"I WANT TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH MY FAMILY"

Well, lucky old Ruth Kelly... Today, I finally heard the words I had semi-anticipated: "Stage IV"..."incurable"..."palliative care only"... blah blah blah How about this for irony: 22 years ago I was studying Russian in Minsk, [then] in Russia. I had received a letter from my mother telling me about how my dear 21-year old friend Ian had died from leukemia; I took the day off lessons and spent the morning thinking and sunbathing ON THE ROOF of the student hostel. BAD TIMING: cue hideous cloud of nuclear waste floating undetected over us. We were, in fact, 80 km downstream of the Chernobyl reactor, which had decided to blow. Two days later we were evacuated by the UK government. Who then showed no interest whatsoever in our fate; no follow-up instructions for research purposes; no debate on the potential medical downside of the nuclear industry, etc etc. Twenty two years (and several tonnes of alcohol and cigarettes) later, I have "incurable" cancer too. There has been "correspondence" between my docs and the Royal College of Surgeons on the Chernobyl issue, mainly about whether or not to administer RT to Hodgkins patients. All I am allowed to know is that there has been an "incidence" of cancer among the students who were in Minsk at the time of the "accident". Nothing about whether or not we might just be dying because of ignorance about nuclear power. Or whether smoking or driniking is a bad idea. You see my dilemma???? My friends have been utterly fabulous; my hopes are with the amazing and astonishing people I have been observing and lurking with on this website. Heartfelt thanks to those who have PM'd me; I hope to talk to you all soon. According to my consultant my lungs and liver are "apparently healthy and functioning". Bully for them, frankly. Anyway I just wanted to introduce myself and state for the record what a bunch of troupers you are: there is humour, wit, wisdom and empathy here, even in the darkest of hours. That's what I need, and THANK GOD for the internet because it has introduced me to people like you. Sorry if I sound negative; I will be laughing again in a couple of days. xxx Catriona