Well - I'm still doing fine. My latest exploit was a sponsored cycle ride ( for Cancer Research...) from Whitehaven to Tynemouth - 150 miles in 3 days! Wet and cold and windy - but a real achievement and some great lads to ride with.
Think I'll have a bit of a sleep now... :-)
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
Great North Bike Ride!
Hi
Just to let you know I'm still doing well. I completed a 60 mile sponsored bike yesterday!
Just to let you know I'm still doing well. I completed a 60 mile sponsored bike yesterday!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Hospital
I had a brief stay in hospital over the weekend with suspected appendicitis!
I'm out now, having narrowly avoided surgery due to :
* their unwillingness to operate on someone with my medical history unless they really needed to
* morphine ;;))
* and a promise to rest for a few days and take all of my antibiotics...
One positive thing to come out of it was that they also checked my CEA markers and they're still normal.
I'm out now, having narrowly avoided surgery due to :
* their unwillingness to operate on someone with my medical history unless they really needed to
* morphine ;;))
* and a promise to rest for a few days and take all of my antibiotics...
One positive thing to come out of it was that they also checked my CEA markers and they're still normal.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Fifty!
It's good to feel that I only have to report in here occasionally now.
So - I made it to fifty! Many of us don't - I never forget that.
Lekhayim!
So - I made it to fifty! Many of us don't - I never forget that.
Lekhayim!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 08, 2008
Weird Scenes Inside...
Today is the third anniversary of me being told I had bowel cancer. I'm holding the original CT scan.
I might not have thought about it specifically today had I not also got a letter in the post from my consultant confirming that my latest test scores are all completely normal!
I might not have thought about it specifically today had I not also got a letter in the post from my consultant confirming that my latest test scores are all completely normal!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Check Up
I had my six monthly check up today - as you can see, I was a bit nervous beforehand...
But Mr Bain says he's "very pleased indeed" with my progress and will see me in a year's time for a colonoscopy..
*breathes sigh of relief*
But Mr Bain says he's "very pleased indeed" with my progress and will see me in a year's time for a colonoscopy..
*breathes sigh of relief*
Sunday, October 26, 2008
The Red Bicycle
Seeing as running seems to be out due to my foot problem, I've decided to take up cycling to get fit!
Still doing well - next hospital check up in November.
Still doing well - next hospital check up in November.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Ouch!
I went for a run earlier this week and it's caused the resurgence of my swollen toe. It was agony in the night. I went to the doc this morning and he says it's gout.
I'm not really surprised - I've had it in the past ( but not for a few years) and my brother gets it.
I'm not really surprised - I've had it in the past ( but not for a few years) and my brother gets it.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Doing Well
Just a quick post to let those of you who don't follow my Self Portrait Project that I'm doing well. Just back from a week in the Lake District.
This is me and Alfie at the top of Skiddaw - all 3053 feet of it!
This is me and Alfie at the top of Skiddaw - all 3053 feet of it!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Leroy Sievers
Throughout the course of my illness, Leroy's blog was one of the things I often turned to.
Today came the news that he'd died.
I shall miss the humour and warmth of his daily posts.
Today came the news that he'd died.
I shall miss the humour and warmth of his daily posts.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Getting Fit Again
This morning I completed my first 10k Run since before I was ill.
I was so pleased just to have finished.
I was so pleased just to have finished.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Back to the Wall
In late 2005 I was involved in an amazing flickr project, the Flickrwall in Newcastle. (You can see my contribution here.)
It was also the time that I discovered I had cancer and so I always associate it with a lifechanging time. I also met some great people who I'm pleased to still call friends.
Some young film-makers from Northern Stars got in touch with some us recently as they're doing a video about the wall and the people who were involved in it.
After they had finished the interview, they were kind enough to be in today's SP.
( This being-interviewed thing is getting to be a habit...)
It was also the time that I discovered I had cancer and so I always associate it with a lifechanging time. I also met some great people who I'm pleased to still call friends.
Some young film-makers from Northern Stars got in touch with some us recently as they're doing a video about the wall and the people who were involved in it.
After they had finished the interview, they were kind enough to be in today's SP.
( This being-interviewed thing is getting to be a habit...)
Monday, June 30, 2008
Happy Birthday Mum!
Mum would have been 70 this weekend.
We got all her friends together and gave her the party she would have wanted with entertainment from Fred Wedlock. Although we missed her, it was a great day.
We got all her friends together and gave her the party she would have wanted with entertainment from Fred Wedlock. Although we missed her, it was a great day.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Result
This is special.
It took no time to do it - but he knows that two years out, it matters.
Thank you Mr B.
It took no time to do it - but he knows that two years out, it matters.
Thank you Mr B.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Post - Cancer Tiredness
Interesting article here.
I've always thought how lucky I was to be working from home when I went back to work after my surgery and how exhausted I was during chemotherapy. I don't know where I'd have been without my naps!
Not sure what the excuse is now ;)
I've always thought how lucky I was to be working from home when I went back to work after my surgery and how exhausted I was during chemotherapy. I don't know where I'd have been without my naps!
Not sure what the excuse is now ;)
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Check Up
Today I had to go for my 6 monthly check up and blood tests. No wonder I look a bit nervous!
Mr Bain says he's very pleased with my progress and all my test results are "boringly normal"..
Phew.
Mr Bain says he's very pleased with my progress and all my test results are "boringly normal"..
Phew.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Sunny Sunday
I've been working from home for the last week and it's coincided with some lovely weather. It's meant a chance to get out into the backyard of the new house and get it sorted . Rather a lot of boxes inside still though :)
Have started the gym regularly now and already starting to feel the benefits - just really in a sense of well-being.
Hope I can carry that through into next week when I have to be away with work!
Have started the gym regularly now and already starting to feel the benefits - just really in a sense of well-being.
Hope I can carry that through into next week when I have to be away with work!
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Blood Pressure Update
I know that a few people were concerned about my last posting about my blood pressure.
I went to see the doctor this week for a medical for health insurance and so of course my BP was checked then. Even doing Best of Three for me, it was still quite high - but lower than it had been at the gym. But he checked things like intraocular pressure and resting heart rate and those are all fine. They took some blood to test as well.
Anyway he said he was fine to sign the form for me to start at the gym and said to get my BP checked there regularly. I'm to go back to the doc if it stays high.
I'm so pleased about the gym though - I really wanted to get started there and it would have been so depressing if I couldn't. And it must have a positive effect on my BP anyway, mustn't it?
As to the cause, well, all I can think of is the stress of moving, residual worry about getting the old house sold and work being quite tough at the moment. I'm certainly still eating sensibly most of the time and although I enjoy my glasses of wine in the evening, it's not excessive.
I might start up meditation again though - that should help.
I went to see the doctor this week for a medical for health insurance and so of course my BP was checked then. Even doing Best of Three for me, it was still quite high - but lower than it had been at the gym. But he checked things like intraocular pressure and resting heart rate and those are all fine. They took some blood to test as well.
Anyway he said he was fine to sign the form for me to start at the gym and said to get my BP checked there regularly. I'm to go back to the doc if it stays high.
I'm so pleased about the gym though - I really wanted to get started there and it would have been so depressing if I couldn't. And it must have a positive effect on my BP anyway, mustn't it?
As to the cause, well, all I can think of is the stress of moving, residual worry about getting the old house sold and work being quite tough at the moment. I'm certainly still eating sensibly most of the time and although I enjoy my glasses of wine in the evening, it's not excessive.
I might start up meditation again though - that should help.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Settling In
I'm just over a week in the new house now and I must say I'm really enjoying it! The house and I are taking some time to get to know each other before I make huge decisions about what goes where - but the basics are sorted: Kitchen. Bedroom. Internet. Office. Alfie. ( Alfie - after a fashion. We're having a huge battle about where he sleeps at the moment. He's winning...)
I joined a gym last weekend and went for my fitness assessment yesterday. The reassuring stuff was that I'm only about a stone over what I should be ( I thought it was a lot more than that) and my resting heart rate is good.
The downside was that my blood pressure is sky high! I'm really surprised by that. Throughout my illness, my BP always returned to a very normal normal no matter what they did to me. However, about a month ago the nurse at the surgery took my BP and it was up - but when I went last week, it was back to normal. Maybe it's just the stress of the move?
Anyway the upshot is that the gym say that I can't start my programme until I get a note from doctor saying it's OK. Something to get sorted this week.
I joined a gym last weekend and went for my fitness assessment yesterday. The reassuring stuff was that I'm only about a stone over what I should be ( I thought it was a lot more than that) and my resting heart rate is good.
The downside was that my blood pressure is sky high! I'm really surprised by that. Throughout my illness, my BP always returned to a very normal normal no matter what they did to me. However, about a month ago the nurse at the surgery took my BP and it was up - but when I went last week, it was back to normal. Maybe it's just the stress of the move?
Anyway the upshot is that the gym say that I can't start my programme until I get a note from doctor saying it's OK. Something to get sorted this week.
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