2008-12-15 Newsletter: End of chemo!

Dear All

It is along time since I last sent one of these newsletters though of course I have been in touch with many of you individually in that period.

When I last wrote I had finished the 4th of the 8 chemo sessions — each 3 days in hospital and held at three weekly intervals. Sessions #5 and #6 went without problem, but the side effects were a bit more pronounced on the last two sessions, particularly the last which finished on the 3rd December. I was subjected to extreme lethargy — very little energy, unable to do much except the minimum to feed and wash myself. After the last session I also had nausea and felt queasy — something that did not happen after any of the other sessions. In both cases the return to normalcy was almost miraculous — essential an overnight phenomenon. So last Sunday (yesterday) I woke up feeling fine and got lots done in the day — today I was able to successfully brave Vienna's main shopping street and got all the presents that I'd not managed to get through the Internet. So feel very self-satisfied and very happy to be alive and back in the living.

And it is so good to know that the chemo is over and so all physical progress from now on will not be pushed back by yet another dose of 'poisoning'. I have some weight to recover and my blood values are all far to low but my body, which is a bit slow to recover in that area, will at least have a chance to get on with recovery without being thwarted! Great!

Margaret (my ex-wife) had new lumps appear in her neck — under a little pressure from the family doctor the hospital (which had just ignored them it seemed) woke up and scheduled an almost immediate operation. The operation went well and Margaret has recovered well. We will know next week what further treatment she gets.

But for now we are going to have a good Christmas with Sarah and Ben coming over for about ten days (they arrive this coming Thursday) and on the 25th we will all be celebrating together in my flat (at long last with all non-smokers — even cancer had its silver lining) even though one of us (me) will be more involved in the cooking side of the 'groaning board' and will be confined to the usual coffee flavoured yogurt!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you all for your messages of support and love over the year.

Love to you all

David

2008-12-11 — Margaret Update

Another newsletter from Chris giving an update on Margaret

Dear all,

A short e-mail on behalf of Mum, she is now back at home and doing very well. She's been signed off the sick leave, and is ready for work again (a fast recovery).

In terms of the operation, the results came back and it was indeed malignant, but was localised and they have removed all of the cancer. It was a spread from the original cancer as well which is actually good news (means it hasn't come from somewhere else they might not have known about). The next step is to see what treatment they will use, it is not 100% sure if they will do just Radiation, or a mixture of Radiation & Chemo therapy.

Other than that all is well & seasons greetings to you all.

Apologies to those that have sent me e-mails, I haven't had much time to respond lately...

Best regards,

Chris.

David adds…

Margaret has an appointment next Monday (22nd December) with the oncologists and radiologists who will discuss with her what treatment she needs. I'll be accompanying her as translator and moral supporter.

2008-12-03 — Margaret Update

Another newsletter from Chris giving an update on Margaret

Dear All,

Some of you might have heard, others not but here a short update on Mums situation. Last week after a scan they found in the right side of her neck some 'flecks' that needed to be quickly removed. The preparation process for the operation went through very fast (6 days actually) and today at 10:00am she had her operation to remove further lymph nodes in the neck. The operation lasted roughly 4 hours, ending today at 14:00 and the doctors inform us that all went very well which is great news.

The lymph nodes that were removed will have to be sent to the lab for testing, and if the results comes back negative (malignant), then they will have to schedule therapy sessions, which would most likely start early 2009...

For now though, Mum is recovering in the SMZ Ost and she will remain there until roughly Wednesday next week. As most of you know she recovers very fast, and her main worry is always boredom, so visitors are most welcome

With best regards as always,

Chris.