Its Wednesday and again I wake up at Ragdale Spa and once again breakfast arrives at half past seven on trays. My partner and I eat once again looking over the country view and remark on how windy it was during the night. Having already showered I begin to pack my bags and leave them to be collected later and stowed till our departure. Donning my fluffy robe and flip flops I take my travel clothes to the Spa changing rooms and pop them in a locker till I need them later. At ten past nine I am laying jewellery less face up and having another lavender massage. Today my treatment person has a different technique, a more pull and tension on the joints technique. By the end of my session I am relaxed and smelling sweetly of lavender.
What follows is coffee and rose/ pistachio sponge cake till my partner goes off to have her feet pampered. I lay by the swimming pool and read to the end of my book until my partner returns. We go to lunch with me having changed into my travel clothes and have our last meal at the spa. After lunch coffee follows and then its time to pay off the rest of the bill and to retrieve our baggage. The drive home is smooth and I am soon unpacking adn trying on my new, and hopefully comfortable, black suit for the funeral. I took the opportunity get into my training gear and head for the garage and my familiar rowing machine. I’m tired before I start but this is the sort of battle that I must win over the coming weeks if I am to give myself the best chance of benefiting from the possible radiotherapy. It goes reasonably well and I burn 400+ calories.
I record my session and then changeout of my kit and have a short nap where my partner finds me. We chat and then eat and move into the evening. I read another new book, something lighter this time, The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett. Its supposed to be for younger readers but of course it being Pratchett it is a book on many levels. The evening passes and after my night meds I go to bed.
Its been a good couple of days resting and being pampered. Its also provided time for reflection. Now I am back there is still funeral arrangements to be completed and legal papers to be signed for the solicitors. It is the pace at which I allow myself to move at that is crucial. Keeping on putting one foot in front of another and moving is the aim, slow but forward.
