The Opel and the MINIs

In recent times I have pondered much on looking for the positive in life and in truth you can turn most things into a positive if you try hard enough. Take my situation where I have been battling the Big C, yes it's not fun but for instance now when the postman drops our letters on the mat am I worrying about what bill has turned up now? No, I don't care, it isn't worth the myther of  even a small worry because now I have far more fun wondering which hospital appointment will turn up next!

Well today we got some bumph from the World Wild Life Fund because (if I have this right) Peanut is currently saving some rather cute polar bear in some remote part of the world only ever reached by Biggles. We also got Hotel Chocolat's "Let's fall in LOVE..." brochure with their Valentine and Easter collections inside. This looks promising. Now when I were a lad back in the day when putting a man on the moon was still a dream, Easter eggs had the chocolates inside them. Where they should be! But now? Oh no, now they are sanitised in some sealed pack next to an empty egg and are so boring that kids are going to want a Playstation for Easter instead of a good old Easter Egg. However, page 40 of their brochure suggests that the choccies are back where they belong - inside the Egg! Well done hotel Chocolat!

Only one envelope left and no bills so far. Well guess what still no bills! Three letters and not a single bill! Mind you the third letter  was my next CT scan appointment - 6th February! So there you have it a very definite positive - even when I don't even worry about bills in the post, none came anyway!

On the 21/2 I have a Council of War with my Bowel General, so I guess that is the big day as then I will know if a new war front will be opening in the fight against the Big C or if we will carry on for a while longer with this Phoney War!

That's all for now! Take care and snog the one you love!

31/12/2011.  As the year draws to a close  I felt that I wanted to add to The Life Blog and have a quick look back and a look to the future that awaits.

I started the year well into a three month session of chemotherapy, the effects of which I still feel today with numbness in my toes and fingers that are quick to cramp in the cold. My battle against the Big C was very much at the fore of my mind as I underwent that treatment. January then arrived and quickly turned sad with the death of a friend Andy Venn  on the 10th after along battle against Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Many of you will know that Andy was the partner of our good friend Elliot and as the anniversary of his death looms, I grieve for Andy and the pain Elliott still feels. Be brave today Elliott, be brave in January Elliott, there is a world out there that loves you.

February started well with a new arrival in our house, our second cat Alfie who we got from the Worcester Animal Rescue centre. Along with our other bundle of mischief Ola, Alfie brightens our days no end.

March saw me reach the milestone of 51 years young and also finish my chemotherapy.

May and I was in hospital for a week for the big operation on my liver to remove the tumours. Busy month then!

Next stop a clear scan and I got confirmation of that on August the 9th! Since then my life blog has gone a tad quiet as I have been busy trying to pack a bit of fun into our lives, first with a holiday in September and just recently with a week's holiday in the South of France over Christmas. All good fun, I have to say. As I look back on this year, it has certainly had a few battles in it but in truth I am here at the end of it to tell the tale and I think, you know for me it wasn't such a bad old year, many will have had worse.

My battle though is not over yet and February will see me have another scan to see if things are all clear. I have appointments with all of my consultants lined up, Generals Bowel and Liver in February and March and my Chemo Gurru in April. I wonder if they are gathering like storm clouds waiting, waiting... hmmmm I hope not.

As I look ahead do I dare to dream? Well I have mapped out some plans, some holidays, some adventures as i think you have to. Toys too, I can dream about, watches such as the Breitling Aerospace and the Bell and Ross Vintage Heritage, cars such as a Porsche cayman S, or a MINI Coupe JCW, or a MINI Countryman JCW, technology too such as a sexy new iMac and of course my NVG glasses for all those adventures in the dark that I could have with my Breitling Aerospace. But all these things are the stuff of small dreams, what I realyy hope for next year, what I really really want is two clear scans, then I can spend my life doing what I love best, journeying side by side with Lady Peanut.

We ended our year with the sun shining as we walked the lovely coastline near Cap Lardier in the south of France on Christmas Day - Peanut's birthday. May the sun shine on your year ahead. Best wishes to you all for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! xxx

30th September 2012. I have been very quiet indeed on the blogging front and basically it has been no news is good news.

However, today I went back to the Queen Elizabeth hospital to see the liver consultant who basically confirmed that my last scan was clear! Moving forward they will scan me every 6 months  and hopefully the scans will stay clear. My next scan is to be in February with a consultation in March and then after that a scan in  August, providing all remains well with the February scan. Blood samples were taken again today which allow them to test for an indication of a carcogenic presence, so if this were to give a high reading they might scan again sooner but other than that - next scan February.

Meanwhile we grabbed a superb holiday in the South of France late August early September, which for me was simply superb. I guess in the past it has been all too easy to take good things for granted but not any more and perhaps for this reason, I found it a really lovely and relaxing break. As we go to the South of France for most of our holidays, I don't feel the urge to visit lots of places as we have done most of the touristy things, so now I am finding it so relaxing and am content to spend more time on the beach and at the pool reading, swimming and walking.

This holiday finally got me back to full fitness after my last operation and with all the walking and swimming my fat tum has at last disappeared and in truth I have come back from holiday looking disgustingly well for a man who has battled the Big C like i have this last 18 months.

Christmas in St Tropez is now booked and slowly a social life is now taking shape once more with lots of things on the calendar to look forward to. We have booked holidays for next year which will allow us to go to The Monaco Historiacl Grand Prix in May, the Le Mans Classic in July and Florence in September so these scans better keep on being positive.

Anyway byeee for now, smile and love life!

On Tuesday I got the good news phone call that my scan, post my liver resection, was all clear. Today, I got it in writing!

Just an ordinary life, going to an ordinary job and hopefully remote from the terrible riotings that we are witnessing in our cities just now.

Today though was a little different. Major Peanut has been at home today because she is on shift tonight, so she e-mailed General Liver's secretary to ask if there was any news on my recent CT scan as we did not want to be worrying about this for longer than needed. I knew nothing of this, as Peanut didn't want to worry me with it. However, twenty minutes after sending the e-mail, General Liver's secretary rang me on my iPhone at work and told me that the scan was clear and that I would get a letter to this effect shortly and that  the General would go through the results with me more thoroughly at my consultation at the end of September. Wow result!

When I got the call I was in a large stock room on my own and I hadn't quite realised how much I had been keeping a grip on myself but I found myself crying with joy! I pulled myself together and rang Peanut and told her the good news too! then I went into the main office where I work and told  Anne my boss who gave me a big hug as did all the girls who quickly gathered round and I found myself bubbling up again!

This battle made me cry once, right at the start when I first heard the bad news but today was different. Today the tears were of joy and boy they are even better than Cantona's winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup final!

The war isn't done yet, these scans will be a regular part of my life now but this first one after the operation was a biggie and it means a lot that it was clear!

Anyway have a great day and if it isn't the best day, well have a smile for me and make it cheer you up  because I am one happy bunny!

This week has been a very hard week at work, relieved only by a hospital appointment on Tuesday morning when I went back to Worcester Royal Hospital to see General Bowel for a consultation, which was arranged almost a year ago. For me the biggest significance is that at the time it was made, I remember thinking something along the lines of, "Oh well that's good he clearly thinks I will still be alive in a year then." Well blimey how quickly that year has gone by!

The consultation  was a formality in truth as I had just had a CT scan done, so the consultant arranged to be given a copy of the results when they come through and he arranged to see me in another six months. The only other thing of significance to the appointment was that it is the first one I have been to without Major Peanut since all this malarkey kicked off.  Major Peanut woke feeling extremely dizzy and had to have a Doctor out to see her. She is much better now but had to have a few days off work as she felt lousy and I am sure all her fretting and worrying over me has been catching up with her of late. I hope therefore, that nothing comes along to stop us holidaying at the end of the month, as Lady P for one most definitely deserves it!

I said in my last blog how waiting for the results is a worry and it really is. It lingers hanging over every hope and plan. Still at least we have hopes and plans to get on with and certainly being so busy at work certainly reeks of a very normal life!

Talking of living a normal life and doing normal things, yesterday we had a fun day out visiting Goodrich Castle  close to the banks of the River Wye, with our pals StarGirl and Dealmaker. The castle is owned by English Heritage, so it comes with a decent cafe and gift shop and a super little audio guide which is included in the entry fee. I really like the audio guide as without it, I could be in, round the castle and out again in about five minutes!  However, with it I come away actually knowing a bit of the history of the castle. Anyway you can check out the web site here if you fancy a trip there yourself. If you click on the photos in this blog, you can see a little slideshow of some of our photos from the day. Sad to think that it has been a ruin since 1646!

Apart from Goodrich life is pretty quiet and ordinary here ... er just how we like it. Take care and say hello soon!