Over the last few weeks attention has refocused on the cancer in Mum's brain, which is a secondary cancer from the original bowel cancer. Mum has had a series of scans and appointments to try and get to the bottom of the recent increased swelling on her brain, and a couple of minor episodes. Today's appointment with the oncologist was potentially going to be a really important one. In the event no definite conclusions have been come to yet, and the medical team need to have some more in depth discussions and analysis. Mum has been put back on steroids to see if that might improve her speech a little, and she has to go back in three weeks and she will possibly need to have more scans. It is an ever changing situation, but they are on it and monitoring and looking after her very well. The good news is that she can go off to Cornwall tomorrow for a week's holiday and enjoy it. Thoroughly deserved after the last six months...
In March she underwent her 5th operation in her four year battle with bowel cancer. In 2012 she was diagnosed with bowel cancer and had successful surgery to remove part of her bowel. Unfortunately since then she has been plagued by secondary cancer, especially targeting her left lung. The recent operation at Harefield Hospital removed the lower lob of her left lung where the nodules have formed each time. She has made a very good recovery from that. She is back on her horse, and her blood count is down. She is desperate to drive again, although I suspect that is still quite some way off.
It's been a rough old road for her. The last few months have been particularly tough for her since the cancer, not only targeted her lung again, but also spread to her brain which resulted in a scary seizure at the end of November. For someone who is turning 80 this year she is fighting hard, and in my eyes genuinely a true fighter. She epitomises the brave, courageous spirit of so many cancer patients. It was hard fought victory in her battle with bowel cancer, and she is now gearing up for another possible encounter with this dreadful illness!
I published the Lives & Times book on November 27th, coincidentally the same day she had the seizure. It has raised over £1300 for the Beating Bowel Cancer charity so far. All proceeds I receive from sales of the book are donated to the charity. The book was completed over 18 months, and I met and photographed many famous, and some not so famous, people for the book. So many different and fascinating chapters to enjoy. To see how you can order the book, which is available as an eBook, paperback and hardback, click here. I would be really grateful for any support.
So who can you expect to read about in the book...
- Sir Steve Redgrave CBE
- Katherine Grainger CBE
- Phil Parkes
- Mick Channon
- Jonathan Agnew
- Lorraine Kelly
- Christopher Biggins
- Matthew Wright
- Freya North
- Ben Richards
- Carrie Grant
- Gail Porter
- Melinda Farrell
- Alan Davies
- Shaun Keaveny
- Mike Read
- John Shuttleworth
- Tom Rosenathal
- Antonia Mariconda
- Status Quo
- The Stranglers
- The Alarm
- Clare Grogan
- Dodgy
- Mikes Hunt& Erica Nockalls
- Horace Panter
- My Mum!
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