Myself and Roz
A couple of weeks ago I met up with Roz and her family, and spent a lovely few hours chatting. Roz had the same diagnosis as myself and the same operation in the same hospital, only separated by a couple of weeks, although I was in Warrington hospital when Roz had her operation. It was only pure chance that I saw the mention of Warrington on a Kidney Cancer forum, so I mailed Roz and now we are life friends. Although Roz was lucky that the KC hadn't spread, she was dreadfully unlucky to then be diagnosed with Lung Cancer, and last month she had part of a lung removed, a remarkable lady, a true fighter and a pleasure to know.
Spent a day walking London with my mate Sarah, had an amazing time, walked for miles and saw pretty well all the top sites, including Harrods where we bought some bits and bobs for friends, unfortunately after a bottle of wine and an unbelievably awful Cocktail I left them in the Arch Duke at Waterloo, never trust me when I have been drinking, its enough for me to remember to put one foot in front of the other! Luckily thanks to a superb member of staff they put the bags to one side for me to collect a couple of days later. Sarah and I always make friends with someone living on the street when we are out and about. Not sure how Cherise felt about having her picture taken, but our intentions were genuine.
We met Cherise at Waterloo, a lovely lady who has fallen on difficult times, so was good to spend a bit of time with her. First person I met on the street who has a mobile, times are certainly a changing.
Back in London a few days later, this time with a fab friend Aimy, we went out into town in the evening, picking up the Harrods stuff on the way, of course it was a Friday night and the place was packed, but we had a good wonder round, good meal and met some good people, Aimy is so cool to talk to, the time just flies by, and we were so busy talking and walking that we forgot we were hungry and needed food, eventually ending up in Leicester Square for a bit of Mexican, then back to South London, talking till the sun came up, with Aimy doing her hovering at 3 in the morning!
Aimy with Nelson
Rather different visit was to Yasmin in Poole, Yasmin and I have a bit of history, over 5 years worth. Yasmin is due to give birth anytime now, so is ever so slightly large, bless her, was so good to spend time with her, she really hasn't changed, despite all the discomfort she still smiles all the time which is great to see, as she has had a bit of a rough ride in recent years, her husband Mark was very welcoming as well, amazing the barriers that cancer can break down! It was actually very relaxed and fun, and I had another first, which strangely enough was not on my Bucket List!
Anyone for Victoria Sponge?
Yup, I baked a cake, taken me 52 years to do it, but like most things with me, I get there in the end haha. Must thank Yasmin, she arranged a couple of surprises, which was so good of her, one was Afternoon Tea at The Bath Hotel in Bournemouth, and the other was a back massage, which was so very welcome, the massage was done by a young Goth girl very aptly called Raven, such a lovely girl and now a friend, she has a partner who was diagnosed at 27 with cancer, so again it brings it home to me how fortunate I am.
Sarah and I, had had a few very busy days, lunch in a posh restaurant, bit of a pub crawl, bit of clubbing, bit of a row, then Karting, a sea voyage, climb up the Spinnaker tower and a day in London, so after all that we were a little bit lost, although we did finish it off by having some Caviar...how gross was that!
Cheesy, but rather nice shot of me and Sarah
That's how I feel at the moment, a little bit lost, I have been rushing around having such a great time with some fab people and now I am back north, trying to think of something to do, crazy really as I have so much I could do, but the urge to be out and about is stronger than ever, my poor friend Alan who's house I live in, must really think I cant bear to be around him, which really is not true, I just have a real need to not waste a minute sitting around. I have a 4 day cycling trip in a couple of weeks, a trip to Wales, back to London and back to Southampton, I really am so very lucky to have this freedom.
Next Tuesday I have my 3 month scan, I am starting to wind myself up about it, it is the first clear 3 months I have had, since the primary tumour was removed, so it will really show me how my cancer is likely to proceed over the coming year or so, I still don't know how to react to the situation I am in, it feels so surreal, on the face of it I am very healthy, and at times quite happy, especially being able to visit my friends and do the things we have been doing, but at times it doesn't feel real, its like the never ending summer holidays when you were a kid, eventually they did come to an end.
Despite the impression I sometimes give, that I am a bit of a walkover and too soft, and easy to take advantage of, I am very strong inside and eventually I come to grips with what life has to throw at me, and I stand up and fight for myself and move on to the next phase of my life, cancer is no more than a phase, and I will move on from it.
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