my wonderful sister took me to Leeds to get Wiggy With It! I definitely couldn’t have gone alone. I’m still feeling completely intoxicated, sicky and headachey from Fridays session. I got up with the kids this morning, and by 8am I was back in bed! *Facepalm* Yesterday I managed to get onto the sofa,…
• Drama Llama27th Nov 2019
  Jeeze Louise! How much can you fit in to one hospital trip!! Well in true Drama Llama style… Quite a lot it would seem!! I did tell everyone from day one, I’m an awkward fucker… It’s generally… mostly always, unintentional, but… It is what it is! So, my hospital appointment was at 11am today, and…
• Hairy Maclary is Going Going Gone30th Nov 2019
  So, tomorrow is the BIG day!! At around 10 o’clock tomorrow morning….. the wild mass that’s been my mane for the past few years will be coming off and (hopefully), be winging it’s way through the post to The Princess Trust Monday morning. I’ll be honest, I am shitting myself, but weirdly excited to be…
• Well, Well, Well8th Dec 2019
  Sorry I’ve been AWOL for a bit. I’ve been enjoying my “well” time before I start chemo again next week. Last weekend was just wonderful! As in, I absolutely had the most wonderful time I’ve had in over a month. It’s the first weekend since starting treatment, that I’ve been well enough to spend it…
• The Big Shave14th Dec 2019
  Sorry it’s taken so long to get his out! So the day I braved the shave had arrived! I got up early that morning to tidy round and put some breakfast out for my friends to nibble on… I made a cup of tea up and had a little cry about what was about to…
• Some Good News14th Dec 2019
  So as most of you may know from following my blog, this chemo has literally been kicking my arse on a weekly basis. My body has pretty much been in “computer says no!” mode since my treatment started. There have been days when I’ve felt so absolutely low, and so so rotten, that I’ve genuinely…
• Never a Dull Moment16th Dec 2019
  Good Afternoon you lovely lot! What a bag of ball sacks the past few days have been. As most parents can appreciate, usually if your children decide to bring something home from school, or you catch a hacking cough and snotty cold, it’s usually passed between each family member, and usually before the holidays! Because…
• New Year, New Me…?31st Dec 2019
  Well guys, what can I say? What a fucking year eh?! I’d love to say I’m starting the new year on a high, but these past couple of days (well months!) have been hard y’all!! My Christmas has been wonderful, but of course, in true Brown style, everything comes to a screeching halt. I can…
• Great Progress & Donkey Legs!!7th Jan 2020
  So, I saw my lovely Oncologist Dr K on Thursday! She’s thrilled with my progress and how well I’m doing on this new chemo!! The plan going forward – My last lot of Paclitaxel Albumin on Friday, MRI & next Oncologist next Tuesday & Wednesday, and then my next round of chemo – my first…
• Onwards & Upwards15th Jan 2020
  How’s your week been so far? I’m here to wish you not only a happy hump day! But to give you all some absolutely wonderful news!!! Yesterday was my third MRI!! Can’t beat a bit of verbal abuse from a giant metal robot first thing on a Tuesday morning… Or can you? Afterwards, as I…
• One Down, Three To Go!30th Jan 2020
  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! That, that right there was my mood last Monday morning. Throw in some grumbling stomach noises, a helping of nausea, a side of insomnia and a shot of snotty tears and we’re good to go!! I should have been absolutely buzzing after the news the week before, but this new chemo had absolutely destroyed…
• How Low Can You Go – Part One…31st Jan 2020
  So as expected, the chemo, once again, did not agree with me. Tuesday rolled around and by the afternoon I was sat on the living room floor, crying, asking my mum if she’d stay the night because I felt so bloody rotten; whether it was intuition, or what, I don’t know, but that decision saved…
• How Low Can You Go – Part 26th Feb 2020
  8-9 hours… To wait for a bed. At this point I’d already been there approx 10 hours and I just wanted to cry. I’d had enough. I was weak. I was sick. The room wouldn’t stop spinning. I could hear somebody crying out in another cubicle. I was so thirsty. How could I be this…
• Ding Ding! Ding Ding!12th Feb 2020
  So today…. This happened… I had my oncology appointment just before this photo was taken… The second time in a week. Last week I was neutropenic and still on antibiotics, so not fit to have my second cycle of EC. My neutrophils were at 0.7, less than half what is deemed safe. A sense of…
• All You Need Is Love14th Feb 2020
  I swear I will never be warm again!! Big cardi on and sat by the radiator with a cuppa.. Come on hair!! We’re four weeks post chemo!!! But while I’m here…I’m feeling overwhelming amounts of love & gratitude for everyone in my life! Whether you’ve done me wrong, or stood by me, you’ve helped to…
• X Marks the Spot7th Mar 2020
  Hey Y’all Sexy People!! So, I’m guessing you’ve all been waiting to hear how my surgery went last week… well let me tell you! I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t even remotely nervous about it all, however I was more nervous about the pre op than I was the surgery itself; You’ll soon…
• Fundraising For Breast Cancer Now…10th Mar 2020
  Hey Everyone! I’ve just signed up to walk 10 miles in Bakewell & the Peak District for Breast Cancer Now! It’s on June 13th and I’d absolutely love it if as many of you as possible would join me! If you can’t, you can donate by clicking the link here 👇🏼 https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/upyourstitler And sign up,…
• EMPOWERING WOMEN ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY11th Mar 2020
  Hey Everyone! Some of you may, or may not know, that I was invited to attend an Empowering Women Event in South Shields on Sunday to share my story! The day was organised by the wonderful Claire Lou Robinson; She is an NLP coach, Lifestyle Coach & Timeline Practioner. I was introduced to Claire during…
• Say Whaaaat?!13th Mar 2020
  Possibly thee quickest post I’ve ever written… But I couldn’t help it… On this day 13th March 2020… I received the following news… “Following right wide local excision, post chemo: COMPLETE PATHOLOGICAL RESPONSE One Lymph node sampled: FREE OF CANCER CELLS!” I officially have NO CANCER ANYWHERE IN MY BODY!! 😆🙌🏻 BEST! DAY! EVER!! Now…
• Apologies for being AWOL7th Apr 2020
  Hey everyone!! Sorry I’ve been AWOL for the past couple of weeks. I’d love to say I’ve been in high spirits since my surgery & fantastic news last month, but these past couple of weeks have been a rollercoaster ride of emotions, as I feel some of you will be able to relate. I’ve got…
• Tits & Tats13th Apr 2020
  Mask on, gloves on, I left the house with the monkeys and climbed into my sister’s car. She’d been self isolating for two weeks straight and despite my brother in law working throughout the outbreak of Corvid -19 he’d been taking every precaution necessary to avoid contaminating the house – wearing gloves at work, stripping…
• The Next chapter – My! How Times Have Changed21st Apr 2020
  So I’m sat in an empty house for the first time in over four weeks, holding a pity party for one. Then I saw a post a lady had popped up on Instagram of her going through chemo, and how she is today. So I decided to take a look back at my own journey!…
• Lobster Boob, Lumps, Bumps & Super Cold Beds6th May 2020
  Sorry for not keeping in touch much these past few days. It’s been a funny old couple of weeks for more reasons than I’d like. Today I’m about to complete number eleven of my fifteen radiotherapy sessions! It really is a walk in the park compared to the bloody side effects & combo of drugs…
• And That Was That…14th May 2020
  Today marks 7 months since my diagnosis. I am cancer free, and I completed my finally round of radiotherapy yesterday. What a journey the past few months have been! To say it’s been emotional would be an understatement, and what I’d really like to do, is thank all of you reading, for going through this…