Anxiety buster

Good to know you've found something new that helps. Thanks for sharing it with us xx

Hello everyone, a Stage IV here but very well, and after a whole summer where I have been (almost) able to forget about the situation, a hospital letter dropped onto the doormat the other day with a stark reminder. Okay, another month before my next scan and no reason to suspect that things will have dramatically changed, but anxiety levels will steadily rise as I get nearer to finding out the latest state of play in the battle between my body’s defences and my sneaky mets. 

So. For the last few weeks I’ve been learning Italian. (Free, online at DuoLingo.) Our son started after his A-levels finished, and my wife and I joined in, all of us on separate screens and going at our own speed. I was hesitant at first but soon found it to be a lot of fun. The way the lessons are laid out, it’s as absorbing and competitive as any game, and we’re all making rattling good progress through the basics. There’s a lot of languages to choose from and I’d certainly recommend it as a project to distract you a little from medical matters. 

To be honest, I don’t know if I’ll actually get to go to Italy. But, if I do, I’ll be keen to work a sentence like “ La tua serpente mangia la mia torta al cioccolato* “ into any conversation with the locals. 

Wishing you all the very best,

-Mark 

*Your snake is eating my chocolate cake

That's a really good idea Mark. Having got French n German A levels, I  keep wanting to join a language learning class  (preferably Italian or Spanish) but  can't find  one locally to suit. Maybe I could try this instead? - especially as I've just booked my next raft of appointments -  blood test, CT n MRI scans followed by clinic appt with oncologist for scan results. I know how to have fun - not!

(Also with stage 4 cancer,but been treatment free for the past 3.5 years, Despite a new met popping up at last scan they're still keeping me on 3 monthly monitoring scans. So if they're not concerned, why should I be?)

(Oh no, just noticed, that should be ‘il tuo serpente’ before all you Italian speakers jeer at me . That’s what comes of trying to write stuff before I’ve had any coffee!) 

Hi ,

I really hate those chocolate cake eating snakes in any language, they are just the worst.

Gragon 

 Yes! Someone should do something!  

(Hi Gragon.) 

I've got a pain in my side from laughing so much Gragon

Hi Mark, that sounds like a brilliant idea! I might just take up French or German again. I did both to O level at school but,alas, failed both.In later years I started an OU course in French but gave up because even though I was ok'ish in French vocab and grammar, I felt I was below entry level even with heaps of revision prior to taking it on. Shame really. Your idea does sound like lots of fun though, and another welcome distraction. Thanks for the idea

...I play Words with Friends , a Scrabble game which is downloadable  through Google Stores on mobile and you can play with Facebook friends. It could be available on Facebook itself, cant remember. Anyhow....If anyone would like to have a game let me know and we could join up

When I was really unwell last year someone suggested colouring for adults so I gave it a go. My (then) four-year-old granddaughter’s verdict was ‘That’s not bad Grandma.’ Out of the mouth of babes....