Rugby Saved My Life - So my team mate claims anyway ....

As you can imagine, I'm looking forward to forgetting 2017. It's not really been the year I want to remember in a hurry - but with some reflection, it's also a year I do want to remember. Obviously, the diagnosis of testicular cancer in February and the subsequent treatment and everything that went along with it would make anyone want to write off the year. But what really sticks in my mind, are the good things from 2017.  Yes it all went a bit wrong at the start, however, to discover the love and support from family and friends has just simply been amazing.  Friends I haven't spoken to for years, old school mates getting in touch to say hello and to see how I am.  Seriously - it's been amazing.  The support of my family has just been unreal.  The support of our employers, amazing.  Away from "Me" - the Boys have worked really hard at school and fortunately, there seems to have been little impact of what I've been going through on them. Academica...

So this week started off with a phone call from the appointments team, confirming my Urology appointment for Friday.  It's that phone call that remind me of what happened to me this year. It's that phone call that suddenly makes me inwardly worry....... The reason why - it's back to The Marsden week.  The week when I have to go back, have blood tests and whatever else they decide to do.  It's the only time I really think about what has happened to me and the massive looming question of "What are the tests going to say" - hence the reasons behind my worry. So as usual - I rock up at The Marsden for my bloods after doing the school run and meet up with Gethyn - #ChemoFriend - in the bloods room.  By change (only because he buggered his dates up), he's also back in today. So we have our bloods taken and we head off to the canteen for a breakfast and a bloody great catchup.  I spoken via text over the past couple of months but today we got to properly ch...

So, today I achieved what I set out to do right at the beginning of all of this....... I played my first full 80 minutes of rugby. It was a target I set myself on Round 1, Day 1 of chemo - "preseason training starts today".  I had a run out a few weeks ago in a pre-season tournament - but that was only a couple of 20 minute halves.  So on Saturday - I played the full game - not an ideal situation - I wanted to start with maybe just a half -  but hey - it can't be that bad right ?! So - we played a very strong side - I play for our social team - we played the opposition 2nd team !   Aching and bruised but I absolutely loved it ! Happy doesn't come close to describing how I feel right now. If I look back at what my energy levels were like - it seems hard to imagine I would be doing this today. Looking forwards, match fitness is the next target and more games and training to help that happen.  To add to the desire to get fit - we've decided to give...

So today was the first visit back to The Marsden since the end of June. I had my bloods taken early in preparation for my late morning appointment.   Was weird being back there, a mix of emotions and suddenly that feeling of worry I might be told something bad - no idea why - I just did . The thought of - "what if it's come back?" - I mentally slapped myself! Not going to happen ! Eventually I got to see the the main man, Professor Huddart. He checked me over and told me he was really pleased with my progress. Impressed my hair had grown back dark, not grey and that I was training again. He was more pleased with the last set of test results and scans and that in short the plan had come together and we were seeing the expected results. The results being that the cancer has gone. I was sent for a routine chest X-ray and afterwards I popped up to see the staff on Kennaway ward. Was lovely to see them again and they all wanted to know how I was and were delighted...

So I was told that your hair does weird things when it comes back. So far - it's not ginger - it's either grey or brown - so nothing much different from before - although a lot more grey seems to have appeared !  It's not gone curly either - to be fair - it would never get long enough to go curly ! What is weird, is that my hair is soooo soft - I feel like if I leave it I could do an advert for Johnsons Baby Shampoo !  I'm sure it will change again as I will keep on trimming it. My beard growth is back to normal - if anything it's growing a lot thicker than before and I'm pretty much back to a daily shave Still working away at rugby training.  Last two weeks have been killer - but no pain no gain.  The season is approaching - so need to prepare - OK - so going to France for a couple of weeks isn't going to help - but hey - sometimes you just need to relax and have fun !

So it's been a month (and one day) since I last had any chemo.  Life is good. In summary:  Tiredness has gone, daytime naps are a thing of the distant past. I'm back to work properly. Everyone got used to me not having any hair. Now my hair is growing, they will have to get used to me with hair again - albeit a bit grey and a bit baby soft.  Currently not curly or ginger - much to the disappointment of some of my mates !   I still don't have a full head of hair by any means but it's coming and I keep getting Nat to cut it back, so I have an even cut - as it grows at varied lengths ! But it's getting there and I now am just on the cusp of having enough hair to say I have a very short haircut - the hair definition is almost back !   As I've said before - I didn't like myself with no hair and although everyone said it suited me - I didn't like it.  Plus It's horrible when it rains with a bald head !  Another couple of months and that bi...

It's quite weird how intense the last few months have been.  Constant updates on what's going on as each day I felt different on a daily basis. Now though, each day is just normal life. Kids go to school, we go to work, planning our summer holiday etc.   Now I'm not saying for a second that I would rather be occupied with having loads of chemo shoved into my veins - I don't plan on having that again.  But it makes you realise how it did take over my life for that short space of time and how everything I've started to do again now, had to be done by others.  For that - I can never say Thank You enough. For me now - my tiredness has pretty much gone.  I'm working on my strength, working on getting fitter - although I will be starting pre-season training at Sutton and Epsom next week - I can't wait - new fitness coaches for my side - with the brief to make us all machines by the start of the season (oh and to see who is sick first due to training).  It...