Hi guys; thanks for checking in.....
Thursday 23rd
I went on a jolly with Teresa to Bath on Thursday. We stopped in a great hotel in Bradford on Avon which is a really pretty village, a real tourist trap - can't believe we'd never been before.
Friday 24th
Teresa ran a regional meeting for Kip McGrath South West on Friday whilst I did a bit of sightseeing. Meanwhile (back in Bedford) the boat FINALLY got its newly painted bum back in the river.
Saturday 25th
Carys and I spent the morning cleaning the boat, we started off with soap and water, tried cif and ended up with neat bleach. She looked as good as new by the time we finished. We all headed off on our first cruise of the season in the afternoon.
Sunday 26th
Church in the morning and then lunch on the boat. We had another afternoon on the river and then a great evening with Nick & Sarah Hearn who had put together a great feast! Also they had bought me my own personalised bottle of Bell's. Now that's a gift!
Monday 27th
We spent a wet Monday training some colleagues from Kip McGrath.
Tuesday 28th
My hard-working wonder wife headed off to Wales this morning for some Kip centre meetings and I had to suffer guess where? Yep, on the boat! I did break off momentarily to help take the church youth group to Milton Keynes ten-pin-bowling. Spent the night at the boat which was cosy despite being woken up by a noisy and persistent goose at about 3.00 a.m.
Wednesday 29th
The river looked fantastic this morning, the sky was blue, the sun shone all was well with the world. I hit the office with Amy for a few hours before lunch in Milton Keynes with my mate David - nothing better than putting the world to rights! I took Carys swimming this evening before cooking dinner ready for Teresa's return.
Health
Great health-wise at the moment, swallowing is fine, no aches and pains. I have an appointment regarding the next course of treatment on Tuesday at the Bedford Primrose Unit. bring it on!
You guys are brilliant friends. Thanks for your prayers and care.
David
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Derbyshire
Well, here I am in sunny Derbyshire at Cliff College for the day to change those well overdue library books and add another few thousand words to the dissertation. It's fantastic up here today, warm and sunny. Glad to be retired!
Yesterday I met up with my friend David for a leisurely lunch before running the church youth group in the evening. Tomorrow I'm going with Teresa to Bath where she has a regional meeting for Kip McGrath on Friday morning. As you can see I'm taking it really easy. Not.
Really frustrated that my old tug of a boat is STILL ON THE BANK! A boat was once described as 'a hole in the river you throw five pond notes into'. (Ponies are fed £5 notes Sian) Sun is shining, gin is cooling. Recent boat/drinking legislation which was to outlaw the practice of boozing and cruising applies to all boats 22'+. Mine is 21'6'' - Alleluia. It's only allowed to go 4MPH and the river is about 3 foot deep. Even the dog has her own life jacket. Floating gin palace in actuality but still on blocks. Time to shout (plead really) at the staff at Priory Marina.
Not a very good Methodist am I?
Oh well.
See ya
Dave
Yesterday I met up with my friend David for a leisurely lunch before running the church youth group in the evening. Tomorrow I'm going with Teresa to Bath where she has a regional meeting for Kip McGrath on Friday morning. As you can see I'm taking it really easy. Not.
Really frustrated that my old tug of a boat is STILL ON THE BANK! A boat was once described as 'a hole in the river you throw five pond notes into'. (Ponies are fed £5 notes Sian) Sun is shining, gin is cooling. Recent boat/drinking legislation which was to outlaw the practice of boozing and cruising applies to all boats 22'+. Mine is 21'6'' - Alleluia. It's only allowed to go 4MPH and the river is about 3 foot deep. Even the dog has her own life jacket. Floating gin palace in actuality but still on blocks. Time to shout (plead really) at the staff at Priory Marina.
Not a very good Methodist am I?
Oh well.
See ya
Dave
Monday, April 20, 2009
Weekend Stuff
Had a fun few days after Friday's good scan news.
On Friday after the hospital we shot up to St Ives (that's Cambs. not Cornwall) to the marina we bought our boat from last June. The previous owner had dropped some bits off that were in his garage which it has taken us a year to collect. The marina owners have been tripping over the stuff for 12 months. Boat really should be back in the water by the weekend after vast expense coughed up for an engine re-furb! The re-furb was nothing to do with me inadvertently putting 5 litres of water in the petrol tank last year or that the 4.3 litre inboard is built for water-skiing and we are only allowed to idle away at 4mph on the Great Ouse.
In the evening we took the kids to the pictures to see 'Race To Witch Mountain'. Good film - recommend it if you have kids.
On Saturday I took Carys to Rookery Farm at Stoke Bruerne, met up with my friend (another David) who was there with his daughters and cute granddaughter. Carys loved the animals, baby goats were wonderful. Much less hassle than a pony Sian.
On Sunday we had the day at Alton Towers which was brill. Did all the white knuckle rides Oblivion, Nemesis, Rita etc.. lovely weather which is just as well as we got soaked on the log flume and rapids. Afterwards mum and dad hosted a big family get together at their place where we all ate a fantastic tea (thanks mum!), drank my dad's scotch and put the world to rights. We also indulged in the obligatory boring of all disinterested parties by making them suffer our holiday photos; which everyone graciously endured. Camel, desert, beach, yawn etc.. We headed home this morning and have pottered about since on Kip stuff.
Think that just about sums up all that's been happening. Healthwise I'm feeling well, swallowing is great, feeling positive, going to be in that % that make it and continue to prove the stats wrong.
As always thanks for checking in; keep praying.
Luv
David
On Friday after the hospital we shot up to St Ives (that's Cambs. not Cornwall) to the marina we bought our boat from last June. The previous owner had dropped some bits off that were in his garage which it has taken us a year to collect. The marina owners have been tripping over the stuff for 12 months. Boat really should be back in the water by the weekend after vast expense coughed up for an engine re-furb! The re-furb was nothing to do with me inadvertently putting 5 litres of water in the petrol tank last year or that the 4.3 litre inboard is built for water-skiing and we are only allowed to idle away at 4mph on the Great Ouse.
In the evening we took the kids to the pictures to see 'Race To Witch Mountain'. Good film - recommend it if you have kids.
On Saturday I took Carys to Rookery Farm at Stoke Bruerne, met up with my friend (another David) who was there with his daughters and cute granddaughter. Carys loved the animals, baby goats were wonderful. Much less hassle than a pony Sian.
On Sunday we had the day at Alton Towers which was brill. Did all the white knuckle rides Oblivion, Nemesis, Rita etc.. lovely weather which is just as well as we got soaked on the log flume and rapids. Afterwards mum and dad hosted a big family get together at their place where we all ate a fantastic tea (thanks mum!), drank my dad's scotch and put the world to rights. We also indulged in the obligatory boring of all disinterested parties by making them suffer our holiday photos; which everyone graciously endured. Camel, desert, beach, yawn etc.. We headed home this morning and have pottered about since on Kip stuff.
Think that just about sums up all that's been happening. Healthwise I'm feeling well, swallowing is great, feeling positive, going to be in that % that make it and continue to prove the stats wrong.
As always thanks for checking in; keep praying.
Luv
David
Friday, April 17, 2009
More Thoughts...
Actually thinking a little more about the great results and appointment earlier. Dr Bulusu (my oncologist) actually played down the endoscopies that had shown no evidence of malignancy last year. We thought that the previous results were good news and therefore the more recent negative endoscopy result was bad. He suggested that the difference between a neg and pos result can just be as simple as where the biopsy is taken or how deep they 'dig' for the sample. What he was saying is that the tumour hasn't 'come back' it never actually 'went away'. The amazing thing remains how it hasn't spread to anywhere else. I'm 18 months in and feeling great. They are really pleased with me. I'm going to be in 5% who make it you just see!
I'm retired now really - just pottering around a little bit with Teresa & Amy at Kip McGrath; aiming to keep the stress down and aid ongoing recovery. Keep praying guys!
David
I'm retired now really - just pottering around a little bit with Teresa & Amy at Kip McGrath; aiming to keep the stress down and aid ongoing recovery. Keep praying guys!
David
CT Scan Results - Good
Hi All
Just got back from the hospital after the CT scan and results. Good news is that nothing has spread; it's still cancer and remains (and always will be) inoperable but none of the little areas of malignancy they found elsewhere in last year's tests have grown. Treatment will start again in two weeks, more chemo and radiotherapy to keep it in my oesophagus. It can't get better than this at this stage really so, all in all a good day!
I may be going for tracheal radiotherapy where the isotopes are delivered down the throat rather than from the outside. My oncologist is waiting to see some of the latest stats regarding this. He is concerned that I could end up a stricture (closure of the gullet). This would probably be in Southampton or Birmingham as it is not offered locally yet.
So off to enjoy the next couple of weeks before treatment starts again!
Thanks for checking in.
Dave
Just got back from the hospital after the CT scan and results. Good news is that nothing has spread; it's still cancer and remains (and always will be) inoperable but none of the little areas of malignancy they found elsewhere in last year's tests have grown. Treatment will start again in two weeks, more chemo and radiotherapy to keep it in my oesophagus. It can't get better than this at this stage really so, all in all a good day!
I may be going for tracheal radiotherapy where the isotopes are delivered down the throat rather than from the outside. My oncologist is waiting to see some of the latest stats regarding this. He is concerned that I could end up a stricture (closure of the gullet). This would probably be in Southampton or Birmingham as it is not offered locally yet.
So off to enjoy the next couple of weeks before treatment starts again!
Thanks for checking in.
Dave
Saturday, April 11, 2009
The Desert!
Hi Guys!
Just wanted to post a blog tonight (give Sir Redfern a break) Today we spent a few hours at a really nice beach and Spa hotel. I have no idea what the name of it was but I can gurentee you it sure was a luxurious one. Despite putting on factor 50 three times today I still managed to burn! The sun beams down and today I believe it was 36oC. Hot stuff.
Anyway...after we had enough of that we went back to the hotel to ready ourselves for our Sand-Dune Safari evening! WOW! Nothing can quite sum up that experience. It was just so fantastic! We went in these 4x4, that took you off into the Desert and they just put their foot down and you'd be thrown all over the car and as you can imagine it was a 4x4 it just flew over these massive dunes. At times it felt like some of the drops and climbs were vertical. Just SO scary but loved it!! I'm still buzzing.
After an hour we stopped off at one of the millions of sand dunes and watched the sun set. There were 70 4x4 cars. No matter how far you looked the desert seemed to go on and on for miles and miles! Fantastic scenery. Better than what you see in movies! We ate out there too in a camp like place? There were camel rides -us young ones went on. Carys and I are 'tattooed' and I had a smoke too! (haha) It was a great day and nothing can sum up this experience. Wow-wow wee wa!
Tomorrow we plan to have a quieter day, it's David and Teresa's 23rd Wedding Anniversary tomorrow so they've planned a night out at the docks. (joke) they're off on a cruise tomorrow night. Not sure if David mentioned the apartment? For those who watch MTV cribs? It's better than what you get on there! x's 100! Gosh life is hard isn't it at times eh?
Happy Easter everybody don't do anything we wont do!
Luv Chlo Chlo
Pictures!
The beach at the beach spa hotel
View from beach
The dare devils who took us on this Safari!
In the desert before we set off.
Wild Wadi Water Splash-a-rama Kids Haven
Had a great day at Wild Wadi yesterday. Here's the famous Burj Al Arab hotel as seen from there...
Carys had a fight with a water shute. Ouch...
Great rides though and Carys is already looking less sore. She went straight back on the ride!
Dubai On The Way...
Hi guys from mad Dubai; we arrived early on Thursday after an overnight flight from Heathrow. Me in the Heathrow business lounge....
Nearly there....
Nearly there....
Monday, April 6, 2009
Not Long To Go....
Well guys, had a busy old weekend; Amy and I handed out balloons in Bedford town centre to publicise Kip and then our great friends Nick and Sarah came round for a Chinese in the evening. It was an early start on Sunday as I hadn't finished prepping up the palm Sunday service and then Amy and James came and spent the evening with us.
Today with hit the shops in Milton Keynes for holiday shopping which was fun but very tiring! I'm not feeling too good at present, quite tired and dodgy tummy wise. On the hospital front my full scan is on Friday 17th with the results and consultation straight afterwards. We've got to hope it hasn't spread anywhere else; assuming it's still in my oesophagus the next course of treatment should start that same day.
We are really looking forward to Dubai; leaving here at about 4.00 pm on Thursday to go to Heathrow - we've saved our Emirates points up and are going business class but coming back economy. I'll try and blog my way through the trip!
God Bless everyone
Dave
Today with hit the shops in Milton Keynes for holiday shopping which was fun but very tiring! I'm not feeling too good at present, quite tired and dodgy tummy wise. On the hospital front my full scan is on Friday 17th with the results and consultation straight afterwards. We've got to hope it hasn't spread anywhere else; assuming it's still in my oesophagus the next course of treatment should start that same day.
We are really looking forward to Dubai; leaving here at about 4.00 pm on Thursday to go to Heathrow - we've saved our Emirates points up and are going business class but coming back economy. I'll try and blog my way through the trip!
God Bless everyone
Dave
Friday, April 3, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
First Things First
My Dear Blogettes....
Now Sian & Jackie. My one re-occurring nightmare (seriously) is where I own a horse that I keep forgetting about. I remember after 3/4weeks and go to the stable to find it thin, fly blown and covered in horsey poo. I clean it, feed it and then forget about it again for another three weeks when the whole nightmare occurs. Argh.... I love Carys but not enough to buy a horse. Why, when Sian has one we can 'borrow'???
Now onto things a lot less scary than horses: cancer. Had yet another meeting with the oncologist today. On the whole it went well. Here's the basic gist:
Now Sian & Jackie. My one re-occurring nightmare (seriously) is where I own a horse that I keep forgetting about. I remember after 3/4weeks and go to the stable to find it thin, fly blown and covered in horsey poo. I clean it, feed it and then forget about it again for another three weeks when the whole nightmare occurs. Argh.... I love Carys but not enough to buy a horse. Why, when Sian has one we can 'borrow'???
Now onto things a lot less scary than horses: cancer. Had yet another meeting with the oncologist today. On the whole it went well. Here's the basic gist:
- They are VERY surprised it's taken this long to come back, the fact it's come back now is actually surprisingly good news: it should have re-occurred long before now.
- They are not sure if it is a new tumour or or old stuff that's grown, come to the surface and re-appeared.
- There's lots they can do as I'm effectively back to where I was in January 2008.
- I can have more radiotherapy (big surprise) including some new stuff they do from the inside as opposed to firing it at you from outside.
- I have a fully body CT scan on April 17th. The issue is; has it spread or not? If it has then the radiotherapy won't happen. The most likely spread is to my liver. They have made me an appointment an hour after the scan on the 17th. for the results so no weeks of waiting this time!
- Dr Bulusu (my oncologist) is going to try and get me some further treatments that are 'off piste' including some new anti body treatment. Some of these I might have to pay for.
- There is no approved treatment for re-occurring esophageal cancer because until recently you just died from it. I'm going to be a Guinea Pig.
- On the whole they were much more positive and upbeat then we'd anticipated. Brill!
- Dave lives to fight another day!!
- They checked out my abdomen as I've had the squits for weeks and they think it's just a bug.
- I can go to Dubai!
And oh! My boat is going back into the water next week! Bottom has been scraped and anti-fowled and the engine totally refurbished at a nose bleeding level of expense. We are ready to cruise! And you know how I love to cruise! Wondering! If I can add any more exclamation marks to a blog!!!
By the way if you want to know what appeared on the Google search list when (worried about the strange colour of my squits) I typed 'orange faeces' in the search engine e mail me at peaktandd@aol.com and (assuming I consider you able to cope) I will email back and let you know! Christians be warned; it's VERY funny but well dodgy!!
This morning (and tomorrow too) I had the privilege of taking an assembly on the subject 'What's Easter All About' at a local senior school. Had a 'congregation' of 600!! They were brill; very well behaved and 100% attentive. Wish the average Methodist congregation was the same.
Well guys must sign off now and pour myself a scotch.
If you are breaking up for Easter this weekend have a good holiday. If you're off to Spring Harvest have a great time and all the best to my mate Geoff whose speaking there this year.
God Bless All!
Dave.
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