62 / Writing

My latest visit to my consultant oncologist was a heartening occasion.  Peering at the computer screen on his desk, he looked up with a grin of delight to inform me that my blood is back to normal according to the various tests of the sample I most recently gave.  A few weeks ago, a body scan indicated that my liver, also, is now almost normal again.  I’m responding well to the prescribed medication.  His pleasure - and relief - at this impressive progress is evident. 

Around this time last year I was first admitted to hospital and the diagnosis the consultant gave was that I had terminal cancer.  I was in poor shape.  I felt ready then to breath my last.  The medical care I have received since that time has been exceptional and the love shown to me by family and kindheartedness and generosity of friends and neighbours has been an enormous source of strength for which I remain immensely grateful.

This blog is about how to live with cancer, not how to die from it.  I feel well in myself.  Of course, there are side effects – hearing and memory diminished, increased fatigue, shortness of breath - but nothing that is far from common for a man of my age.

I set out to discover how best to help myself.  I didn’t know what to expect when I started this blog. But the act of writing and publishing these bi-weekly posts has turned out to be one very effective way.

© Benóg Brady Bates

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