THE CAMBO CANCER CHRONICLE

1200 words / 6 minute read Later today my infant niece will be thrown a party and showered with gifts and affection, totally unaware that the celebrations mark that she has now witnessed one full rotation of the Earth around the Sun, or (if she could count and had paid any attention), seen 365 days turn to night and back again.  She’s also oblivious to the fact that she’s getting on a bit, having reached a landmark which means her age will be measured in years not months from now on - even if there are a few fractions thrown in for good measure as she grows up (the time between birthdays moves so slowly when you're a kid after all, being “five and a half” makes all the difference).  However you choose to look at this first year milestone, it has given me reason to reflect on the passage of time since the twelve-month prognosis I received two years ago. EDUCATED CANCER PROGNOSES My feelings on prognoses are mixed. Though I feel it's important for an individu

600 words / 3 minute read This was the first piece of writing I ever got paid for. The brief was simple: write 500 words based on the title below with a focus on optimising the key word/phrase, "Charity Donations", for search engines by using it " just" enough throughout the piece to keep the Google algorithms happy (too few instances and your page won't appear when someone searches for that keyword, too many and Google knocks you back down the rankings for trying to game the system). HOW CHARITY DONATIONS MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO CAMBODIA Whatever your thoughts on the long-term impact of international aid money flowing to the developing world might be, for many of us the natural reaction when we hear about those less fortunate than ourselves is the wish to help in some way. Most of us lack the means to start our own foundation, but will be able to give time (through volunteering) or money (in the form of charity donations).  How you make your

1200 words / 6 minute read I've been reflecting recently on the changes that have been going on in this town in recent years, so I thought I'd share my thoughts on how lucky I am to have made my escape at this point in history, and also how different life would have been if I had made the trip even a decade ago. Firstly, I am very lucky to have found an apartment in a fantastic bar and guest-house near the beach, where the owners feel strongly that their guests (especially the long term ones) are very much part of their extended family. Although, thanks to Olga, I don't get to enjoy the direct benefit of the booze myself, I must say it is pretty cool to live in the same space as a popular bar that's fully open to the public, meaning that as well as the atmosphere that's created when the place is buzzing, the fresh faces always keep things interesting. And of course, the fact that there is cold beer ready and an ocean view deck on which to savour it has obviously p

1000 words / 5 minute read For a while now I’ve been joking about writing a blog post entitled "Why Being Told You’re Terminally ill is Not the End of the World". Although I prefer to keep the tone “light” when talking about subjects like this, I realize it's no laughing matter to some, who unlike me, haven't had several years to come to terms with and be able to joke about their situation. So I haven't ever written that post of course, but its sentiment is mirrored throughout this blog and it is one that I wanted to get across, both about how I view my own situation and in the hope that I might help others who find themselves in the “same boat”. After all, (assuming that you and I aren't currently sharing a cabin on a stricken vessel), you could be forgiven for putting yourself in my shoes and figuring that I've got a few things to feel sorry for myself about - and “on paper” or in the early days at least, you would have been right. I want

2100 words / 10 minute read There is a stowaway in my guts that I call "Olga", and I have nothing good to say about her at all. She is an uninvited houseguest who leeches the goodness from my food, refuses to leave, and is so evil that she actually wants me dead. Strictly speaking though, “she” is made up of many constantly multiplying entities rather than existing as one fully-formed conscious being: “Cancer is unchecked cell growth. Mutations in genes can cause cancer by accelerating cell division rates or inhibiting normal controls on the system, such as cell cycle arrest or programmed cell death. As a mass of cancerous cells grows, it can develop into a tumour. Cancer cells can also invade neighbouring tissues and sometimes even break off and travel to other parts of the body, leading to the formation of new tumours at those sites.” More on that here . Despite not doubting the truth of those words, I consider her one single malevolent entity. And, though Olga d

1700 words / 8 minute read If you or someone you care about has recently been described using words like "terminally ill" or talk from the doctors has moved from curing you to "palliative care", then you probably feel like the world is crashing down around your ears - I know I certainly did at the start. But please don't despair, I am two years down that road and still going strong - my Freedom Philosophy is one of the weapons that has aided that. Three simple rules to start: Don’t waste your limited time dwelling on the lack of tomorrow when you’re still alive to enjoy today Stop thinking about the future, embrace that you’re now free from all of the worries and concerns that bother “normal people” (since, like me, you no longer fall into that category) Forget about delayed gratification, make sure you take all chances to enjoy instant gratification without any guilt or remorse ORIGINS OF THE FREEDOM PHILOSOPHY Having done everything the doctor

2300 words / 11 minute read How did I get started on the Cancer Odyssey? It’s been a long road (over 4.5 years and counting since the word "cancer" was first directed at me), and I continue to feel great despite the odds of my surviving these 5 years being a dismal 1 in 20 when I started - I'm in the top 5% and proud of it! So, in terms of new life experiences, it has certainly been one of extremes. THE BEST OF TIMES & THE WORST OF TIMES But how did I get here? Well, life had been going rather well in the period just prior to my diagnosis but, over perhaps the most dramatic six month period that I've lived through, the universe decided to teach me a lesson in "taking the rough with the smooth". Over a period starting late September 2012, I bought and moved into my own flat, got a great new job, gave my sister away at her wedding, landed the girl of my dreams, found a doctor who could tell me what was wrong with my insides and found myself

Too much time on my hands? Never! STAGE FOUR IN SINVILLE THE CAMBO CANCER CHRONICLE MARCH 2017 – ISSUE ONE INSIDE THIS COMMEMORATIVE FIRST ISSUE :  Is The “Bed Desk” The Future Of Home Working?  Local Businessman Finally Outed As “Real Person”  The “Tweaker” Doctrine - Clarification And Expansion  Current Cancer Status And Ongoing Care  Fittie Break  Cool Picture Corner  IS THE “BED DESK” THE FUTURE OF HOME WORKING? A fancy version of my bed desk that someone else has got Is this what you’d imagine a “Bed Desk” might look like? I’m using one just like it right now to type this sentence. It’s not a spot-on “like for like” representation of the one I own, since the version pictured is posher (but only slightly) than the one I've just acquired. At first glance, they are both very similar to the convenient breakfast-in-bed surface you might find when staying at the Ritz, just with a bit more cunning. Like a Swiss Army Tea-tray, someth