How to live a bonus life
BE LIKE TIM. SAVE A LIFESo, cancer reckons it's in charge? I'm 77 days post-stem cell transplant following my relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, and I say it's not... 1. Cancer fails to deny its inferiority As a trained journalist, I'm keenly aware of giving the 'other side' of a story the right to reply. So I tried contacting cancer through various media … Continue reading 11 Reasons Why You Are The Boss Of Cancer
It's been a bit of an eye-opener to see that at least some friends and family genuinely believed my post on Facebook declaring that I had completed my first triathlon. I chose a snappy, attention-grabbing description in the expectation that nobody would actually believe it, but instead would be intrigued as to what I was … Continue reading Days +69 to +72: The invisible illness
I've been feeling a bit more tired over the past few days; perhaps because of the triathlon in which I competed on Thursday evening... This was all one take (as you can probably imagine), but hopefully explains the importance of Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, and why you MUST support Anna in the Blenheim Palace … Continue reading Days +64 to +68: My very own triathlon effort
According to the Department of Work and Pensions' preliminary estimates for 2013/14 (bear with me here), around £1.1bn was paid out to fraudulent benefits claims, representing around 0.7% of the total benefits bill. Clearly there are a lot of people persuaded towards dishonesty by the promise of 'free money' in return for false claims that might never be found … Continue reading Days +60 to +63: The benefits of remembering the tougher times
I'm pretty certain that before my leukaemia relapse, if Mariacristina had used a paint sampler – intended to check colour suitability – to vandalise the walls of our downstairs loo, albeit with friendly graffiti, I'd have shaken my head, sighed and looked reprovingly at her while saying 'Cuoooore...". After all, the chances were that the graffiti would be … Continue reading Days +56 to +59: Feel free to graffiti our house
I sometimes wonder whether I could have been a half-decent musician, had I ever put in the hours practising. "But why break a habit of a lifetime?" I thought this weekend when recording The Donor Song (my new bone marrow's from you) in a fit of gratitude and creativity. I'll use my bunged-up nose to plead … Continue reading Days +51 to +55: The Donor Song (my new bone marrow’s from you)
1 readmission to hospital since discharge following stem cell transplant (average is apparently three in first year post-transplant) 2 times as bushy: my eyebrows seem to have thickened dramatically; fine hair has also appeared on the bottom of my nose, my ears and, to a lesser extent, the rest of my head. I'm not sure why... … Continue reading Day +50 (and +47 to +49): Treatment by numbers
Another weekend, another magnificent breakfast by Mariacristina, as she marked the visit of our friends Valentina and Riccardo with pancakes and eggy bread (French toast if you're feeling formal). I did tell her that if I were the only one to want the latter, not to go to the extra effort, but she insisted she … Continue reading Days +43 to +46: Looking for the answer
Although I'm managing to stretch my legs across Streatham Common and even spend a gentle few minutes on the exercise bike these days, nothing compares to the magnificent efforts Anna Walker and Will Allen will be putting in, alongside others, at the Blenheim Palace triathlon to raise money for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research in early June. … Continue reading Days +40 to +42: Double triple family fundraising heroes
Carpe diem! Seize the day! It's clear that any reminder of one's mortality and the shortness of life is likely to prompt a desire to make the most of every day, every hour, every minute. Procrastinating is a dangerous habit – when the guarantee of a tomorrow gets weaker than ever, putting anything off would seem particularly churlish. All … Continue reading Days +36 to +39: Seizing the moment – gently
