Fighting the establishment.

I have decided to fight for a claim against the MoD and I have just discovered that my mother used to complain about the amount of asbestos dust my dad brought home with him when he worked for the MOD in Plymouth.
What a great start to the new year.
I will have to fight for a claim now and hopefully I will win.

Christmas tree
I went to my local garden centre with a friend for lunch and saw a christmas tree in the sales.
I didn’t have enough money on me to buy it, it was £168 and was reduced down to £84.
It is a black, fibre optic tree about 5-6 ft tall.
I think it is beautiful.
My daughter said she was going to the same garden centre a few days later and I gave her the money to purchase it.
I have bought it as a challenge, I have been given 6-9 months to live which means I won’t be here for chrismas 2007. I am not excepting that prognosis and am on a mission to see my new tree up.
I will find a new challenge after that one has passed.

Second opinion

What a difference!
The new Oncologist I am seeing is so different, more positive. He knows I know the score and is very supportive, even if I try alternatives as I have decided not to have chemo at the moment. I am having radiotherapy treatments on 27th, 28th and 29th December to stop any cancer cells spreading to the operation site.
Merry Christmas and a happier new year.
2007 will hopefully bring some good news.

Happy birthday Kieran

My little boy will be 10 today. He is growing up to be a wonderful and wise little boy. I took him out to eat and he will have a party later as it has been so busy with all that has happened this year. I hope I can make it up to him.
I love you little bean x

Happy Birthday Dad

Happy Birthday to my dear dad who would have been 69 today.
I love him and miss him so much. He loved Christmas, he would make mince pies and would enjoy singing his karaoke songs.
He was wonderful.
I will remember him forever.

Chemo conveyer belt

I went to see the oncologist today and was shocked to find that he had given me 6-9 months to live. I was offered chemo and was told that no amount of excercise, diet or life changing would help my condition. I felt like I was being given the option for chemo and then left in a corner to die. I told the consultant in no uncertain terms that I would not except that. I was also told I could claim a grant from the goverment (IIDB) for having Mesothelioma. I knew this information was wrong as it can only be claimed if the sufferer had worked in an asbestos industry.
Now I am on a mission to prove him wrong. I have also asked for a second opinion.

The Diagnosis, It is Mesothelioma

On 13th November 2006, my life changed. I had been diagnosed with Mesothelioma, a malignant tumour.

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lungs and is associated with exposure to Asbestos.

I have never worked any where that had Asbestos exposure, the only link I have is that my father, who passed away on 26th August 2006, had worked for the MOD between 1963 to 1966. He was a lagger and worked closely with this deadly material. Unfortunatley, he didn’t know how deadly it was.

I am now carrying a lethal enemy inside me that is going to result in an untimley death and leave my 3 beautiful children without a mother.

My father never knew this and I am grateful that he didn’t, I don’t think he would have coped with knowing 1 of his children was infected with this silent killer.

I now have to try and squeeze all my happiness into a small amount of time.

I intend to fight it and have been told this will be fruitless, but I am not prepared to lay down and die.

VATs operation

I went to a hospital appointment for a brochoscopy, this was not performed as the mass was to far down to be accessed. A VATs (video Assisted Thorascoscopy) would be performed to remove any fluid built up in the lung and to take a biopsy. This biopsy would determine if I have Mesothelioma or not. I was in hospital for about 5 days and missed my lovely daughters birthday. That bit really hurt as I had spent every birthday with her. She cried when she came into the hospital and said this was the worst birthday she ever had.What a gift to give to her. She was so upset and all I could do was hug her and tell her how sorry I was for all this mess.

The VATs op produced 2 litres of fluid. After the removal of the fluid the pain deminished.

Now I have to wait for the diagnosis to be confirmed.