Bizarre as hell day.. health stuff
Well, I had my appointment at Southampton hospital this morning (complete with scan results, luckily). The consultant radiologist (Dr Hamilton, decent bloke) read through the results as we were sat there and basically said “wow, how bizarre and good”. The long and the short of it all is that the two tumours in my head that were apparently too deep to do anything with have responded to the radiotherapy from October and gone! There are no other anomalies up there, my neck and torso have come back clean (they checked bones, organs etc) so basically I am, at this point, clean! That’s not to say I am in remission or totally in the clear - basically this is a snapshot of me and right now there’s nothing there :/
Bizarre, totally fucked up and bizarre! I was expecting to get there this morning and be told “uh-oh, scan says you have a couple of weeks/months” but for them to say I’m clean at the mo and they’ll see me in four months has totally thrown me!
I’m still on the steroids but have to wean myself off them gradually, and I’m in no way “back to my old self” which will take some time to come down from the steroids and months of painkillers, that is of course if I stay clean etc 
So in a nutshell, I have no current tumours anywhere but it’s NOT classed as being in remission, I classed it as a stay of execution ongoing (ie if/when it comes back we deal with it then..)
Now I can start thinking more than a week or so in advance, probably even break out the guitar. Plan for maybe a summer holiday, assume I’ll be around for my bithday in August and even our first wedding anniversary in September.. feels so odd, I can’t really get my head round it all right now
I might even have time to grow back some hair 
March 14th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Bloody amazing! So glad to hear the news Marc. Now, when can you get back to work you lazy slacker?
March 14th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
I assume that means you are paying when we next go out for lunch? Bloody amazing & fantastic new, I must say! Just don’t understand why you are not ‘in remission’ - I thought ‘remission’ means no detectable sign??
Ah well - not that important right now…
March 14th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
^^ Indeed, has thrown me for six entirely, I didn’t think they could be gotten rid of. Still not entirely convinced, I’m going to phone the doc next week and hear it again from the horses mouth just to be sure..
I have to come down off the pills, next appointment is July so realistically I reckon if things are okay still by then I’ll be reclaiming my desk (and chair) shortly after
No excuse to not have a celebratory Nando’s run still though! And to top it all off I bought a couple of pairs of 36″/32″ trousers yesterday (yes, they DO do them :p) but when the steroids stop I “should” get back to a more svelte 32″/32″ as before..
I think remission means they are happy I’m totally clean, whereas I am classed as “it’s gone right now but you are still high risk until time says otherwise”. Not entirely sure what the difference would be but it’s just nomenclature isn’t it..
And no, I’m not paying (unless the shares come good by then!) on Wednesday..!
I’ll phone Mike Monday morning, I’m not entirely sure where I stand re: work, I’ll have to clarify it with the docs and HR etc..
March 14th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Fantastic, get back in werk and get the kettle on…….(and cakes of course)
March 14th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Marc - this is such wonderful news…it just seems to me whatever life has thrown as you over the past few years/months it knocks you down but you just get right back up again…
….you really are an inspiration to us all, a really remarkable person that proves that there is hope after all!
Long may your health continue to improve and you, Hayley and Sam can plan your future ahead.
Love to you all x
March 15th, 2008 at 4:54 am
Kerry, as I said to H earlier I think I have just been one of the lucky ones - okay, I’ve had the spirit and the balls to fight it all the way but I’m not sure that anything else other than luck has gotten me through.
I know that a lot of people have been praying for me, and although I’m not strictly a religious person I thank them immensely
Thank you for your kind words..
March 15th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Awesome news dude!!!
[Quote=Marc]I might even have time to grow back some hair[/Quote]
so the Timote look could be back?
March 16th, 2008 at 5:20 am
lol, think that may take some time from scratch!! Any hair will do, even if it comes back curly like it did after my chemo!
Due to the odd atmosphere in the check-up, H & I can’t say for definite if the Doc definitely said “yep, the two other tumours have gone” or if he just said they had shrunk a bit and had lessened in intensity :/ We were so taken away by the news of it having NOT spread etc that we can’t remember 100% if he actually, definitely said the two other tumours have gone.
I am going to phone up on Monday to see if I can talk to him briefly for clarification! Either way It’s still cool, I just need straightening out.
March 17th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Marc - fantastic news! That has made my Monday! Sallyx
March 17th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Oh Marc what wonderful news, you are awsome dude - wishing you continued health and strength…. Lucie xx
March 17th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Thanks Sally, Lucie
It’s all a bit strange, I was under the impression there was no hope of this - I need to get clarification from the Doc to triple-check what he said. THe mind can play tricks can’t it, either way it’s a bloody good state to be in and the Doc was well impressed and surprised after initially reading the reports
March 18th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
hi Marc!
I was lost for words when Pete foned, quite something for me!!!
God knows what you have all been going thru’, for me I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders when I heard the news. I even broke out a bottle of wine on friday nite and managed two whole glasses before i had to go back on the tea - wot a lite weight!!
Now you can plan some good ‘to do’ lists and get cracking! We truly couldn’t have asked for more.
Luv you millionz and will be up to see you soon, Sharon, Ian & Co.xoxox
March 18th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Spicy monkey, we had a bottle of champagne in the fridge which quickly lost its fight for survival! Then a couple of glasses of JD polished it off nicely, what better way to end the day
My to do lists have lengthened in scope now, I’m hoping (but not presuming) that I’ll see my birthday (August, only five months away..) and there are plenty of things I feel able to do now without worrying about my head popping due to the pressure.
We’re having a house warming gathering Saturday week, and some point soonish after (when the weather is warmer) we will definitely have another barbecue-fest.. nothing like the taste of burnt meat to go with some good wine and some good family company!
Speak to you soon,
Marc