CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR

I will tag on to this thread, firstly with thanks to Brian for being a brilliant champion, but also to Lorraine for her understanding of the amount of time it takes to provide the support he has given. Secondly I will send my best wishes to all the 'friends' old and new who I hope have a lovely time with friends and family and that next year brings you some peace and understanding.

From a personal point of view we will be having a traditional English Christmas meal even though we live in Greece. The whole of our adopted family will be here so it will be a mix of traditions and hopefully the sun will be shining for the Christmas morning coffee when the village comes out to socialise and the kids can be left to play on the beach.

Have a great time everyone.

Aw thanks Alwayshope 

Christmas in Greece sounds amazing - not quite the same as darkest Lancashire. Thank you to for all your help and support during the year - best wishes to you and your husband for Christmas and have a great New Year.

Kind Regards - Brian xx

Brian,  reiterating AH’s words and thanks to you for your time watching over your flock by night (and day).  Also to Lorraine for letting you spend so much time sorting us out.  I am a relative newcomer to this site and never cease to be amazed at the amazingly knowledgeable and compassionate folk who support you on here, too many to mention but you know who you are - thanks.  Good luck with your 6 monthly tests and staying cancer free!  
We have just been blown to pieces literally and the thought of seeing the sun out for Christmas is quite appealing although I suspect we won’t see much now until next year.  Have a lovely time everyone wherever you are and stay positive!  David 

WOW, where has the last year gone?  It seems like only yesterday that I was reading the festive messages.

Very best wishes to all on this forum for their ongoing support & advice, not forgetting the essential slices of humour that help put things in a little perspective.  I hope everyone has a great time over Christmas wherever they may be & that 2025 brings some positive steps forward.

Hello David & Brian (David2017 &Buzzers) 

Thank you so much for your contributions to the Community this year.  It's not been an easy year for all of us but let's move on with some positive vibes. 

My best wishes to both of you and your respective partners and family.  Have a great Christmas and Cracking 2025.

Kind regards - Brian.

Congratulations on finishing your HT!

Keep us updated on how your testosterone recovers and when the side effects subside. As someone who is also on a 3 years course (2 years to go) I'm very interested to see when things return to normal once medication is stopped.

G

Merry Christmas to you and yours Brian - thank you and ALL the Champions and fellow contributors for the help and valuable advice you have given me on my personal journey.  We share a common bond which none of us wanted but this forum has helped me so much during my first year since diagnosis in January.  This Christmas will be a lot more enjoyable than the last and here’s to many more!   Thank you all ️

Can I just add a personal huge thank you to you as well AH for all your input on so many posts.  You have an amazing knack of finding relevant research & posting accompanying links, but more importantly (as far as I'm concerned) the ability to precis the findings in language that I can follow.  

I hope you have an amazing family Christmas in Greece creating lots of treasured memories.

Best Wishes

Brian

Hello Geoff S & L1m 

It's no problem - we've all been there done that and we don't want to see anyone on this journey without the knowledge and information to put them in a good place.

Yes, I have completed 3 years on HT - I did start with a high PSA of 182 and a high Gleason Score of 9. To be perfectly honest with you some "feelings" have been returning in the last couple of weeks. I don't know if it's a good or bad sign!!

I do intend to work on my weight (after Christmas ) but will keep everyone else updated. Next PSA is in February and I intend to request a Testosterone Test too!

Best wishes - Brian.

This time last year I didn't know I had cancer, so you will all understand if I am not convinced that 2024 was a great year. It certainly has one too many biopsies in it!

This Christmas I find that I have a sense of renewed hope. I am a Christian, and so I have a particular emphasis provided for me at this time, yet, as with every other human being, the diagnosis of such a disease can overshadow everything else.

That is hasn't is almost entirely due to this group.

 Millibob  has provided an example of hope to me, because our projected treatment is very similar.

 Alwayshope  provides so much information - both an encouragement and an intellectual challenge.

 David2017  provided me with the phrase "listen to your body", something which I now quote to everyone else, and which I signally failed to do yesterday.

All of you you, on this thread or not - THANK YOU.

You explained, encouraged, and otherwise lifted up.

This group is so positive, and unfailingly kind.

To you all, a very Happy Christmas, and a kind and emboldened New Year