The Tour de France in Annecy

On Tuesday evening we jetted out to Annecy for a quick rest from all the recent trials and tribulations. The Tour de France caravan was coming to town for Stage 18 - the 40km individual time trial round the lake.

Having checked the availability of space on the local campsites, we had bought flights, hired cars, etc then found that the campsites were fully booked! So we found a lovely little hotel for our first night in the medieval center of town, great apart from the 30mins spent trying to get through the tiny streets of the old one way system.

Having finally found a campsite with space on Wednesday morning, we set up camp and returned to a bar in Annecy to watch the action of Contador win Stage 17.

So with all the roads closed on Thursday morning, we took the early ferry boat up to Annecy, to get into the middle of the action. The sponsors caravan can only be described as nutts, after which, the time trial could commence. We spent the day moving between the Start, finish and the "paddock" where you really can get up close to the riders; Thor, Contador, Van Develde, Hincapie, Sastre, Millar etc. The only rider that we couldn't get close enough to see the colour of his eyes was Lance Armstrong. Only by standing on an official car could I get to see the Big Texan dressed in Livestrong colours warming up on his time trial machine. Bradley Wiggins proved elusive and hadn't shown for his warm-up by the time we left to follow them down the lake. Our ferry back down the lake set off as Bradley started, and we paced him for the first 5 minutes on the lake side road. A little further down the lake, there on the adjacent stretch of road was Lance on his fantastic Livstrong time trial bike. Bubbles, bread and cheese outside the tent was then perfect end to a great day in the mountains.

May I apologize to anyone on our campsite as we left at 4 o'clock this morning. I hope you managed to get back to sleep!

Stratfield Saye sponsored ride

The first stratfield saye sponsored was held today and what a turnout,
over 200 riders! Boo and I took Hugo and Bea for a nice day out, 10
miles and loads of cross country jumps. So much fun, an to think that
only 4 weeks ago I was having my last chemotherapy session!

Final scan...

Tick tock, tick tock. I suppose I should be used to waiting by now! 5 more weeks until I can have my PET scan - 28th July. That seems so far away, but hay, I'm going to be so well and fit by then!

Fingers crossed

So today was the day that seemed so far away only six months ago, this
was the last scheduled chemo session. I'll shortly be sjeduled in for
a PET scan at the end of the month to confirm that the tumor has left
the building.

Wow, that feels good!

This last couple of sessions has just been so tiring but we've made
it. I had a new nurse today who couldn't believe that I still had my
hair, something about 11years nursing and not having seen anything
like it. It's good to be a freek!

Well we now have the usual two weeks of ups and downs and back up then
we're off into uncharted territory. Wait for the scan results and wait
for the energy to return, then back to the real world, bring it on!

The last chemo!

Here we go. Smiling all the way and wearing a loud shirt.

Chemo 10

Well I'm done with Chemo number 10, only 2 to go. Now that feels great. Number 10 was the worst yet, very nasty but if it is making me feel that bad it should be giving the cancer hell. That was a week ago and the immediate affects passed as usual after 24 hours once the steroids worked their magic, the usual crash followed and three day later I'm back on my feet. Now I'm starting to wonder, what comes next?? How do I get fit enough to last more than an hour on my feet? When will I get an indication of not having to have any more poison poured through my veins? When can I usefully get back to work? All I know at the moments is that the treatment is getting progressively more debilitating, but only two more to go.

So what have we been up to since last updating? Straight after Chemo 9 we ran off down the M4 on our annual pilgrimage to Badminton Horse Trials. 5 days of camping and watching the best equestrian event in the world. If the weather is good camping is great, but May in England is unpredictable at best.... cold wet and windy, but the company was great and the steroids kept me going until the sun came out on the last day. Such fun!

I also had a CT scan at the beginning of the month and as yet I'm still awaiting the full results, but the verbal report from the radiologist was that the tumor was responding as predicted. Hopefully I'll get the full report next week when I see the consultant. Watch this space.....

Off to Badminton

Not to ride..... just to camp and watch all the shinanigans.

After the scan on Saturday I was hoping that as well as having chemo yesterday, I would also have got feedback from the scan. But alas, the UK bank holiday got in the way and the info had not made it from the radiologist's desk onto the computer system. The preliminary feedback was that the cancer is responding well to the treatment, but my consultant has yet to see the reports.