A Sign of Hope

Day 6 - A Sign of Hope, a photo by Menage a Moi on Flickr.

Happy New year! :-)

Day 342 - Year 6

Day 342 - Year 6, a photo by Menage a Moi on Flickr.

The sixth anniversary of my diagnosis. Thinking of those who weren't s lucky as me....

The Reports of My Demise....

No - this isn't me. It's a guy called Adrian Dewey who did the Vatternrundan with me over the summer. Adrian was the same age as me - and like me, was recovering from cancer. Unfortunately he had a recurrence of his Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in August and he died last week. My sympathies to his family - Adrian and I chatted on the ride a couple of times as we were amongst the oldest and slowest in our group! He was a nice guy. Cancer sucks.

The other upsetting thing that happened was that one of the other guys on the ride mistook Adrian for me ( you can see the resemblance) and thought I'd died! He wrote the following:

"He was a lovely bloke and was so overjoyed with his achievement that he was taking pictures left right and centre. I think we can say that he brought something to our lives, but am equally certain that we accompanied him on one of the absolute highlights of his life, too. So I guess we get a pat on the back for that... "

When I first read this I was furious that someone could be so crass and stupid (he has since apologised) but I also felt invaded in a way. Someone I hardly knew had chosen to do this assessment of me and my life. How dare he?!

I've calmed down a bit now and can accept that it was a mistake. But it has made me think about how I would want to be remembered. Hopefully this won't be for a long while and for something more than this....

Breakfast Show!

Day 255 - Breakfast Show!, a photo by Menage a Moi on Flickr.

Up early to do an interview on BBC Radio Tees about the latest Beating Bowel Cancer campaign. Thanks to reporter Katie Cole for agreeing to be in my SP :-)

Day 169 - Personal Best!

Day 169 - Personal Best!, a photo by Menage a Moi on Flickr.

And - some five and a half years after my diagnosis, I rode The Vatternrundan! :-)

Newspaper Cutting!

Newspaper Cutting! , a photo by Menage a Moi on Flickr.

:-)

Discharged!

So - almost 5 years to the day from my diagnosis, I went to the hospital today and got my Discharge Letter! Of course there will still be 3-yearly colonoscopies but that's only what any person over 50 should have.

And yes - I feel suddenly lighter.

Too many people to thank individually for their help, love and support over the last 5 years but I must mention three:

Mr Bain - my amazing, bluff bright tender and talented surgeon.

Jo - my dear dear friend who has been with me through all of this.

and

My mum Jean who sadly didn't live to see today - but I know somewhere she's smiling..

xxx