Enjoy Life
- 18 April 2010 00:1547784Something you didn`t know about me. June 2007-February 2009, I had 5 major blood transfusions. After the first 3, it was still not established where I was losing blood, nothing obvious. With lots of scans, and other tests. I was diagnosed with a massive tumour, in June 2008. I was to be operated on in December 2008 at Maidstone, but it was considered too dangerous and risky, and subsequently cancelled. Getting home from work on 1st February 2009, at 04.00 on the Sunday morning, I laid on the bed for a few hours, and when I got up, I collapsed unconscious onto the floor. An ambulance was called, I was rushed to Canterbury hospital, where I had yet another massive transfusion. I was in there 5 days, after which, I was put in a taxi straight to Kings College Hospital in SE London. With great reluctance, it was decided to operate on me, which took place 18th February last year. I was told of the death risk, and wasn`t expected to survive. As you can see, I`m here, and after visiting my consultant last Friday at Kings College, he literally, couldn`t believe that I was still in the land of the living. My weight was back, my blood count normal, my blood pressure normal and my extreme exploding headaches I`d suffered were all sorted. I now have radio therapy every 6 month`s to keep the very rare cancer I have at bay. It`s a very slow growing one which I may have had for decades! I`m enjoying life more than ever now, and I`m hoping at the moment to get very early retirement, as I`ve had enough of a lifetime of shift work and really want to get a life. You`ll never know how great it is for me to be on this forum, and be able to express myself in this way. It`s great knowing all of you, regardless of whether or not you find my threads or postings crap. Just don`t take life too serious, and enjoy it. You`ve only got the one. Thanks all of you.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered. - 18 April 2010 00:2447786Nice one Colin. Sound like another ringing endorsement for the (too) much maligned NHS.
Keep on keeping on. - 18 April 2010 04:1447788Colin
Keep on truckin'. You have my best wishes. I enjoy your photo's and postings.Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter) - 18 April 2010 06:3947789Its great to have you going full song on here Colin. Youve made lots of friends since joining up and the next time we have 'a bit of a do' you will hopefully be able to pop along and say hello. Keep going with the camera.
email: dover7@msn.com - 18 April 2010 08:5047797Colin, it has always been a pleasure and a privilege to meet you on this forum, and with the information you have just given that pleasure is given an even warmer edge. I am glad you are with us, in so many ways, and I am looking forward to carrying on our conversations and perhaps even meeting you one day. One of my mantras is "life's too short" when faced with idiocy and time-wasters, and your story underlines that beautifully. Enjoy, Colin, I have no doubt you have earned it!
- 18 April 2010 09:1547811I'm so pleased you are doing so well now Colin and though I haven't met you, it's a pleasure to call you a friend.
- 18 April 2010 09:1647815Bless you, Colin, and what a good decision to try for early retirement too, so that you can really enjoy your life. I sincerely hope there will be many many years of good times ahead for you.
I will echo what you say. Enjoy your life when and while you can. Life can be snatched in an instant.
Something that not many people know is that Simon was opn the edge of death a month ago. He caught the norovirus while we were having a couple of days break in Scotland. I found him lying on the floor. Within a few moments he was unconscious. When he was sick he choked, and stopped breathing.
It seemed to take forever until I could clear his airway and get him breathing again. I truly thought we were going to lose him.
From the onset of the first pain to Simon's not breathing took less than an hour.
Today Simon is still suffering the problems; his chest has now cleared, but he still has a bad back, needing physio, from when I was frantically trying to revive him. But that's a small cost, remembering that he could so easily have no longer been with us.
Life's a gift, so easily lost. We should, as best we can, enjoy what we have, and waste none of it.The Dover War Memorial Project
www.doverwarmemorialproject.org.uk - 18 April 2010 09:5047822Maggie
Please pass on our love to Simon and wish him a full and speedy recovery.He is ,in my opinion, one of life's treasures and a true gentleman.....and before anyone says it..unlike me!Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter) - 18 April 2010 09:5947824I know just how you feel, Colin. I am so pleased you are doing so well. I hope you can retire soon and enjoy life. I too survived, firstly breast cancer, and then the loss of a kidney due to infection. I had septicaemia and peritonitis and was not expected to survive. I now face haemodialysis, and I know that when that starts I shall probably only have about 2 - 4 years, not being a candidate for peritoneal dialysis or transplant. I am determined to enjoy what I can and not be a misery for my family. Not being able to get out and about that much it is a great help to be able to visit the forum and make my mark!!
Maggie, what a dreadful experience. I send you both my love and best wishes. - 18 April 2010 11:0247840Colin that must have been a horrid time in your life and sharing that story couldnt of been easy, but well done you keep on living life to the full , as we on this forum are right behind you x
- 18 April 2010 11:3847850Well said Colin .
- 18 April 2010 17:3747912Alone last night with my headphones, music, and a nice bottle of white wine. Great time to relax, unwind, and think thing`s through. Wasn`t sure whether to do the above, it was a spur of the moment thing, but there you go. Thank you all ever so much for the above, and I do hope any health problems you have, or your loved one`s, will be short lived. I should hasten to add, that there are alot of people worse off than me, as I`m sure you`ll agree, but it was nice to get this lot off my chest. When I get the big one, it`ll be party night, and you`re all invited! Bless all of you. Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
- 18 April 2010 20:3747934that was very moving colin, it does put our lives into perspective.
having seen you a few times, you look a picture of health, always cheerful and smiling.
no doubt we will get your awful jokes for a long time yet. - 18 April 2010 21:1347943Goodness Maggie, please give my best to Simon and I hope he feels miles better soon. Thank God you were there and knew what to do. Diana you are an inspiration. We have so many amazing people on this forum.
- 19 April 2010 19:4448126Thank you Howard. I shall now have more time to think any jokes out as I was told today that I shall now be getting medical severance. No more getting up for work at 2 or 3 on a cold, frosty, Winter morning, or coming home those times, or getting soaked in the rain. Regular sleep pattern, no more 3 or 4 hours a day naps if I was lucky. Regular eating. Funny though, I`ve enjoyed it all over the years, and will miss it in a way. Great lot of blokes, and females I`ve worked with. Anyway, a new life now. Maybe I`ll treat myself to a new camera? Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
- 19 April 2010 19:5148131best of luck colin, try not to over do things with new jokes though.
- 19 April 2010 22:2348153I echo that Jeane, we certainly do have some amazing people on this site Colin, I was totally moved by your story, thank you for sharing that with us and Diana you are truly inspirational. Maggie, you are an angel, give my love to Simon xxx
- 20 April 2010 06:3548168Congratulations on your new life, Colin. Howard, I suspect Colin will soon be so busy he won't have time to think of new jokes ... I'm not sure, Colin, you'll need be saying goodbye to getting home at 2 or 3 in the morning either.
The difference with stopping work isn't so much that you don't get up early, or nap during the day, or get soaked in the rain ... it's just that you'll be doing it all for yourself and your own interests. You'll be wondering soon how you ever had time to go to work ... I hnow ope your new life goes really well for you.
This is an inspirational thread. I'm so sorry you've had and have such health problems, Diana; how wonderful this forum is helping now you can't get out so much.
And thank you, everyone, for the good wishes and kind words. I've passed them on to Simon. Something for him to cling onto when he faces the phsyiotherapist later!The Dover War Memorial Project
www.doverwarmemorialproject.org.uk - 20 April 2010 11:0348202Colin: it's great that you are going to be able to retire, but I have to tell you - once a shift worker, always a shift worker. I suspect your bio clock will be b......ed up for good and all!! But it's great to get to 8 o'clock in the evening and know you have not got to venture out into the great cold cruel world. And to know that when you lie there unable to sleep it doesn't matter because you haven't got to go to work. There is NOTHING in the world like that feeling. Enjoy!!
- 20 April 2010 15:5148235You`re all a lovely lot of ladies on here, (xxxxxxx), and a great bunch of blokes. Thank you again ever so much. Maybe one day, the whole lot of us will all meet up.Tell them that I came, and no one answered.