It's Your Party........

.........And I'll Cry If I Want To!






Meaning that I was gutted to have to have cried off from attending Sarah's (my niece) 30th birthday party at the Mandeville Hotel in Mayfair, London last night. After the trials and  tribulations of Christmas and the past weeks and following on so soon after a bout of chemo, it was always going to be touch and go whether or not I would be fit enough to attend this 2nd family gathering. In the end, after what could well have been a more serious car crash when collecting Geraldine from work on Friday, caused by my fatigue and the effects of pain, and a walk with Geraldine and Chaka on the morning it was blatently apparent I was not up for it under any circumstances. A great shame as these South Africans and their friends certainly know how to party.


By hook or by crook I did manage to persuade the hotel to organize a litlle surprise by way of Champers and a greetings and I was reliably informed via an image text message from my daughter that it was joyously received. (The photo will be posted when this wrinkly ol' silver surfer works out how to get it off his basic cell phone - where have I put that USB lead? - and onto his more familiar laptop)

Many Happy Returns for the day Sarah!

Andy, Jennie, John, Phillip, Valerie, Mike. Sarah and Tersia
I raise a toast to 'The Mums and The Daughters' (pictured)

Later today I have planned, with a lot of help and co-operation from Geraldine to meet Mike, my brother, for a quiet tête a tête lunch nearby home at the Crown and Cushion at Minley before he and Tersia fly back to Jo'burg on Monday and theres's no way I am missing that: After all we have to plan our trip to New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup next November. (In my head I can hear the gentle reminder from my registrar to "take one day at a time David"). Hey, but surel you must have goals to aim at if you want to stick around long enough, especially if England are going to beat The All Blacks in the final?

Brothers in arms, well lubricated aprés déjeuner at the Crown and Cushion

So don't worry folks, although it isn't proving any easy task at the moment, the battle with Goliath is far from over yet as long as I can continue to manage the debilitating effects he's throwing my way at present.


Looking ahead I have to tolerate two more cycles of chemo, a rest and monitoring period after the end of trial CT scan and possibly, because it has proved so effective up until now, another later session of the EOX combination of the Real3 drugs; or even another completely different clinical trail if available and if I meet eligibility criteria. Anything that gives me a decent quality of life will do for me; so back to the one day at a time philosophy which has served me so well and will no doubt decide the best way forward ......that's onwards and upwards on this map which I'm plotting as I go!


Time to see if I can keep down my porridge and pills and not be reminded by the girls about saying 'it's only a bit of morning sickness': Apologies ladies; it will never pass my lips again! LOL


STOP PRESS: Over a fabulous lunch session Mike informed me that Sarah and Phillip are expecting their first baby in July. Fanatastic news of a joyous event to look forward to; congratulations to you both!