November 22, 2016
First things first I just want to thank everyone for the kind messages of support. Its very humbling and heartwarming to know I have the support of so many people. It would be mean to not update you after my last post. My folks and I visited UCLH yesterday and left feeling better about this situation than we did before. Firstly its a great hospital and the Macmillan Cancer Centre is very clean, modern and calming. Everything a hospital should be. It also provides care just for cancer patients, so its quiet. We checked into a hotel the night before and met a few mates for dinner. I then spent the evening looking up at tall buildings and shiny stuff. Annoyingly I had no appetite and felt restless so walking around was a welcome distraction. I always look forward to all the different foodie places when visiting usually.Continue Reading
July 21, 2016
I’ve been quiet on the blog front recently as there hasn’t been much to report on. I have a few health and fitness related posts I’ve started but they are waiting to be finished on a rainy day. Make hay while the sun is shining and all that. I am currently on a chemo week and I have one more course planed in 3 weeks. This consists of taking 6 tablets every morning and a short IV drip later in the day for 5 days. Ive been handling it really well but I still feel a bit groggy as it has an accumulated effect, and its been a tough slog this last 18 months. After the next round I have another scan and a decision is made on what direction to take. This is really frustrating and tough to live with. I keep moving forwards and try not to think about the future and just focus more on the present. Easier said than done of course. Continue Reading
June 21, 2016
This is just a quick update so I will keep it brief for once. I was supposed to have my scan last Thursday but due to a hospital cock up I had it yesterday and the news was worth waiting for. Everything has shrunk or remained stable! The tumour on my pancreas has shrunk so much it’s not visible on the scan anymore, the one on my liver has also shrunk and the tumours on my lungs have remained the same. I am still a little disheartened and frustrated about the lungs but at the same time I am so happy that everything I am doing is paying off and its moving in the right direction. The good news released so much pressure and I can breathe a lot easier till next time. Its satisfying and extremely relieving knowing all the energy I am putting into fighting this and everything I am doing is having a positive effect.Continue Reading
May 31, 2016
Its been a little while since my last update. In this case no news is good news. Ive been keeping myself busy between rounds and enjoying feeling somewhat myself again. Im a list person so I have finally been tackling the giant to do list thats been building up for over a year. Ive also been ticking off a few places I’ve always wanted to visit. The most recent being Rome! A great place but definitely not a relaxing weekend away with all the crowds, plus there is so much to see! Now, I’m not a religious person but I think we were the only people to ever walk through the Sistine Chapel and not realise that was it until we were at the exit and looked at the secret photos I took, due to the strict security. I don’t think I can get into trouble for admitting that here… After countless rooms with the most amazingly painted ceilings it was just another room with a painted ceiling and shoulder to shoulder crowds. St Peters and the Coliseum were definitely my favourite spots. It was a mission trying to keep to my diet as it seems all Italians somehow survive on a diet of pizza, pasta and gelato! But we found a quality little place called Ginger. Check them out if you’re ever there. They do fresh food to please everyone, plus loads of organic stuff. My mum is a Saint for putting up with me whilst I was hungry and walking miles through the hot and busy streets, following google maps on my phone looking for heathy restaurants. One of my flaws is I get seriously hangry. The Italian border control was very ‘relaxed’ and it was the first place that took my word for it that it was my shoulder setting off the alarms and not a bomb, and then just gave me the nod through the gate.
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