A Happy NewYear

A Happy New Year to one and all. I know it's been a while since I wrote anything on here, in fact not since I came home, from hospital, which seems just a tad too long, but my time and strength has been taken up with recuperation and recovery, which has been incredibly hard, and a lot more so than I had anticipated, so that's my ecxuse out of the way. And thats an awfully long sentence is it not?

I don't normally make New Year resolutions, or at least not in public, but I'm making an exception this year due to the unusual circumstances I find myself in. So two resolutions, firstly that this year I will devote all my strength and resolve to recover from this cancer - "not to lose the joy of living in the fear of dying." That's a quote, obviously, but I don't remember who said it.

And secondly, to write something on this blog more regularly, and at least once a week. So look out for that and get back to me should I abscond.

I met my oncologist, Dr McLean, back in December and she gave me an update on the pathology report. The cancer had spread to lymph nodes, and two were removed during the operation. They also found microscopic traces of cancer in blood vessels near the tumour. The tumour was removed and they are pleased with the fact that they achieved a good margin round the tumour. It all becomes quite confusing, if not a little stressful. The bottom line is that they no longer say that I will be cured of the cancer, but that I have a seventy percent survival chance if I successfully complete the chemotherapy course they have planned for me.

I guess that I would have jumped at seventy percent survival chance, had it been offered last May when the cancer was discovered. I would prefer the cure that was hoped for initially, but seventy seems like a good number, lets hope lucky for me anyway.

This is just a quick posting to get me in the way of writing again and remind me how to use blogger. It's easy to forget the daft little things blogger does to keep one on one's toes. Speaking royally as one does from time to time.

I won't bore you with details of my recovery since I came home from hospital, save to say that it seemed never ending and hard going and never to be repeated and thanks to all who helped me through that difficult time. You know who you are, and thank you all.

My life was confined to my flat for a few weeks and since then mostly to Morningside and surrounds, which is fine and dandy but I'm hoping to branch out soon, this week all being well. Reading is beginning to get better. I'm currently reading a biography of Wordsworth by Hunter Davies which I'm enjoying immensely, a book called Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada, which was my Xmas present from Emer, and which is excellent and well worth looking out for, and I'm also reading my first book by V.S. Naipaul, The Mystic Masseur, which is excellent and makes me wonder why I've left it so long before trying him out, he is after all a Nobel Prize winner. I shall definitely be reading more of his work, probably A House for Mr Biswas, whoever he was.

I've been watching Breaking Bad and am now on season two and it's as good as everyone told me it was. I've not been to the cinema since last October and am seriously missing it. I seem to have missed some great movies, but I'm hoping to do something about that this week, so watch this space.

There now that's that done Donald and it wasn't that hard now, was it?