This Is Not What I Expected!
I am sorry to have to tell you that I am having to cancel my classes this year up until some time in the summer. I have been diagnosed with breast cancer and treatment begins tomorrow with an operation. Chemotherapy follows on in the New Year, and I have been advised to cancel all commitments that involve deadlines for the next 6 months. This means that classes will not take place in the first half of the year, but I hope to resume them in the summer and autumn, and reschedule the cancelled ones in 2016.
For those of you who have already booked and paid for Plastic Fantastic 2015 the Anglo Danish course, I have returned your cheques to you, or refunded via Pay Pal.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank every single one of you who have sent me their thoughts and prayers in messages and comments on the blog, by email, text and Facebook. Your good wishes and positive energy has done a lot to carry me through these last two weeks since diagnosis. You have brought smiles to my face when I needed it most.
One of the things I think about when I feel a bit low is to consider just how many of you have been through this, and much worse, so I count my blessings, and I am focussing on getting to the other side of the treatment.
You will probably know that I will not be doing any Jewellery Maker shows until the summer, but I have plenty to keep me occupied, and that includes a couple of projects I would love to tell you about but can’t just yet. However, I hope it won’t be too long before I can share these exciting things with you.
In the mean time, I wish you all a fabulous Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.
DEAR LIZZIE, MY FRIEND HAD BREAST CANCER THIS TIME LAST YEAR AND IS SO GOOD NOW, FOURTEEN OF US ARE BEING ENTERTAINED ON CHRISTMAS DAY BY HER AND HER HUSBAND…..SHE WENT THROUGH ALL THE BAD BITS CHEMO HERCEPTIN LOOSING HAIR ETC AND NOW LOOKS WONDERFUL AND LOOKS HOW SHE WAS TEN YEARS AGO.
I SEND MY LOVE AND ALL MY PRAYERS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. A. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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I love this story, thank you for sharing it with me. Can’t promise to entertain 14 next year though!
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I’m so sorry for you, hope that evrything will be all right verry soon. Blessing De : Rarelizzie’s Blog À : mariann.pedersen@yahoo.fr Envoyé le : Dimanche 14 décembre 2014 21h27 Objet : [New post] This Is Not What I Expected! #yiv0421237890 a:hover {color:red;}#yiv0421237890 a {text-decoration:none;color:#0088cc;}#yiv0421237890 a.yiv0421237890primaryactionlink:link, #yiv0421237890 a.yiv0421237890primaryactionlink:visited {background-color:#2585B2;color:#fff;}#yiv0421237890 a.yiv0421237890primaryactionlink:hover, #yiv0421237890 a.yiv0421237890primaryactionlink:active {background-color:#11729E;color:#fff;}#yiv0421237890 WordPress.com | rarelizzie posted: “I am sorry to have to tell you that I am having to cancel my classes this year up until some time in the summer. I have been diagnosed with breast cancer and treatment begins tomorrow with an operation. Chemotherapy follows on in the New Year, and I hav” | |
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LOVE AND PRAYERS TO YOU
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I left a comment on Facebook for you when you first posted about your illness. You sound very positive about everything which is wonderful and I hope you have a good Christmas and New Year and that chemotherapy does it job without making you feel too poorly. Hopefully your creativity will help you through the boring inactive days and you can make plans for the future.
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Thank you Heather, your comments are much appreciated. Everyone is being so kind and wonderful that I can’t fail to come through this – the support is overwhelming.
I have lots to keep me busy, and I know there will be rough times ahead, but getting out the other end of the treatment and bouncing back is my aim.
Wishing you a wonderful Christmas
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Hope all goes well for you, please get better soon, we need you to pass on all your fabulous knowledge. All the very best. Caroline
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My thoughts and prayers are with you.
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So Sorry to hear that. I will keep you in prayer. Keep the faith that God will heal you. Looking forward to seeing your work in the summer. Be Blessed I will miss you until then.
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Gentle Healing Hugs, Ax
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Not sure if this found it’s way through the ether so attempting again….
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Thank you for making the effort to come to the WBEG 15th Birthday party. It was wonderful to see you, and to thank you for being our first chairman. I hope you are very proud of all that you have set up facilitated. Your fans are many.
Hugs and healing thoughts for tomorrow.
Suella
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Hello Suella,
It was my pleasure to be there on Saturday, and yes I am very proud of the branch and just how thriving it is. It was also very good to see old friends, and have some fun with the quizzes etc. Thank you for inviting me.
Wishing you a very merry Christmas
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So sorry to hear your shattering news, I know because it happened to me some ten years ago. Think positively, with your personality I am sure you will win. I found the best way was to have little targets e.g. Plan to do something special on a certain day , when you get there you have already planned for the next thing. Don’t give in. My thoughts and best wishes are with you.
Regards Kath
Sent from my iPad
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Thank you Kath for your lovely message. You remind me of my sister who is already planning lots of lovely things to keep me going over the next few months. I intend to spend time in my studio doing things I want to do, and not worry about deadlines etc, so I hope that when I emerge from the Chemo I will be full of ideas to share.
Wishing you a happy Christmas
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Keep positive Liz and fight your way through this. I hope today goes well and the chemo is controlled so you’re not too poorly. You can win this! x
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Wishing you all the best. xx
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So very sorry to hear of your illness Liz. All my very best wishes
For a speedy recovery. Lots of love and prayers winging you’re way. Jeanp
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My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family
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The very best of all good wishes to you, Lizzie, with your treatment and care. I’ve just had an operation myself and am now happily recovering at home. From the very beginning I was focussed on a positive outcome for everything involved in my case, and it does seem to be working out that way for me. I’m sure everything will be fine for you, too.
Stay strong, and be firm with everyone involved about what is right for you at this time. We know our own bodies and Mother Nature knows them even better!
Love from Maureen xxxx
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Thank you Maureen, I am in complete agreement with you. I hope you are well on the way to recovery. I have my lovely husband with me being wonderful, supportive and helpful, and my son comes home tomorrow so life is good, a bit sore, but good!
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I also am so very sorry to hear your news. Thinking of you and wishing you all the very best.
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Thinking of you. Hope everything turns out well for you.
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HI I AM SO SORRY YOU HAVE THIS NASTY “BUG” AND HOPE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GET IT ALL WITH THE OPS AND FOLLOW UPS. TO SAY I WAS GOB SM ACKED WHEN I STARTED READING THE POST DOESNT BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW I FELT. I DO HOPE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO RNJOY CHRISTMAS IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND WISH YOU ALL THE BEST FOR 2015. I CANT WAIT TO SEE YOU IN THE SUMMER FIT AND WELL AND HOPE EVERYTHING GOES WELL FOR YOU, I AM NOT A RELIGIOUS PERSON, BUT MY FIRST THOUIGHTS WHEN I READ THIS POST WAS TO PRAY FOR YOU SO HERE GOES, I WILL SAY A LITTLE PRAYER FOR YOU EVERY NIGHT BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP UNTILL I SEE YOU AGAIN FIGHTING FIT IN THE SUMMER OF 2015 OLN THAT MAGICAL CHANNEL THATS SPEEL OUY JEWELLERY MAKER.
ALL THE BEST AND I HOPR RVERYTHING GOES WELL FOR YOU.
BEVERLEY XX
sent by Bev Ormerod @ Younique
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Thank you Beverley, I really appreciate your kind words. All will be well, but it just might take a few months to get there. The operation is over and done with so the Vile Body has been removed. Onwards and Upwards…
Christmas is almost upon us and family and friends will descend so there is plenty to look forward to. I really hope you have a wonderful Christmas too.
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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!……… :-(….. 😦 ….. 😦 …..
My God… I just can’t believe it… 😦
How horrible! For an avid follower of your shows, demos and fab techniques, and even as sad and disappointed as I was to read that there will not be any new shows for quite a while – in perspective – I couldn’t care less about any of that because of the REASON behind it… 😦
I wish you the absolute very best and quick treatments and the FULLEST of RECOVERY. I wish you long and healthy (and creative) life. There’s plenty in you yet to create…. 🙂
I’m sure that now, without the stress of deadlines to destruct you from your healing process, you would just enjoy doing your art, and the ideas in your head will keep you going through the difficult times you will indure.
May this dark shaddow over this Christmas be light and thin as smoke, and will disappear as such, so come summer you’d be your usual bright self.
Be strong and positive, and think of the new sun that will shine on you and on your life in the summer!… 🙂 🙂 🙂 …………..
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Thank you so much Dalia, your message is heart-warming. I plan on spending lots of time in my studio being creative, and I have a couple of collaborative projects that do not involve deadlines that will keep me going. Besides which, simply everyone has been and continues to be so kind and wonderful that my spirits will always be lifted by reading all the lovely comments.
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x x x x x x x …………. 🙂 Can you feel the love I’m sending you?… 🙂
Great to see all the replies you make the effort to give to each of us in person. Not a standard ‘copy and paste’ one, but an actual personalised one.
Just as I told you a while ago, you are as genuinely lovely in real life as you come across on TV.
Pleeeeease be well, and have a magical Christmas. I believe you’d find under your tree one very special box from Santa himself this year: it might not look remarkable or sparkley from the outside, but inside it – there will be your very own shiney PERFECT and FULL HEALTH. 🙂
Merry Christmas! …………. 🙂 x x x x
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hi Lizzie, sorry you are having to go through this awful illness but I am sure you will be ok you are such a lovely person, be strong, sending you hugs and geet well wishes. hope you have a good christmas and take it easy !
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Oh Liz I am so sorry, much love and healing thoughts being sent your way. It is about time the government put in a lot more money into research into fighting this god awful disease. My thoughts and prayers are heading your way. Use this time to really rest and relax xxxxxxxxx
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This is the first time I have ever made a comment on a blog so I do hope you receive it!. I was browsing Pinterest and came across your site by chance. We have never met and I live in England, but I sincerely send my good wishes for your early return to good health after your sad diagnosis.
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Thank you Flora for your kind comment. I do have good news, and I fully expect that the chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy after the operation will see the cancer off completely. I am fortunate in that at least. I hope to keep posting creative things as and when I can over the next few months, so do keep popping back to see.
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Shocked to read your news. It brought my own experience of breast cancer back. I have survived six years and am truly grateful. You sound strong and very positive. My thoughts are with you. You gave me such pleasure when I did your course on friendly plastic. Keep smiling. Miss Neat Knicks, Cheshire Borders Embroiderers Guild
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Hello Miss Neat Knicks,
How lovely to hear from you. There are so very many of us out there who have been or are going through Breast Cancer, and each and everyone of us experience it differently. I am pretty up beat about it as I have good support. It is a frightening and painful experience, but I know in my case that the outcome should be as good as I could reasonably expect. Chemo and radiotherapy do not hold any joy for me, in fact if I dwell on it, it is down right frightening, but I am not going to dwell on it, just try and find the joy where I can, and focus on the end of it all and being well again. I am pleased to hear that you are still standing!!!
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Omg!!! Liz im so sorry I’m just reading this, how are you? I love love watching you been for years. God bless
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Thank you Brandi, but I am doing ok. However chemo begins very soon, so I may not be quite so happy in a couple of weeks time!
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Hi Liz, I haven’t visited the friendly plastic site in a while but, as I’m sitting at home recovering from a mastectomy, I thought I’d check in on your blog. I am so sorry to hear your news, but can only say that you WILL get through this. You will find kindness where you least expected it and courage you did not know you had. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Barbara P x
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Thank you Barbara, that is very kind of you. Are you facing chemo too or is the mastectomy the end of the matter? You are so right about kindness in unexpected places, and in fact I have been met with nothing but kindness from everyone, family, friends and internet friends too. I hope you are getting the same.
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Hi Liz, I’ve just seen my surgeon with the results of the pathology, and, thankfully, the cancer had not spread beyond the breast, so I don’t have to have chemo. I had radiotherapy 12 years ago when I had breast cancer before, so can’t have it again. I have had a reconstruction and,as the new breast is quite a bit smaller than my other one (and a lot perkier!) I will have a reduction on the “good” side in about six months then pills for the next five years. Although I can’t help with a shared experience of chemo, I will be thinking of you. Be good to yourself and take up every offer of help. Ignore cobwebs and bits on the carpet (if your husband is as rubbish at housework as mine is) and enjoy friends,sunshine and everything that gives you peace and happiness. Very best wishes, Barbara.
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Thank you Barbara. I hope your treatment is a huge success. My tumour was triple negative so does not respond to hormones, hence no tablets. However it was a grade 3 and small but already spread. Never realised there were so many types of breast cancer. Wishing you all good things.
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All my love and wishing you a speedy recovery hope to see you back in the summer on JM very gentle hugs and kisses from Barbara F xxx…
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I have only just come across this post. So sorry to hear your news. Hoping the treatment is going well and that you can soon return to your creative work. Wishing you all the best – Claire Fairweather
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Hi Liz
I’ve just linked to your website to show my mum the fantastic, inspirational crafts you do, and I have found you are going through breast cancer.. my stomach dropped… My mum and I truely wish you well and hope you don’t feel too ill with the treatment. I have 2 friends also going through the same, one of which is an inspiration of character to others and will always keep positive! You are in our thoughts and prayers and we WILL be seeing your cheery face on jm again soon! Love and God bless
Andrea and Julie
xxxx. xxxx
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Thank you Julie, that is really kind of you. I am doing well at the moment, half way through the chemo. I hope your friends are also doing ok.
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