Story
If you know me, then you will know my story.... But if you've accidentally fallen on to this site like I often do, you've fallen on one hell of a 'roller coaster' good luck story... Please, please read on!
I'm 46 years old, I am married and blessed with 4 amazingly wonderful children.
4 years ago, when No4 kiddie was 10 months old I was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer. I went into the hospital for surgery and woke up 6 weeks later in ITU. I had developed pneumonia and it had gone to my lungs, just like George Michael. But unlike him my voice box was damaged so I'd never have a 'Careless Whisper' to share, which if you have heard me sing is no bad thing! Anyway, I couldn't walk, talk, breath independently or eat when I woke up. But here's the first piece of good luck... I had completely missed the World Cup!! (Not so lucky this time round!)
Over the course of 6 months, and with the support and love of my family and friends, I got my life back, (even my hair, which decided to fall out a few months after this episode,) and started getting on with the daily grind of bringing up 4 young children again.
But that was only the start of my medical adventure...
A year almost to the day of me coming out of ITU I was diagnosed with Stage 3 skin cancer and over the autumn had several major operations, culminating the following April with it going to my liver. Not so good.
Here the next 'good bit'... The staff at Nottingham City Hospital in particular Oncology, under Proff Patel's team, (but I have to say the list of consultants, doctors, nurses etc run deep!) They have looked after me from the beginning and have, like a good mechanic with an old car, kept me going with all the latest developments they can get their hands on!
Anyway back to Proff and his team and more good news. They told me some clever people from Roche had developed an amazing drug, that although turned you into a vampire and gave you chronic aches and pains, kept you alive! It kept me going for almost 2 years...
Until... September of last year. There I was having a glorious summer holiday when I get a phone call to say there was a small tumour in my brain. BUT it was small and in the right place. So they sent me off to Sheffield for incredible treatment. I just had to look like Hannibal Lecter for 6 hours and then no tumour! Fantastic!!
Now I can tell you about my brother. My guardian angel and 'nearly twin' (he's 11 months older than me!) who is a bike geek, a bloody amazing maths nerd and works with a big drugs company and lots of white coat people who make my sort of drugs. I changed to the GSK drug and felt amazing almost immediately as the side effects didn't seem to affect me as much. Life felt good, life was good, and I was once again living it!
Or so we thought.... A year on (August 2014) and I was rushed into hospital with a virus, or that's what we thought. Suddenly I'm sporting a 4 cm tumour in my brain, and thinking 'uh oh'. And that amazing Notts team, along with some fab neurosurgeons once again said 'we can sort that out!' And after major surgery, they did!A week after my op, I got THE call from Cancer Research: "will you run for us?! " I managed to string a sentence together with "Yes indeedy, once my head's a little less damaged."
And that's it until...... who knows. I started training 6 weeks post-op and 5 months on, I'm managing 12 miles (and lots of cold crappy weather!) All I've got to do is keep running and keep cancer free, fit and healthy!!!
And if I can do even a tiddly pip for Cancer Research, I will !
Lastly, (and of course not least!!! ) I have to add I can only do this with the help of my equally amazing sister, who has run across a desert and has just completed her 49th marathon (probably 50th by the time I've finished this!) SHE has inspired me to do this insanely mad idea. I can't do it without her; It'll be her worst time ever (nice!) and she'll have to carry me across the line, but it'll be fun, fun fun! And if I can raise a little hard cash for some fantastically worthy cause, mores the better!
Life is full of blessings, many, many, many, sometimes up and sometimes down. As long as I continue to feel loved and cared for, that's all that matters. Whilst I can, I intend to live it to the full, not least for my four amazingly, wonderful children! Xxxx