Health update...

My overall health continued to improve towards the end of April after my period of being pretty poorly. I returned to treatment on Thursday 30 April with a reduced dose / concentration of Paclitaxel. I was previously having 162mg in a 500ml IV bag – but this has been reduced to 120mg in a 250ml IV bag – administered over 60 minutes. This is so much better than the 6 hours bags I was having at this time last year when my main chemo medication was Oxaliplatin and Capecitabine.

The idea behind the dose reduction is to see if this helps with lessening the side effects. Seeing as how the last set of CT scans were so encouraging – it was felt that if the disease can continue to be ‘under control’ but we can reduce side effects, this would be advantageous and helps with my quality of life.

My steroids were also reduced on this first treatment in cycle 3 as I was still on a course of steroids prescribed by my IBD team. This course has now ended so my Cancer team steroids would now return to the previous level. I usually get a ‘steroid high’ for 24-48 hours after treatment, then I start to come down and have a ‘steroid crash’ on the Sunday / Monday. However, this did not happen, and I came down much slower and it was much more manageable. The steroids also tend to increase my appetite, which they did again, and this improved appetite continued and lasted for the whole week. I did experience some constipation but no diarrhoea which was great. Previously once the steroid crash has happened, I become very loose – but not this time.

My sleep was also ‘okay’ – with only one or two ‘wake ups’ overnight and I was not needing to have naps during the day. So, it looked like overall the side effects were definitely less severe and more manageable.

With all this is mind – I restarted my personal training sessions on Monday 4 May and was pleased to see that my fitness had not regressed as much as I had feared. I am now back to the Monday and Wednesday training sessions and hopefully these will really start to get my strength and stamina back to what it needs to be. I have also been playing 9 holes of golf on a Wednesday and a Saturday as well some limited distance walks and a few sessions on my exercise bike. I will look at returning to Aqua Aerobics in another week or two – I just don’t want to push things too far too fast and ‘overdo it’.

My second treatment day in this cycle was Thursday 7 May and so far, the pattern has been very similar to that experienced with the first treatment. I am writing this on Saturday 9 May thus there is still time for things to change – but I am hoping the steroid crash is once again reduced and not so severe and that my motions will loosen up and return to normal over the next few days with no return to the diarrhoea.

The neuropathy is still a big issue and the biggest side effect that I cannot seem to get on top of. I have tried so many ointments and ‘balms’ – none of which seem to really improve matters. I have tried a variety of electrical gadgets – again to no avail. I have tried compression socks/stockings, and these do seem to offer some short-term relief – so I have now got some ‘bamboo’ compression socks, and I am trying these out overnight. I have also now been prescribed a course of ‘medical cannabis gummies’ which I have now started. It is hoped these will alleviate the side effects and whilst it won’t repair the nerve damage it will mask the numbness and pins & needles that are now pretty much a constant in my feet and my left hand.

Treatment 3 on this current cycle 3 is due on Thursday 14 May, then I get a recovery week off with no treatment on 21 May. If all continues to plan, cycle 4 will commence on Thursday 28 May.

I have an appointment with my IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) Consultant on Friday 15 May – hopefully my inflammation levels will have reduced and there can be a greater level of ‘harmony’ between the Cancer and the Ulcerative Colitis going forwards.

In other news…

Low / no Alcohol wine

I have finally found a Rose Wine that is just about ‘acceptably palatable’. It is from Sainsburys and is £6.50 per bottle. I have now got a bottle of the Sauvignon Blanc from the same ‘range’ to see how that shapes up. Regarding a red, again it is not brilliant, but drinkable – from Marks & Spencer, Divin Pinot Noir at a fairly expensive £12 per bottle. I have also bought a bottle of the same brand Sauvignon Blanc again at £12 to try. I will let you know how I get on with it. With all these they are actually ‘low alcohol’ at 0.5% - maybe this is the minimum level you need to just take that ‘vinegar edge’ off the low / no alcohol wines that are on the market.

Calling all Golfers…

Save the date - 25^th September 2026

For what? Billingbear Ball Bashers Annual Charity Fund Raising Golf Day

Where? Weybrook Park Golf Club (near Basingstoke)

Which Charity? The Ollie Young Foundation with the Helen and Douglas House Children and Young People’s Hospice

It is now less than 5 months till the annual Ball Bashers Charity Fund Raising Golf Day, a fun event with lots of money being raised for great charities close to our hearts.

This year we are joining forces with the Ollie Young Foundation (ollieyoungfoundation.org) a charity which was launched in memory of the brave little boy from Wokingham who lost his fight against an incurable brain tumour one day before his sixth birthday and only twelve weeks after first displaying symptoms. There was no available treatment for Ollie, no cure and no hope.

Ollie spent his last few weeks in and out of the Helen and Douglas House Hospice where he and his family were able to spend precious time together until, sadly, Ollie finally closed his eyes for the last time on the 26^th February 2012. We will be working with Sarah, Ollie’s Mum, to raise funds for specific items that the Hospice need, and to do it in Ollie’s name.

In the past I have welcomed several colleagues from within the Live Events Industry at the event and it would be great to see them again, along with any ‘newcomers’ that fancy a day out in good company raising money for a good cause. Please let me know if you can put together a team of 4 players, or alternatively, if you are on your own and available and want to join us – we would be delighted to welcome you. Let me know and I can send more details.

A CALL TO ACTION:

Please feel free to continue to give me feedback, likes, comments on my blog.

Also please pass on the blog details to colleagues, associates, friend and family who might be interested and find it useful. I would like to double the number of followers over the course of this year – your help in spreading the word would be most appreciated.

I feel privileged to have a platform to communicate with my followers and your continuing support is so very important and invaluable. Many thanks…