Chemo Hotel...

Today started early, after trying to help Bethan get the kids ready for school and dropping them off we headed off for my review appointment at Trelisk. The point of this is an assessment to review how physically and I guess mentally ready I am for the next round of chemotherapy.

Having been pretty hammered by the last round and running into all sorts of quite powerful side effects there was talk of the next round being postponed until I was 100% well again. It was are very clear at the meeting with the main oncologist that is taking care of me that he was very impressed with both my rate of recovery and the reduction in size of the lump in the lymph gland in my neck. It has shrunk for the size of half an apple to half a grape with in the first round. This provides yet another huge positive foothold, that gives both relief and encouragement to see that it's all working as It should be.

With all this information in place, they suggest moving the treatment schedule forward by a day and suggest starting the next round a soon as a bed is ready. We were told to call the ward back after 1pm to find out. Myself and Bethan took advantage of out extra time and headed into Truro where the largest pre- chemo meal took place in Pizza Express, huge Ham and mushroom pizza followed by a banoffee Sunday... I might not be eating too well over the next few days so the thought was to stock up, and stock up we did!

As we both wobbled our bellies off down the street and I mentioned that I wanted to drop into the local bike shop and have a chat with the James and the boys that work there. Clive Mitchel Cycles has served my cycling, chin wagging, good advice, needs. As we all share an immense passion for cycling in its many forms it's easy to call the guys who work there friends. James has had many years to subtly hone his craft of being able to show you a bike and with in seconds your trying to figure out a way that you can own it! I might be to blame in part for that though, i love a new bike as many of you know! It begins with his "Mr Ben, as if by magic the shop keeper appears" followed by a swift glance at the product on offer within the show room, this is followed by a swift dismissal of what's there, followed by a "follow me". We end up in the "secret stock area" an area of the store that seems to make feel a bit prevailed to be in. He digs about amongst the numerous demo bikes and brand new ready to ride steeds that are waiting to be collected by the now "light of wallet, but super stoked" customers. He unvailes my new dream bike the new Specialized Epic 29er, some folk balk at the whole big wheel movement, but I fell in love with their flowy goodness many years ago and as the popularity of this design has grown so has the quality of handing, lower weights, and over all grin factor. Sorry, non bike fans there is a point for all my lusting over this inanimate object. It all comes back to the "positive markers" I was talking about a post or two ago. I have been thinking about riding my bike a lot lately and how much I miss not just the sport itself and the exercise, but most of all the people. I realise the potential for life long side effects of the treatment I'm undergoing, but I still feel I want too continue riding once this is done. I have three bikes at the momment that I move between all the time and it breaks my heart to think of them rotting away in the shed for the next six months. Headsets frozen, bearings siezed, hubs stiffened all through lack of use. I have come to the decision that I need to sell them, put the money to one side and buy my dream bike once I feel right again, which I feel confident that I will. This gives a solid long term "positive marker" for me to work toward. Knowing that I won't just be back riding in whatever capacity, but I'll be riding the the bike I always wanted... so as James unveiled a brand new Specialized Epic Carbon 29er, it appears a new long term "positive marker" has been set!