It has been a very long winter and for me it was a long winter of waiting.
Waiting to recover from the cancer treatment, waiting for my next MRI scan to find out if the treatment worked,waiting to find a little bit of my old self again.
Every time I looked out of the window I hoped for the first signs of spring; the daffodils popping up out of the cold wet soil, the first blossom on the fruit trees and the new born lams in the paddock.
It took a while, but now spring is here and my garden and my life are feeling the warmth of the sun again.
I had the MRI scan and a consultation with my oncologist Lisa in Christchurch and I am in remission, there is no evidence of cancer left.
I have scarring from the radiation treatment and for some time there will be symptoms I have to live with and maybe the changes will stay,like my loss of hearing because of the chemo therapy.
But I can start living again and make plans for the nearby future.
For the next two years I will have regular scans and appointments in the hospitals in Nelson and Christchurch, so it not over yet, but for now it is.
My plans are to start art classes for children from my home studio in October and in November open the "Shabby chic cabin" in our garden mostly in the weekends selling my art and shabby chic furniture.
I also started a plant stall at the entrance of our drive and busy growing plants and herbs, also making jams and jellies to sell.
Happiness is in the small things of life.
It is Spring again, thank God for that.
