This post explains the "singing" part of the blog title.
When I received my terminal diagnosis (1 to 10 years) in May 2015 I think I reacted like a lot of people. I felt my life was over, as if I was as good as dead. My oncologist saw this in me and suggested I go on one of the Odyssey weeks that run a few times a year. I had a look at the Odyssey website and confirmed I would like to have my name put forward as a participant.
In September 2015 I went on the Odyssey week. It was life-changing. I am sworn to secrecy (seriously, I'm not allowed to divulge details) but I returned home feeling so much more alive. It wasn't just the activities during the week, many of which were quite challenging. It was the chance to talk face-to-face with other people in a similar situation. There were about 15 people taking part, but only one other with terminal cancer, and I struck up a friendship with that other person. I'll call her S.
After Odyssey I stayed in touch with S by email and text. We were our own little mutual support group. S encouraged me to pursue a more meaningful life, and this led me to look for local cancer support groups listed on the Macmillan website. I looked at what was available in my area and one that caught my eye was a cancer support choir. I contacted the choir leader and went along to the next session in November 2015. I felt so welcomed and at home. The really nice thing about it was that the primary activity is the singing... we could, if we wished, talk about cancer-related topics, but it was often the case that we simply enjoyed each other's company and the singing!
Sadly, that choir is no longer running, although there are moves to bring it back in a slightly altered format. But, meanwhile, I had also started going to another community choir which has no direct link to cancer support. The connection here is that the other choir is also run by the same person, and I knew one of the members from the cancer choir.
The weekly choir singing are a highlight of my week, and the friendships I have developed are very special to me. Some of them know about my cancer, but we mostly talk about other things, and that's the way I like it :)
As my cancer first developed in my mouth, I see singing as a demonstration that I won't give up. I take great pleasure in singing to my utmost ability and get a lot out of learning new songs and helping support the choir as one of its few male members.
I get so much from singing in the choir. It lifts my mood and helps me appreciate other people, that each of us has something to give to make all our lives that much more rewarding.
Bye for now.
