Contractor till I die - last invoice now posted

[d000hg]

Similar deal with my dad. Lung cancer but there was some confusion initially (possibly just due to getting news from my mum not the doctors directly), so it wasn't obvious if they were trying to treat him or buy some time. In his case the latter and in hindsight we kind of think it would've been better not to have.

[Old Greg]

Have told my immediate family, they will inform the rest. Friends I have told, a couple I need to have a catch up with but I have planned a meal for the week after next to see most of them before the chemo starts, as I need to be a bit paranoid about germs once that gets going and obviously with a lot of people having kids and it being cold / flu season etc....

I'm not miserable at all I'm really not, I have a clarity of purpose and ability to see what is (and isn't) important now that I wish I'd had my whole life, and a sort of inner peace that I can't really describe. It's clearly much harder for the people around me. Sounds weird I know, but the only thought that upsets me is that of not seeing my kids grow up.

The hardest thing has been that most people, myself included, know someone who had cancer and either recovered or went on living for years and years, so I've had a lot of "be strong you can beat it" messages and ended up having to explain the difference between say breast cancer or lymphoma where if it's diagnosed early you have 80% or better chance of living another 5 years or more or even of a complete cure, and "bad" cancers like pancreas, oesophagus, lung, stomach, brain etc where they don't normally find them until late in the day and survival rates are very different. Doing that without upsetting a well meaning friend who's mum had breast cancer and had to go through all the tulip involved in that to get well can be a challenge.

I've found the cancer research stats fascinating, particularly stuff like the trends in survival rates.

Cancer survival statistics for common cancers : Cancer Research UK

Dull practical post.

Post-Christmas is notorious in the health service. Grand parents mix with kids just home from school with a packet if germs. A few days after Christmas GPs and hospitals are filled with said grandparents. Maybe bear it mind. And best wishes for Christmas of course.

[DS23]

Dull practical post.

sorry og, but just to be pedantic

l the following is a Dull practical post.

[suityou01]

sorry og, but just to be pedantic

l the following is a Dull practical post.

He should have just said "Practical post" really.

[Pogle]

Hi there, I've been away from CUK for a while (pesky work getting in the way) and I can add nothing to all the well wishers here, 'cept to say you and your family are in my thoughts.

Your dignity in the face of this heartbreaking news is a example to us all.

[bobspud]

So sorry to hear that this has befallen you. my thoughts are with you and your family.

[mudskipper]

How you doing? Back home again yet?

[doodab]

How you doing? Back home again yet?

Nah, been back in since the 24th, pumped out a few gallons of fluid then a bit of a palaver with high potassium means they had to revise the initial chemo plan slightly to avoid killing me but they plumbed it all up a few hours ago so I'll be seeing in the new year with a dose of lump killing poison.

They are giving me some seriously good painkillers too, so not too uncomfortable at the moment.

Happy New year to you all

[norrahe]

Nah, been back in since the 24th, pumped out a few gallons of fluid then a bit of a palaver with high potassium means they had to revise the initial chemo plan slightly to avoid killing me but they plumbed it all up a few hours ago so I'll be seeing in the new year with a dose of lump killing poison.

They are giving me some seriously good painkillers too, so not too uncomfortable at the moment.

Happy New year to you all

Same to you,

[Zippy]

Nah, been back in since the 24th, pumped out a few gallons of fluid then a bit of a palaver with high potassium means they had to revise the initial chemo plan slightly to avoid killing me but they plumbed it all up a few hours ago so I'll be seeing in the new year with a dose of lump killing poison.

They are giving me some seriously good painkillers too, so not too uncomfortable at the moment.

Happy New year to you all

Hope the lump killing poison does some serious work and you don't feel too grim. At least you are on your way (even if your potassium levels have buggered up Plan A a bit)

Chances are you won't be awake at 12, but if you are please consider trying to beat AtW to the last post of 2013. He'll be competely insufferable if he wins. I might be participating but... well... Jools Holland and stuff ...

Happy New Year. Good luck