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Hello all,
I've had some lovely emails from friends, some of whom frequent this forum, concerned about the posts on my FB page over the last month. Rather than try and get back to each and every one individually, I thought it might be a good idea to post here.
I am unwell again, sadly. I had a full resection of the right-hand side of my back muscle (Lat Dorsi) in October last year after six months of chemo, but it would appear we missed some of the wee buggers. I've been training extensively for this bloody 'Fridge to the Ridge' Snowdon thing at the end of August, but I'd been struggling over the last two months with the pain associated with carrying a stupid 50kg fridge (for the record, don't do this - it's for idiots!).
I asked for some scans to be completed, and the PET MRI revealed some more mets in a number of different sites.
So, the game begins again. I've had my first treatment (day one and eight), and had a neutropaenic/sepsis response almost immediately - hence this email from MTW Pembury, where I've been since Sunday in full isolation. Not being able to see my kids is the toughest thing, but my WBC is on the floor and until I can get a temp average of under 37.5 for 48 hours I'm stuck here.
There are some positives though.
1) I get to wear French silk knickers without judgement.
2) All of the old folk on the ward think 'I'm cool as ****'
3) I cannot confirm point (2).
If someone can email me some positives I'll add them to my list.
Once I've shat all over this treatment I'll get back on with the Fridge thing; thanks to all of you that donated via JustGiving, I promise I won't let you down.
Mark
Bugger. healing vibes coming your way from the vaders....
I confirm point 2. Chin up you mad bugger.
Bugger. Keep going there's a fridge needing carried.
3) Your kids will always remember you wanting to carry a fridge up Snowdon despite your bad health. That story will be told over family meals for year after year.
If you're going to carry a fridge all that way make sure it's got some beer in it
😉
Dude safe to say you could never let any of us down.
I am very judgemental though and on the French knickers I judge very favourably
Good luck fellah
#****cancer
Ermmmm sorry to mention this tradition but point no.1 didnt happen unless you provide pics! Come to think of it i will take your word for it.
Get well soon coz that fridge wont get up the ridge by itself.
I missed the thing about carrying a fridge so I'm going to have to hunt for that thread and the Just Giving.
Meanwhile, good luck with everything.
Well, what a bloody inconvenience. Doesn't cancer know who it's dealing with!!
All the best Mark, keep fighting the dirty horrible bastard and get back to doing stupid stuff with fridges ASAP 🙂
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Hey lad! Like others, healing vibes coming inbound in 3...2....1...
xx
As always I am in awe of the way you deal with the this shitty, shitty thing.
I am old'ish and I think you are cool as **** so point 2 is almost guaranteed!
Kick this things arse once more!
Quick question though. Why do only ware silk knickers now? I wear them as a rule not as an exception. I do make sure there are not too lacy though. That stuff chafes and sometimes also gets caught in my suspender belt and/or pubes.
Presumably after getting over this bout you'll celebrate by carrying a fridge while wearing just your knickers? I'm, er, looking forward to the photos already 🙂
Healing thoughts heading your way!
I would like to formally announce, on behalf of STW massive, that 2) is indeed a science fact.
Another advantage for you is you get to spend all day on STW ... oh hang on...
Good luck and get well soon.
1) I get to wear French silk knickers without judgement.
Pics or it didn't happen
Huge respect for your tenacity.
If it's your kind of thing I've been enjoying the history of cities in the guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/series/the-story-of-cities?page=2
I am also old and also think that 2. is a science fact.
Keep fighting.
Paul
mmmm French Knickers . . .
Get well soon, good luck!
3) You don't have to carry the fridge at the moment
4) You can fill the fridge with beer while you are recovering
Bullheart, kick its **** in
Arse.
Errr.... beefy bloke in French knickers?
For research purposes only are there any pics? 😉
I'm beyond old, and I can tell you with certainty you're way beyond cool!
Healing vibes fella
Cancer’s a Funny Thing by J. B. S. Haldane
I wish I had the voice of Homer
To sing of rectal carcinoma,
Which kills a lot more chaps, in fact,
Than were bumped off when Troy was sacked.
Yet, thanks to modern surgeon’s skills,
It can be killed before it kills
Upon a scientific basis
In nineteen out of twenty cases.
I noticed I was passing blood
(Only a few drops, not a flood).
So pausing on my homeward way
From Tallahassee to Bombay
I asked a doctor, now my friend,
To peer into my hinder end,
To prove or to disprove the rumour
That I had a malignant tumour.
They pumped in BaS04.
Till I could really stand no more,
And, when sufficient had been pressed in,
They photographed my large intestine,
In order to decide the issue
They next scraped out some bits of tissue.
(Before they did so, some good pal
Had knocked me out with pentothal,
Whose action is extremely quick,
And does not leave me feeling sick.)
The microscope returned the answer
That I had certainly got cancer,
So I was wheeled into the theatre
Where holes were made to make me better.
One set is in my perineum
Where I can feel, but can’t yet see ‘em.
Another made me like a kipper
Or female prey of Jack the Ripper,
Through this incision, I don’t doubt,
The neoplasm was taken out,
Along with colon, and lymph nodes
Where cancer cells might find abodes.
A third much smaller hole is meant
To function as a ventral vent:
So now I am like two-faced Janus
The only* god who sees his anus.
I’ll swear, without the risk of perjury,
It was a snappy bit of surgery.
My rectum is a serious loss to me,
But I’ve a very neat colostomy,
And hope, as soon as I am able,
To make it keep a fixed time-table.
So do not wait for aches and pains
To have a surgeon mend your drains;
If he says “cancer” you’re a dunce
Unless you have it out at once,
For if you wait it’s sure to swell,
And may have progeny as well.
My final word, before I’m done,
Is “Cancer can be rather fun”.
Thanks to the nurses and Nye Bevan
The NHS is quite like heaven
Provided one confronts the tumour
With a sufficient sense of humour.
I know that cancer often kills,
But so do cars and sleeping pills;
And it can hurt one till one sweats,
So can bad teeth and unpaid debts.
A spot of laughter, I am sure,
Often accelerates one’s cure;
So let us patients do our bit
To help the surgeons make us fit.
*In India there are several more
With extra faces, up to four,
But both in Brahma and in Shiva
I own myself an unbeliever.
We're all old here, we all think you're caf, ergo you are.
You keep kicking butt and we'll all keep sending the healing vibes.
Keep being inspiring Bullheart. Sending good vibes.
I think in reality Mark, we are just sponsoring you to get well - don't let us down! X
1) I get to wear French silk knickers without judgement.
Did you get to remove them from the nurse first? with your teeth?
All the very best fella, kick **** out that cancer again. Full of admiration as always.
All the best. Give it a good smack!
Cancer is a ****. Fight hard and wear knickers. My thoughts are with you...
Give cancer a kick in the slats from me!
Bullheart
You need to ditch the hot point fridge and go for a nice lightweight beko. It's the opposite of bikes cheap and light go together. If you really must carry 50kg then make it 25kg of fridge and 25kg of protein and carbs (beer and pork pies).
Bullheart - best wishes and strength fo fight the B.stard. Our thoughts are with you
I like thatfight hard and wear knickers
(And just for another questionable mental image, I once broke a mate's leg while we were wrestling on a sofa in our pants*)
((*It's ok, was a stag night, so practically mandatory and he wasn't the groom - best man doesn't count, right?))
Best wishes again for this round, bullheart; it's a persistent bastard, isn't it ?
Sorry I should have opened with...
"When you've kicked cancer squarely in the (metaphorical) balls ...." then the bit about choice of fridge and content.
Mark, you've never let anyone down.
Healing vibes Mark, when you've beaten it again I'd like to put a beer in that fridge for you (after you've finished carrying it up t'hill obvs) you are an inspirational to all of us.
Give it the bombers( again) Mark!
Does 2) relate to 1), or is your apparent coolness because of your stupid fridge idea?
Either way, keep your chin up and keep swinging (not in the silk knickers/car keys way) Mark. Stay strong.
Healing vibes to you......
scaredypants - Member[i]fight hard and wear knickers[/i]
(And just for another questionable mental image, I once broke a mate's leg while we were wrestling on a sofa in our pants*)
((*It's ok, was a stag night, so practically mandatory and he wasn't the groom - best man doesn't count, right?))
If nothing else that made me laugh & the sheer bloody stupidity of carrying a fridge up a mountain makes me glad.
I also had some bad news about cancer yesterday but this is Marks thread.
Chin up fella as it looks better in selfie shots while wearing kinky underwear 😉
Fridge carrying for the 2020 Olympics!
Sort it Mr. F.