Week 44: A new regime ... and new table

 Sorry for the extended silence on the blog front. I seem to have been fully occupied just trying to get on top of my new raw-food-and-supplements regime (although I did find the space to finish my table - see above - and to start on a new furniture-making project...more on that later). 

As reported on the last entry, I started out on the new approach - as recommended by Xandria Williams - almost a month ago. I won't pretend it's been easy -- nor particularly cheap. However I am feeling pretty well on it and I do feel very optimistic that it will work. So much so that - with I'm happy to say the blessing of my oncologist - I have decided not to go for the second-line of drug treatment that was on offer. On researching this, I found that it only prolonged survival rates by a few months on average anyway. So, for now, I prefer to keep off the drugs and put every effort into the complementary and natural approach.

So I have managed to keep up with the 80% raw food diet. We bought a new, super-duper Korean juicer which does a brilliant, if rather…

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10 Feb 2012 9 comments - read and reply.

Week 41: Going Raw

Well a lot has happened since my last post. I've now started a new alternative medicine regime and - so far - it feels good. I am going to give it an extended try so I have decided that, for now, I will not be opting for either the suggested chemotherapy programme or the Tarceva tablets. 

If you read the last post, you will have seen my mention of Xandria Williams' book, Cancer Concerns. Well, I was so impressed by the rational, scientific argument behind her approach that I decided to see her and to follow her recommended treatment. At the core of this lies some tests to establish more about my particular situation. So blood and urine samples are, even now, winging their way to Florida for a CA Profile test to establish more about the nature and the activity levels of my cancer cells. I have also taken an on-line test to establish my metabolic type. This will help determine the exact nature of the treatment programme.

 However I have already started on the core of the treatment, which involves:

• cutting out glucose in my diet as cancer cells need it for energy and are…

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22 Jan 2012 10 comments - read and reply.

Bit of a setback - but table progressing well

I'm sorry to have to start 2012 with a a bit of a down-beat note but  I had slightly disappointing news when I saw my oncologist today. The latest CT scan shows a small deterioration in the tumours. It's not much but is discernible.

It's a bit if a surprise as I have been feeling well and have been out cycling and walking regularly and have had a good rest from work. But that's one of the odd aspects of cancer - you don't always feel unwell with it.

However, there are also some positive aspects. Firstly, my consultant is surprised and pleased at how well I am. Second, the growth of the tumours is very slow and, overall, they are still smaller than before the chemotherapy. I also take some comfort from the fact that the CT scan doesn't prove that the tumours are growing now, only that here has been growth since the last scan which was 4 months ago. It could be that the growth happened some time back and has now been arrested (of course, it could equally be that it has only just started....but I instinctively feel that I have grown stronger after the Christmas/ New…

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09 Jan 2012 12 comments - read and reply.

Happy Christmas

 It's Christmas Eve ... so, to all of you who have been with me on this cancer blog journey over the past nine months, I'd just like to say a heartfelt thank you for your many kind and supportive comments and for travelling with me through a very bumpy 2011.

 I know that many of you have also been going through similar health issues, either your own or those of family or friends, so can I wish you all a very happy and relaxing Christmas and a very healthy and optimistic New Year. Here's to plenty of good health news in 2012. Onwards and upwards!

The blog will return in the New Year. 

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24 Dec 2011 12 comments - read and reply.

More money for cancer charities

 Just a postscript to the earlier post about Marc Rowland's wonderful fund-raising half-marathon in Thailand, when he raised around £1,000 for  two charities nominated by friends who'd been diagnosed with cancer.

Marc has just been to give a talk at Grove Primary School in Handsworth, Birmingham. He addressed the assembly and told the pupils about his run and about Thailand. He then received cheques for the two cancer charities he was supporting: Star Throwers (my choice) and The Royal Surrey Appeal. Each was for £397.

 So a big Christmas-time thank you to the children of Grove Primary for their exceptionally generous donation.  

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13 Dec 2011 3 comments - read and reply.

'Preventable' causes of cancer

There's some interesting discussion in the media today following the report from Cancer Research claiming that 43% of cancers are preventable by life-style changes. 

The report says 45% of cancers in men, and 40% in women, could be prevented (Cancer Research news release).

The research argues that more than 100,000 cancers – equivalent to one third of all those diagnosed in the UK each year – are being caused by smoking, unhealthy diets, alcohol and excess weight. This figure further increases to around 134,000 if a wider range of lifestyle and environmental risk factors (such as occupation, lack of exercise and exposure to radiation) are included.

Some people have reacted angrily to this (see for example the posts on the BBC News website). They feel that cancer victims are being blamed for causing their own illness. I don't see it that way, even though I could certainly argue that none of the main lifestyle risks applied in my case. Despite having lung cancer I have never smoked, have never been overweight, barely drink alcohol, have a healthy diet, and have taken plenty of exercise.

But self-righteousness - or for that matter guilt - is not the point here. I…

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07 Dec 2011 6 comments - read and reply.

Amanda's wonderful breast cancer blog

 I just wanted to draw your attention to my friend, neighbour and book-club accomplice's evocative and moving cancer blog.

Amanda has breast cancer. She writes about it all in an uplifting, entertaining, and sharp-eyed way. It's an honest, sometimes heart-breaking account which draws on Amanda's interior-designer's eye for colour, shape and detail.

Follow her blog here: welcometocworld.com/

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02 Dec 2011

Research on cancer survival rates shows patchy progress

 Today's new data from Macmillan Cancer Support quite rightly draws attention to the huge variance in the improvement of survival rates for different types of cancer. As the report says, it remains 'a lottery' (although no-one really wins!).

But while there is good news in some areas, it remains very patchy overall.

The good news is that survival rates have risen for 11 out of the 20 cancers researched. Breast cancer and colon cancer have both shown particular improvements in life expectancy. Overall, six cancers now have median survival times of more than 10 years.

But the bad news is that lung, pancreatic and brain cancer survival rates show no real improvement,  with survival still measured in weeks.

Macmillan's research found:

• Six of the cancers studied  have predicted median survival times of more than 10 years
• The biggest improvement has been for colon cancer with a 17-fold increase in median survival time from around seven months to ten years
• Breast cancer median survival time has doubled since the 1970s and has been more than 10 years since at least the early 1990s
• Lung and brain cancer median survival times has barely risen, from 11 to 20 weeks; and from…

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22 Nov 2011 7 comments - read and reply.

Week 32: another visit to the oncologist

Last week I had to return to see my oncologist for the 6-8 week check. Inevitably, as the day approached, some anxiety crept in. To try to keep the radiation from CT scans to a minimum this check-up was only preceded by an X-ray. The usual long wait to be seen (some two hours plus) did not help alleviate the worry.

However, the wait was worth it. I'm very happy to report that, on the evidence of the X-ray (which, it has to be said, is not as precise as a CT scan) there has been no apparent further growth in the tumours. So that's three months of stability now since my last chemo in early August. And, most importantly, I am feeling pretty well.

 I was due to have another check (and CT scan) before Christmas but, after a little bit of pressing, my consultant agreed that we could wait until the New Year, which is great as it means no pre-Christmas hospital appointment.

So, I've been back at the furniture-making and can report that the collection of mortise-and-tenon joints is beginning to resemble a table (see picture).  

 It was also good to be back on the road chairing education conferences…

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14 Nov 2011 13 comments - read and reply.

Week 29: pruning & planing