Addicted To Green Tea: One Year on...

Yes it is hard to believe that this blog has been going a year. It started on the day that I took my first chemotherapy tablet and started my 5 week course of radiotherapy. The idea was to keep you all informed of my progress as I made my journey through those 5 weeks. One year later I am still posting as I continue in my journey.

As I reread some of the posts it has not only been about my progress as I made my way through the visits to surgeons, oncologists, nurses, different hospitals, my surgery and subsequent chemotherapy but what else happens on a day to day basis. As Ruth pointed out when she read the blog for the first time a few months ago "you have eaten a lot of cake"! She suggested that the blog be renamed "Cancer Cake & Colin".

Thank you to you all who have persevered in reading my posts, phoning me, emailing me and visiting me in supporting me through this journey which has been longer than I ever anticipated.

A special thank you to my editor Neil who has diligently edited all of my posts before publishing and ensures that my habit of mixing tenses is corrected!

He's driving me to drink with all this editing!

And of course where would I be without my fortnightly letters from Alison aka Miss Austen who decided to write to me when I started the treatment a year ago. She said she would write to me while I was having my treatment and surgery. She must have thought "oh no "when I had to have a further 6 months of chemotherapy! Ten out of ten for dedication Miss A! I have so enjoyed those letters and they have always made me laugh.

The author Miss A waving the flag.

I looked at some of the stats that I can view relating to the blog and was surprised that there have been 4.010 hits with an audience from UK, USA, Austria, Canada, Germany, France, Switzerland, Russia, Brazil & Hong Kong .The most popular of my 87 posts was the photoblog of 18 August 2010.

But most of all I thank the universe or what ever you believe in for looking after me in this journey as the ride has not been as traumatic or debilitating as I imagined 12 months ago. I have learnt that I am a stronger individual than I ever appreciated I could be. Through this experience I have become more contented than I have ever been and realise that my family and friends are such special people who I am so lucky to have with me in this life. It brought me Colin the biggest distraction ever and who has played a major role in the journey in the last few months - who would have known that we would get a dog!

And finally how have I stood up to all this - comparing where I was 12 months ago and now - physically I think I look the same even after all this drugs have been pumped into my body.......