The new plan
My Allograft 2018/19 – 3. Friday 14th December 2018 By Andy Burrows, 14 December 2018 Adjusting “How are you feeling,” we asked all our kids several times on Tuesday evening, trying to make sure they were digesting the change of plan ok. “I’m just confused,” was the response from our youngest, who is about to…
This isn’t the update you were expecting
My Allograft 2018/19 – 2. Tuesday 11th December 2018 By Andy Burrows, 11 December 2018 The bit where things were going to plan I’ll start with the part where things were going to plan. But feel free to skip to the next section. I would if I were you. It’s much more interesting and important!…
The length of the climb
My Allograft 2018/19 – 1. Sunday 9th December 2018 By Andy Burrows, 9 December 2018 My daily blog begins again I recorded a bunch of videos over the last week that I had every intention of editing and putting together into a little documentary on what I’ve been doing to prepare for my stem cell…
Packing My Bags
By Andy Burrows, 28 November 2018 I don’t think I needed anything to remind me of the enormity of what’s coming, but I got a reminder yesterday anyway! For the last month it’s been quiet. No treatment, only one short hospital visit each week, hair starting to grow back. I was phoning the stem cell…
Waiting
By Andy Burrows, 11 November 2018 Life at Base Camp Before I give you my reflections on what’s driving my attitude at the moment, it’s worth giving a quick update on my situation to set the scene. I think I mentioned last time that things had settled down after my chemotherapy. My blood counts have…
Treatment Update 21 October 2018
By Andy Burrows, 21 October 2018 I thought, rather than anything too deep, it’s probably time for a news update and a look back over my chemo experience. I have now arrived at Base Camp, using my Everest-climb analogy! I had three cycles of R-ICE chemo, which meant three 4/5-day stints staying in Basingstoke Hospital.…
My Mount Everest
Andy Burrows, 8 October 2018 There is no doubt that my fourth battle with cancer is the toughest challenge of my life. I feel the need to make that clear. I’ll explain what makes it tough in a minute. And I’m not losing my positivity and optimism when I say this. I guess I just…
Being That Guy
Andy Burrows, 30 September 2018 Hello! It’s been a while! I can remember writing in one of my articles about my 2015 relapse that I wanted, “to do other things rather than constantly being ‘that guy who has cancer’.” A few months later, I went on to write, “I’m trying to close the door,…
My 1st Re-Birthday (Cancer and Me 71)
So, as I’ve learnt from previous stem cell and bone marrow transplant patients, today is my 1st “re-birthday”. This time last year I was having stem cells infused after a week of high dose chemotherapy in a little sterile room in Southampton Hospital. I’m in a few Facebook groups for lymphoma suffers/survivors and bone marrow…
31 May 2016 (SCT Day +175) – Closing the Door on Round Three (Cancer and Me 70)
The milestones in recovery after cancer treatment are often so subtle as to be imperceptible. Certainly after my stem cell transplant, whilst the first signs of recovery in white cell counts were within days, and for a few weeks I was making tangible progress in being able to do things, after a couple of months…