Great Weekend

I can't believe that all you mad people are reading this stuff, it's great to think that we've got so many friends. Alternatively of course you could just have too little to do! Seriously, you'll never know how much your support, prayers and thoughts mean to us. You are all BRILL!

Center Parcs was fantastic; we had a great villa with its own sauna, 4 bathrooms, 6 flat screen teles and a games room with a pool table and PS3. James thought he was in heaven. Sarah Hearn even made us a wonderful chocolate cake to take.

We did all the Center Parc stuff like swimming, ping-pong, ten pin bowling, roller skating. James and Chloe did laser shooting and quad bikes, Carys went to something called 'fabric fun' or 'fabric frenzy' or something! Either way she is now resplendently adorned with matching tee-shirt and bag. The grown-ups had a great afternoon in the 'Aqua Sauna' being steamed, bubbled and pummeled into submission. What was great was to have a few days where the big 'C' wasn't the only thing we were thinking about.

Health wise my swallowing is still OK but I am getting increasingly tired. I went to bed on Saturday at 7.00 p.m. and slept for 13 hours. I'm starting to get pain in the evenings, nothing that a hot water bottle and a couple of Ibuprofen doesn't get rid off but still uncomfortable. Other than that I've still got all my hair and last time I checked my toe nails were all in place. I'll let you know if things start to drop off and fall out!

I'm meeting a friend from Cliff College in Bedford tomorrow for coffee. Sue and I are both doing our Masters with Cliff and Manchester University in 'Leadership, Renewal & Mission'. Our dissertations have to be in by March 31st. Graduation is June 28th. Pray I make both dates!

In the afternoon we have to go and sort out wills and a power of attorney. If the worse should happen everything will be in order. It's a sobering thought but must be done. This is such a strange journey. You have to hold hope for a miracle alongside the most depressing of practicalities. I don't feel a conflict, the Kingdom of God was always full of paradoxes! We have a responsibility to prepare for the worse and believe for the best all at the same time.

For those who are praying please continue to give God an ear bashing on the cancer not spreading, the chemo side effects being copeable with and me being healed. I'd even settle for longer than the 18 months they seem to be giving me.

The intravenous chemo(Oxaliplatin)starts (on top of the tablets) on Wednesday. I'm worried about this one (I must admit).