Category Archives: Cancer
My Christmas Tree From Christmas 2018 Having been in in out out of UHCW for 6 months in 2018 due to my jaw cancer, I had inally finished radiotherapy in November, but had complications and had to go back in to hospital for another operation on 20th December. Thinking I may be in hospital on […]
Nothing to Worry AboutFollowing on from my last post – Just Muscle and Fat I was booked in for an MRI scan at UHCW in early January 2022 to have a look at the lump on mylower kneck / clavical. I was initially worried it was related to my jaw cancer from 2018 but was told by my […]
Just Muscle and FatJust Muscle and Fat (I hope) 17/12/2021 Following on from last weeks post where I found a lump on my neck I had my appointment with my consultant at UHCW this morning The appointment was at 9:00 but I always like to get there a good half hour early due to the parking which meant […]
A New Lump to the CollectionA New Lump to the Collection I was hoping my cancer story had stopped, but possibly not 🙁 If you want to read it from the beginning go back here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer December 11 2021 I had really bad swelling for quite a while after my 1st operation […]
3 Years After Operation for Jaw Cancer3 Years After Operation for Jaw Cancer 9th July 2018 was my 1st day in hospital since having my tonsils out in the early 70’s The next day I was wheeled down for my 1st operation to remove half my lower jaw and have it reconstructed using the fibula bone from my left leg. Various […]
3 Years After Being Told I had Jaw Cancer3 Years After Being Told I had Jaw Cancer It’s about 3 years now since being told I had jaw cancer My dentist initially suspected it in late April 2018, about 4 weeks later it was confirmed and weeks later I was on the operating table having half my bottom jaw removed and rebuilt using […]
Still Wobbling OnStill Wobbling On So here we are, approaching the 3rd Christmas since my Cancer operation and treatment The COVID crisis had resulted in me only seeing my consultant twice this year and at the last visit in mid November I mentioned my balance and wobbling problems again which I assumed was just due to fatigue […]
2 Years on from Hearing I Had Cancer2 Years on from Hearing I Had Cancer It was some time in mid June 2018 that my cancer was confirmed, everything had been a bit slow the prior months but as soon as it was confirmed and I was in the right hands it was full steam ahead and within 3 weeks I’d had […]
Early 2020Early 2020 (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) I’d made it through another Christmas 🙂 I was nearly 13 stone again the week after Christmas but within the 1st couple of weeks of 2020 was back down to under 12 1/2 not […]
The Last Months of 2019The Last Months of 2019 (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) September 2019 was again uneventful I’d had my last lymphatic massage treatment and was signed off, wasn’t having to visit my oncologists for 2 months, weight was up to 11 stone […]
The Summer of 2019The Summer of 2019 (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) The summer months of 2019 were great, uneventful, but peaceful and I was spending more time in the garden. I was eating virtually everything now, was still drinking my fortisips and my […]
Be Careful with the Suntan LotionBe Careful with the Suntan Lotion (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) June 2019 and the weather was similar to when I was in hospital July/August 2018, a bit of a heatwave. When I was in my teens early 20’s, even 30’s […]
Getting Ill When Recovering from CancerGetting Ill When Recovering from Cancer (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) So here we are in June 2019 apart from the weight loss, mild lymphoedema and getting tired easily I’d had a pretty uneventful 1st half of the year, until I […]
How Stupid is the Tax Credit System Cancer SufferersHow Stupid is the Tax Credit System for Cancer Sufferers (or any low earner having regular hospital appointments) (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) A little break from my Head and Neck cancer story for a little rant (story will continues from […]
12 Months on From Being Told I Have Cancer – A Brief Summary12 Months on From Being Told I Have Cancer – A Brief Summary (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) We are now up to May 2019 – 12 months on from when I was 1st told I may have Cancer so a […]
Can a 16 Plus Stone Man Become AnorexicCan a 16 Plus Stone Man Become Anorexic? (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) I’ll start this post by apologising to the real Anorexia sufferers out there, as I obviously was never really Anorexic it more of a small obsession and a […]
Cancer Free and no more PEGCancer Free and no more PEG (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) I had a great start to March 2019 as at my meeting with consultant he told me there were no signs of cancer and I was now cancer free 🙂 […]
Lymphatic treatment and having my PEG outLymphatic treatment and having my PEG out (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) By February 2019 I was feeling pretty good apart from the fatigue and the swelling around my neck. Fatigue is hard to explain if you’ve never had it, I’d […]
Beginning My Return to Normality (Almost)Beginning My Return to Normality (Almost) (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) Christmas 2018 was great I even managed to eat some turkey, roast potatoes, honey roast root vegetables, sprouts, etc. the only real struggle were the pigs and blankets – Sausages, […]
Will I be Home for Christmas 2018Will I be Home for Christmas 2018 (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) A lot of my cancer story is from memory so some of the dates may not be 100% accurate but I think it’s late November Early December 2018 now […]
Swelling, Lumps and Puffiness The Cancer is BackSwelling, Lumps and Puffiness – The Cancer is Back (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) I’d finally had my operations, finished my 33 sessions of radiotherapy, 2 sessions of Chemotherapy and was back home. Having seen my support team on the Wednesday […]
No More RadiotherapyNo More Radiotherapy (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) Finally in to my last week of radiotherapy I had my usual meeting with my Oncologist “The Ghost of things to come” She was surprised at how good my mouth was. I’d had […]
Last Couple of Weeks of RadiotherapyLast Couple of Weeks of Radiotherapy (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) If you’ve read my previous post you will now I’m now into my 5th week of radiotherapy, have just been discharged from hospital after having more sickness and another infection. […]
The Bad Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy Weeks and Back in HospitalThe Bad Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy Weeks and Back in Hospital (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) It was now Monday, 3 weeks in to radiotherapy, I’d had one session of Chemo and was about to start my 2nd session of Chemotherapy. My […]
Early Stages of RadiotherapyEarly Stages of Radiotherapy – The Respite Weeks (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) If you have read my previous post you will know I have just finished my 1st chemo session and my 1st week of radiotherapy and had learnt my […]
Radiotherapy – What’s all the fuss about?Radiotherapy – What’s all the fuss about – I soon found out (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) It was day 5 of my radiotherapy treatment, I’d had one session of Chemotherapy and up until yesterday wondered what all the fuss was […]
My 1st Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy SessionsMy 1st Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy Sessions (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) So I had returned back to my parents on Sunday night after spending the weekend at home with my family to find 2 letters from UHCW (University Hospital Coventry & […]
Back at home, the calm before the stormBack at home, the calm before the storm (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) It was now 6 weeks since having an operation to remove half my lower jaw due to cancer (T4 N1 squamous cell carcinoma of the right mandible) and […]
Having a Radiotherapy Mask MadeHaving a Radiotherapy Mask Made (To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) I was still in hospital when I went through the process of having my Radiotherapy Mask Made which was a relief as it meant no constant travelling back and forward to […]
Drips, overnight feeds and blood transfusions(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) Drips, overnight feeds and blood transfusions With still not eating properly my weight was getting lower and lower, now down to about 12 stone so I was put on overnight feeds as well as my daily […]
Back in Hospital(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) Back in Hospital I’d had a couple of days at home (at my parents) but then after a mass bleed, here I was back in hospital. Although I was awake when I was in the ambulance […]
2 days at home then a near trip in the Air Ambulance(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) 2 days at home then a near trip in the Air Ambulance I had finally been discharged from UHCW and Elizabeth was taking me to my parents house in Stratford-upon-Avon where I was planning on stopping […]
Removing the elastics and going home(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) Removing the elastics and going home After 3 weeks in hospital I was close to going home 🙂 I was up nice and early had a fortisip and also had a Weetabix crushed up with extra […]
Stitches out, Temperatures and Infections(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) Stitches out, Temperatures and Infections If you have read my previous posts you will know I’m settled on my ward now, had bagged the window bed and was well settled. It was the day to have […]
Time to try solid foods(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) Time to try solid foods If you have read my previous posts you will know I’m settled on my ward now, hobbling around and now having small tubs of ice cream or custard as well as […]
It’s Not Me You Want to Thank(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) It’s Not Me You Want to Thank If you have read my previous posts you will know I’d had 3 operations that week and was now back on the ward. With my trachy out I was […]
3rd operation of the week(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) 3rd operation of the week If you have read my previous posts you will know I had already had 2 operations that week but my surgeon still wasn’t happy. To be honest I remember very little […]
The Infections and that Damned Heat(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) The Infections and that Damned Heat If you have read my previous posts you will know it’s my third day in hospital after my operation for jaw cancer. I was already in the hospital routine, wide […]
Back on the Ward(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) Back on the Ward My 3rd Night in hospital If you have read my previous posts you will know my 1st operation due to jaw cancer hadn’t gone too well, I had just had a 2nd, […]
I Never Liked Lifts(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) I Never Liked Lifts If you have read my previous posts you will know my 1st operation due to jaw cancer hadn’t gone too well, I had just had a 2nd and was about to be […]
My 2nd Operation in a Week(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) My 2nd Operation in a Week If you have read my previous posts you will know my 1st operation due to jaw cancer hadn’t gone too well. Although my consultant said it looked OK he wasn’t […]
My 1st night after my operation(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) My 1st night after my operation If you have read my previous posts you will know I had just had an operation due to jaw cancer. The 1st thing I remember when waking up after my […]
The Day of the Operation(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) Tuesday 10th July 2018 – The Day of the Operation If you have read my previous posts you will know It was now the day of operation at UHCW (university Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire) in Coventry […]
My 1st Night in Hospital(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) My 1st Night in Hospital If you have read my previous posts you will know I was just about to go in to UHCW (university Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire) in Coventry for a major operation due […]
Pre Op Arrangements(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) Pre Op Arrangements If you have read my previous posts you will know I was waiting for a major operation due to jaw cancer. I had been told what to expect, had had numerous X Rays […]
Having a Feeding Tube Fitted – Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG)(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) Having a Feeding Tube Fitted – Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) My sister in Law Elizabeth stood up to the plate once she knew about my condition and was a great help. She drove me over to […]
Telling Your Family You Have Cancer(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer) Telling Your Family You Have Cancer If you have read my previous posts you will know I stated off with a mild toothache and after being seen by my dentist, Coventry hospital, Warwick hospital and then […]
Coventry Warwick CoventryThis is a follow on post from April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer go back and read that 1st Coventry Warwick Coventry If you have read my previous post you will know my dentist had told me I had Cancer and told me to go straight to Coventry Hospital UHCW (University Hospital Coventry […]
April / May 2018 – You Have CancerApril / May 2018 – You Have Cancer I can’t remember the exact date I was 1st told I probably have cancer but it was on a Monday towards the end of May 2018 It started of as just a bit of mild toothache and in early March I went to my dentist who had […]
My Fortisip MugMy Fortisip Mug