Cancer, with a smile — vol. 5: the day I was admitted

The day before the operation I called “being captured by the hospital”.

Right up to 13 December 2023, every one of my days was for the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge.
Work began with an early morning shift; at one point I was juggling five jobs alongside my own business,

for the sake of motivation — not letting the illness into my head, and going on taking on whatever I wanted to take on.
I kept making dream maps, too.
Being in motion gave me energy and made me forget to rest,
and in those days I forgot even the cancer, so: full of life.

They say life goes to whoever enjoys it, and with memories like these I think that is right. Excusing yourself, giving up — both of those are your own doing.
But “after I have done that first”, “once I have been there” — those had stopped working,

and then, finally: captured.

I have long, long experience of hospital life, so I am used to it.
If nothing else, I made the room pretty ❤️
A favourite heart-print blanket and heart-print pyjamas.

My doctor and the surgical team looked in, and the nurses too, and there was nothing for it but to laugh: yes, of course you have.

What you do the day before surgery: mark the breast to be operated on with a felt pen.
Then an injection and imaging for the sentinel node biopsy.

Under the notes, activity level:“No restrictions!”Well then.

Having established that, I shed the pyjamas and went out for a walk.

Hang on — what was the point of being admitted?

Being in hospital does not oblige you to become an invalid.
That is what I told myself.
I promised myself I would be back on my feet in no time.

Friends came from the first day ❤️ I had shamelessly posted on Facebook about what I would like brought in, and my wish was granted.
Gelato Pique pyjamas, no less. My spirits went straight up.

It turned into a pyjama party, so lively it was hard to believe there was surgery in the morning.
Every room in my hospital was private, but people laughed that at this rate they would throw me out.

And that is how day one of my cheerful hospital life went 😛