I'm Still Here

Introduction

This is for Hannah's "Back To The Party" Challenge which you can read here and enter:

I included my attempt at Neil Young's "Love Is A Rose" when rehabilitating after losing the use of my left hand. At first, we were thinking possible stroke or heart attack but it was a trapped nerve.

I'm Still Here

I am not a healthy person, or rather I look after myself, which is one of the reasons that I am still here.

Three years ago I was diagnosed with Liver Cancer.

I have written a lot about what happened, but this is what I remember and how I feel about it today.

When my consultant told me about the diagnosis at his desk, he said he was so sorry about the news, but I was fine with it. I have known him for many years and participated in numerous trials to test drugs and treatments, so I know how genuine he is.

I told him that when I walked in I same people who were blind, had missing limbs, and many other serious ailments, but I could get up and walk out knowing I would be treated by the best cancer specialists in the world. He was buoyed by my positivity, but I was only positive because of people like him.

Kirsty, my youngest daughter was upset at first, she is the mother of my granddaughter Alexis Leia and that is another reason for hope.

I intend to see her either at University or in a job. My eldest daughter Juliet was fine as she has had a couple of bouts with cancer and told me I would me fine.

The next consultant I saw said normally when people came with these symptoms it was bad news. The cancer was quite big due to me missing an annual scan due to COVID-19, but she said because of the state of my physique they should be able to do anything.

Many of my friends across the pond, while being supportive, said I should shop around for treatment, and maybe get second and third opinions. I told them the National Health Service is brilliant and luckily I happened to be in the best place in the world for cancer treatment.

I got lots of love and support from the Vocal community as well, that is friends all around the world.

My friends Maureen and Dawn have both had forms of cancer and said that a positive attitude is essential for recovery, and looking at them I can see that they are amazingly positive, and very healthy.

Then my surgeon went through all the things that could go wrong but said words roughly along the lines of "We're both the same age. I intend to live past a hundred, and I expect you do too"

Two operations later the cancer was removed but had touched my lungs so my recuperation was slow, but I was well supported by work.

Today I am in excellent physical health, today I have walked seven miles, and walking is one of the things that meant I could beat the cancer with the wonderful help of the consultants, surgeons, doctors and nurses.

Conclusion

While I am being continually monitored, I am in very good fettle, and enjoying life to the full.

I will leave you with a more detailed account of my operation and that links to other parts of it if you would like to know more.

Thank you so much for reading this, and these are the reasons I am still here and full of hope and happiness.