Chemo No 25. I’m 50 this month



1969. I was born when them Americans were on their way back from the moon. They small stepped for (a) man 3 days before and splashed in the ocean the day after. Or they were in a studio making it all up. I’ll go with the former. It has always stuck with me that I was born when this massive event was going on. The bairn went to Orlando with her mother a few years ago and brought me an Apollo 11 badge back. One of them sew’ey on ones. She knows.

The summer of 69. That Canadian chap sings a song about it. It’s still on the tellybox now as an advert. Woodstock. The best known of the big early festivals. Concorde and the Jumbo Jet made their debuts. The Beatles released their last album and jammed on a roof til the poliss turned up and they fucked off across a zebra crossing.

And as I learned recently the start of the Pride movement after the Stonewall nightclub thing. Monty Python had their first Flying Circus aired. The ‘troubles’ began in Northern Ireland. Troubles ffs. I have trouble going for a shit. What a f***ing daft thing to call it.

All in all there were a few big changes and events around the time I was born. And that was 50 whole years ago.

I didn’t think I’d see 50. At one point I didn’t think I’d see last year’s World Cup. But I’m still here waffling on while sat in the chemo ward for number 25.

In better news after the episode of a month ago and the emergency trip to A&E I find myself feeling much better. I don’t eat beef or chicken now but fish and even a bacon sandwich are manageable. Small meals often. My pain levels have gone down to a point I forget to take painkillers. My oncologist even said the chemotherapy may be working. I’ve mentioned before she is Dr Doom. ‘You realise this isn’t a cure’ was my introduction to the latest chemo brew. Now all of a sudden she has had an optimism implant. It unnerves me.

The nausea lasted 6 days after the last chemo. On top of the usual fatigue. Fatigue is different to tiredness. There is no comfort in rest. It’s like someone turned up the gravity and zapped my energy cells. Nausea is different to vomiting too. I can’t just puke and feel better. My whole body feels dizzyqueasy made worse by moving.

I also felt a hopelessness I’d never felt before. Everything seemed pointless. I couldn’t feel any joy no matter what I thought about. 6 days stuck at home where making a cup of tea seemed like a mountain climb. For the first time I understood why some people don’t do chemo. I have a friend, bit younger than me, diagnosed long time after but with the dreaded spread, who isn’t having chemo. She’s currently doing bucket list stuff. I get it. However I feel a duty to nearest and dearest to hang around as long as possible. I think the best way to describe it is gruelling. So I’ll gruel away.

On day 7 I got to Roker beach with our lass and the pooch followed by fish and chips in Grannie Annies. No doubt it is not an in place but it was open and it felt like the Ritz looking out over Monaco to me given the week before it.

The bairn is off down in Cornwall with the University Airforce. And having a ball by the look of it. All things being well I’m off to collect her from Bristol on 10 July and we have a week together. I’m hoping to get up to the Lakes in a Wi-fi/cellular black spot. Walking, conversation and just a good time. Then our lass is taking me somewhere posh on my birthday. Overnight and everything. With a spa thing chucked in. Wait til they see my skin zip. From sternum to pube top. I wince when I see me in a mirror so fuck knows how it looks to others. The weight is falling off too. This is a bad thing in chemoland. So a few hard days ahead. I must get on top of the psychological side. That was new one but hopefully I’m better prepared. There’s no time for moping and self pity.

Or maybe. Ain’t no use in complainin. When you’ve got a job to do.
From the summer of 69 to the summer of 19.

All the best.

Keep going @foggy just keep going.
 
Brown sauce. Not too much and can easily eat without. Brown is better with a sausage sarnie but I haven’t tried one of those for months.

Red. No. Not on anything.

This fella knows the score...got to ask HP or other? My latest culinary obsession is Specially Selected Balsamic Vinegar of Modena goes on most things ...even nice a couple shakes straight out of the bottle.

Hope you get some quality weather as well as quality time with the bairn mate. And fingers crossed that the Oncologist feeding you the poison knows her Onions. Best wishes
 
This fella knows the score...got to ask HP or other? My latest culinary obsession is Specially Selected Balsamic Vinegar of Modena goes on most things ...even nice a couple shakes straight out of the bottle.

Hope you get some quality weather as well as quality time with the bairn mate. And fingers crossed that the Oncologist feeding you the poison knows her Onions. Best wishes

HP sauce.

It’s the greatest of course.
 
First time I’ve read one of the OPs posts, but that has hit home.
Im 50 in a few weeks as well, and always relate my Birthday to the moon landing which was a few days after.
Good luck with your struggle.
 
Your posts are not only incredibly humbling but also inspiring.

As an aside, I noticed your meeting your daughter on the 10th July in Bristol, as I live 30 minutes from there, if you or your daughter need anything that week please let me know and I will help where I can
 
Brown sauce. Not too much and can easily eat without. Brown is better with a sausage sarnie but I haven’t tried one of those for months.

Red. No. Not on anything.

Brown on sausage, red on bacon.
Fried egg has no place in a sarnie. It's a disaster.

Have a good birthday mate.
 
Not much to add Foggy, other than I’m glad you’re doing better. Hope this round goes a bit smoother. Best wishes marra.
 

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