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

I'm still fortunate enough to be operating in the "normal" zone.  Literally everything is like normal life. Still appreciate the fact this could change at any moment - but frankly enjoying it  while I can. Watched Ollie's last game of the season, which I'm pleased about as it was the best they have played. Great competitive game and a shame they lost in the end.  Nice relaxing afternoon followed up by a game of trivial pursuit with the kids. Well, it started with the kids - they got bored......... I won... Sunday was the community day and prize giving at the club.  Great turnout and was good to see loads of friendly faces.  I wasn't allowed to take part in the tag tournament after wrecking my knee last year and it wasn't a good idea to attempt it currently anyway.  Glad to see it was so fiercely contested as normal - glad I wasn't playing !!!  Managed a couple of cheeky pints as well - the Guinness went down very well ! Highlight ...

Today, I had an appointment for bloods and the urology clinic at the Marsden.  Feeling "normal" again today - which I'm clearly pleased about - the only change I have noticed is the reduction in beard growth. Normally I have to shave daily - the requirement has reduced massively..... Guess I'll save on blades for the time being as well as haircuts soon ! Nat came along to the Marsden and after an early blood test, we had some breakfast and waited for the bloods to be tested and for my appointment. Whilst waiting, we met with Jason, the friend of a friend and my Whatsapp go-to for daft questions.  He was in for a checkup, so it worked perfectly to meet face to face and chat.  It's reassuring to meet the face behind the chat - when you see the guy whos had had a similar dose of chemo - had a bald head - rocks up with a full head of hair and a beard !  Hope your check up went well Jason. Very happy with output from my appointment.  Doctors are pleased with ...

So - I wasn't expecting to write this at any point. But today was just a normal day. Outside of the dull ache in my arms and legs, everything else is normal! Worked from home, like normal ......... Sure it won't be like this all the time but setting myself up to feel rubbish every day has given me a bonus day today.  Let's see what tomorrow brings - more bloods and a visit to the urology clinic planned.....

Very quiet day today compared to the previous days events. Decided to work from home and had a quiet morning - still the usual wake up feeling OK and then gradually start to feel tired during the day routine, but all in all, not too bad.... Took the opportunity of being at home, to go out for lunch with Nat which was really nice to do something "Normal". Managed to get some rest this afternoon before Steve arrived to stab me with my daily injection to increase my blood count for the next 5 days. Thanks mate ! My arms and legs are aching quite a bit today, so Nat suggested a bath.  I hate having a bath - it's boring and frankly - the bath isn't big enough to completely submerge myself - I just don't do baths - ever. But - I know it might help - so I managed to soak myself for about 20 mins in "muscle repair super bubble bath" or whatever it's called but then boredom took it's toll and I escaped.  I still ache.... I'm looking forwar...

So - Day 8 - inside the "danger zone" of days 7-10 - and still feeling OK. I'm a week in, pleased that so far - I'm OK.  From reading lots of other stories, many have felt like crap by now, I just am tired and ache - I'll take that - although I am under no illusion it might get worse. After dropping Ollie at school with Alan, we went for the best preparation for the day - down the Ewell Cafe for a fry up.  Marvelous!  Just what I needed before we headed to the Marsden for my Day 8 blood tests.  These blood tests along with some checks are to ensure I am OK to take the next part of this stage of the treatment.  Fortunately, not a massive queue as I was seen fairy quickly.  The fry up clearly helped - as my veins were on good form. "Ooh - an easy one" as he lanced my vein with the cannula - bloods done. I went up to let them know I'd had my bloods taken and it was confirmed for me to return at 2pm as scheduled.  I'd hoped that I would see R...

Monday morning - the day when most of the working population lets out a small groan when the alarm goes off.  Same in this house ! However - my initial thoughts were if I were going into the office today. Day 7 - 10 is when my white blood cell count is likely to dip / be at it's lowest and when I am likely to feel like crap.  This morning I feel normal (as I can be). So - I take my time, get ready, have some breakfast and do leave for the office after the school runs have gone.  Nice quiet drive to the office and it was nice to be welcomed back by my colleagues, although I was gently reminded - "Great to see you, but you don't have to be here".  I knew that - but I wanted to prove a point to myself that I could do it if I wanted to ! I lasted until lunchtime, was OK but knew the batteries were getting low - so decided to eat and get home on the energy rush.  I decided to have a power nap - an hour an a half later I woke up.   Listen to y...

I set myself some targets for the weekend and although I exceeded those targets, I realised that I really need to be sensible.  On the day of the London Marathon, I have woken up to the realisation that I am indeed running my own marathon -  which for those that know me - running isn't my thing !   I have just started my treatment, I'm on Day 6 - of a 21 day cycle - I have to do this three times over-  it will and is already getting harder. I now am starting to realise that my energy levels just aren't there. As much as I think / wish / want them to be.  Ollie did his first Parkrun today - my advice to him (as a pro athlete clearly !) - take your time - start of at a good pace so you make it to the end.  Son like Father - straight out the trap and knackered before half way ! He gathered his breath and got going again and ran to the end. Never give up.  So proud of him though and he's looking forward to beating his time next weekend. I however -...

So - an early and decent nights sleep with only one requirement to pee in the night (as opposed to about 3 or 4 times the previous nights) was welcomed. I feel good this morning and normality is back, Ollie's footie this morning so up and ready for the day. Nat is back on form - "Are you going to shave that beard off - you look a mess"   Love her x So shaved and showered as requested and feeling good. Got some washing on, helped tidy the house and then went and watched a good, competitive game of footie and then headed home for some lunch.  Still feeling good. Easy this chemo lark.... Needed something for dinner - so dragged Lewis to the shop. Man shopping - in, list completed and out. Job done.  Still going OK.  Time approaching 3pm - feeling good.  OK - let's go watch the Sutton First XV. Leaving Nat to escape to catchup with more friends !   Was good to get down the club and see a few of the Xtra B's and some coaches from Lewis' age group. ...

First three days of my of chemotherapy done and I'm at home, Nat collected me this morning after I had destroyed a hearty Marsden breakfast and I had showered.  Was weird leaving my roomies - Richard - who is in there for a while to come - he's really poorly and had a bad day yesterday. Was chatting with him this morning, his spirits high today but he said he had no energy. So - what do you do - I made him eat his cornflakes and drink his tea. I said I would see him Tuesday - he said he wasn't going anywhere 😔 The other chap John - he's waiting to find out what was happening - he slept well last night and ate all his breakfast today - so he seems to be improving which is great. I've exchanged numbers with Gethyn, as we will be in on the same days for treatment - so my "Chemo Friend" can I can keep in contact over the weeks.  I don't envy his 4 hour drive back to Wales though - hope that went well. As we left the ward today, Richard brought a t...

After the breakthrough of working out that snacking is the way forward, I'd showered and met the doctors and worked the day from The Marsden. Mum and Dad came up to visit again before they headed home.  It was nice for them to be here when the Doctors did their rounds and for them to hear the progress was good.  Then I was visited at lunch by Nick L. from Scouts - a good man, and a welcome visitor. It was good to see him and catchup - while I stuffed my face with my Prawn Cocktail, Cumberland sausages in onion gravy, carrots, green breans followed up by upside down pineapple sponge and custard.  After Nick left, I had a series of conference calls to while away the afternoon.  The first of which was a team meeting. Being the only team member in Europe, i felt it important to remind them that I still exist !  So I joined the call - my Boss sounded confused "Oh Dan - you joined ?  I wasn't expecting you to join us - but you are most welcome"   I ...

So after feeling so rough after the first batch, I decided to try something different tonight. I  snacked through the chemotherapy to see if that would help, not a lot, just something in my stomach. Now I understood what happened and how it all happened, I was happier with what was coming along. So I worked through the day as yesterday - with intermittent breaks for food, tea, biscuits and naps, the time approached for my chemotherapy.  The plan was to bring it forward by a couple of hours as they can - but due to new patients the plan didn't work. Mum and Dad came to visit today, which was nice to see them and be able to show them what was going on and explain everything. They went home to look after the Boys so Nat could come up.  So I started about 5.30pm. Tonight's delights included Bleomycin, Etoposide, Cisplatin, finished off with the re-hydration solution.  It finished around 3am and managed to sleep between drug changes. Woke up at 6am, feeling fine...

It's finally arrived, today we start the process to get rid of this thing. I've spent the morning at home catching up on email after holiday as a distraction and then we head off to the Marsden in Sutton. W e arrive as arranged for 11am "Hello - I know you" was the greeting from the lady in reception - one of the parents from rugby !  I am shown to my bed in Kennaway Ward. I spend the day having blood and urine tests and have a cannula installed and then it's just waiting for the chemo to start - which won't be until late afternoon. I'm given the daily menu to choose my lunch, evening meal and breakfast. Tea, coffee and biscuits on demand.  Nat is taking the piss that it's like a spa in here - as the sun shines through the window ! I was introduced to Gethyn, a rugby lad, who used to play locally before he moved back to Wales - same surgery, same treatment of BEP3 and same cycle dates. He is now my "Chemo Friend" - much to the amuse...

With the good news of us going to Cornwall, it meant I was on a limited timetable to make my second deposit at Hammersmith.   So I got up there first thing in the morning when Andrology opened. More paperwork and several blokes feeling uncomfortable, no Nat this time to make it worse for them ! I was allocated room 2 and as before - got in there and avoided the draws and DVD and just got it done. Deposit made, signed paperwork. Done.  I have to go back at some point for a consultation. Until that consultation happens - nobody can use my sperm - not even me !  I will schedule that in soon. So - I then headed to The Marsden in Sutton for Kidney function tests. This is how they work out my chemotherapy prescription.  To basically see how quickly I process stuff and pee it out.  It comprises of a series of injections and blood tests over 4 hours. So - I sat here for hours, working remotely - not ideal but it worked.  So - that's it done.  All ready...

Now we knew what was going on, I desperately wanted to tell the Boys. I sat down with Lewis and he got full line and verse - he's old enough and intelligent enough to understand.  His first question ?? "When does it start" - I explained the dates and timescales and then explained this was the reason we were telling him now - as we finally knew all the information.  I made him promise to ask us if he had ANY questions and to not google anything about it.  He agreed. I then had to tell Ollie, that was going to be a totally different conversation.   I explained carefully that I needed some medicine to get rid of some bad cells and if he had any worries to ask me and Mum. I said "Now this medicine might make me tired and feel poorly and make my hair fall out."  His response was classic... "Well that's just stupid - having medicine that makes you poorly...... can I go on my xbox now?"  He's happy ! Boys know - which mean we can talk about it...