Pretty Muddy and a pretty tough month - AUGUST 2022

This month has been a bit of a rollercoaster, some real highs and some pretty low lows, and as anyone who knows me can attest, I’ve never bloody liked rollercoasters anyway. (brace yourselves as apparently it’s impossible to write about having cancer without leaning pretty heavily on metaphors/cliches, and here comes another one). Life can change in an instant, I guess everyone knows that, but it’s true. It feels like in the blink of an eye my life changed into something very different to what I had planned. This has become more difficult to ignore recently, more cancelled plans and more frustration at the limitations that treatment brings. But equally, huge gratitude that I have treatment options, something not everyone around me has.

I am currently plugged in to cycle 6 of chemo, 2/3s of the way there, if the plan stays the same. It feels as though we have a bit of a routine now, as my consultant says “try to stay nice and boring in between cycles” - apparently getting shingles, anaemia and neutropenia does not constitute “boring” but I’m trying. Despite this we’re told that I am tolerating chemo “remarkably well”, which makes me think about and feel for those who experience far worse than I am. I find myself doing this a lot, it’s hard not to when you spend so much time surrounded by sick people, it’s one of the hardest things about treatment.

The really good news is that although at times it certainly feels chemo is getting the better of me, it is also getting the better of the tumour which is shrinking, which for now is all we can ask for!

The even better news is that I continue to be surrounded by the most amazing people in the world. Lots of whom, raced and got absolutely filthy for @cr_uk , raising over £27,000 in the process, with the help of your donations so thank you so so much. The love and support I felt that day was overwhelming (can still cry thinking about it). We’ll be back with big plans for @sarcoma_uk

So, into round 7 we go, another step closer to the next part of the plan and another step closer to getting back to all the plans I had before and to new ones I’ve yet to hatch. Bring it on.