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…
21 April 2016 (SCT Day +135) – So Slow (Cancer and Me 69)
One of the things I notice when reading the blogs of other lymphoma sufferers is that very often after finishing the account of their chemo or stem cell transplant there are no further entries. I am constantly left wondering how long does recovery take? When did they feel normal again? When did they stop feeling…
New Book – Facing Cancer with Faith
Cancer has been a big thing in my life for more than six years. It put me in hospital for nearly two months at the beginning of 2010, and has reared its ugly head again twice since then. Each occasion has involved a roller coaster ride of emotion whilst going through the painfully slow process…
I’ve published my first book!
Having a book published is quite a big deal. And this was my first experience of self-publishing, using Createspace, Scrivener, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kobo Writing Life, iTunes Producer… and good ol’ Microsoft Word! So my first published book is now available to buy. This one is merely the compendium of ‘cancer and me’ blog entries…
Heading Towards Transition – 1 March 2016 (SCT Day +84) (Cancer and Me 68)
It feels like about the right time for an update, even though it doesn’t feel like there is much of interest to say. When I saw one of my haematology doctors and the nurse specialist in Basingstoke Hospital on 27th January all was well. The only thing I asked about was the ridges that have…
Baby Steps (SCT Day +32) – 9 January 2016 (Cancer and Me 66)
It’s now 32 days since I had my stem cells injected, and 17 days since I came out of hospital. It’s nice to be prompted for another blog entry. Several readers have wondered why my blogging has tailed off. One person said it was like missing their favourite soap opera on TV while it takes…
Stem Cell Transplant Journal Day 30 – 30 December 2015 (Cancer and Me 65)
I’ve been home a week after my stay in Southampton General Hospital for my stem cell transplant, and it’s been tougher than we all expected (in spite of being told that it would be difficult). For a start, on the very night I came out of hospital Heidi came down with a bug and was…