Remembering my dad.

My dad was a great Jim Reeves fan. When my sisters and I were younger, that was all we heard.
There is a radio in the bedroom at the cottage and it is has an alarm on it.
I heard it on and went in the bedroom to switch it off. I stopped and sat on the bed and listened as tears rolled down my face. I heard Jim Reeves singing "I love you because" and felt like my dad was in the room with me.
I am a very big sceptic and don't believe in anything unless I have proof.
This was so weird but it felt like it was a message. This all happened just after I had written my blog.
If it was you dad, thanks, it was just what I needed and I love you so much too..

Remembering my father

Philip Northmore
1937 - 2006

My father died 2 years ago today and it feels like I am reliving that day again. The pain hasn't gone away. I still miss him so much.
To this day I have always thought that chemotherapy took him from us. It destroyed every cell in his body, good or bad, and brought this wonderful man to his knees. It turned a very young 68 year old into something he never was, a frail old man.

I will light a candle to his memory today and when I get back home, I will visit the cemetery and lay some flowers for him.

Dad, If your listening, I love and I know you are around, I can feel you. I know you are supporting me through this time in my life and you give me the strength to fight back and help others in my situation. Together we will make a difference.
Thinking of you always and never forgetting you

Debbie x x

Remembering Erna

I had an email today from a friend of a lady I met in Germany, Erna.
I met Erna in May when I went for my first Chemoemolization treatment in Germany.
We both waited in the ward for the nurse to tell us we could leave the hospital and imagined our water being a cocktail.
There was a picture of the human body on the cup the water was in. It was very detailed with intestines and organs clearly marked out as it was promoting the CT agent used to illuminate the orans for a scan..

We had to change that and decided that we weren't in a hospital in Germany, we were lying on the hot sand in the Caribbean drinking "sex on the beach".

We were both in hospital with very serious illnesses but managed to rise above it.

She had a great sense of humour and we hit it off right away.
We had a giggle and it was good to find someone on my wave length.

Unfortunately, Erna passed away on 1st August as she was very ill with Liver cancer.
Her friend emailed me to tell me.

This has been heartbreaking as we had become good friends through email and I will miss her.
Todays blogs are dedicated to Erna.
She was and always will be a truely wonderful lady.
Condolences and special thoughts are sent to her family and friends.

Here's to you Erna, a sex on the beach cocktail which I raise to you. I will never forget you and your wonderful spirit.

BBC local news

I was looking through the internet and found the BBC local broadcast of my interview.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7521723.stm

I have had so many people contact me since this broadcast asking about the treatment. I am so pleased to be able to give something to sufferers of Mesothelioma and, hopefully, it will work for them as well.I also found the Christmas tree one, I am adding it below.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7090000/newsid_7093000/7093019.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1&nol_storyid=7093019&bbcws=1

While looking for these I found a really good interview with an insurer. The report is about Des Murphy, another innocent person doing a days work and happens to have asbestos he is working with. He contracted Mesothelioma and has died since. The reporter for BBC north west is relentless with her questions. I thought it would be good to add it and watch as the insurer squirms at the questions being fired at him.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7250000/newsid_7255800/7255836.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1&nol_storyid=7255836&bbcws=1

Jeanette and I had a good trip on the plane back to Bristol. I still have my pressure pad on as the vein Professor Vogl goes into needs constant pressure on it for 24 hours.Jeanette drove back to Plymouth in her car while I relaxed to the sounds of David Essex.

I have had a call from the BBC who I have kept in touch with and they want to do a piece to camera about the results from the chemo embolization.

This is good news as I was going to ask them about doing it. I am shatterd but will be doing the filming today. I am picking Kieran up from school, it will be good to see him.

Jeanette and I met Dawn and her friend, Sarah at her hotel last night which was an extra bonus but has made us very tired today. We could have chatted all night. We left Dawn and Sarah at around 1:ooam and got up this morning at 5:30....ouch!!!

It was good to meet such an inspirational lady who has a lot more going on than I do.

Meeting Dawn

I met Dawn Hughes last night. Dawn has been a great support to me and has inspired me to come to Germany for this treatment. She has been so helpful even though she has had her own cancer issues to deal with.

It was so good to meet her, we could have talked all night but she has her procedure in the morning and I wish her all the luck with it, she deserves it.

Thanks Dawn, you have been amazing!

Good Morning

It is a beautiful morning in Frankfurt, the sun is streaming through the window. I am looking forward to seeing Professor Vogl and finding out if there are any more improvements with the Chemoembolization.
Jeanette and I will be leaving the hotel at 9:00am for the appointment at 10:00am. Theo seems to love it here. He has settled in very well and hopefully he has packed more of his belongings for a longer stay.
Good luck to Jill in Texas who is having an operation today.
She has Mesothelioma and it is very advanced. She is a fantastic lady who has been through a lot.
Her tumor is Mr Meso and she is waiting for him to move on.

Mr Meso, start talking to Theo, he will tell you how good it is outside and how to cope on your own with out Jill.
Maybe you could visit him in Germany, make it a long trip!!!

Jeannette and I went into Frankfurt last night and ended up in the middle of what looked like a gay pride rally. There was a comedian on stage who, from the audiences reaction, was funny. We couldn't understand a thing. We recognized the Abba song though!
We walked around Frankfurt town centre and found the biggest bird bath ever!
I think the pigeon was very proud of himself.Well I have to go and get showered.
I am going to meet Dawn tonight if I feel up to it.
She is coming in for her treatment and we have been in touch on email for a while. Dawn has her own website.

http://www.wigstowishes.org.uk/

And the good news from Germany is .......

Theo has taken another 5-8% of his belongings and left. I `am so pleased. Jeanette was more excited than me and ran screaming, very discreetly, through the corridors of the university clinic. Professor Vogl saw us on the ward around 8:30pm German time and told us the good news. I have been told there is another treatment in August. I thought there were only 3 but now there are 4. We will be meeting Dawn soon and will catch up with her about what has been happening.

All packed and ready to go

I am all packed and ready to go.Jeanette and I will be off to Germany for my last treatment with Professor Vogl.

I really hope that I get a good result like the last one.

If not, I am happy with the amazing result already. I am not going to be angry if there is no more shrinkage.

I have gained so much from this and hope to put it out in the public domain when I come back. Auf wedersein!