One Year On..

Bit of an odd feeling today – its the one year anniversary of getting my stem cells back at Parkside.

In some ways its a good place to be right now – paraprotein continues to be scored at 'apostrophes-1', meaning its barely detectable. My bloods are good (of course, blue), I'm on no medication whatsoever, apart from the curcumin tablets that I take as my one concession to 'god knows if alternative / complementary medicine actually works, but I can nosh these mothers down with banana milk without gagging, so best be a bit more open-minded than usual. Must try not to leave yellow coating on top of milk bottle as shows I've not used a glass… dirty grubber'. Phew, long-winded but that's how my mind works..

And its been a good year in various ways:

– Got home from hospital and Conker & Mojo pretended to recognise me,. even with nay bleddy hair

– Got back to health (and work, boo) pretty fastish

– Hawksey continues to be a total star and I haven't yet driven him completely barking

– We finally nailed our first ever one week and two week holidays together without blood being spilt, luggage being lost or any near-death experiences

– I met Hawksey's daughter Zoe and managed to have my first ever 'family' holiday – eek! (And it still makes me laugh when I think about the holiday guest who asked me 'what year is your daughter in at school' and I had no idea – she clearly thought I'd kidnapped Zoe..)

– You lot have all been awesome – getting used to having 'the old Scotty' back and heading out on the piss, or being on the receiving end of much piss-taking, back to normality

– Much awaited babies have been born at last

– And generally life has got back to where it was – more or less – but its way better than what could have been and I thank you all for the parts you've played in making that happen. from walks on the Common to throwing booze down my throat, you have no idea how much support you've all been in bigger and smaller ways.

………………………………..

Not all's been smooth sailing though... Above all – three of my friends have died unexpectedly in the past three months. Not something thank god I've ever experienced, and totally lousy for all concerned. Most recently a great chap I've played hockey with for over twenty years, Tim 'TBag' Baggett, died from another vile form of bloody cancer. All three men, all bloody good people, all way too young, only in their forties. Leaving 2 wives, 3 kids and an awful lot of very gutted people between them.

And I know for some of you, parents have sadly died and some things have also been real challenges.

A real reminder that life can be fucking unfair and crap on people who least deserve it.

Plus – on a personal front – it becomes somewhat harder for me in a way knowing that a whole year of whatever my precious lifespan turns out to be, has already gone in what feels a whole lot less than 12 full-fat months..

And a bit harder, as I know the median time for remission after Stem Cell Transplant is 2 years – so I'm either less than half way if I get lucky, about halfway if I turn out to be average – or on borrowed time if I pull the short straw and get less than the two years. Hence the rapid booking of holidays and all things 'fun' to max the time. Hey – and if I turn out to have the long straw and can still fill ma boots with good stuff for some years to come, then that's the best 'being wrong' that could ever be!

But overall – a year I'm very grateful to have had. And back onto the good stuff again – this is my 70th post over the past 15 months, and you're still reading it! Hurrah for all you work-shirking lettuce dodgers.

Cheers all and here's to a happier 2010 - can we go to the airport, heading anywhere, right now???

Sx