D-Day - 17 years cancer free

Ask anyone who has had or has cancer will know what the importance of dates are then you will get a clear understanding of how a simple anniversary can provide a mental trauma.  Today marks 17 years of my diagnosis of cancer and as there were so many dates in 2005 I use this one as my D-Day, diagnosis day.  You live through the experiences of 17 years ago today as it were yesterday.  

The year I decided to deflect my thoughts of the past, after all they are not a life sentence and I will next week embark on a hike up the Inca Trail with a visit to Machu Picchu, the deflection strategy has worked a treat. 

This years clinical update brings to you the final demise of my teeth on my lower left jaw through Osteoradionecrosis.  As I written before with many cancers the after effects of the treatment bring lingering side effects and now with the lower left jaw clear of teeth I hope things will settle down in terms of head and jaw pain.  My left shoulder and neck, are holding up as I changed my exercise regime to do less weight bearing exercises which were building muscle to compensate for the lack of muscle in my left neck.  My hearing in my left side has gone for good following the same radiotherapy that killed my jaw, but hey "we go again" for another year.

On a personal level it was a good year, my son finally graduated, my daughter went to University to become a student nurse and I acquired a new dog Beau or she acquired me. 

#Keepattacking everyone let us hope I will report back next year! 

When being chased by an imaginary lion, do not stop to ask its name.

15 years ago today my life changed.  In some respect, it changed for the better, in some it did not.  The clear positives are that I am alive and recently returned from Australia, if not sooner than I would have liked, my objectives for my children to reach adulthood and no return of cancer has been achieved. 

The downsides are clearly mental trauma, that lingers with cancer or any serious illness treatment, the muscle and body damage that are side effects of surgery and the slow decay of your teeth caused by lack of salvia. 

The phalanx of "celebratory" messages are often unwelcome.  You write and talk because it is a release from mental and physical trauma.  You share not because you want to celebrate, but because you want to forget and move on.  I hate May.  The 19th and the 26th will be etched in my memory forever.  The day my life changed and no matter how good, no matter how positive surviving 15 years there is still guilt.  I remember Yeo ward as if it was yesterday, I remember friends I made, who the next day were surrounded by their loved ones saying goodbye. 

My good and dear friend Martin Lynn who after many treatments to suppress his cancer died recently.  I miss him.  To have someone so close and understanding the journey you have been on no longer in your life is painful, he understood my guilt, he sat listening and nodded, that was the only recognition I needed.

So in recognition of my 15 years, I will write to all those friends and people who played a significant part in my treatment and the last 15 years, a team of people to keep me alive.  Doctors, Nurses, Family, Children, Friends and Work colleagues.  Without them I would not be here.  

#keepattacking

The importance of goals in life.

When you have cancer you set yourself goals.

Short term, they relate to treatment "days left of treatment" or dates such as "start chemo" but post-cancer they take on a different meaning.  They are longer-term, examples are, go back to work, change lifestyle habit to help me not see a repeat, see my next birthday in or see my children turn 18.

In my case, it was 2 fold, in 2005 when my children were 6 and 4 I wanted to see them become adults at 18.  In the case of my son, that was 2 years ago and in the case of my daughter, that was this year.  I also set one other milestone, see them in their chosen career or University course.

Today is where my post-cancer goal-setting ends, post-cancer I have achieved mentally and physically what I set out to do back in the days of cancer treatment.

My daughter Ellen, today starts her nursing degree at Plymouth University.  Ellen is studying mental health nursing a challenging and rewarding degree which will lead to a caring career.  Tomorrow I fly to Tokyo to see my son, Will who is 3 years into a German and Japanese degree.

Having goals in life, business, personal or sport are important, without them you lose the focus, so never mind how small, important or big they are keeping them in focus,  Develop a lifestyle, work habits or attitude to deliver them.



In my case I changed my lifestyle, lost weight, give up drinking, developed a fitness regime and established my own business to take away the stresses of corporate life, surrounded myself with positive friends and family.

It does not mean it was easy, quick or perfect as regular readers will know that the pain of surgery follows me every day in my life, however it maintained a focus to be here when my children were growing up and my next goal is simple, to be around when I and they graduate, in 2021 and 2022.

#Keepattacking

Mental Health & Post Cancer - 14 years on.

14 years ago tomorrow I was told I have cancer of mouth & neck.  I struggle mentally each year, at the same time, over the next 2 weeks it will be a regression.  14 years ago I was told I would require two operations. One to remove cancer in my mouth. The other the removal of cancerous lymph glands. in my neck.  The latter operation resulting in the permanent removal of neck muscles, severing of nerves that would leave part of left arm inoperable for life, areas of my head and neck numbed forever and a head balancing on just balancing with only half a set of neck muscles.  This surgery combined with chemo and radiotherapy to my head should clear cancer.  If you have read this blog you will see it did. 

Whilst I am "cured" physically the mental scars continue.  Yes, I suffer daily pain, have a body that cannot operate in the same way it is formed because of a lack of muscles and movement and deaf on my left side as a result of radiotherapy.  My mouth needs extra care, my teeth are at risk of loss due to osteoradionecrosis.  Oh and a wonky smile! 


I do not moan about these challenges as I am alive.  Whilst physically I am in amazing shape and live with my challenges, mentally the next two weeks are like a living hell for me. 

I dread for the next 2 weeks.  I relive the journey from cancer discovery to radical neck dissection (a 7-day journey) and trapped in a quiet hospital ward (over the bank holiday) my life changed forever.  The weather becomes warmer, the smells of summer, the flowers and longer days I dread.  

I retreat in my private life, In my work I become very busy, I become more fit than I am.  My Fitbit tells me I am 40, when I am actually 55.  I cope, but sharing my aniexity helps despite there is nothing I want people to do but understand why I feel this way in the last 2 weeks in May every year. 

I am blessed I am here and alive, but in #MentalHealthAwareness week it is important to stress that whilst surgery and medical treatment are life savers the after effects of any life-changing treatment are often mental. 

Women, Men and Children have treatment daily.  We all deal with things differently.  I started this blog the day after finding out about cancer to express myself, tell you my emotions and stop the phone ringing. 

It is ok to say, I am anxious, but not scared about cancer, that is the last thing I worry about.  It is the memories, the tastes, the smells, the sounds, the anxiety of having to see the next two weeks out are a small price to pay for seeing my children reach adulthood and keep me here to see it.

So next time a friend, lover or workmate says they are anxious or under stress understand that life is not the movies but real and listen, support and protect.  That way we can all keep attacking! 

8 years today - A life changing day.

At 1030 on the 20th May 2005 I was told I had cancer.  I never expected to be told that it was cancer, that was never on my radar.  8 years on I am still here alive and well.  Medically I am ok.  The lack of a set of neck muscles on one side of my body can be an arse but then it is the least of my worries.  I do have to take the occasional pain killer when the neck seizes up and there is rarely a comfortable driving and seated position.  Office chairs and meetings are a physical pain as an incorrect seating position usually ends up with me having to stand to prevent spasms and the inevitable headaches.  Sports massage normally helps relieve the pressure so things are not all bad.

Another side effect of my treatment the dry mouth caused by a lack a siliva gland, so I take water with me everywhere I go and avoid very dry white wine and spicy food as it my roof of my mouth and tongue often remind how punishing the radiotherapy was.  My taste is about 80% of what it was but I can taste most things now without the fear the mercury taste lingering in my food.  I have to be careful with things like rice, crisps or anything with a sharp texture to it and quickly learnt the best way to move it from my throat is not to gulp water but dry bread. 

My partial deafness in my left ear is a pain in the arse but I still have a right one ! 

Mentally I am ok.  I still have a problem with crowds and a tad claustrophobic, but when strapped by your head to a bench for one session a day for two months has affected my sense of awareness in large public places.  I often get flashbacks, times, dates, places, people and smells.  My latest one is window washing liquid on my car brought back the smell of the hand gel in he Oncology ward.  It creeps up on you but nothing more than the summer of 2005.

I am as a fit as a 49 year old bloke can be and suspect I could be fitter, but when 15% of my muscle group are missing and my body has to make amends for this I do not do too badly as I enter my 4th full season as a rugby referee.  

In the last 8 years I have got married, divorced, returned to Devon, buried my mother, made the front of National newspapers, appeared on Radio, Refereed nearly 250 rugby matches, attended the Olympics, Driven a classic Mini to Rome, trained to be an Adult Education Teacher, raised about 6k for various charities, rebuilt one house and completely renovated my home here in Ide.   Life has not been dull and I do not think I have taken more than 5 days off work through illness (Not cancer related) in 8 years.

I have to say my goal of staying alive to see both my children get to 16 will hopefully be achieved within the next 4 years with Will 14 and 6'2 and Ellen 12 in July.  

I hope I can prove to those with mouth/head/neck cancer that life goes out after treatment, the treatment being so brutal that you are left with side effects, physical, mental and conditional but it should not stop you enjoying life and squeezing every drop out of life.  When writing this I can see the faces of the men and women that Summer who failed to come of Yeo (Oncology) Ward.  As I was often the only resident at weekends I was aware of fellow sufferers slipping away from us.  In one instance I vacated my room to allow someone to die in peace.  

Many improvements have been made in Cancer Research over the years and through charitable support one day Cancer will be beaten like many other illnesses have been, for example polio, smallpox and the advances in HIV treatment.  

Here is to the next 8 years, trebles all round.

Keep attacking.