My handsome son!
My wonderful wife!
Me and my besty mate Nick
SORRY - not blogged for so long and so much to tell! Promise to be a good blogger from now on - I keep being told off by my faithful public! Chemo side effects are now all over apart from being totally bald! All my hair fell out on day 14 of round #6, it fell out in great clumps so Teresa shaved my head - Kojak watch out! Teresa calls me Humpty Dumpty due to my hairless barnet. Florence Nightingale and Humpty Dumpty! Hair's falling out everywhere - and I mean everywhere though I have kept my eye-brows thankfully.
Round #6 was totally horrible and has left me with permanent nerve damage in my hands. Just as well there's no more to come, I couldn't stand it! The oncologist was going to put me on long-term chemo tablets but has decided against it. Tumours can become chemo resistant if they are 'over' treated and if he treats me now he'll have nothing in the tool kit should it come back. He is still thinking about a trial of anti-body therapy which is not yet approved for oesophagus cancer but doing well in some cases.
Next scan is in early January. To quote the doctor 'we'll scan your regularly and blitz anything that appears'. They remained concerned that the 'nodules' in my body cavity might grow into something nasty - hence a lifetime of scans.
I'm not the only patient in the family. My mum has just had her niece (sorry knee) replaced. She's been really brave and was only in hospital for 5 days and is now, officially, bionic!
Well I'm afraid that I nearly wasn't here to blog tonight; I had a crash last night that actually led to a Scottish motorway being closed. I was driving from Dunfirmline to Glasgow on the M875 (I think) doing 70 in the slow lane in the dark and wet when I stumbled across an 'old fart' doing 30 (yes 30 - by his own admittance) in the slow lane. I saw him just in time, swerved into the fast lane but then lost control, spun 360 degrees (3 times!) and ended up with my back end in the crash barrier facing the wrong way up the motorway. Saw my life flash before my eyes (again). Managed to clip the other guy during a spin so totaled the front and back of the hire car I was in. Had to be 'recovered' on the back of a AA truck with the police closing the motorways as they dragged the car round to face the right way. The guy I hit was lovely we both agreed that cars do not matter as long as we were both OK - which we were - they are only tin boxes and in this case Europcar's tin box; it was only a Vauxhall Zafira after all! I'm pleased to say apart from a stiff back no one was hurt. Also, I paid for the extra insurance (don't normally) so don't even have to pay the excess. Had to take the car back to the airport this morning (sheepishly) courtesy of the AA again; even caught my flight back to Luton.
Fantastic news! Teresa has just been declared as Bedfordshire Business Women Of The Year 2008 (Franchise Sector) - the other award for the self-employed went to Suzy Goodson our great friend and accountant from Wootton New Life Church. Two award winners in one church; amazing eh? I am so proud of her, she has built the business, looked after me, been promoted to UK franchise support manager for Kip McGrath and raised £13,000 for Cancer Research UK!
Got some more good news - James Fokkens (our daughter Amy's husband) has got a job after just one interview. He's going to be deputy manager of Nandos in Stevanage and starts his training on Monday. Well done James! Amy and James are enjoying their new church Milton Keynes Christian Centre (Assemblies of God), a real Hillsong home from home.
Amy and James F are enjoying married life, James Redfern, Carys and Chloe are all well and we are starting to get excited about Christmas and a trip to the cottage in France for New Year.
Well I'll sign off now - bed beckons.
Thanks for reading
Luv
Dave
Round #6 was totally horrible and has left me with permanent nerve damage in my hands. Just as well there's no more to come, I couldn't stand it! The oncologist was going to put me on long-term chemo tablets but has decided against it. Tumours can become chemo resistant if they are 'over' treated and if he treats me now he'll have nothing in the tool kit should it come back. He is still thinking about a trial of anti-body therapy which is not yet approved for oesophagus cancer but doing well in some cases.
Next scan is in early January. To quote the doctor 'we'll scan your regularly and blitz anything that appears'. They remained concerned that the 'nodules' in my body cavity might grow into something nasty - hence a lifetime of scans.
I'm not the only patient in the family. My mum has just had her niece (sorry knee) replaced. She's been really brave and was only in hospital for 5 days and is now, officially, bionic!
Well I'm afraid that I nearly wasn't here to blog tonight; I had a crash last night that actually led to a Scottish motorway being closed. I was driving from Dunfirmline to Glasgow on the M875 (I think) doing 70 in the slow lane in the dark and wet when I stumbled across an 'old fart' doing 30 (yes 30 - by his own admittance) in the slow lane. I saw him just in time, swerved into the fast lane but then lost control, spun 360 degrees (3 times!) and ended up with my back end in the crash barrier facing the wrong way up the motorway. Saw my life flash before my eyes (again). Managed to clip the other guy during a spin so totaled the front and back of the hire car I was in. Had to be 'recovered' on the back of a AA truck with the police closing the motorways as they dragged the car round to face the right way. The guy I hit was lovely we both agreed that cars do not matter as long as we were both OK - which we were - they are only tin boxes and in this case Europcar's tin box; it was only a Vauxhall Zafira after all! I'm pleased to say apart from a stiff back no one was hurt. Also, I paid for the extra insurance (don't normally) so don't even have to pay the excess. Had to take the car back to the airport this morning (sheepishly) courtesy of the AA again; even caught my flight back to Luton.
Fantastic news! Teresa has just been declared as Bedfordshire Business Women Of The Year 2008 (Franchise Sector) - the other award for the self-employed went to Suzy Goodson our great friend and accountant from Wootton New Life Church. Two award winners in one church; amazing eh? I am so proud of her, she has built the business, looked after me, been promoted to UK franchise support manager for Kip McGrath and raised £13,000 for Cancer Research UK!
Got some more good news - James Fokkens (our daughter Amy's husband) has got a job after just one interview. He's going to be deputy manager of Nandos in Stevanage and starts his training on Monday. Well done James! Amy and James are enjoying their new church Milton Keynes Christian Centre (Assemblies of God), a real Hillsong home from home.
Amy and James F are enjoying married life, James Redfern, Carys and Chloe are all well and we are starting to get excited about Christmas and a trip to the cottage in France for New Year.
Well I'll sign off now - bed beckons.
Thanks for reading
Luv
Dave
4 comments:
Hi Chloe,
Hope you are well.
The new pony is settling in really well.
Bet life is really hectic with you, all the Christmas "stuff" going on. A bit manic here.....kids party tomorrow, for all the village children,football for Jacob, dogs, horses, nativity concert for school, and all the services on top! What a celebration!!!!!
Please give Dovid our love, if he stops still long enough.
Tell him he set Lid on fire last Sunday.
Great that you have taken over his blog.............!
Every blessing to you all,
Sianaroonie.
Get the HINT Dovid?????
Sian!!
=) could you email me with you email address and house address because I've a Christmas Card for you.
Love always
Chloe
I did chase Mr Dovid up with is blogging! Last night we were trying to light a match off his head...I guess he got distracted with that!
whoa! Epic spelling mistakes in that last one...oops!
Hi Chloe,
i do not have your e-mail ad, so here is mine via ....whose blog?????
sian@lidlingtonchurch.org.uk.
Blessings to you all,
sianaroonie xxx
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