Getting to know the enemy.

A wise and trusted friend once told me:
(You know who you are).
"Murf, always pick your fight on your terms, not on theirs".

I am now a number of weeks into my diagnosis, a tumour located in my stomach (Gastro Cancer). 
IT IS NOT in the pancreas as per some vicious rumours !!!

Although it cannot be operated on (due to it having feeds to blood vessels), the plan is to shrink it with chemotherapy and then the next stage is to hibernate it.

So that's my enemy. All my information about this new foe, I take directly from the professionals I have entrusted my care and recovery with. I have not and will not succumb to 'that urge' of asking 'Dr. Google' about it. It's immature, a total waste of time and may I add, grossly inappropriate and downright disrespectful to the qualified professionals that are looking after my health interests right now.

Without a doubt, my enemy is a nasty piece of work, the only respect I have for it, is the respect to wipe it out, obliterate it, annialate it to pieces and then dance on it.

I am now 2 weeks into my treatment, there was a delay in starting this, as I developed a DVT  (blood clot) in my neck. This caused some concern but was brought quickly under control.
The resolution? I give myself daily injections into my stomach for the following six months.
Something I thought I could NEVER do to myself. I just had to get on with it and do it. Now is not the time to be whimpering about a silly inoffensive little needle,  is it ?

 I have a running a joke with myself, it takes my mind off the other issue.

Speaking of which, I receive my chemotherapy via two different platforms.
Platform 1 is via an IV line over a number of hours once every three weeks and administered within
a specialist oncology department within the Bons Secour Private Hospital in Dublin.
Platform 2 is via a twice daily tablet intake, seven days a week.
I'll update on the side affects and other mitigating issues in future blog updates.

So I now have had a number of weeks to shape up to my enemy.
Yes it can be scary (if you allow this). But remember what my wise friends advise was re how to pick your fights. Part of  'my terms' is surrounding myself with whom I now regard as the most special people I share this planet with, my trusted close family and what I can only describe as legends of brilliant friends.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

I'll keep sharing this fight with you. It's important to me to do this and it's important
that you hear this from the cold face, not Chinese whispers akin to rumour, innuendo and to be frank about it, downright untruths.

 

Comments

  1. Thank you for sharing and helping others in your journey. Your always paving it forward..

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  2. Aidan ...thank you for sharing your journey with us. some of us are thousands of miles away but you are close to our hearts. Stay strong my friend and know even if we aren't there in person we are right along side you all the way !

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  3. Yep this is the Murf we all know... persistent little sxxxx. You are an inspiration to us all, how lucky are we to have a friend so positive . We are all I this fight together Murf. For as long as we know you the one thing that makes you different is your persistence to always make things happen regardless of odds.. keep it up x j

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  4. Well written Aidan. And totally agree about trusting your professionals and leaving Dr.Google out of the equation. They're the ones who can help you right now and your family and friends will always have your back. A.
    A.

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  5. Thank you for sharing this with us. Writing is an amazing therapy, in my opinion. Stay strong. We are here (thousands of miles away) always.

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  6. Aidan it's so great to hear from you and to know that you are taking this on. Still kind hearted but tough minded. The same guy that got all those special people floating over Meath with Pio. We will be with you. Paul

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  7. Aidan, immensely proud to count you among my acquaintances. You are a hell of a human being. Looking forward to your victory over this..... captain.

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  8. Thanks for sharing Aidan. We too, as a family are trying to avoid Dr Google. initially it was hard, but now, like you, we are putting our trust in the qualified professionals. Dad is of the opinion, to an extent, the less he knows the better or else he will be convincing himself he has those symptoms etc. Hope the side effects aren't too bad Aidan.
    Take care of you and enjoy that quality time with your nearest and dearest.
    Susie Dwyer x

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