74. Given the all clear!

The hospital secretary rung on Tuesday, only 7 days since my colonoscopy and after a bit of confusion I got the news from the consultants nurse that my biopsies had all come back totally negative, not even pre cancerous so I had nothing to worry about. I am well and truly let off the hook in regard to cancer down below! I'm now waiting for Joanne at Addenbrookes to come back off holiday and ring to let me know when my PET scan can go ahead leaving enough healing time from the bowel biopsies. She seemed to think that it would be mid June and hopefully get me a follow appointment for the end of the month. I think I get 6 months off then before I have to go back again and be examined like a lab rat. I'm still having slight issues with eating and swallowing but nothing major and I'm still getting a bit of discomfort, I wouldn't call it actual pain, in my throat and mouth, especially where they took the wisdom tooth out from. But that was one of the most painful places during radiotherapy, healing wounds don't fair well when you blast them and it takes longer to heal and mutates the healing cells causing more damage and longer healing times going forward.

I have dry mouth on and off, and certain drinks make my mouth grainy and like when you've drunk too much cranberry juice. I have been getting stuff ready to go to Rome next weekend and I'm dreading the crowds and the heat, but I am looking forward to standing next to the Trevi fountain at night time, we've planed to go there about 10 pm when its less crowded, and there's a gluten free ice cream parlour there, so its ice cream and illuminated fountains next Saturday. Its about this time last year I finally booked the first GP appointment, I remember it was the end of May, Paul had just got his new car and gone out in it, and I waited until he was gone to ring the Dr's surgery, so he didnt hear me booking it and ask why I needed to go to the Dr's, and got an appointment for 5 weeks later, the 9th July.... what a year the last year has been! I never want to do this year again, if I'm honest, it nearly broke me!

And anyone who knows me and my life, you'll know how difficult that would be, I've lived through so much in my life, fought hard for most of it, to be safe, normal, well, un afraid, at peace with myself and my decisions.... but this year, this year nearly ended me. I can't wait to go and have the scans done now and see if its time to breathe out totally or time to grab what I have left and ride it out til the end.