C-3 Three days to Chemo It’s Monday and today I have the first blood test / clinic to check I’m healthy enough to start chemotherapy on Thursday. I slept well, which surprised me. I think this was mainly due to running the last Salsa Rapido 1-Day Intensive course until July 23rd! They were a fun group and I really appreciate that one couple deferred their date after I appealed for anyone with flu sniffles to postpone. The last two weeks has been full of endings: I completed the Mambalsa course at the Nightingale which was a great success. I’ve also paused my counselling work there as the counselling rooms are too small for social distance. The feeling I'm experiencing is closer to preparing to move abroad, I’m both anxious and excited. I’ve also been shopping. I’m now the proud owner of an orange bucket and a multi day pill box. The bucket is carrot coloured, do I need to say any more? The pill box is for the muesli of pills that comes with chemo. There’s anti-inflammatory, anti...

Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce to you, the one and only (Cue drum roll) Capitano Chemo! It feels quite fitting that my marathon blog evolves into my cancer journey blog. The similarities are numerous. For last year's (2022) Brighton marathon I trained for six months, which is the proposed length of my chemotherapy. I’d actually prepared for the 2020 Brighton marathon which was postponed due to lockdown and it was 2019 that I received my first diagnosis of lymphoma (See earlier post for more details). Both are uncomfortable at times and there's always the possibility that you wont make it to the finish line! So what’s Capitano Chemo all about? Truth is I’m not quite sure but I’m hoping he’ll reflect many aspects of my life so far: comedy, counselling, running and something I do extremely well i.e. sitting on a sofa doing sod all! Let’s start with comedy. Captain Chemo has two main super powers: The aforementioned doing sod all and projectile vomiting hence his trusty bucket! ...

  Scanxiety This is a B-Cell Tomorrow I have a consultation at UCLH to discuss my recent CT scan and treatment options. I had a routine consultation two weeks ago after a blood test. They informed me that I would need chemo within the next year. I felt unprepared for that news as my bloods were exactly as expected, i.e. the white cell count is doubling every 10-12 months and I have no symptoms. Chemo will consist of two drugs given in six, monthly cycles for six months. Each cycle consists of  two consecutive days of chemo. This will knock out all my white cells both good and bad so I'll have no immunity for 7-10 days. This will make me especially prone to viruses.  For two years after the start of the chemo, I’ll also have depleted immunity making me prone to bacterial infection.  Tomorrow is my chance to present my thoughts. I accept that I have limited knowledge and experience so my perspective has to be guided by the experts. My role is to convey my preference an...