Archive for the cancer Category

A life after surgery (Breast Cancer)

Chris On January 11, 2014 / appearance after cancer treatment, breast cancer, Breast Cancer Care, cancer, life after surgery, psychological importance of appearance / 5 Comments

We are certainly well and truly back into the work routine, after a couple of weeks off! Communication is starting to get back to its normal level, and as usual, the ‘cancer world’ is moving quickly. I had planned a quiet start to the year, but early treatment, and a few interesting emails,have woken me quickly from my slumbers. However, the most important thing this week, was a communication I had with someone regarding issues of appearance, during cancer treatment. A subject that I feel very passionately about, as I am aware of the importance of it, psychologically, in the treatment pathway. It is a subject I will cover in greater depth in my next blog. The below poem was written by a wonderful friend of mine. Here she talks

A new year must always bring hope!

Chris On January 5, 2014 / #ukba14 #Facebook, 2013, 2014, cancer, celebrating, hope, making changes, new year / 4 Comments

Well it has finally arrived, 2014. We seem to have been thinking about it for a long time,in a similar way to talking about Christmas from September onwards! Traditionally we give these events a massive build up, and I personally wonder, if once the days have arrived, we are quite glad, to get back to our normal lives, as we are fed up with hearing about them. This year in the UK, almost for the entire break, the weather has been atrocious, with constant wind and rain, bringing chaos to many people. This is still continuing into 2014. I also understand that the weather is poor in many parts of America. Unfortunately, I was not well enough to go out on New Year’s Eve, as I traditionally would have

A new perspective

Chris On December 29, 2013 / cancer, innovation, new year, time, unemployment, value of life, value of time / 4 Comments

I always find that the approach of New Year is a an ideal time to take stock of things.Our regular commitments subside and there is a little thinking time.Personally, I am never happy for my work to ‘stand still,’ and am always looking to improve things and embrace innovation, particularly in social-media. A few months ago I was at a conference, where I met a lady who listens to a presentation and creates a story from what is being said. I found this absolutely riveting, and the picture at the end captured the presentation perfectly! It actually made a boring talk very interesting! I felt that this would add a lot to my blog, so Anna very kindly took one of my most popular pieces and did one for me! So

Coping with life during treatment (Dee’s story)

Chris On December 15, 2013 / cancer, cancer wards in hospital, life during cancer treatment, treatment during Christmas / 6 Comments

This week has been mentally tough. I have had my routine treatment, although I was feeling pretty rough, because of my chest infection. However the positive side of that was I got examined again. A larger dose of antibiotics was prescribed, and things are improving. As I had been feeling lethargic, it meant that I spent more time than usual on my computer. Looking into more detail of some of the things that were happening in the cancer world, and in particular, some of my friends who are currently going through treatment.Coming into the Christmas period whilst undergoing treatment is very tough. It is a particularly poignant time of year anyway, but when people are seeming so happy, it can be very difficult to feel the same way! My own

The joy of sharing!

Chris On December 8, 2013 / cancer, giving not receiving, sharing, sharing cancer experience., sharing via social media, the joy of sharing / 6 Comments

The last 2 weeks have been quite difficult for me, as we are now reaching the festive period, but unfortunately my chest infection means that I am very limited to what I can do. In my life before cancer I was a party animal. When I wasn’t working I was socialising, both privately and in a business capacity. This aspect of my personality has not changed at all, as I really am a people lover. However, gone are the all night parties and late night drinking. No more dancing till dawn.A lot of my physically energy is lost to constant treatment, I am unable to taste my food, or drink alcohol! I am absolutely exhausted by about 11pm.This made me think seriously about what joys in life I had left!

Always grateful, but still feeling guilty!

Chris On December 1, 2013 / cancer, emotions of illness, frustration, grateful, guilt, illness, low immunity, winter illness / 13 Comments

Winter can be a difficult time, even for those in reasonable health, but for me, it is becoming my personal nemesis, and I look forward to it less each year! Here in London, the weather has been kind this year, and even though we are now into December, the temperatures are only just getting quite cold. It is no coincidence, that my health has been in reasonable shape, during the lovely summer we have enjoyed.However this week has woken me up with a large dose of reality! You would have thought that after 6 years of similar cycles, I might have learnt, but no! Far be it from me to disappoint. I am like the baby who continually puts his fingers in the electric socket, to find that it hurts,

Coming together in adversity

Chris On November 17, 2013 / adversity, cancer, cancer policy, coming together, haematology conference in Durham / 2 Comments

This week has been like a massive blur! My treatment took up Monday and Tuesday, and I spent Wednesday, catching up with my work and preparing for some presentations which I was doing on Thursday and Friday. It is now 2 years since I started this particular regime of treatment, but with a combination of drugs and blood treatment, my body is able to help me have a reasonable quality of life. If I think back to when this issue started, I was unable to dress myself, or even cut my own dinner properly, and now thankfully I can do both! However it seems like at least another year before I will know if I can come off the treatment safely. This uses up a large chunk of time and energy, but

Do you know that feeling of isolation?

Chris On November 10, 2013 / #notalone, cancer, holistic, holistic needs assessment, Isolation, Macmillan Cancer Support, social-media / 6 Comments

This week has been an incredibly busy week on social-media for me. Last weeks post found it’s way to many lovely people out there who shared and shared, till I think at last count we had 31 re-tweets of one link alone! Although my work is cancer focused of course, I try to talk on subjects that will affect all of us at some stage. Watching the news in recent weeks, I was shocked to see how physically isolated, a lot of our older generation has become. Nearly 1 in 5 older people are in contact with family, friends and neighbours less than once a week; and for 1in 10 it’s less than once a month. Half of all older people in the UK, about 5 million, say the television