Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus

Well the end of another week and all seems well in the world.  Just a few minor after effects from the radiotherapy - tired leg muscles mainly but even my hair has stayed in so far (so why or why did I have that #1 cut I ask myself?).  Running out of excuses now so today means trying to catch up on lots of odd jobs around the house and getting ready for the weekend.  Rhiannon is singing with her drama group in Swansea Saturday lunchtime and then she and and a good mate get to see some new band in Cardiff on Sunday - one direction I think they might be called(!)  First concert on her own without a parent alongside - where did the last 14 years go?

For me, next hospital appointment is Monday when we will start the regime to tackle stage 2 and also reduce the steroid intake.  More news after that.  Have a wonderful weekend.

Great Weekend

With Wales and England winning yesterday and the triumph at Wembley this afternoon its been a good weekend.  Only the Scarlets spoiled the show but they will bounce back and beat those pesky Osprey's to fouth place in the Rabo.
Tomorrow is last treatment day and then I have a week off until check-up time the following Monday and we (hopfully) find out about the treatment for stage 2.  Must say that so far things have not been to bad although I'm certainly much more tired than before.
Finally, thank you to everyone who has responded to this Blogg - its been great to hear from you you all and to know that I (and the family) have the background support of so many people.
Take care everyone - more next week.

(nearly) Gone

Well Day Four of the treatment is now complete so it was off to the hair dresser and a quick run over with a #1 and I feel completely bald.  For some reason she did not think it funny when I asked her to stick it all back on, but then again I am already getting used to the new look so this may be the new me when it all starts to grow back in a couple of months time.  However, complete hair loss beckons next week so the razor will be coming out at some stage.

Now its a weekend of R&R and the little matter of some serious rugby viewing tomorrow (Saturday).  So come on Wales, England and the Scarlets and make it a clean sweep of victories to make my day.



Hair Today ..........................

Well day three of radiography completed, just two more to go. Trimmed up the beard today to work out what "style" I would be adopting for the future as tomorrow I have a close shave at the hair dresser.  They tell me that the hair - what's left of it anyway - will start coming out by the middle of next week so before I start looking even more un-kempt than normal, I have decided to have a close shave  -  King & I style.  Having looked at the forecast, I have picked the coldest weekend of 2013 for this.   More tomorrow (perhaps!)

What a Difference a Day Makes!

No sooner had the last post reached the big world and the phone call comes through "Mr Peacock, can you come in to see us please tomorrow?"
Well tomorrow was today (Tuesday 19th February) and I am now firmly back into the loop and have started on a treatment regime.
Basically they have decided to try and kill off the tumours in my brain first and get the pressure down so I can be slowly taken off the steroids.  First of 5 sessions of radiotherapy this afternoon so the course will be completed on Monday.  Hopefully that will make them inactive and they will shrink away and that will, be that at least for the time being.
At the same time, my samples have gone away to a research lab in Cardiff to see how they will then treat the underlying cause of the problem.  Basically I do not have small cell lung disorder but an unusual (but not rare) form of the non-small cell type. These results will then dicate the treatment regime for the next phase - chemo for sure but perhaps the newer tablet based variety.  We will know in a couple of weeks.
For now its a daily visit to hospital for the 15 minute treatment session and going completely bald.  Watch this space - if I feel brave may even be a picture or two in it!!!!!

Where or where has my paperwork gone?

And on the working fifth day  ......................  we manage to get through to the new team and are told they have not had any of the paperwork which is why we have not had a call!  Now we have at least got the two teams talking we may  -  just may  -  get some action.  Who knows, might even be this week!!!
Leave plenty of time for walks on Gower though and, thankfully, without rain although a littlle chill.  Dog will enjoy as well as us!

Another week slips by and still we wait for a call to action.  Having the "lung team" headquartered in another hospital does not help the cause as records etc need to be moved around within the health district.  Hopefully this will get resolved early next week - knowing our luck we will be called in at the same time as we are planning to do other things to celebrate Siân's birthday!  The waiting for decisions and then sight of a campaign to get this thing beaten is getting painful!

Apart from the impatience, the steriods are still doing their job and holding off the pains in the head (which also need to be resolved as well as the main problem).  They have, however, caused a change in taste buds (can barely remember what coffee should taste like) and also appear to be causing cramping in my hands (although not a known side-effect).  The most recent nail in the coffin is that the Doctors have told me to stop driving until all the test results are in and they can judge if I would be a danger on the roads.  Likelihood is that I will stay off the road for sometime so we are looking at a complete change of transport, replacing two cars with one practical solution.  Should keep us entertained!

Valentine's Day

Out for a pub lunch and some R&R.
The wheels of the various departments continue to roll but ever so slowly  - it would try the patience of a Saint!  As I said to somebody the other day, I feel as though I am all geared up for the big battle ahead but that its just the general hasn't told me where the battle is about to start!

Saturday Night

Saturday night and an opportunity to have a little fun.  Off we all went to Cardiff to watch the excellent Paloma Faith in concert.  Fabulous.

The Story so Far!

 

This is my first attempt at creating a blog, something I have always shied away from in the past but now I have decided to give it a whirl, mainly to record the current and future events in my life which are going to have a dramatic impact on the family as a whole.  First, a little background:-

 

Since the New Year, I started having some problems with finding the right words whilst speaking and then by the third week of January I was struggling badly with comprehension – reading and writing.  To cut a long story short on the 22^nd January, having seen our doctor for the second time in a week, had a brain scan that afternoon and they found growths/swellings behind my forehead.  The consultant believed these to be secondary tumours, referred me back to the GP with strong advice on further checks and scans.  

Following a full-body scan the next day (the day of the snow in the South Wales area which added to the fun of the day), they found further swellings in my neck lymph nodes and took some samples for biopsy.  These proved inconclusive so further samples were taken using ultra-sound - another week of waiting for results!  We have now been given more information by the ENT consultant in Singleton hospital.  Progress, however, is limited as we are now being transferred to another specialist team.

 The biopsy taken from my lymph node in his neck has indicated that this is an “adeno” type cancer which basically means a gland cancer.  The likelihood is that it stems from a primary in the lung area, though this didn’t show up on the chest or body CT scan.

We now await the thoughts of a specialist Oncologist (cancer consultant) who will work with the Lung specialist team to determine the best treatments moving forward.  Inevitably, this will be chemotherapy and perhaps targeted radiotherapy.

 

In the interim, I have been on a heavy dose of steroids which have reduced the swelling in my brain enabling me to get back into some design of web sites and photography and a new blog!