Dear All,
Apologies about the delay between blog entries. No excuses apart from me being slack!
Based on my recent consultations, I am planning this entry to be my last at least for the time being. My last consultation (Monday 15th November) with Dr Nutting confirmed that the tumour was completely gone and that the two offending lymph nodes (which presented when the cancer was first diagnosed) had resumed normal activities. The result of the recent CT scan confirmed that no further treatment was required - all good and very welcome news.
There was a 20% chance I would need to have the two lymph nodes removed (supposedly a fairly straighforward surgical procedure - not sure there is such a thing!), however, thankfully the scan showed no abnormal activities and I was allowed to remain intact.
The recovery process continues, albeit slowly, with energy levels returning. My weight is still 10kgs below where I would like it to be, although it has been stable for a couple of months. I am planning to do something I have never done before which is to join a gym and to try and put on some weight in the right places (tough when you are over 50!). Time will tell if I get the desired results.
I still have some pesky ulcers in my mouth plus tingling toes and hands (result of the platinum in the chemo). All should return to normal in due course. No problems sleeping or eating most foods which is good. My taste buds are non existent although my sense of smell is normal. It can take up to 18 months (85% of people who have had similar treatment to me recover full saliva plus taste buds within 18 months) for taste and saliva to return to normal. I am involved in a saliva study at the hospital and even though they couldn't extract any from me on the 15th November, my parotid gland was actually producing some saliva which they were impressed with. I am hoping normal service resumes in the next few months. One bonus will be to be able to drink wine and to have a decent curry which I am unable to at present. I am able to drink the occassional guiness for some reason.
The day before my most recent consultation, I woke up with a very swollen neck which freaked Lucy and I as we automatically thought the cancer had returned. Thankfully, as I was standing in front of Lucy, the swelling in my neck literally drained away. Dr Nutting explained that radiotherapy constricts the lymph vessels which can cause fluid to accumulate and there was nothing to worry about - phew! It is comforting to note that what you are experiencing is all part of the process.
With Christmas looming into view at a frightening rate, life is busying up. We are disappearing to Chamonix for Christmas which will be a welcome break. Not sure how much skiing my body will be able to cope with, however, the plan is also to go to a few spas/thermal pools to help the recovery process. With life speeding up all the time, I am committed to increasing the amount of 'slow' time opportunities to enjoy with friends and family. This is especially important as Poppy our eldest daughter heads off to Uni next year.
I hope you all have a wonderful festive season and get to spend quality time with your loved ones, family and friends.
It just remains for me to say a huge thank you to all of you for the suport you have given me, Lucy and the girls throughout my illness. We could not have got through this period without the generous support of you all. We look forward to thanking you in person (including everyone residing outside the UK) over the coming months and years.
God bless you all.
With love and thanks.
Stephen, Lucy, Poppy, Ruby and Ella.
Monday, 29 November 2010
Thursday, 14 October 2010
8 weeks post treatment
G'day All,
Lucy and I went to see the consultant (Dr Nutting) on Wednesday 13th October for my two month review. After examining my mouth/tongue and then putting a camera down my throat (via my nose), Dr Nutting confirmed that my tongue had healed and that there was no sign of the tumour, praise the Lord!!!!!! Lucy and I shed tears of relief and joy.
I have to say I was not expecting to hear such definitive news at the consultation as it is still relative soon after treatment. It certainly made me feel better as I am suffering from some bug which has knocked me back the last week.
The next stage is for a scan of my neck (November 4th) to make sure that the nodes in my neck (which Dr Nutting expects to be fine) are not displaying cancerous tendencies. If they are, it is apparently a relatively straightforward procedure to have them whipped out. I am hoping and praying that I remain intact!
I will continue to have monthly check ups for the next few years and then more irregular check ups for the next three years. It is not easy to escape cancer as I am finding out.
A huge thank you to everyone who has prayed and supported Lucy, the girls and myself during this time. Please continue to pray for ongoing healing and peace. I don't know how we would have coped without the support network. It makes you realise how blessed we are. I pray for those people who have to face such ordeals on their own.
I would like to finish this entry with an excerpt from a book by Max Lucado titled 'In the eye of the storm'.
'Worship is when you are aware that what you have been given is far greater than what you can give. Worship is the thank you that refuses to be silenced. '
After yesterday, worship has definitely taken on new meaning to me.
God bless.
Stephen
Lucy and I went to see the consultant (Dr Nutting) on Wednesday 13th October for my two month review. After examining my mouth/tongue and then putting a camera down my throat (via my nose), Dr Nutting confirmed that my tongue had healed and that there was no sign of the tumour, praise the Lord!!!!!! Lucy and I shed tears of relief and joy.
I have to say I was not expecting to hear such definitive news at the consultation as it is still relative soon after treatment. It certainly made me feel better as I am suffering from some bug which has knocked me back the last week.
The next stage is for a scan of my neck (November 4th) to make sure that the nodes in my neck (which Dr Nutting expects to be fine) are not displaying cancerous tendencies. If they are, it is apparently a relatively straightforward procedure to have them whipped out. I am hoping and praying that I remain intact!
I will continue to have monthly check ups for the next few years and then more irregular check ups for the next three years. It is not easy to escape cancer as I am finding out.
A huge thank you to everyone who has prayed and supported Lucy, the girls and myself during this time. Please continue to pray for ongoing healing and peace. I don't know how we would have coped without the support network. It makes you realise how blessed we are. I pray for those people who have to face such ordeals on their own.
I would like to finish this entry with an excerpt from a book by Max Lucado titled 'In the eye of the storm'.
'Worship is when you are aware that what you have been given is far greater than what you can give. Worship is the thank you that refuses to be silenced. '
After yesterday, worship has definitely taken on new meaning to me.
God bless.
Stephen
Tuesday, 28 September 2010
Almost 6 weeks since Treatment Finished
Dear All,
Please forgive me for not updating my blog for 5 weeks. I have no idea where the time has gone.
The good news is that my strength, energy and concentration levels, together with my ability to speak without dribbling like a madman and without pain are all steadily improving. My diet is still mostly liquid, however, with the ulcers in my mouth retreating like the glaciers, I am moving to less liquid fare e.g. tonight's shepherd's pie which Lucy has been slaving over a hot stove to cook (under my supervision of course which has been driving her crazy).
Daily walks with the mutt/wolf are giving me some exercise albeit limited. I am keen to move onto more productive exercise when energy levels allow - hopefully in the next few weeks. This should also enable me to put back on the weight I have lost as a result of the treatment - circa 8 Kgs. My weight has stabilised (this impressed the docs for some reason at my last visit) and is gradually improving which is not a mean feat via a liquid diet.
In respect to the medical stuff, my next trip to the docs on 12th October (monthly visits now) should show how the tumour on my tongue has responded to the chemo and radio treatment. They did say that two months affter treatment is still early and they may not be able to obtain a definitive view due to the the area being still inflamed. They are planning to do a scan after three months (mid November) which should then give a clear assessment of the state of my tongue. Prayers much appreciated and needed going forward. So a very interesting month and a half ahead.
On the home front, the school year is in full swing with the girls at various stages in their secondary education. Poppy is in her final year and in the process of applying to various Universities to study Chemistry. Ruby is doing her GCSE's and is applying to various schools to do sixth form. Ella is busy in year 8. Lucy is busy looking after me and the girla which I have to say is more than full time!
Subject to my health/energy levels etc. I am planning to return to work at some point in October. I am very fortunate that a lot of my work can be done via the internet which means being able to work from home. Work have been great and continue to be very supportive.
Due to the ulcers in my mouth recovering, I have been able to catch up with friends and have had some much appreciated visits. Anyone wanting to visit is more than welcome.
That brings things more or less up to date. I will endeavour to update the blog sooner next time.
Stephen
Please forgive me for not updating my blog for 5 weeks. I have no idea where the time has gone.
The good news is that my strength, energy and concentration levels, together with my ability to speak without dribbling like a madman and without pain are all steadily improving. My diet is still mostly liquid, however, with the ulcers in my mouth retreating like the glaciers, I am moving to less liquid fare e.g. tonight's shepherd's pie which Lucy has been slaving over a hot stove to cook (under my supervision of course which has been driving her crazy).
Daily walks with the mutt/wolf are giving me some exercise albeit limited. I am keen to move onto more productive exercise when energy levels allow - hopefully in the next few weeks. This should also enable me to put back on the weight I have lost as a result of the treatment - circa 8 Kgs. My weight has stabilised (this impressed the docs for some reason at my last visit) and is gradually improving which is not a mean feat via a liquid diet.
In respect to the medical stuff, my next trip to the docs on 12th October (monthly visits now) should show how the tumour on my tongue has responded to the chemo and radio treatment. They did say that two months affter treatment is still early and they may not be able to obtain a definitive view due to the the area being still inflamed. They are planning to do a scan after three months (mid November) which should then give a clear assessment of the state of my tongue. Prayers much appreciated and needed going forward. So a very interesting month and a half ahead.
On the home front, the school year is in full swing with the girls at various stages in their secondary education. Poppy is in her final year and in the process of applying to various Universities to study Chemistry. Ruby is doing her GCSE's and is applying to various schools to do sixth form. Ella is busy in year 8. Lucy is busy looking after me and the girla which I have to say is more than full time!
Subject to my health/energy levels etc. I am planning to return to work at some point in October. I am very fortunate that a lot of my work can be done via the internet which means being able to work from home. Work have been great and continue to be very supportive.
Due to the ulcers in my mouth recovering, I have been able to catch up with friends and have had some much appreciated visits. Anyone wanting to visit is more than welcome.
That brings things more or less up to date. I will endeavour to update the blog sooner next time.
Stephen
Friday, 20 August 2010
Treatment Day 86
Greetings All from a warm and muggy Orchard Cottage.
Finally made it home after completing my Radiotherapy treatment (30 sessions over six weeks)on Wednesday 18th August. The last week had been pretty tough with my tongue ulcers and very sore throat making eating, sleeping, swalllowing and more or less everything else difficult. I have lost about 10KGs in the process so far, athough thanks to some stalwart cooking by Lucy and now sister Pippa who arrived from the US on Sunday, my weight has stabilised and I am now beginning the rebuilding process.
The fact that I am not being either poisoned or zapped on a daily basis had got to be good news for my body which, for a 50 something is holding together reasonably well. The skin on my neck has reacted to the RT by going bright red and blistering in a few places (normal apparently). Thankfully it is on the mend already following no more RT.
The big question of whether the treatment has kicked my cancer into touch cannot be answered unfortunately for a few months until my neck and throat area really settle down. I have little doubt that the tumour has been booted into kingdom come and thank you to everyone who continue to pray for just this result.
Being home makes such a difference to the healing process as I have said previously. Thanks to the generosity of Chris and Michaela, we were able to experience the next best thing (being in someone else's home!) over the last week and a half at 15 Caroline Terrace. Being 10 minutes from the hospital made daily treatment a breeze and the girls had a good taste of London living (and yep they want some more!). A huge thank you again.
So, I have no excuses but to get back to full strength in record time with two resident chefs (at least for the next week) and a team of masseurs and E45 applicators. I have to say I have never felt so weak and lacking in energy before which has come as a bit of a shock. It means the recovery process is likely to be longer than I would like but hey ho, one day at a time is a good pace to go with at the moment.
I hope everyone in the Northern Hemisphere is having a fab summer (UK August has been awful - June July were warm and very dry) and that everyone in the Southern Hemisphere is getting some good turns in at every opportunity.
Love and best wishes to you all.
God bless.
Stephen
Finally made it home after completing my Radiotherapy treatment (30 sessions over six weeks)on Wednesday 18th August. The last week had been pretty tough with my tongue ulcers and very sore throat making eating, sleeping, swalllowing and more or less everything else difficult. I have lost about 10KGs in the process so far, athough thanks to some stalwart cooking by Lucy and now sister Pippa who arrived from the US on Sunday, my weight has stabilised and I am now beginning the rebuilding process.
The fact that I am not being either poisoned or zapped on a daily basis had got to be good news for my body which, for a 50 something is holding together reasonably well. The skin on my neck has reacted to the RT by going bright red and blistering in a few places (normal apparently). Thankfully it is on the mend already following no more RT.
The big question of whether the treatment has kicked my cancer into touch cannot be answered unfortunately for a few months until my neck and throat area really settle down. I have little doubt that the tumour has been booted into kingdom come and thank you to everyone who continue to pray for just this result.
Being home makes such a difference to the healing process as I have said previously. Thanks to the generosity of Chris and Michaela, we were able to experience the next best thing (being in someone else's home!) over the last week and a half at 15 Caroline Terrace. Being 10 minutes from the hospital made daily treatment a breeze and the girls had a good taste of London living (and yep they want some more!). A huge thank you again.
So, I have no excuses but to get back to full strength in record time with two resident chefs (at least for the next week) and a team of masseurs and E45 applicators. I have to say I have never felt so weak and lacking in energy before which has come as a bit of a shock. It means the recovery process is likely to be longer than I would like but hey ho, one day at a time is a good pace to go with at the moment.
I hope everyone in the Northern Hemisphere is having a fab summer (UK August has been awful - June July were warm and very dry) and that everyone in the Southern Hemisphere is getting some good turns in at every opportunity.
Love and best wishes to you all.
God bless.
Stephen
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Treatment Day 63
G'day all from the Riverside Apartments in Wandsworth/Putney. With many thanks to Pam, we are staying at a fabulous apartment on the river about 3 miles from the Royal Marsden which makes the daily trips to RM very much easier than the daily commute from Silverstone. We will be here until Friday 6th August.
The last three weeks of Radiotherapy are having their effect. My neck is bright red. My energy levels are very low. The hair on the back of my head/neck region is falling out and my mouth and throat are very sore, all apparently par for the course. Eating is becoming challenging as my taste buds and appetite are non existent.
I have now completed half the Radiotherapy treatments - 15 to go! I also have one more round of chemo to go - 5th August, overnight.
The doctors seem happy enough with my progress. They can't, however, say whether the treatment is working or not so all prayers are welcome. It will not be until Christmas before they can confirm that the tumour/cancer has been kicked into touch. In the meantime, I am focusing on completing the treatment and recovering.
Lucy and the girls are enjoying the start of their London summer. Ella linked in with her Children Youth Board crowd on Tuesday in Whitehall, meeting three new ministers, while Ruby and Lucy braved Oxford Street. Poppy arrives home from Tanzania on Saturday and will come to London with us next week. Poppy has had a ball getting involved in various soil conservation projects as well as helping to paint a local hospital and also helping out at a local school. We are very much looking forward to seeing her and hearing about her adventures.
Thanks again to everyone assisting us in Silverstone and in London and for all your prayers - much appreciated.
All the best,
Stephen
The last three weeks of Radiotherapy are having their effect. My neck is bright red. My energy levels are very low. The hair on the back of my head/neck region is falling out and my mouth and throat are very sore, all apparently par for the course. Eating is becoming challenging as my taste buds and appetite are non existent.
I have now completed half the Radiotherapy treatments - 15 to go! I also have one more round of chemo to go - 5th August, overnight.
The doctors seem happy enough with my progress. They can't, however, say whether the treatment is working or not so all prayers are welcome. It will not be until Christmas before they can confirm that the tumour/cancer has been kicked into touch. In the meantime, I am focusing on completing the treatment and recovering.
Lucy and the girls are enjoying the start of their London summer. Ella linked in with her Children Youth Board crowd on Tuesday in Whitehall, meeting three new ministers, while Ruby and Lucy braved Oxford Street. Poppy arrives home from Tanzania on Saturday and will come to London with us next week. Poppy has had a ball getting involved in various soil conservation projects as well as helping to paint a local hospital and also helping out at a local school. We are very much looking forward to seeing her and hearing about her adventures.
Thanks again to everyone assisting us in Silverstone and in London and for all your prayers - much appreciated.
All the best,
Stephen
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Treatment Day 42
Greetings all from the Benjamin Britten room (no. 8) in the Markus Centre at the Royal Marsden on a very warm Thursday evening. Unfortunately the rooms do not have airconditioning - hey you can't have everything! I am just thankful that I have my own room for my second to last round of chemo - yippee!
The week on the Gower Peninsular was fab. The excellent weather enabled us to go swimming without wetsuits (including Ruby which is amazing in itself) late in the evening with loads of frisbeeing and cricket on the beach. We also went on lots of walks which went some way to burning off the huge amount of calories we were consuming. Ruby and Ella grew about an inch in height and I managed to put on 3 or 4 kilos - all good. We slipped into a brunch zone which was hard to break. This was always followed up by some serious arvo teas and then a full on evening meal.
By Thursday 1st of May when the weather changed we all felt like we had had a great holiday and were ready to return. We arrived home about 9:00 pm to find Bonzer and Raisin well and the house in good shape. A huge thank you to Amanda Aitchison for looking after Bonzer and Raisin and the house. We could not have gone away without Amanda's help.
The Gower Peninsular for anyone who has not been is well worth a visit as it is a special place. Fantastic beaches, varied countryside, moorland and excellent walks in a relatively small, easily accessable space. My favourite beaches were; Caswell Bay, Three Cliffs and Rhossili Bay (justifiably voted one of, if not the, best beach in the UK). My only tip would be to go outside summer school hoildays and bank holidays as the roads and parking for beaches can be a nightmare being so close to Swansea. The only other time we have been to the Gower was a hot May bank holiday and the place was heaving. We had a great week as it was in term time. The roads and beaches were deserted.
I now know why people are sent to convalesce by the sea. My recovery was certainly aided by being close to the sea. Air and water are both vital to our existence. I felt completely revitalised after a couple of days of being on the beach. Lucy commented that I had recovered faster this time than after the first round of chemo. Our view from the apartment helped as it felt you were right on the water at all times.
I have never seen so many stand up paddle boarders before. Lucy was so fascinated by them (they looked like Avatars in the distance) that she even wanted to have a go. Unfortunately we couldn't arrange it during our stay but we will definitely have a go next time. They are a fast and good way to travel (you don't get wet when you are good) in waters with small swells. Certainly worth a try.
We arrived home to see preparations for Silverbury 2010 in full swing. The construction team had put a huge amount of time and effort in during the week resulting in an incredible stage (see link below for photos). Everyone involved had been busy behind the scenes (apart from us!) making sure the event would go off without a hitch.
Friday dawned another glorius day and the final preparations were made. Gazebos and tents were erected. The stage was finished, complete with it's own pyramid to match the main pyramid stage at Glastonbury. A beautiful backdrop of a dove for the stage was put up courtesy of Nikki Chamberlain. Caravans were installed. Electric cabling was hooked up (no mean feet due to the length of run) and lights were mounted. Beer arrived and was tapped. The garage theatre was set up complete with satellite TV. The scene was set under one of the most incredible sunsets I have ever witnessed. All positive signs that Saturday would be a special day.
http://s631.photobucket.com/home/industrial_resolution/allalbums
Special it was indeed!!!! Everyone entered into the 'festival' spirit, even those people who did not camp got into the spirit praise the lord! Over 400 people attended the event with nearly half that number camping overnight. The weather was fab as were the musicians/bands who played from 2:00 pm until midnight (for free I might add - top job Phil Chamberlain on sorting the music out).
All ages attended and I have to say I have never been at a festival or an event with a better atmosphere, that includes Glastonbury. What made it so special was that everyone got into the spirit that was obviously there in abundance. The spirit was a combination of; love, peace (most of the time apart from the sax player at 2:00 am!), joy, kindness, generousness, gentleness, goodness, patience (waiting for the pig roast!) and self control (apart from the silhouette dancers!). I had to actually give the last of the beer away at the end of the night and we were still left with 10 litres of proper Somerset scrumpy - anyone having a party soon?
It was a real team effort with Silverstone talent (across all areas including; master builders, designers, tee-shirt makers, craft workers, pig roasters, electricians, artists, musicians, techies and the list goes on!) together with a few related helpers rising admirably to the challenge. Just goes to show what can be done when the spirit is willing and leading.
The festival service on Sunday morning (the good weather continued) was well attended by all ages and denominations. It was a great opportunity to offer thanks to God that the festival had gone so well (beyond everyone's expectations including mine) without any incident or problem. It was a truly memorable weekend.
Everyone has just about recovered! I went for a final cat scan on Tuesday before my radiotherapy treatment started today (Thursday 8th July). The scan showed the tumour had reduced in size considerably - praise the lord! The treatment is obviously working. I have also started taking Cherry Active (a concentrated anti oxidant) plus Resveratrol (immune system booster) which I am sure are also both helping. I feel excellent and am experiencing no symptoms apart from a little tiredness - I blame that on Silverbury!
The first of 30 radiotherapy sessions went off without a hitch today. I have been told to expect tougher times in the weeks ahead. I have full confidence in the team of doctors and nurses looking after me. I intend to take each day at a time and to stay as active and as positive as possible.
So that is about it for today. Silverstone is gearing up for the Grand Prix on the weekend - should be a fun weekend.
Bye for now and God bless.
Stephen
The week on the Gower Peninsular was fab. The excellent weather enabled us to go swimming without wetsuits (including Ruby which is amazing in itself) late in the evening with loads of frisbeeing and cricket on the beach. We also went on lots of walks which went some way to burning off the huge amount of calories we were consuming. Ruby and Ella grew about an inch in height and I managed to put on 3 or 4 kilos - all good. We slipped into a brunch zone which was hard to break. This was always followed up by some serious arvo teas and then a full on evening meal.
By Thursday 1st of May when the weather changed we all felt like we had had a great holiday and were ready to return. We arrived home about 9:00 pm to find Bonzer and Raisin well and the house in good shape. A huge thank you to Amanda Aitchison for looking after Bonzer and Raisin and the house. We could not have gone away without Amanda's help.
The Gower Peninsular for anyone who has not been is well worth a visit as it is a special place. Fantastic beaches, varied countryside, moorland and excellent walks in a relatively small, easily accessable space. My favourite beaches were; Caswell Bay, Three Cliffs and Rhossili Bay (justifiably voted one of, if not the, best beach in the UK). My only tip would be to go outside summer school hoildays and bank holidays as the roads and parking for beaches can be a nightmare being so close to Swansea. The only other time we have been to the Gower was a hot May bank holiday and the place was heaving. We had a great week as it was in term time. The roads and beaches were deserted.
I now know why people are sent to convalesce by the sea. My recovery was certainly aided by being close to the sea. Air and water are both vital to our existence. I felt completely revitalised after a couple of days of being on the beach. Lucy commented that I had recovered faster this time than after the first round of chemo. Our view from the apartment helped as it felt you were right on the water at all times.
I have never seen so many stand up paddle boarders before. Lucy was so fascinated by them (they looked like Avatars in the distance) that she even wanted to have a go. Unfortunately we couldn't arrange it during our stay but we will definitely have a go next time. They are a fast and good way to travel (you don't get wet when you are good) in waters with small swells. Certainly worth a try.
We arrived home to see preparations for Silverbury 2010 in full swing. The construction team had put a huge amount of time and effort in during the week resulting in an incredible stage (see link below for photos). Everyone involved had been busy behind the scenes (apart from us!) making sure the event would go off without a hitch.
Friday dawned another glorius day and the final preparations were made. Gazebos and tents were erected. The stage was finished, complete with it's own pyramid to match the main pyramid stage at Glastonbury. A beautiful backdrop of a dove for the stage was put up courtesy of Nikki Chamberlain. Caravans were installed. Electric cabling was hooked up (no mean feet due to the length of run) and lights were mounted. Beer arrived and was tapped. The garage theatre was set up complete with satellite TV. The scene was set under one of the most incredible sunsets I have ever witnessed. All positive signs that Saturday would be a special day.
http://s631.photobucket.com/home/industrial_resolution/allalbums
Special it was indeed!!!! Everyone entered into the 'festival' spirit, even those people who did not camp got into the spirit praise the lord! Over 400 people attended the event with nearly half that number camping overnight. The weather was fab as were the musicians/bands who played from 2:00 pm until midnight (for free I might add - top job Phil Chamberlain on sorting the music out).
All ages attended and I have to say I have never been at a festival or an event with a better atmosphere, that includes Glastonbury. What made it so special was that everyone got into the spirit that was obviously there in abundance. The spirit was a combination of; love, peace (most of the time apart from the sax player at 2:00 am!), joy, kindness, generousness, gentleness, goodness, patience (waiting for the pig roast!) and self control (apart from the silhouette dancers!). I had to actually give the last of the beer away at the end of the night and we were still left with 10 litres of proper Somerset scrumpy - anyone having a party soon?
It was a real team effort with Silverstone talent (across all areas including; master builders, designers, tee-shirt makers, craft workers, pig roasters, electricians, artists, musicians, techies and the list goes on!) together with a few related helpers rising admirably to the challenge. Just goes to show what can be done when the spirit is willing and leading.
The festival service on Sunday morning (the good weather continued) was well attended by all ages and denominations. It was a great opportunity to offer thanks to God that the festival had gone so well (beyond everyone's expectations including mine) without any incident or problem. It was a truly memorable weekend.
Everyone has just about recovered! I went for a final cat scan on Tuesday before my radiotherapy treatment started today (Thursday 8th July). The scan showed the tumour had reduced in size considerably - praise the lord! The treatment is obviously working. I have also started taking Cherry Active (a concentrated anti oxidant) plus Resveratrol (immune system booster) which I am sure are also both helping. I feel excellent and am experiencing no symptoms apart from a little tiredness - I blame that on Silverbury!
The first of 30 radiotherapy sessions went off without a hitch today. I have been told to expect tougher times in the weeks ahead. I have full confidence in the team of doctors and nurses looking after me. I intend to take each day at a time and to stay as active and as positive as possible.
So that is about it for today. Silverstone is gearing up for the Grand Prix on the weekend - should be a fun weekend.
Bye for now and God bless.
Stephen
Sunday, 27 June 2010
Treatment Day 31
Hi All,
Greetings from a fantastic beach on the Gower Pensinsula - Caswell Bay - photos will follow in due course. Temperature is pushing 30 degrees C (as it was 18 years ago at Orchard Cottage in Silverstone at Lucy's and my wedding!!!) with a light breeze and a small swell running to keep the swimmers/bodyboarders/skiffle boarders/paddle boarders etc interested. Our apartment overlooks the beach and the waves send us to sleep at night - location couldn't be better.
We had a beautiful coastal path walk to neighbouring Langlands Bay for brunch this morning at a very nice contemporary brasserie (thank the good lord that someone has sorted some decent seaside catering out -not that prevalent in this country). Spotted two seals close in on the way back. Lucy and I are returning there this evening for fresh local lobster on the terrace (can't say that often in wales!!!) to celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary. Kids are getting left over some lovely shepherds pie for dinner (thank you by the way whoever made it!).
My recovery from last chemo session (left hospital on Tuesday) is continuing - am now at about 80%. No need for anti sickness medication and my energy levels are improving.
Am going to need to be at full strength for Silverbury 2010 next weekend as the event is gathering momentum. Anyone reading the blog wishing to attend Silverbury 2010 please contact Lucy or myself asap as names need to be put on the guest list. It should be fab.
Just a short note today as the beach is calling .....
All the best.
Stephen
Greetings from a fantastic beach on the Gower Pensinsula - Caswell Bay - photos will follow in due course. Temperature is pushing 30 degrees C (as it was 18 years ago at Orchard Cottage in Silverstone at Lucy's and my wedding!!!) with a light breeze and a small swell running to keep the swimmers/bodyboarders/skiffle boarders/paddle boarders etc interested. Our apartment overlooks the beach and the waves send us to sleep at night - location couldn't be better.
We had a beautiful coastal path walk to neighbouring Langlands Bay for brunch this morning at a very nice contemporary brasserie (thank the good lord that someone has sorted some decent seaside catering out -not that prevalent in this country). Spotted two seals close in on the way back. Lucy and I are returning there this evening for fresh local lobster on the terrace (can't say that often in wales!!!) to celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary. Kids are getting left over some lovely shepherds pie for dinner (thank you by the way whoever made it!).
My recovery from last chemo session (left hospital on Tuesday) is continuing - am now at about 80%. No need for anti sickness medication and my energy levels are improving.
Am going to need to be at full strength for Silverbury 2010 next weekend as the event is gathering momentum. Anyone reading the blog wishing to attend Silverbury 2010 please contact Lucy or myself asap as names need to be put on the guest list. It should be fab.
Just a short note today as the beach is calling .....
All the best.
Stephen
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
