It is like falling out of an airplane and finding a parachute half way down. It's hard not to feel very lucky!
Coping With My Cancer
In 2010 I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC) that has literally changed my life. I believe for the better! Below I tell my own personal journey with cancer from diagnosis and treatment to coping with its impact on my life.
These articles are my personal recollections and reflections, rather than medical advice. They follow my experiences at the time and the effects that have continued in the years since.
Diagnosis and treatment
Diagnosis
Learning of my cancer and the early stages of dealing with the diagnosis.
Surgery
Decisions about surgery and the operation to remove cancer tissue.
Radiotherapy
Undergoing what was the toughest part of my treatment.
Recovery and lasting effects
Recovery
Slowly building up strength and getting back to everyday life after treatment.
Balance Difficulties
Overcoming the loss of balance in one ear and getting back on the bike.
Hearing
Learning to manage single-sided deafness and my BAHA surgery.
Lower Cranial Palsies
The development of lower cranial nerve palsies and their impact on daily life.
Retirement
The difficult decision to take early retirement.
Later reflections and updates
Another Decade
Reflecting on ten years of survival following cancer surgery.
Latent Radiotherapy Effects
A later update on the continuing effects of radiotherapy and cranial nerve palsies.