On Monday I started my clinical trial at Peter Mac. It is an immunotherapy combination trial. Essentially my type of bowel cancer doesn’t respond well to immunotherapy alone, so this trial adds another agent to try to change the tumour micro environment to increase the response. It was a long day, with bloods at 7:30am,… Continue reading I’m a lab rat
It’s four years since my stage IV diagnosis. I can’t quite believe it. I remember when I was first diagnosed and confronted with the fact that I only had a five percent chance of living five years it seemed unimaginable that I would still be here. And yet here I am. I am indescribably grateful… Continue reading Four years
Since I last wrote my markers have been on a steady (but not terrifying rise). We made the decision to add the irinotecan back in to the protocol but even at its highest dose it appears I’m resistant. I had treatment on Monday and I have decided that bar some amazing scan results next week… Continue reading Lab rat time
Violet has recently been begun to grapple with the idea of death. David’s very lovely grandmother Joyce (one of Violet’s middle names) died earlier this year and after some thought we took Violet to the funeral. Violet and I also came across a dead bird while on a walk and she has been talking about… Continue reading But Mummies Don’t Die…
A strange concept to most, but something that I’ve been thinking quite a lot about over the past few years. I’ve always had a tendency to jealousy and envy and a desire to be the most favourite. It is one of the things I like least about myself and has caused me much unhappiness, particularly… Continue reading Cancer envy
Yesterday was World Cancer Day. Today I took my little girl to her first day of Reception. That I was here to do this is testament to the decades of work by researchers to develop treatments for metastatic disease. In cancer land it’s very easy to think in black and white terms – curable or… Continue reading World Cancer Day
I can quite confidently say that the month after my diagnosis was the worst time of my life. Blessedly it is now largely a blur. There are some very clear memories- things which seemed like they happened yesterday- but most of it is missing from my memory. Mostly I remember the feelings from that time… Continue reading Best Advice: Diagnosis
