Had a great time in the Dial House Hotel in Bourton. Can 100% recommend it; beautiful period boutique hotel, roaring fires, great food great company; lots of shopping. A real pre-Christmas tonic - ready now for the onslaught (sorry celebrations). Unfortunately both Teresa and have come down with stinking colds - typical; always the moment you stop!
We're off to Derby for the big family party and pressie swap tomorrow. My mum and dad arrive on Christmas Eve. I'm organising all the audio-visuals (PowerPoint, monitors etc.) for the candle light carol service on Christmas Eve and leading the Christmas Day service. We're then off to France on the 28th for a week of fires, wine, cheese and sit-ups (get rid of the mince pie belly!).
Still not had any news regarding the biopsy, lymph gland still hurts; still hope it's just an infection. I know that false alarms are nerve-racking but I prefer them to the 'real thing'.
If you are local and got no where to go to sing your carols this Christmas then can I invite you to Wootton New Life? Christmas Eve candle Light Carols @ 7.00. Christmas Day @ 10.00. Map on our web-site at www.woottonnewlife.org.uk.
Well guys hopefully I'll have some news for you Monday.
See ya - have a great preparatory weekend!
Dave xxxxxxx
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Update - Awaiting Biopsy!
Hi Guys
Trying to sort out a biopsy at the hospital on the lymph node before Christmas. Unfortunately (like last year) they are busy, understaffed and hit by Norovirus. Looks like we might have another Christmas of worrying - please pray I get tested and get the results before Christmas!
I'm OK; it hurts a bit, got some good painkillers!
Teresa and I are off today for 24 hours in the Cotswolds; nice hotel, grub, shopping, four poster bed. Should be fun!
I promise I'll let you know as soon as I have any further news.
Thanks for checking in
Dave xx
Trying to sort out a biopsy at the hospital on the lymph node before Christmas. Unfortunately (like last year) they are busy, understaffed and hit by Norovirus. Looks like we might have another Christmas of worrying - please pray I get tested and get the results before Christmas!
I'm OK; it hurts a bit, got some good painkillers!
Teresa and I are off today for 24 hours in the Cotswolds; nice hotel, grub, shopping, four poster bed. Should be fun!
I promise I'll let you know as soon as I have any further news.
Thanks for checking in
Dave xx
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Battle #3
OK Guys,
Had a painful swollen gland in my neck for the past two weeks, thought it was just an infection, went to my GP and he's not happy. Been referred to the hospital for an ultra/sound and another bloody biopsy. My oncologist is away so the Upper GI specialist nurse is speaking to his colleauge today. The nasty 'C' could have made the move to my lymph glands. Please pray it hasn't. Also, I really need biopsy results before Christmas. Remember last year, waiting for results from Dec 20th to Jan 3rd doesn't do much for your festive spirit!
Fought and won battle #1 over the main tumour, battle #2 when it looked like it had come back was also won. This is #3; infection only please Lord!
Love
Dave
Had a painful swollen gland in my neck for the past two weeks, thought it was just an infection, went to my GP and he's not happy. Been referred to the hospital for an ultra/sound and another bloody biopsy. My oncologist is away so the Upper GI specialist nurse is speaking to his colleauge today. The nasty 'C' could have made the move to my lymph glands. Please pray it hasn't. Also, I really need biopsy results before Christmas. Remember last year, waiting for results from Dec 20th to Jan 3rd doesn't do much for your festive spirit!
Fought and won battle #1 over the main tumour, battle #2 when it looked like it had come back was also won. This is #3; infection only please Lord!
Love
Dave
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Brill Sunday!!!
Hi Guys
Had a great day today apart from one little incident I'll tell you about later!
Started with breakfast at church followed by our all age nativity service. The chapel was packed, the singing at typical WNL full blast and the kids were just fantastic in the play. How amazing that over 2,000 years since a little baby was born in a shed we are still telling the story in a little village in Bedfordshire. Third advent candle was lit today; only ten days to go till the big one!
After church we decided to go out for lunch met someone we knew (who shall remain nameless) who felt honour bound to launch into a list of all those he knew with cancer and details of a friend on her last legs in a nearby hospice. Well intentioned I'm sure, but not really what I wanted to talk about in front of my wife and two youngest kids. The future may be very difficult but at the moment life is reasonably normal and we want to keep it that way. Some may think we're in denial and they'd be right. Why yield to the misery of it all? As things stand it's just great to be around, celebrating Christmas and confounding oncologists with my progress. Any Christmas is special with a family but especially one you where you were told that on average with this cancer you wouldn't see.
Don't get me wrong; happy to talk to anyone about how I am, I give updates daily to those who care but not got a lot of time to worry too much about where this all might lead. People are split into three camps 1) those who act as though my snuffing it is imminent (they may be right but can bog off), (2) those who are convinced I'm totally healed (sweet concept, but being real with them is impossible) and (3) those who just live in the moment with us (gold medal for this group). To quote a pertinent line from the recent film 'Kung Fu Panda' (bear with me on this...) Yesterday is over, tomorrow is a mystery but today is a gift and that is why they call it the present! Bit schmaltzy I know but how we intend to live in 2009; for the moment. Apologies in advance if we end up not being as committed to things as we have been. Can't help feeling if I'd put my health, sanity and family before other things I might not be where I am now. So if we don't fancy doing something we just won't (terrible admittance from me born with a heavy dose of terminal 'can't let people down' guilt but there you go).
It's amazing looking back at the amount of times conversations in the past year with others have been more about them facing their own mortality (through me as a friend being ill) or re-living the loss of someone they loved. I understand; it's not easy - I wouldn't have known what to say either!
So guys, sorry to sound off and please don't worry about talking to me about the big 'C' however I don't want preparing for death, I don't want to be declared a miracle I just want to laugh, drink some wine, be well enough in the spring to mess about in my boat, tend my garden and might even hit the gym again! Want to play silly games with my kids, go to France (LOTS) build sand castles, fly kites and eat without any food getting stuck (like it ISN'T at all this Christmas but was a lot LAST Christmas). I want walk Rosie dog round the lake, be stupidly publicly infatuated with my perfect wife and find some more mates to have a laugh with. think I might create a 'Dave and friends weekly beer appreciation group'. Any takers???? Also looking forward to getting back to work fully which I shall be if the early January full body scan is clear.
Thanks to everyone for being there for us in 2008, family (all heroes), friends at Wootton New Life (ever pateint, caring and supportive) and our best mates Nick & Sarah Hearn and John & Amanda Stamp for living with us in the moment.
See ya guys - hope today's blog wasn't too heavy....
Dave
Had a great day today apart from one little incident I'll tell you about later!
Started with breakfast at church followed by our all age nativity service. The chapel was packed, the singing at typical WNL full blast and the kids were just fantastic in the play. How amazing that over 2,000 years since a little baby was born in a shed we are still telling the story in a little village in Bedfordshire. Third advent candle was lit today; only ten days to go till the big one!
After church we decided to go out for lunch met someone we knew (who shall remain nameless) who felt honour bound to launch into a list of all those he knew with cancer and details of a friend on her last legs in a nearby hospice. Well intentioned I'm sure, but not really what I wanted to talk about in front of my wife and two youngest kids. The future may be very difficult but at the moment life is reasonably normal and we want to keep it that way. Some may think we're in denial and they'd be right. Why yield to the misery of it all? As things stand it's just great to be around, celebrating Christmas and confounding oncologists with my progress. Any Christmas is special with a family but especially one you where you were told that on average with this cancer you wouldn't see.
Don't get me wrong; happy to talk to anyone about how I am, I give updates daily to those who care but not got a lot of time to worry too much about where this all might lead. People are split into three camps 1) those who act as though my snuffing it is imminent (they may be right but can bog off), (2) those who are convinced I'm totally healed (sweet concept, but being real with them is impossible) and (3) those who just live in the moment with us (gold medal for this group). To quote a pertinent line from the recent film 'Kung Fu Panda' (bear with me on this...) Yesterday is over, tomorrow is a mystery but today is a gift and that is why they call it the present! Bit schmaltzy I know but how we intend to live in 2009; for the moment. Apologies in advance if we end up not being as committed to things as we have been. Can't help feeling if I'd put my health, sanity and family before other things I might not be where I am now. So if we don't fancy doing something we just won't (terrible admittance from me born with a heavy dose of terminal 'can't let people down' guilt but there you go).
It's amazing looking back at the amount of times conversations in the past year with others have been more about them facing their own mortality (through me as a friend being ill) or re-living the loss of someone they loved. I understand; it's not easy - I wouldn't have known what to say either!
So guys, sorry to sound off and please don't worry about talking to me about the big 'C' however I don't want preparing for death, I don't want to be declared a miracle I just want to laugh, drink some wine, be well enough in the spring to mess about in my boat, tend my garden and might even hit the gym again! Want to play silly games with my kids, go to France (LOTS) build sand castles, fly kites and eat without any food getting stuck (like it ISN'T at all this Christmas but was a lot LAST Christmas). I want walk Rosie dog round the lake, be stupidly publicly infatuated with my perfect wife and find some more mates to have a laugh with. think I might create a 'Dave and friends weekly beer appreciation group'. Any takers???? Also looking forward to getting back to work fully which I shall be if the early January full body scan is clear.
Thanks to everyone for being there for us in 2008, family (all heroes), friends at Wootton New Life (ever pateint, caring and supportive) and our best mates Nick & Sarah Hearn and John & Amanda Stamp for living with us in the moment.
See ya guys - hope today's blog wasn't too heavy....
Dave
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Elfin Heck!
Happy Christmas - Click on the link below.......
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/v3ezp1ERtJS9wF05xXRH
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/v3ezp1ERtJS9wF05xXRH
Hi Troops!
Well my lack of blogging is testament to just how well I am - not too much to tell you all really. No hair (it fell out in handfuls a few weeks ago), a slightly sore mouth but other than that well physically and mentally. In the absence of hair I spent a fortune on some trendy new specs. Had the privilege of leading worship at Lidlington Church last week on Advent Sunday. As the kids lit the first candle of Christmas on the Advent crown I thought WOW - I've made it to Christmas - one year gone; role on 2009!
I met with the oncologist as scheduled, it was OK. They have decided not to give me any chemo of any kind for now (even tablets). He's concerned that as the main tumour is 'dormant' if they keep treating me I'll become 'chemo resistant'. So the plan is a full body scan in early January to see if anything nasty is growing anywhere and take it from there. Sorry folks but I'm not officially in remission; just responding well to the palliative care regime. On target, but still a long way to go!
We've had a few Kip trips to Glasgow and last week to ROI, we flew into Dublin and then drove down to Waterford. I must say Irish roads are pants. We missed our flight home! That's two flights missed in three weeks - not good! Took us 1 hour 30 minutes to go 10 miles across Dublin - stress levels were at an all time high! Had to have an extra night in a Dublin airport hotel.
We are looking forward to Christmas this year. We are doing it 'big time'; think they'll be a few tears too. We are ready for some real time off - October half term was not very relaxing as we had serious Internet problems and the summer holiday was wet! We are off to France a few days after Christmas for a week of sleeping, eating and fires! My Mum & Dad are coming for Christmas with Amy and James F joining us on Christmas Day. Watch out! Celebrating Redferns on the loose.
Had to have some dental work today - chemo is not kind to your teeth, so have a new filling. Convinced no one's interested but thought I'd tell you anyway
Took the youth group from Wootton New Life 'ice sliding' at the Milton Keynes Snozone last week - fantastic fun and a great big sinful, (bad for me) Maccy D's afterwards. Yesterday we went carol singing; raised £54 to send off to the Cholera appeal in Zimbabwe. Send our little hearts out at all the pubs and shops in Wootton. Also called in on the churches cell groups (house groups), to relieve them of any spare cash for a good cause. Guys, if you are thinking of going to Church over Christmas can I invite you our Christmas Eve Candlelight Carol service @7.00 p.m. and our Christmas day service at 10.00 am that Teresa and I are leading. Directions can be found at www.woottonnewlife.org.uk . It would be great to see you there!
Signing off now to watch Terminator 2 (again - must be Christmas). Watched 'A Perfect Storm' last night - laugh a minute!
Joke to finish with - what do you call a Spanish footballer with no legs? Grassy Ass.
Bye
Dave xxxxx
I met with the oncologist as scheduled, it was OK. They have decided not to give me any chemo of any kind for now (even tablets). He's concerned that as the main tumour is 'dormant' if they keep treating me I'll become 'chemo resistant'. So the plan is a full body scan in early January to see if anything nasty is growing anywhere and take it from there. Sorry folks but I'm not officially in remission; just responding well to the palliative care regime. On target, but still a long way to go!
We've had a few Kip trips to Glasgow and last week to ROI, we flew into Dublin and then drove down to Waterford. I must say Irish roads are pants. We missed our flight home! That's two flights missed in three weeks - not good! Took us 1 hour 30 minutes to go 10 miles across Dublin - stress levels were at an all time high! Had to have an extra night in a Dublin airport hotel.
We are looking forward to Christmas this year. We are doing it 'big time'; think they'll be a few tears too. We are ready for some real time off - October half term was not very relaxing as we had serious Internet problems and the summer holiday was wet! We are off to France a few days after Christmas for a week of sleeping, eating and fires! My Mum & Dad are coming for Christmas with Amy and James F joining us on Christmas Day. Watch out! Celebrating Redferns on the loose.
Had to have some dental work today - chemo is not kind to your teeth, so have a new filling. Convinced no one's interested but thought I'd tell you anyway
Took the youth group from Wootton New Life 'ice sliding' at the Milton Keynes Snozone last week - fantastic fun and a great big sinful, (bad for me) Maccy D's afterwards. Yesterday we went carol singing; raised £54 to send off to the Cholera appeal in Zimbabwe. Send our little hearts out at all the pubs and shops in Wootton. Also called in on the churches cell groups (house groups), to relieve them of any spare cash for a good cause. Guys, if you are thinking of going to Church over Christmas can I invite you our Christmas Eve Candlelight Carol service @7.00 p.m. and our Christmas day service at 10.00 am that Teresa and I are leading. Directions can be found at www.woottonnewlife.org.uk . It would be great to see you there!
Signing off now to watch Terminator 2 (again - must be Christmas). Watched 'A Perfect Storm' last night - laugh a minute!
Joke to finish with - what do you call a Spanish footballer with no legs? Grassy Ass.
Bye
Dave xxxxx
Thursday, November 27, 2008
A Blog At Last!
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
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