Another new member of the club…..

That smile hid a lot I can tell you!!

Yea I can totally understand and relate

Hi Pat,

Jope you have a lovely birthday weekend. There must be something about turning 60. I had my surgery just before my 60th birthday. Totally screwed up my wife’s big birthday surprise. Had to move to her ‘Plan C’ which was a very nice couple of nights away at a nearby hotel - just the two of us. Also had a bit of a family get together at home which was nice. I have to say how much I admire the philosophical approach you are taking to your diagnosis and I truly hope that your medical team are able to offer you some glimmer of hope with a treatment plan to at least extend the ‘matter of months’ prognosis that you have been given so far. Sounds like you have been blessed with a loving and supportive family to help you through whatever lies ahead. I offer you my sincerest best wishes too. CB

Thanks CB - yes I’m very lucky to have a close family and extended family, they’re all really supportive. We’re off to London in a bit to go and celebrate and collect Ang’s diploma award in Marketing at Westminster, typically the date coincided with my birthday, but I insisted we go and do this, then we’ll have ‘a night out on the town’ after. And for the weekend, we’ll just forget about the big C!

I’ve a date with an Oncologist which is a week from today Friday 8th, so will no doubt update you all on what he says. I’ve checked his profile out, he seems a lovely person, loves his job, does woodwork like me and has written some poetry, I don’t think I could be in any better hands whatever the outcome.

Ang my better half, will be joining this community soon so she can chat with you guys as well, I’ll share her details in due course,

For now, take care all.

Sounds like a great weekend ahead. Looking forward to reading all about it xxx

Hiya,

Sorry for such a late reply, been doing quite a lot of internalising. However, just to rewind, my birthday weekend was absolutely awesome, my better half Ang pulled out all the stops, got the train down to London on Friday 1st with a mini picnic and Prosecco! She’d booked our stay at the Strand Palace hotel, lovely place! She organised a trip to see an amazing art exhibition called Frameless near Marble Arch with some interactive displays, truly magical and you could walk around with a cocktail as well, very grown up! On the actual birthday, went to see my amazing soul mate collect her Marketing diploma at Westminster Hall, got the magical moment captured on video for posterity! Her Mum was just so proud. Then just a steady flow of experiences, cocktails at the Savoy, evening meal at the Ivy Asia by St Paul’s, just stunning then to top it off she also booked us to see The Play That Always Goes Wrong which was hysterical!

just had such a great time, lots of giggles, forgot about the Big C for 48 hours, magical. I cannot find a way to add photos on the iPad, so will try later.

ok back to the here and now, met my Oncologist, he’s a great character called Dr Sean Elyan and we just hit it off, talked more about woodwork than the flipping cancer. So I finally got my additional diagnosis and typically I’m special again!! Turned out I’m HER2 positive! So the guys are going to kick off my chemo and some immuno therapy at the same time, no cures, but if things can be held back for a while longer, I’m a happy man! Chemo starts this Friday 22nd then on to a 3 week cycle. 

ok enough from me for now, I truly hope you are doing ok xx

Hello Pat, thoroughly enjoyed reading all about your wonderful weekend. Well-deserved all round! Rod and I went to York for my birthday a couple of weeks ago. What a fantastic city. So much to see that we have to go back. 

Of interest to you, after 4 cycles of full strength chemo and immunotherapy, there's been a 50% reduction in all tumours. The MDT are really pleased that the treatment is working so well and told Rod that's the best result they could have hoped for at this stage. After a week's break in treatment, he started cycle 5 yesterday, but 80% strength of the 5FU because the side effects caused him to have such a painfully raw mouth, sore ears, etc. 

We're very relieved and pretty optimistic that he's going to be one of those whose life span is higher than the average we were first told. 

Take care,

Lorraine (& Rod)

Phenegan helped me. It’s anti histamine so makes you drowsy. 

Hello Pat,

Did you get the results of your biopsy? How are you doing?

Rod had his 5th cycle this week. Side effects not so bad. Steroid mania kicked again. Apart from talking 20 to the dozen, asking questions but not waiting for answers and trying to do everything for everyone, it's not so bad. It's during those days that he goes on an online spending spree. This time he's booked theatre tickets for next Feb. We're used to lots of Amazon deliveries for our 2 daughters. Now, though, we're getting someone virtually everyday that Rod has ordered. Ever heard of a 'Zwitcher' box? That's just one of the things we now have. 

Take care,

Lorraine

Best of luck to you both. My combo of immuno and chemo is equally working well. Considering the original prognosis it’s all good!