Well, that got your attention.
You will be relieved to hear that the end I refer to is not mine, but the conclusion of my chemotherapy. Yesterday was dose 10 of a planned 12 and so I have just two more visits to the poison emporium to bear. The side effects have been more acute in recent weeks, with the sensitivity to cold and nausea being the most prominent. After yesterday’s treatment the nausea all got a bit too much and for the first time since I started the chemo, I spent a bit of time huddled over the toilet bowl. A great shame really as Mrs W had prepared a very nice pasta dish that I enjoyed, but not the second time as it was ejected with some force at about midnight. All is better now and I am feeling ‘normal’ for me post treatment.
Of course, it’s also that time when we reflect on another year ending and that usually means that the postie delivers an endless stream of Christmas cards accompanied by the A4 two-sided family newsletter. I feckin’ hate these abominations. They are usually from people you haven’t seen or heard of since they sent you last year’s stream of dribble and they contain the usual guff about how they sooooooo enjoyed trekking the mountains of Uzbekistan in April and how the cruise of the Med in August was the highpoint of the year, apart from when one of their spotty offspring discovered the cure for hemorrhoids. Your eye is of course always drawn to the dodgy snaps of two middle-aged arses sat astride a wheezing camel and neither snap helps you remember who the fuck these people are and why they are sending you their ‘news’. There are times when an open fire is sooooooo handy.
It would be very easy to state the bleedin’ obvious and say what a crap year 2016 has been and not just for me. So I’ll stop there and not whinge on about it. Over recent weeks there have been many personalities featured in the news who have been diagnosed with or have succumbed to cancer. I still find it hard to listen to other people’s stories and usually have to turn the radio or TV off when they are featured. But occasionally I do listen and appreciate what they are going through. Sometimes it makes me feel better and sometimes not.
On a brighter note and to finish, I mentioned in my last post that I had been approached to write an article on leadership and change for an education magazine. I submitted the piece last week and the publisher was so delighted that they have asked if they could publish it in two of their publications. So in the new year I shall feature in both Independent Leader and Education Executive. When I get the actual copy I will share it. They have also indicated that they would like me to contribute again in the future. Hopefully this work will lead to something more substantial at the start of 2017, so that we can start earning an income again and restock Mother Hubbard’s cupboard.
Talking of the big C and a crap 2016 – after it took my mum in April 2015, on October 20th it decided it hadn’t finished with my family and my daddy died a week after diagnosis – he had been hiding from it and so left it too late.
Roll on 2017 I say. xxx
It is a dreadful thing. It does seem to be that the earliest it is caught the better the prospects in the end. Have a great break and a happy and healthy new year. Regards to you and the team at Cambridge.
Mr Williams aka brother in law and all round good egg, can I just say that I am so impressed with how you have dealt with the big C , in all of your posts you have made me laugh, cry and feel generally chuffed to be related to you ( unfortunately you can do bugger all about that as you got Sam up the duff so you are stuck with us!)
This year has seen several people that I care about being given the news that no-one wants to hear and all have dealt with it in their own way. There is no right or wrong way but it seems to me that your way of dealing with it is both beneficial to you and to everyone around you, and we all have taken our lead from you and Mrs W.
Feel better for saying that so there!
PS- I’m not pissed, nor is snot dribbling down my face ( unlike when you first told me!)
I just wanted to put it out there, maybe it’s the coming of the baby Jesus’s birthday that is getting to me?
Gawd bless us one and all.
Peace out bitches x
Is this your way of preparing me for a disappointing Christmas present?
I misread your comment originally and thought you had referred to me as a “big C”!!!
Thank you for your support, we are managing to get through this because of the kindness of those around us and we know that whatever happens next that will be there to help us through it all. XXX
Hey you big C, just get practising your ‘I love it face!!’
Setting aside the ‘crap’ aspect of life,your reminder of only two more chemotherapy sessions brings for all of us who care about you nothing less than a clean bill of health will do.Utopia does not exist when you have been subjected to this invasive disease,but I promise you it can make you a better,more thoughtful human being.
Andrew we are so very proud of you.And the winning post is in sight.Merry Christmas from .Love Mum and Gramps King & Pip