A surprisingly upbeat week

Saturday 31st October 2015

Apart from an embarrassing incident at the Harvester salad cart where I ended up slipping over on my hands and knees by the sauce bar, it's actually been a really good week.

I've been absolutely overwhelmed by people's kindness and generosity. I've been thrilled to see some old faces and receive some fantastic cards and presents, which have really made me smile.

Thank you all so much - to my clients, friends and family, who have made this week incredibly special and surprisingly up-lifting. I've been so touched and moved.

We're acquainted now with our Douglas Macmillan contact and she is already providing fantastic support to Dean and my dad. We are going for a tour of the hospice in the next few days which although it sounds grim, it will actually be a good way to acclimatise ourselves for what's ahead. Having gone to fundraising events there before, it seems like a beautiful place in gorgeous surroundings and when the time comes, I'm sure they'll do me proud.

I've had visitors from far and wide, such as East Coast USA (yes, seriously - someone flew in especially to see me - thanks Matt), Elgin and London so far. I feel incredibly blessed and although this is a hideous time, it's actually been wonderful and inspiring as well.

Since we've always been upfront on this blog, it has been a week of difficult decisions. We've met with solicitors, financial advisors and former colleagues. As anyone who knows me would expect, my affairs are now officially in order and this makes me feel incredibly reassured, as grim as this may sound. If there's one bit of advice I can share with you from this financial and legal experience, it is to get everything in order before you die so that you can enjoy time with the ones that mean the most to you.

If I've not replied to any of your messages, correspondence or gifts, it certainly doesn't mean they're not extremely precious to me. Dean is taking care of responding for me where time allows otherwise it would take me about 16 years to type a text.

Thank you all.

Amanda (typed by Dean).