Playing the waiting game again

Last week I had an appointment with my oncologist. We talked about the symptoms I've been getting and about the continued growth of some of the small tumours I have on or close to the surface of my skin. Even though I've had a lot less trouble from the abdominal tumours these last weeks the oncologist's feeling is that my current treatment is not working. We don't want to prejudge things so we will wait until the results of the scan that I had yesterday are available before taking any decisions. The medical team will discuss these on Tuesday before I see my oncologist again on Thursday. As I've written before the alternative treatments available to me are highly speculative so it will be very tough to hear that the pazopanib is not working if that is indeed the case. Despite the rather down beat medical situation I've actually continued to feel reasonably well this last week which is definitely something I can be positive about.

 

The pazopanib has begun to turn my hair white, this is a common side effect of the drug. I'm increasingly starting to look like an older version of myself - wise and distinguished I like to think! I'm hoping my hair will go completely white in time for the world cup, if it does I'm going to temporarily dye a St.George's cross on each side of my head. You have to make the best of these things and turning what  could be an unwanted side effect into a source of amusement seems like a good idea to me.

 

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I finally took some wildlife photo's a couple of weeks ago. I was limited to my back garden but I did find this rather scary looking creature lurking in the rocks by our garden pond. This is a wolf spider. Unlike most spiders this one does not use a web to catch its prey, instead it uses its keen sense of sight to spot potential meals and then chases and leaps on them before piercing them with its fangs. It makes you glad that these things are only a centimetre or so in size doesn't it?!

 

 

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Lord Falconer's Assisted Dying bill is due to be debated in the Lords on the 18th July. This is a crucial debate for the bill with the outcome too close to call at present. If you agree with this bill then please show your support by visiting this link and completing the simple and quick process of sending an e-mail expressing your support for the bill to the leaders of the three main political parties. The more support shown for the bill by the public the more likely it is that the bill will successfully progress to the next stage. Thanks for your help!