Wow! What a concert it was!!! Just as we promised, everyone loved it, audience and performers alike. We had such huge applause for Bohemian Rhapsody and Handel’s Hallelujah chorus. I used to prance about my university room to Bohemian Rhapsody after Mum passed away in an attempt to feel better, and I’d always dreamed of singing the Hallelujah chorus in a choir, but as an average singer, I never ever thought this dream would come true. Thank you Alan Boxer for making all this happen at Voiceworx ( http://www.voiceworx.org). From a group of people who have never auditioned, you have transformed us into a real choir loving the enthusiastic applause we receive. Who needs chemotherapy when our mind is so happy? I’m convinced such uplifting singing has a huge healing effect on one’s body. All my usual aches and pains disappeared for days.

However, it does seem as though my body needs to put me in my place occasionally. Since the surgery I’ve suffered from ‘dumping’ syndrome. I had this quite a lot when I first came home from hospital and Neil used to gently walk me round and round the house waiting for it to pass. My stomach is so small now that food passes too quickly through it. In particular with sweet foods, sugar ends up in my small intestine far too quickly. This raises my blood glucose levels and causes my pancreas to increase its release of insulin. This in turn causes a rapid drop in my blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia) and I end up with really bad tummy pains feeling generally ill for an hour or so. It’s quite common in people who have had my surgery, and also obese patients who have had bariatric surgery, but I haven’t had it for a while so I’ve been getting more adventurous with my eating. I haven’t liquidised food for ages now.

On Friday, I felt so good that the day was going well. I was excited about the concert and our guests staying, I’d finished cooking for 10 people, and I enjoyed a lamb casserole for lunch. So I decided to try one of Mr Kipling’s exceedingly good Cherry Bakewells to celebrate! Ha! What a bad idea that was! It was absolutely delicious, until half an hour later when the tummy pains set in. I recognise them well and nothing whatsoever seems to help. Rather than sit at home alone in pain (Neil was working), I decided to walk it off in the country lanes surrounding our house. Thank heavens no horse riders passed me by as I must have sounded most odd….step…groan…step….groan, but the cool fresh air felt good against my clammy face. After an hour it passed (and neighbours Xmas cards delivered), our guests arrived and we had such a wonderful evening. I’ll hang fire on the cherry bakewells for a while and stick to just 2 of my favourite Ferrero Rocher chocolates for dessert. It’s just a matter of time and trial and error until I can eat normally again.

Next weekend is even busier, so we’ll just have to see how my body reacts to chemotherapy on Tuesday. Onward and upward as Mum always used to say!!