Last time I posted, I was approaching my first second birthday – one year post-transplant – and somehow we've got to more than 100 days since that, given that it's over a year now even since the momentous Day +100 that confirmed I was on the right track. For the record, the birthday celebration was … Continue reading Expectation management
Day +261: Good blood and bad chat
It's been a while... I even cheated and used a website to work out how many days it's been since my stem cell transplant. I usually put such a delay down to the fact I've been too busy getting on with life, which is at least partly true. It's also, though, because medically my life hasn't been very interesting, … Continue reading Day +261: Good blood and bad chat
Day +195: My body is no expert
Do you listen to your body? I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to spend some time living in Naples when my father was posted to work there for three or four years during my teenage years – and not just because otherwise I'd never have met the magnificent Mariacristina... My happy memories are … Continue reading Day +195: My body is no expert
My 100th post: 10 months in pictures…
"You know what?" said Mariacristina. "It's been a great year." She's right, of course...
Day +139: Remembrance of things past
Every now and then my father turns up at our house with a box of bits and pieces left over from my years in the family home, which I usually try to squirrel away as quickly as possible before Mariacristina can divert them to the recycling bin. It's good that the imminent threat of a cull hangs … Continue reading Day +139: Remembrance of things past
11 Reasons Why You Are The Boss Of Cancer
So, 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
Days +69 to +72: The invisible illness
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
Days +60 to +63: The benefits of remembering the tougher times
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
Day +50 (and +47 to +49): Treatment by numbers
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
Days +36 to +39: Seizing the moment – gently
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