G'day All,
19 hours and 54 minutes of round 1 to go - not that I am counting! All things being equal, I should be on my way home by 10:am on Tuesday 1st June.
The following link always blows me away, I hope it inspires you like it does me. Mike Parsons rode this monster in the first ever tow in competition in Hawaii. What the clip doesn't show is that he nearly died in the previous wave. The other finalist had just rode his last wave (of 3) which was the biggest wave of the day (before this monster) and had posted a 9 1/2 (I think) score. MP had one more wave and he needed to score a perfect 10 to win....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18_38LHTeDG
If for some reason the link does not work, type Billabong Odyssey (great film by the way) into google and the youtube link will come up.
I managed to do my first video Skype call with my sister Pip and hubby Dan in NY yesterday even though the built in mic on my laptop meant I had to have my face pressed against the screen. Very impressive nonetheless. I will sort out a proper microphone when I get home. Please let me know if you are on Skype and we can hook up.
Tea lady is thankfully on her way - very well trained staff!
The next blog will be from home. That sounds good to me.
Stephen
Sunday, 30 May 2010
Friday, 28 May 2010
Day 2 Treatment
Hi All,
Just a short update following my admission yesterday.
I had an excellent first night, managing to get some good sleep (no change there) inspite of the various chemo pack changes. Also managed to open a window behind my bed to get some fresh cool air - why are hospitals so hot? No side effects to report from the chemo (have had doses of both drugs being used in my treatment) thankfully - I think my hair is still there!
I forgot to mention that a bonus of the delay on Thursday in being admitted was that I was able to take part in a healing prayer session with some friends in Silverstone. The session left me feeling cleansed and even more at peace. Many thanks to Allan, Ruth, Ben and Olya (my late Mum's middle name by the way).
I want to share two scriptures that have given me (and are continuing to give me) huge comfort and strength.
Isaiah 46:4 - This was the first thing I read after being diagnosed.
Even to your old age and grey hairs I am he,
Who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
Isaiah 43:2 - This passage has particular relevance to the chemo (rivers/water) and the radiotherapy (fire) I will be undergoing.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And when you pass through the rivers,
They will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire ,
You will not be burned;
The flames will not set you abalze.
Time to start the Babylon 5 odysey!
Thanks again to you all.
Stephen
Just a short update following my admission yesterday.
I had an excellent first night, managing to get some good sleep (no change there) inspite of the various chemo pack changes. Also managed to open a window behind my bed to get some fresh cool air - why are hospitals so hot? No side effects to report from the chemo (have had doses of both drugs being used in my treatment) thankfully - I think my hair is still there!
I forgot to mention that a bonus of the delay on Thursday in being admitted was that I was able to take part in a healing prayer session with some friends in Silverstone. The session left me feeling cleansed and even more at peace. Many thanks to Allan, Ruth, Ben and Olya (my late Mum's middle name by the way).
I want to share two scriptures that have given me (and are continuing to give me) huge comfort and strength.
Isaiah 46:4 - This was the first thing I read after being diagnosed.
Even to your old age and grey hairs I am he,
Who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
Isaiah 43:2 - This passage has particular relevance to the chemo (rivers/water) and the radiotherapy (fire) I will be undergoing.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And when you pass through the rivers,
They will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire ,
You will not be burned;
The flames will not set you abalze.
Time to start the Babylon 5 odysey!
Thanks again to you all.
Stephen
Day 24 Post Diagnosis, Day 1 of Treatment
G'day All,
I am now installed at the Royal Marsden (Wilson Ward for the time being) and am about to start treatment in the next hour or so.
It has been a busy week! Two teeth (wisdom plus next one along on the bottom right) pulled on Tuesday at the Royal Marsden plus a kidney test (scored 110 whatever that means! Apparently 55 is not good) which went well. Taking my teeth out was a preventative step as the jaw does not respond well following radiotherapy. I have to say the extractions (like everything so far) went better than I could have hoped. My top jaw will not be affected.
I was supposed to be admitted for treatment on Thursday, however, due to an influx of patients and a lack of beds, I was sent home and asked to come in today. I was initially offered my own room with en suite on Thursday (Lucy and I both were more than surprised), only to have it requested back 20 minutes later due to the influx of female patients (women causing problems yet again!). Thankfully, life returned to normal on Friday as I was installed in a six person ward! I look forward to making some new friends.
Lucy and I have found a fabulous Turkish cafe next to the hospital on Fulham Rd which we have been lunching at. Great organic salads and houmous etc.. and home baked bread. Fresh juices and excellent cofffee. All visitors note, visit the cafe en route and surprise me! An Americano with a bit of hot milk on top plus a fresh carrot juice will do just fine.
Many thanks to everyone who has sent/bought/dropped off comedy DVDs, my collection is now very impressive. I promise all DVDs will be returned after my treatment and after the girls have no doubt passed their critical eyes over them. This could be a few months!
Just like owners look like their dogs or vice versa, people' s choices of comedy DVDs and CD's (thanks by the way Julian and David for the Steven Wright CD's - they are brilliant in the car, very surreal just like this whole process) offer interesting insights into character. I think I need to have some serious conversations with one or two of you when I get out of here!
I have also added some classics to the Mills library. These include; Kath & Kim Series 1 and 2 (still outrageous), Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights (pure brilliance), Marion & Geoff (bizare) and the complete (I mean complete, Bob) box set of Babylon 5 (every series, film, pilot episode and related shows). It will probably take me 6 months of concentrated viewing to get through the contents of the box set alone!
I can unfortunately confirm that hospital food is the same over the world. I wonder if that cafe is open 24 hours and whether they do ward deliveries?
Time to get fired up for the first round of chemo.
Love and best wishes to all.
Stephen XXXX
PS: Food parcels gratefully received!
I am now installed at the Royal Marsden (Wilson Ward for the time being) and am about to start treatment in the next hour or so.
It has been a busy week! Two teeth (wisdom plus next one along on the bottom right) pulled on Tuesday at the Royal Marsden plus a kidney test (scored 110 whatever that means! Apparently 55 is not good) which went well. Taking my teeth out was a preventative step as the jaw does not respond well following radiotherapy. I have to say the extractions (like everything so far) went better than I could have hoped. My top jaw will not be affected.
I was supposed to be admitted for treatment on Thursday, however, due to an influx of patients and a lack of beds, I was sent home and asked to come in today. I was initially offered my own room with en suite on Thursday (Lucy and I both were more than surprised), only to have it requested back 20 minutes later due to the influx of female patients (women causing problems yet again!). Thankfully, life returned to normal on Friday as I was installed in a six person ward! I look forward to making some new friends.
Lucy and I have found a fabulous Turkish cafe next to the hospital on Fulham Rd which we have been lunching at. Great organic salads and houmous etc.. and home baked bread. Fresh juices and excellent cofffee. All visitors note, visit the cafe en route and surprise me! An Americano with a bit of hot milk on top plus a fresh carrot juice will do just fine.
Many thanks to everyone who has sent/bought/dropped off comedy DVDs, my collection is now very impressive. I promise all DVDs will be returned after my treatment and after the girls have no doubt passed their critical eyes over them. This could be a few months!
Just like owners look like their dogs or vice versa, people' s choices of comedy DVDs and CD's (thanks by the way Julian and David for the Steven Wright CD's - they are brilliant in the car, very surreal just like this whole process) offer interesting insights into character. I think I need to have some serious conversations with one or two of you when I get out of here!
I have also added some classics to the Mills library. These include; Kath & Kim Series 1 and 2 (still outrageous), Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights (pure brilliance), Marion & Geoff (bizare) and the complete (I mean complete, Bob) box set of Babylon 5 (every series, film, pilot episode and related shows). It will probably take me 6 months of concentrated viewing to get through the contents of the box set alone!
I can unfortunately confirm that hospital food is the same over the world. I wonder if that cafe is open 24 hours and whether they do ward deliveries?
Time to get fired up for the first round of chemo.
Love and best wishes to all.
Stephen XXXX
PS: Food parcels gratefully received!
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
Day 15 Post Diagnosis
Dear All,
It has been a busy week. Started off recovering from a fantastic final 50th birthday bash put on for me by my work colleagues - still am flabergasted at the generosity and preparations that went into the evening - I am not worthy! Location started and finished at a penthouse suite at the Swiss Hotel overlooking the Thames (best view in London). In between we dined at the RAC Club in the Minstrels Gallery which was sublime. Not sure what time we finally hit the sack, however, breakfast on the terrace in the sunshine started the recovery process.
Pre chemo session at Northampton Hospital on Monday 17th May was pretty straightforward. The most memorable moment was when the nurse said that iI may lose some of my hair during chemotherapy. Apparently my hair could grow back not only a different colour but also straight - that could be very interesting! The plan was to go for 2 cycles of 3 week chemotherapy (two drugs used Cisplatin and 5-FU) and then 6 weeks of radiotherapy and chemo (Cisplatin only). All lined up to start Friday 28th May, subject to the second opinion at the Royal Marsden on Wednesday 19th May. PEG was to be inserted on 25th May.
Royal Marsden - Lucy and I went to the consultation praying for; clarity, guidance and confidence from the Doctors we had been referred to (Peter Clarke - ENT surgeon and Chris Nutting - oncologist chemo/rad specialist). Thankfully we received all of the above in abundance. This, combined with the work Chris Nutting has been doing over the last 10 years in the area of advanced radiotherapy and chemo, convinced Lucy and I that this was the right place to be. The Royal Mardsen uses IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy) whereas Northampton Hospital does not currently have this technology/capability - it is on the way. It is still a fairly brutal process, however, there is a better chance of coming out the other side with most functions intact.
The treatment will be as follows;
It has been a busy week. Started off recovering from a fantastic final 50th birthday bash put on for me by my work colleagues - still am flabergasted at the generosity and preparations that went into the evening - I am not worthy! Location started and finished at a penthouse suite at the Swiss Hotel overlooking the Thames (best view in London). In between we dined at the RAC Club in the Minstrels Gallery which was sublime. Not sure what time we finally hit the sack, however, breakfast on the terrace in the sunshine started the recovery process.
Pre chemo session at Northampton Hospital on Monday 17th May was pretty straightforward. The most memorable moment was when the nurse said that iI may lose some of my hair during chemotherapy. Apparently my hair could grow back not only a different colour but also straight - that could be very interesting! The plan was to go for 2 cycles of 3 week chemotherapy (two drugs used Cisplatin and 5-FU) and then 6 weeks of radiotherapy and chemo (Cisplatin only). All lined up to start Friday 28th May, subject to the second opinion at the Royal Marsden on Wednesday 19th May. PEG was to be inserted on 25th May.
Royal Marsden - Lucy and I went to the consultation praying for; clarity, guidance and confidence from the Doctors we had been referred to (Peter Clarke - ENT surgeon and Chris Nutting - oncologist chemo/rad specialist). Thankfully we received all of the above in abundance. This, combined with the work Chris Nutting has been doing over the last 10 years in the area of advanced radiotherapy and chemo, convinced Lucy and I that this was the right place to be. The Royal Mardsen uses IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy) whereas Northampton Hospital does not currently have this technology/capability - it is on the way. It is still a fairly brutal process, however, there is a better chance of coming out the other side with most functions intact.
The treatment will be as follows;
- 2 three week cycles of chemo (same as above) commencing on Thursday 27th May. No PEG required initially. They will wait to see how I cope with eating/drinking.
- 6 weeks of radiotherapy combined with chemo (instead of chemo delivered one day a week, it will be delivered over 2 days twice in the 6 week period).
Getting to and from London is going to be a pain (2 hours plus by car in peak hour) but we feel 100% confident with the medical team headed by Chris Nutting. We have already had some amazing offers of assistance from friends and family in London so hopefully the logistics will be sorted.
Thanks again to you all for your generous offers of support (physical and spiritual). They are all much appreciated.
Stephen
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Day 9 Post Diagnosis
G'day all.
Things are starting to move along. Confirmation of my appointment at the Royal Marsden came through today - scheduled for 19th May @ 10:00 am. Am praying that the treatment recommended concurs with the treatment that has already been discussed at Northampton General and can be delivered at Northampton General which will make it easier for all concerned.
Pre Chemo assessment goes ahead on 17th May at Northampton General. I have an appointment at Northampton General on Tuesday 25th May to have a PEG (Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy) inserted in my stomach (enables me to be fed if I am unable to swallow later in the treatment cycle). I will be staying overnight so prayers would be appreciated that the procedure is free of infection and goes without a hitch.
All things being well, my treatment is likely to start either in the last week of May or in the first week of June.
I have been working as normal (had the usual two days in the office on Monday and Tuesday this week) and will continue to do so. I have also begun to exercise again which has felt great. My ankle ligament has healed enough to allow me to jog. My shoulder is on the mend as well, albeit slowly. I did my ankle after the filming was done in the link below (I am in the red jacket), thankfully much further down the valley. It was worth it!
http://vimeo.com/10889972
I am determined to stay as positive and upbeat as I possibly can throughout my treatment and recovery. One way I am going to achieve this is to laugh a lot. To help me do this, I am assembling a library of comedy DVDs. Any contributions would be greatfully accepted. To give an idea of the kind of comedy I like, Kath & Kim, Peter Kay Phoenix Nights hit the spot. The Office and other cringe making comedies leave me cold, apart from Borat of course!
The support I have been receiving continues to be overwhelming on all fronts, many thanks again to you all.
Stephen
Things are starting to move along. Confirmation of my appointment at the Royal Marsden came through today - scheduled for 19th May @ 10:00 am. Am praying that the treatment recommended concurs with the treatment that has already been discussed at Northampton General and can be delivered at Northampton General which will make it easier for all concerned.
Pre Chemo assessment goes ahead on 17th May at Northampton General. I have an appointment at Northampton General on Tuesday 25th May to have a PEG (Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy) inserted in my stomach (enables me to be fed if I am unable to swallow later in the treatment cycle). I will be staying overnight so prayers would be appreciated that the procedure is free of infection and goes without a hitch.
All things being well, my treatment is likely to start either in the last week of May or in the first week of June.
I have been working as normal (had the usual two days in the office on Monday and Tuesday this week) and will continue to do so. I have also begun to exercise again which has felt great. My ankle ligament has healed enough to allow me to jog. My shoulder is on the mend as well, albeit slowly. I did my ankle after the filming was done in the link below (I am in the red jacket), thankfully much further down the valley. It was worth it!
http://vimeo.com/10889972
I am determined to stay as positive and upbeat as I possibly can throughout my treatment and recovery. One way I am going to achieve this is to laugh a lot. To help me do this, I am assembling a library of comedy DVDs. Any contributions would be greatfully accepted. To give an idea of the kind of comedy I like, Kath & Kim, Peter Kay Phoenix Nights hit the spot. The Office and other cringe making comedies leave me cold, apart from Borat of course!
The support I have been receiving continues to be overwhelming on all fronts, many thanks again to you all.
Stephen
Saturday, 8 May 2010
Saturday 8th May - 5 Days post diagnosis
Not a great deal of news to update.
I am currently waiting to hear about an appointment for a second opinion to confirm treatment protocols at the Royal Marsden (specialist cancer hospital in London). The ENT consultant (Peter Clarke) plus chemo-radio specialist (Chris Nutting) at the Royal Marsden are widely recognised in head/neck/throat cancers. I am hoping the second opinion will confirm which treatment option/schedule suits my particular cancer.
I have a pre chemo assessment scheduled at Northampton Hospital (Talbot Butler Ward) for the 17th May.
For the time being, I am in good form and am eating and sleeping well. Poppy and I are going to go for a run tomorrow which will be the first for sometime due to my skiing injuries (dodgy shoulder and ankle) which are thankfully on the mend.
Thanks to everyone for the huge amount of love, support, well wishes and prayers being directed towards me Lucy and the girls - all much appreciated and felt.
Stephen
Thursday, 6 May 2010
Day 3 Post Diagnosis
This is the first entry on my blog. The aim of the blog is to provide an update/log of my cancer treatment to friends and family. It should hopefully save me having to repeat the same information which is both very boring and tiring.
The official diagnosis of my cancer is Squamous Cell Carcinoma. The tumor (only one at this stage) is about the size of a walnut (3-4 centimetres) and is located at the base/back of my tongue. Two lymph nodes in my neck (right side only) are inflamed/swollen although not showing obvious signs of cancer at this stage. Apparently with this type of tumor, the lymph nodes do become cancerous.
The treatment (chemo plus radiotherapy) is curative in nature and aims to kill the cancer. The doctors have said there is a 50/50 chance of success.
I am currently waiting to hear about a date for a second opinion (from Royal Marsden). Am hoping treatment protocols will then be agreed to commence treatment in circa 3 weeks.
Still quite surreal as I am not suffering any effects from the tumor. No problem eating or sleeping although I have lost some weight which I hear is a common symptom.
Everyone has been amazing (includes the doctors, nurses etc. plus friends and family) which has been a huge help dealing with the initial shock. We are going to need all the support of friends and family to get through this, however, I am 100% confident that the final outcome will be positive and that I will be given a clean bill of health at the end of treatment. I have it on the highest authority that this is going to be the case.
I am feeling very upbeat about the tough road ahead and am at peace with the whole situation. To experience the incredible outpouring of love and support from everyone has been a very humbling experience - thank you all again.
All prayers and positive thoughts are welcome. Please contact either Ruth Tyson (01327 857065, r.tyson@arkdesigns.co.uk) or Ruth Chesney (01327 857735 ruthchesney@hotmail.co.uk) if you would like to join the prayer chain.
Stephen
The official diagnosis of my cancer is Squamous Cell Carcinoma. The tumor (only one at this stage) is about the size of a walnut (3-4 centimetres) and is located at the base/back of my tongue. Two lymph nodes in my neck (right side only) are inflamed/swollen although not showing obvious signs of cancer at this stage. Apparently with this type of tumor, the lymph nodes do become cancerous.
The treatment (chemo plus radiotherapy) is curative in nature and aims to kill the cancer. The doctors have said there is a 50/50 chance of success.
I am currently waiting to hear about a date for a second opinion (from Royal Marsden). Am hoping treatment protocols will then be agreed to commence treatment in circa 3 weeks.
Still quite surreal as I am not suffering any effects from the tumor. No problem eating or sleeping although I have lost some weight which I hear is a common symptom.
Everyone has been amazing (includes the doctors, nurses etc. plus friends and family) which has been a huge help dealing with the initial shock. We are going to need all the support of friends and family to get through this, however, I am 100% confident that the final outcome will be positive and that I will be given a clean bill of health at the end of treatment. I have it on the highest authority that this is going to be the case.
I am feeling very upbeat about the tough road ahead and am at peace with the whole situation. To experience the incredible outpouring of love and support from everyone has been a very humbling experience - thank you all again.
All prayers and positive thoughts are welcome. Please contact either Ruth Tyson (01327 857065, r.tyson@arkdesigns.co.uk) or Ruth Chesney (01327 857735 ruthchesney@hotmail.co.uk) if you would like to join the prayer chain.
Stephen
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
