Bugger, No words other than **** Cancer.
Stay strong.
Ahhh ffs man, that sucks balls in a spectacularly shite way. Happy to rock up for a ride/chat/rant at the world amytime you need. Feel free to message me any time old chap
Having lost my mum to a brain tumor almost 40 years ago I will happily join you to say f*** cancer. Back then diagnosis and treatment were very much more primitive than they are now and even with a late diagnosis and crude treatment mum had a couple of good years before it finally took her. 40 years of progress and research, keep telling yourself that. Be strong, use all the support you can find. And keep us updated on here. There is MTBing a plenty from the doorstep here and a hut to stay in if you want to ride in the Black Mountains, just drop me a pm.
Just to echo @welshfarmer, progress should give you many years more. My mum had a brain-stem cancer and survived 18 years from diagnosis, dying in 2000 on her terms.
Good luck and keep on keeping on.
Yup, utterly horrible disease.
One sort of positive thing I can say though is that this forum......for all it's many faults 🙂 ......will be here to help in any way we can. You need only ask.
Last thing is want is to derail the OPs thread with my own story, but yes, **** cancer Indeed.
I got the consultant affirmation today that I was expecting, and have thought about from day one, but didn't want to hear.
It's no longer a small 'if' but a very large 'when'.
I've no great advice other than listen to your body and any 'hunch' you have. Each time the cancer has returned, I've 'known' before the scan has confirmed it...but being one of life's great pessimists probably helps there!!
Make the most of time with friends. The support we've had over the last year and a half has been staggering and often talking with friends is surprisingly easier than family. I've found I've been able to very open and frank, but with a bit less emotional charge than close family.
No matter what the outcome, it's a massively horrible ride and even with the best of hospitals you'll grow to hate the constant monitoring, blood tests and the bloody boredom.
And get the best noise cancelling headphones you can afford...get them now!!
Wishing you all the best
Aaah **** off cancer. Just **** off.
Very sorry to hear that mate. I'm shocked at how many on here are currently battling the big C or have family members effected.
I wish you all the best with the treatment you'll be receiving.
Cheers Poopscoop.
I know a bike forum isn't then obvious place but maybe a cancer support sticky thread is appropriate.
There's of course great resources with Macmillan and 100 Facebook groups, but they're often dominated by individuals or specific issues, when sometimes just a place so say "well this is shit" with (mostly!) like minded strangers!
jimfrandisco
Free Member
Cheers Poopscoop.I know a bike forum isn’t then obvious place but maybe a cancer support sticky thread is appropriate.
Might not be a bad idea. This place never ceased to amaze me, there's no other place like it imo.
Sorry to hear your sad news, I'll join the choruses of F*** cancer, and also add the offer of rides and beers in East Sussex if you ever find yourself in this neck of the woods.
So sorry to hear your sad news.
As a family we came to the end of a three and half year journey with my wife before Christmas.
Myself and the kids were by her side the whole time and she adopted a new **** it let’s do it attitude. We stopped finding excuses not to do things and she didn’t let the disease or treatment define her. Even after chemo she would drag herself to watch the girls play netball or race bikes.
At the final meeting at the hospital the main consultant turned and thanked my wife for teaching him what a positive attitude and sheer determination can do. He gave her 6 weeks originally and she did over 3 years. In the end she would turn to the doctors and say I don’t believe you.
All I can say is find the reason to do something, surround yourself with family and good friends, give yourself a break sometimes and try and not linger on the ifs or buts which you have no control over. Deal with what’s in front of you and embrace help that is offered.
Good luck in your journey and if you fancy a ride in the south west with a now very unfit bloke give me a shout. A short ride to the pub or cafe suits best at the moment.
Most definitely F*&* CANCER
We have a bed and a rather large dog that likes to cuddle up on the sofa. More importantly we also have miles of quite flat off-road cycling which is important if you're slightly unfit and older (me) or dealing with cancer stuff (you).
Anyone need a break from the norm message me and we'll set it up.
(There's also some reasonable wine, beer, coffee, cake and cookery).
It's a kind, warm, welcoming place in here.
Out of hospital a couple of days now and adjusting to a new round of drugs, which means sleeping all day and then feeling normalish late afternoon, which is very welcome.
I don't think there's much riding on the horizon, but even a drive out in the woods yesterday was a very welcome break.
It's crushing each and every time you picture something you may never do again, but that pales against any thing connected to the kids and knowing I'll not be in their lives. That's devastating.
The word surreal is usually over used, but for me it really is impossible to get my head around as I don't feel ill enough for any of it.
That is shit indeed Jim. Best wishes to you, and to bigblackshed.
So sorry to hear that OP - same for those others touched by this b4astard of a disease.
As has been said over & over, find things to do, spend time with those you love & keep on making memories. I'm coming up to the 4th anniversary of a stage 4 metastatic melanoma diagnosis & from the very beginning of my journey I always had in my head "What would Bullheart do?" I'm one of the lucky ones, a few bits removed & a year of immunotherapy now means I'm a NED (No Evidence of Disease) - it'll never be gone but I've won this round.
Some of the side effects of my treatment have prevented me from much riding but I'm getting there (slowly) but I've done as much living as I could throughout.
At least we're all agreed - f2*k cancer.
If you need to vent this place will always be full of people that will listen, agree, laugh & take the p155.
Sadly I know too much about this and it shapes me and what I do and yes truly F*** cancer.
What I have seen if that the people that fight it tooth and nail do better, and it is not necessarily a killer as many can and do survive with interventions but brain tumours are particularly tricky to deal with (blood brain barrier etcetera) but there are some fabulously good organisations out there doing bloody good work, research and huge steps forward.
The one I support (in oh so many ways) in Brain Tumour Research and they have rafts of good info and great people as well as 4 research centres across the UK etcetera.
From a complete random forum dweller I wish you the very best of luck and if a chat with a random person might help drop me a message (IT gods be willing it works) and I will make time.
I am currently getting very close to heading off for an epic 6 day ride to raise more funds for them, I am that committed to it.
James
So sorry to hear this. But live your life and do the special things. Do it without regret.
The whole point is IT'S SHIT BUT DON'T GIVE UP!!!!!
Got a acquaintance who was diagnosed with exactly this about two years ago and is still going though. He is special kind of person (as are you) in his single mindedness. He was extremely fit, positive about everything etc etc. He was even told off for riding his bike to get his chemo!
He did a lot of research and has gone to Germany to get extra treatment when the NHS gave up. There are obviously so many variables between cases but he is an example of positive survival. He gave up alcohol, carbs, got into fasting and slept in a hyperbaric chamber (which friends helped purchase). All seem to have helped and he's still riding with the fast groups he dominated for years. Mind you it's on a e-bike now but he's still doing the things he loves with the people he loves.
Where are you? PM me if you want me to ask him to chat to you about his experience.
@bigblacksheep
You talk about socks etc to raise money. How about some stem caps?
I had some made for all our bikes by Unite that simply said F&^K Cancer. They just made us smile while on the bikes and felt personal.
If there are enough people I am sure we could get a good price then add a bit for charity.
Happy to organise if anyone is interested!
Other thing would be frame stickers.
Please be careful about the " positive mental attitude" stuff. Its saying in effect that those like my other half who died of cancer did not want to live enough
I'm with TJ on this.
It's a battle but the body is the battlefield and all that one can hope for is that the medical forces and one's physical fitness that are fighting the beast are stronger than the beast.
All one can do is live as much life as possible while things play out and if one's lucky one gets to live another day/month/year/10years or more. Sometimes the luck is not there and it all goes to rat poo, no blame or fault lies in the cards that are dealt.
For some folk its something to hold onto and that is good but just be wary of using it as a generalisation please
**UPDATE**
First up I’d like to say a huge thank you for all of your words of support. I’ve had a rollercoaster of a time these last 5 weeks.
A long story short. I was admitted with a suspected stroke, I’d lost all ability to communicate any coherent thoughts and words, wasn’t able to speak, total confusion about what was happening to me. Physically I was fine, except for being wobbly on my feet and dizzy headed. I’ve spent too long inside CT and MRI scanners, had every man and his dog take chunks of me away for testing.
A significant growth was found on my left occipital lobe, surrounded by fluids. My case was referred to a specialist team at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. Very slow response, followed by a diagnosis of a stroke. Meanwhile I’d had a confirmation of “its cancer.”
Bloods and biopsies confirmed. The teams from QE and Hereford have argued about what to do for the last 3 weeks. Yet more tests, scans, etc. Both teams adamant that their diagnosis is correct.
Results from more invasive tests yesterday, cannot find any trace of either the growth or cancer. It’s simply not there! No sign of it.
I’ve got yet more tests later today to check again. It’s taken nearly a day for that to sink in. I’ve been on some brutal medication, with the side effects, at times, being worse than the initial symptoms.
But nobody can find any trace of cancer. I’m cautiously calling it.
Thank you.
Dear gods! That sounds like the worst possible rollercoaster for you! I don’t really have the words to say anything other than I have fingers crossed for you. All of the fingers.
Fingers crossed for you.
Here's hoping that you're free and clear.
Wow, I'm sorry for what you've been through to get here but that sounds really positive.
Wow, good outcome (it seems) but bloody hell that sounds like an awful trip to get there.
Fingers crossed it all gets figured out and your treatment (for whatever it is) let's you get back out doing stuff fast
Fingers crossed for you - hoping it's a positive outcome despite the rollercoaster you're on.
'king hell. Wondered what was going on as you'd not been back on this thread.
Sounds like an enquiry is in order to understand why the misdiagnosis happened. Hope things straighten out for you
My god, what a ride.
What beats me up about cancer is those who've had their final diagnosis - I don't know how that can be lived with. You've now lived it and I guess an extreme rare case of coming through that diagnosis in tact. Can't imagine how that feels.
Another friend has just had the final diagnosis, it's the first thing on my mind waking at night and morning. I just don't know how I'd cope but at the same, with a strong family history I think it bothers me so much as the strong chance it will one day be me (not to be the martyr).
**** cancer. @dcl I'm up for a couple of those stem caps.
@jimmy it is not really a final diagnosis. The diagnoses go on and on, as do the treatments that follow. Of course eventually one of them will, with hindsight, turn out to have been the final one. Either the cancer will get you, or meybe an oncoming bus or something.
Results from more invasive tests yesterday, cannot find any trace of either the growth or cancer. It’s simply not there! No sign of it.
Wow. Not sure what to say but particularly after what you have been through I cannot put into words how glad I am to read the above!
I'm so very pleased for you, I'm actually a little emotional here!
@bigblackshed
Full Member
Hi mate, just wondering how you are getting on?
You had some unexpected good news the last time you posted?
Sorry I've only just come to this thread. Don't know where you're based, but if you've been between Hereford and Birmingham for hospitals, then suspect you're not a million miles from me (Worcester)... If you need a ride, or a pint, or to chat to someone who understands what you're going through (I had a minor stroke or "TIA" in October 2020, then 2yrs later was having a cancerous polyp removed from my bowel, and all the complications that then ensued)... By all means drop me a PM...
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I’m kind of doing OK. After the confirmation of the absence of a growth, whether it was cancer or not is still open for interpretation. Multiple consultants and medical teams are still unsure what I had or still have. What my blood tests are showing is I don’t have cancer.
I’m being treated as if I had a stroke. Some of my current symptoms certainly indicate that, confusion, fatigue, loss of coordination. The cocktail of meds I was on required me to taper off rather than an abrupt stop, I’ve only just finished that and mixed with the other pile of pills the side effects have been horrible.
My fitness has dropped off a cliff, the last ride I had to bail because I couldn’t concentrate and I was heading for a big off.
I’ve returned to work, albeit on a part time phased return, but I’m struggling with being “work fit”. I’m absolutely exhausted after a couple of days.
Did you used to run a bike shop in Worcester? On the Bromyard Road? If so I’ve probably spoken to you, although it would have been 10+ years ago.
^^ Thanks for the update mate. It sounds like things are still pretty tough but possibly and hopefully, on an up turn for you?
Hopefully once you are off the tablets that might make every day life a whole lot better too.
You've really been through the meat grinder, to hear you have returned to work part time is pretty incredible.
I've said it before but I continue to wish you all the best for the future and that, day by day, you start to return to some normality in your life.
Did you used to run a bike shop in Worcester? On the Bromyard Road? If so I’ve probably spoken to you, although it would have been 10+ years ago.
Worked there part time in 2012 for a bit... Set my own shop up in Droitwich back end of 2013 which I ran til mid 2019 when I closed it, and now work the other side of the counter in the bike industry still...
I live literally just round the corner from what was the Green Bike Company in St Johns though ironically, and just about to move to a new house even closer to where it was!
My fitness has dropped off a cliff, the last ride I had to bail because I couldn’t concentrate and I was heading for a big off.
Biggest thing I learnt from spending most of the last 2yrs unable to ride a bike, and significant portions of the 2yrs prior to that unable to ride too, was not to be too hard on yourself... The time will come! In the meantime don't do yourself a damage...
I’ve returned to work, albeit on a part time phased return, but I’m struggling with being “work fit”. I’m absolutely exhausted after a couple of days.
Don't push yourself there either... It'll be counterproductive! If you work for a decent company, they will understand...
Feel free to PM me if you fancy a beer, chat, bike ride or whatever...
