Wednesday 23 July 2014

Medical Travel Insurance

This was the one thing I was dreading when booking and planning a holiday as I knew I would need to get special insurance that covered me for a pre-existing medical condition. The last time I went on holiday was the year before I was diagnosed when I was fit and healthy so I didn't have anything medical to declare. At first I searched online for ages and only managed to find extremely high priced quotes between £150 and £200!! After many unsuccessful searched I decided to write on the CLIC Sargent facebook page asking if anyone could recommend any reasonably priced health insurance companies. I recieved a lot of recommendations, World First , Mia Travel , Good To Go , All Clear Travel. I phoned them all and managed to get a reasonably priced quote with World First  for just over £37 which is amazing! The insurance covers for everything, medical, baggage, loss of medication, loss of money etc. I would recommend anyone to phone and receive a few quotes from different companies before settling for one as a lot of them are overpriced. it all depends on what the medical condition is and the details of the condition. Mine was obviously for my stem cell transplant. They asked me some questions like what was your cancer diagnosis? have you relapsed? when did you last receive treatment? what medication do you take? when were you last hospitalised? Have you received initial remission? After answering all the medical questions you are then quoted a price. They try and offer you a premium for more money but all I needed was basic insurance. 
I hope this post is helpful for those who are planning a well deserved break post treatment. 



Monday 21 July 2014

My Month In Photos | June 2014


This is a beautiful photo I took this month of the amazing sunset. 
This month it was Esme's 2nd birthday. I can't believe she is 2 already! No exaggeration time seriously does fly by! I remember having to wait a month 2 years ago before being allowed to see her...It seems so long ago now! We celebrated her 2nd birthday by going to a farm at the weekend but held a tea party at my house on her actual birthday with some of her tiny friends. Where we ate a lot of party food and cake.
 I am so proud to be her auntie, she is growing into a beautiful little girl and acts a lot older than she is. She knows her numbers and colours and is now at the age where she's a non stop chatterbox. 



As I mentioned above it was little Esme's birthday at the beginning of this month. To celebrate at the weekend we went to Pennywell farm. She loved it but I think us adults enjoyed it more, hugs with the baby pigs, feeding the lambs and holding the little chicks. CUTE!


I went on a road trip this month to Thorpe Park theme park. Me and a few of the girls managed to get a cheap voucher for 2 days in the park and to sleep in the hotel. I was worried I would be too tired but luckily we managed to get a wristband meaning we didn't have to que for so long. I get really bad pain in my legs and have to sit down often so it was amazing to have the band. We had a great time and I can't wait to return there again. I LOVE ROLLER COASTERS! 
My little sister Ella completed the race for life this year with a few of our neighbours. The race for life is a 5k women only race for Cancer Research UK. There are 300 races across the UK each year. Ella managed to raise over £200 which is amazing! 
My goal is to complete it myself next year with the girls and my family. If it wasn't for Cancer Research I wouldn't be alive today. It is an astonishing charity who WILL find a cure for the evil C!!
We had beautiful weather last month, we decided to make the most of it and went strawberry picking. The last time I went was when I was a little girl. Me and my family used to go all the time when I was younger. I decided to take Esme as my friend Maria was taking her little boy. We picked lots of strawberries and ate a fair few whilst picking them. Naughty I know but you have to have a try before you buy ;) After our 'workout' strawberry picking we went to the garden center for coffee and cake.  
YUMMY!

Tuesday 1 July 2014

A Trip To The Dentist


I recently had my 6 month check up at the dentist. I used to hate the dentist when I was younger but now for some reason I don't mind it. I think it didn't help that I lost a lot of confidence in my dentist when he failed to diagnose my cancer. That still makes me mad! Due to me visiting him numerous times with oral problems. It started with mouth ulcers which he blamed on me going out and drinking and socially smoking and put me on antibiotics, this happened twice and then the worst extreme of excessive bruising gums (which should have rang alarm bells to my dentist) but he still managed to blame it on my oral hygiene and made me an appointment to see the hygienist which was rather interesting. She started cleaning my gums and had to stop halfway because they were so inflamed and wouldn't stop bleeding. (This should have also rang alarm bells at her) Luckily the week after I looked and felt awfully ill so mum insisted I went to the doctors and after my blood test, I finally was diagnosed with Leukaemia.

 Anyway on wards and upwards from that, I have now moved to a new practice and am much happier with the dentist and the service I receive. 
He told me that due to all the chemotherapy and treatment I have received it has damaged my mouth and tooth enamel. He said it is common for cancer patients have to have fillings and mouth problems. I suffered with sickness a lot through treatment and he said the acid in the sick damages teeth, also when my cell count dropped my mouth got severely sore and it was difficult to keep up my oral hygiene, thinking back to this it is understandable that my teeth have been effected. Weirdly at the time of having treatment etc I never thought about the long term effects of treatment and being poorly. I am suffering with mouth ulcers on a regular basis and think this is because of my new immune system, I see it as a good thing as the mouth ulcers soon clear up meaning my transplant is working and my immune system is improving. My dentist has advised me to buy an electric toothbrush. I have started using it and can already see and feel a huge different in the cleanliness of my teeth. 
Always Smiling x