[Closed] I think I'm about to be diagnosed with cancer, and I'm fairly scared.

Hmm probably comes down to cost i guess - only so much money available etc so keep shouting and demanding , oh and remember to say thankyou when they yield! 😀

mark you look so well i began to wonder if you might be the most insensitive troll of all time. 😀

Mark, Ask as many difficult questions of them as you can think up.

Best of luck with getting the best treatment for yourself.

Why thankyou Mark, I've just had my hair done. ( just love your humour).

Keep plugging away. I've so got my fingers crossed that this new drug starts asap.

Hope the new drug does the business mate.

IME when trying to get treatment you need, you've got to shout and scream for it (say thanks when you get it), it's really, really hard if being belligerant and a pain in the arse isn't in your nature, but you've got to do what you've got to do.

if it was your kid going through treatment, you would ask every single question and not get fobbed off. don't give up making a fuss - it's the fight in you that's going to get you better.

They say it's the squeeky wheel that gets the oil.....

p.s. didn't say how ace your photos looked - both of you look fantastic. you're also a big bugger - if I was a consultant I'd give you anything you wanted!

Keep chipping away at it mate.

That looks like a pretty good wedding. Good on yer fella, best to both of you.

Wishing you well from Belfast

<<<<<hugs>>>>>>

Just spent an hour catching. Stay in there faces (I know you will), hope the new med works out.

Looks like you both had a wonderful day.

Not I can add really, just keep in there guys and our thoughts are with you.

[url= http://www.nice.org.uk/search/guidancesearchresults.jsp?keywords=Caelyx+&currentpage=&paginatedpage=&searchType=All&sort=&pageSize=&startYearMonth=&endYearMonth=&refId=&fromSearch=true ]NICE[/url] have some guidance on here but it looks like it's all un-related to your particular case (Sorry if you are well aware of this all by the way). Just thought it might be a decent source of info for you so you can be fully informed when questioning.

Well done for informing yourself and asking the awkward questions. Looks like by doing so you've pushed the odds a bit more in your favour. Absolutely nothing wrong with being assertive with medics especially when your life is at stake. Keep it up.

And thanks for the begrudging messages about how I look 'alright'...!

The awful truth is ... I took the park underwear ... I promise to send it on now you have found me out!

It is always worrying when health professionals see you as being a nuisance for asking pesky interfering questions. It used to be the case whereby patients never questioned medics or priests. Now look at the mess the country is in. Franklin D. Roosevelt once said "Do Something. If it works, do more of it. If it doesn't, do something else." I always thought it was a nice simple philosophy to apply to most situations. Maybe the staff need to review their protocols.

Hope all goes well and I promise to pass on the underwear.

I went out with Simon (Napalm) for a ride yesterday, around Brighton and the South Downs way. Nothing too dramatic, just the first time on a bike since the L2B! Despite having no back brake (!), and forgetting that I rode singlespeed (!), I had an amazing ride with a very kind and generous fella, who treated me with empathy, not pity.

Thanks Si. For the first time in a long while I felt normal. The road to recovery starts here.

That's really great news Mark, there is something for you to build on, now you just need to organise the biggest forum ride ever 😀

HEADLINES:

MAN RECOVERING FROM CANCER OPTS FOR SINGLESPEED SOUTH DOWNS RIDE AS HIS COMEBACK.

Great news Mark. On that form, buy Meg a french dictionary because she'll be busy in July for at least the next 7 years following you around. How do you look in yellow by the way?

petesgaff - Member

I went out with Simon (Napalm) for a ride yesterday

I'm glad you're married. The country needs your genes in the pool, that's all I can say. Other words fail me...

thefallguy - Member

That's really great news Mark, there is something for you to build on, now you just need to organise the biggest forum ride ever

Yes.

Fantastic Mark, here's to plenty more 🙂

Fantastic news Mark that you are back on your bike again so soon after your heart operation 🙂

Your determined spirit will stand you in good stead to beat this disease & getting exercise on your bike will improve your fitness & de-stress your mind.

If you are not going too far or too fast perhaps Meg can join you next time?

Take care & please keep posting the updates

Cogratualtions on the wedding, it looks amazing 🙂

Wow, keep the involvement with the treatment dude, it must be good to be so focused and invovled.

I've never got so emotional about someone I don't know. Your story is an inspiration.

Ah, back on the bike!! Great news. The recovery DOES start here, keep it up. 😀

Yay for bike riding! That's gotta help moral surely?

Now, I think it's time you start planning a big STW meet, or perhaps an STW tour of britain, so you can meet your public 😉

Glad to hear you're back in the saddle - keep it up!

If you fancy another ride around Brighton, look me up!

Good man!

Get in my son!

Cool 😀

Nice one Mark

now that, Sir, is absolutely Bucking Frilliant news 😀
Glad you got out there - would dearly love to hear what your heart surgeon especially has to say about that!
Offer (and doors!) still open for when you and Meg fancy a trip up north.....
Regards to you and Meg
C&S

I often read this thread when I can, and to echo a lot of other comments about putting their own personal problems into perspective.

You're quite the inspiration Mark & Meg.

Looking super fly on your wedding day might I add!

all the best,
jt

Flipping 'eck! Out for a ride, good on you.

Great to see you bouncy back a true fighter, your wedding day looked ace mine was one of my highlights of my life.

Don't be afraid to ask questions it's your right, I never have a problem with patients asking me questions and most won't. However, careful how you word them and put them across as it's that get professionals backs up, not suggesting this what you did.

IIRC the new drug your going on has just been in the news as many PCT are refusing to fund it at all so you've been very fortunate.

Keep fighting.

Hi everyone, Meg here, I just noticed this from crispy bacon...

"If you are not going too far or too fast perhaps Meg can join you next time?"

Now I may not be a seasoned cyclist, but you ask Mark what happened at Kielder Water a year or so back and you will find that I can whoop his ass when it comes to hills!!

Seriously, thanks for all the comments guys, and to Simon for helping make Friday's ride happen.

Mrs Petesgaff x

Sadly true...

Mr Petesgaff

🙂

Great news Mark!
Wedding looks fantastic!!!!! 😀

Oh, and I have to agree with MrsFlash's comment!! I'll let you decide which comment I'm referring to! 8)

Sadly true...

haha nothing to be ashamed off.
been following posts for a while never knew what to say. might sound like a load of guff but you both have helped me stay positive and motivated through, well relatively trivial bs. thanks for that and keep up the good work. and bring on the massive forum ride!!!

 

Mrs PG - I howled with laughter at that! He may be a big, good looking bloke, but no reason why his smaller, good-looking wife shouldn't whup him uphill and then remind him of it .... when it suits! Go girl.

BTW - 400+ miles away here, but if there's a STW ride on I'll be up for it. Maybe we can ride round to the hospital and inform them of our support for Mark's serious intention to get the best of everything he needs in order to get better?!

If you go for spin with him perhaps he will be able to climb like his wife with a little training. 😀

keep up the good work wish you both the best.

Now I may not be a seasoned cyclist, but you ask Mark what happened at Kielder Water a year or so back and you will find that I can whoop his ass when it comes to hills!!

Lol - now now, I don't want you two having a barney on my account. Sounds like Mark needs to get some gears or Meg needs to slow down a bit 😆

Take care guys

The Pastyland Massiv

Hi Pete,

I've not read all 27 pages fully yet but am working on it. Just wanted to say good on you for getting out on your bike. Having gone through cancer treatments for thyroid cancer I can definately say that getting out on a bike helped with the recovery process. That together with amazing help from family, friends and colleagues. I don't know whether saying normal is the right way to put it [I'm never normal at the best of times] but the bike can help forget your worries and take you to that place where any problem can be pushed to the back of your mind. The only sad thing about the riding is that my local bike shop at the time down in Devon was lending me some top of the range demo bikes to ride during recovery. Was just a pain when I had to return to my rubbish hardtail. Anyway, going to get back to reading posts. I'm only in Portsmouth so if ever you need riding company then drop me a line.

All the best

Emyr

Great to hear your back on your bike, also all the best for your recovery you did look well in the Photo's...Meg is smokin..Lucky bugger! 😉

Hey you two- fantastic news all round. South Downs one day, south Downs Way in 24hrs next! 😉

Excellent pics of the wedding, you clearly had a great day.

And back on the bike as well - great news.

Very best wishes to you both. Keep on answering them back when they try to fob you off.

I am now bald.

Not really a shock to me; When I did door work I used to wet-shave it all the time, so I knew what to expect. Meg on the other hand has spent the last ten minutes looking at me like a fat kid looks at donuts (i.e. wide eyed, quiet, staring)....

She doesn't seem to mind though. She says I have beautiful eyelashes.

It would appear I'm in there...

Thankfully the new chemo went well today, with no allergic reactions. Complained loudly about last week and got a multi-disciplinary meeting about it tomorrow as a result. Meg; good cop. Mark; bad cop. Seems to work. My wife is flipping amazing...

Gobsmacked/speechless etc. etc. etc...

You are amazing.

Ooh, and I love a baldy!!! Do you look like Yul Brynner in the "King and I"? 8)

Looks like you'll have to fight the laydeez of with a dirty stick! Chicks dig scars and bald heads you say... hmmm... 😉

I am now bald.

Bold [i]and[/i] bald ? 8)

He he!LoL at what Ambrose said. Cool 😀

Still an amazing inspiration are you both.

Wish now i knew you were both at Audries bay that weekend. I was a mere 2 miles down the road at a Halloween party in Kilve, i'd of loved to have turned up as a STW representative.

However my attire might not of been suitable...[url= ] not for the faint hearted [/url]

Bald is beautiful, bless you both and my thoughts are with you.

Hell fire Sharki....

Good ol Meg!

Glad to hear your back on the bike Mark, I've meet Napalm twice and he seems like a decent chap. Now all you need to do is make sure you can keep up with meg by the sounds of it 😆

A forum ride sounds like a good idea, perhaps Stanmer/Wild Wood etc area 😕

Was that really nessesary Sharki 🙄

Foxychick - Grant Mitchell/Vin Diesel/a potato, apparently...

Yul Brynner; if only!

You say Vin Diesel like that's a bad thing?!?

Oh Sharki did you have to post that picture! I'm severl :lol:y traumatised now!!!!!!

As long as you don't go down the

Terry Wogan
Bruce Forsythe
Dolly Parton 😯
Phil Spector
Little Richard
Donald Trump
Elton John
Tony Blackburn

Route then you'll be fine

(They're all wig wearers in case someone makes a joke about Spector...lol!)

Actually on reflection the Dolly Parton route might be a notion... 😆

Good man Mark (and Meg!)

Keep 'er lit!

Bloody marvellous thread!
Can't add anymore without getting a bit wobbly...

Hah, been out of the country so just wanted to catch up on this thread, I loved that as 'empathetic' as Napalm may have been he didn't loan you a rear brake, or even a geared bike! Somethings between bikers never change - never make it easier for your riding mates 😛

Anyway, baldness, just an excuse for lots of warm winter hats man!

Update time (Thanks Shane!)

Things have been okay in the past week. Physically I feel alright; the expectation was that the Caelyx would have a different effect from the Paclitaxyl, but apart from the tiredness I get around late afternoon I can't really report owt. I have a slightly wheezy chest, but it really is slight and I have no idea what to attribute it to. The weekend was a good one; Meg went riding on Reigate Heath, and I took the dogs up there to have a good walk. I felt very good, and really pushed myself hard up and down the hill. By the end of it the dogs were broken and I was sweating like a pig.

This week has been a strange one emotionally. I don't think the rainy weather has helped at all, which is really bizarre. I've always loved the bad weather, especially when I lived in Yorkshire. There was a real comfort about it, but I don't feel that anymore. The continual rain and being in the house gets to me, so I decided to alleviate it by popping back to work and seeing what I could get on with. It felt very positive, and I'm hoping to negiotiate a limited timetable where I can make a positive contribution from home.

I have bought a geared hybrid in order to maintain some degree of fitness, although I got it without wheels! Fella had all the sale paperwork, and its very tidy - I think he just got sick of getting wheels pinched when he left it at the train station, and rightly so. If anyone has any dirt cheap disc hubs (26") for my new (old) Giant Escape please let me know and I'll have 'em off you AND buy you a tea and a cake!

M

Great to hear you are on the up. There is a real difference in the way you are posting in comparision to a few weeks back. Looks like you are giving this thing a real kicking. The ****er picked a fight with the wrong couple!

Keep fighting the good fight Mark and Meg.

the expectation was that the Caelyx would have a different effect from the Paclitaxy

Good to hear you're feeling pretty good fella. Catch up soon - I owe Meg an e-mail 😉
C

Just been out for a look

I've a "pair" of wheels you could have - as long as you're not too picky 😳

rear is unused (off a Giant funnily enough) but has no cassette, front is an on-one, QR only. Both 6 bolt & could maybe stuff/leave a couple of rotors on, depending on what size you need. If I look hard there's probably some skewers somewhere

Tyres - err, I've 1x almost slick and 1x proper antique semi-slick if they were of interest (sure I've off-road tyres lying about if you'd prefer)

email's in my profile if you want them - suspect you might get a better offer and I don't take offence, so see how you feel.

(oh, and - good to hear you're getting out & about 🙂 )

Hope you don't mind - sharing some good news - just finished the above post when the phone rang - it was friends of ours with great news - Our Little Friend has had his Hickman lines removed 😀
He's back to The Marsden in Jan for tests, mostly around liver function as they removed about 70% of it to get rid of the cancer..... other than that it seems he has the all clear!!
He's very much looking forward to being able to go swimming again. Bossing his little brothers around continues as normal 😀

For inspiration:

[img] http://conventionfans.today.com/files/2009/05/picard.jp g" target="_blank">http://conventionfans.today.com/files/2009/05/picard.jp g"/> [/img]

The guy made millions and women love the head! (wel it made me shave mine)

Good luck with the new treatment PetesGaff!

a close friend of mine was diaganosed with grade 3 invasive breast cancer and given less than a 30% chance of seeing the next year out.

6 years later a few ops some chemo and radiotherapy and has been given the all clear.

I have to say that positive thinking, good friends and activity did that for her. oh and she was bloody stubborn.

So keep your chin up and keep smiling.

Glad to hear you're doing so well Mark. Keep it up.

Well, now that is a turn up for the books, I haven't checked the chat forum for months and came on today to ask some pissant question about my Strat's fretboard before I notices Marks thread. I have now lost 2 hours of my life reading almost every post and am howling like a baby (I'm not proud)

Mark and Meg my heart (no bovine muscle) goes out to you both completely. You have both been brilliant (stupid word) at dealing with this bag of nails that you have been presented with. You look so happy both of you on your wedding day and it looks (as it should be) a fantastic day. I am glad that things have been going well of late Mark, my thoughts and prayers will be with you and I will bookmark this thread and check it every day.

Some have mentioned a ride like a L2P, I would be very keen to join that, I agree with the thoughts that more money should go to the charity.....

I am chuffed to hear that you have got back on the bike, that will help enormously.

Love and thoughts to you both
from an old PE Teacher
Sean

thumbs up to you mark 🙂

Oh god don't tell foxychick you look like Yul Brynner - she won't be able to cope!!!!!!

Chris - fantastic news about the little fella! Can't tell you how chuffed we are!

Scaredypants - If its okay with you I'll take 'em! Just let me know where you are and I'll jump in the fradgmobile and buy you the cake I've promised!

I'm in Southampton/Salisbury area & often work in Portsmouth
(but can post easy enough anyway)
Where are you ?

Scaredypants - I'm in Kent, which means that I'm more than happy to collect if that's convenient with you, or if you don't mind sending that'd be ace as well. I think the rotors are 160mm, and I've had a look in my spares but can't find any so if you have a pair I'll buy them off of you too. I'll PayPal the money over to you as a gift if you send them -just let me know what you wnt for them. Thanks loads mate.

My intention is to get out on a bike every day, regardless of whether I'm at school or working from home. I love my SS, but its hard work getting out on it every day! I haven't ridden anything geared for as long as I can remember...

In the singletrack tradition - great photos, but in the first one the picture is crooked, in the last one, the table needs tidying. 😉

It's a bloody long way to come & collect, but you're welcome to if you want/are in a rush ! (today, I are mostly in Portsmouth)

I'm happy to post if you pm me your address (reaslistically that'd be Saturday morning posting)

I def have 2 160 rotors

Price ? - free, cake aside 😉

Awesome! I've pm'd you. let me know your details and I'll sort some postage out!

Thanks so much fella!

K[/code]eep up the good work!

They can do wonders these days. I really thought John Hartson was a gonna but [url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8394822.stm ]CLICKY[/url]

How's it going fella? (and Meg)

petesgaff, how are you now?

I suspect he is probably out on his bike, hope he is anyway.
He will pop in soon and let us know.

Hope you are fighting the good fight today Mark!