The year started with a focus on the Oz visa and finding a place to rent. I was still recovering from the post shingles neuralgia (which as of today has faded but never quite goes away). Of course the main occupation from March onward was Delia’s cancer. This prevented us making the year the Farewell to Europe we had hoped for. Looking at our plans in the blog at the beginning of last year we didn’t make it to Prague, Amsterdam, Berlin nor Dublin. Though we did achieve some different goals as Delia listed last blog.
There was a lot of hurrying up and waiting around Delia’s treatment. The diagnosis on 11th March. The wait and postponement for Delia’s operation to remove the tumour on 9th May, the pause for healing and the second operation to remove residual cancer in 11th June. Then waiting for the chemo to start on 22nd July, then 12th August and 2nd September stopping there because of the extreme side effects. Then a further wait for the radiotherapy to start on 21st November and most weekdays to follow. Delia now has just 3 more to go and the final consultation on 10th Jan when we hope to confirm our final emigration plans.
I must say that the thought of losing Delia focused my mind and we haven’t really disagreed on much at all. The Champagne trip was a definite indulgence. The ongoing stress has brought its “moments” but for the most part its just been a matter of us getting along pretty well. Stress-wise, Delia’s illness distracted from the silence regarding my Oz visa. In fact this actually arrived more or less on-plan and, all else being equal, we would have been able to enjoy an Oz Christmas. As it was we perhaps had a Christmas that was our last quiet one for a while and certainly the coldest one.
I treated myself to a new camera and have been playing with my new toy. Here are some reminders for me later of what green looks like. 🙂
