Hi Roz Dog, it sounds like you've really been through the mill since your op, but delighted to hear you are home in time for Christmas and looking forward to a bit of Christmas dinner.  Hope you manage to have a lovely day with your family and forget about hospitals and test results for a bit.  Look forward to hearing how things are going in the New Year and wishing you a happy and healthy 2015.  Best wishes, Irene x

Hi Everyone and a Merry Christmas to you all,

Well, what a nightmare I had getting back into this site. Finally got back to being logged in and typing a post yesterday on my iPad at work - typed a longish post and the site crashed me out before I hit enter - how I laughed! I gather that others have also had teething problems with the new format? I usually try to embrace change but this really seems to be a case of 'if it ain't broke.......'I have to confess that I gave up trying for a while - it was so frustrating.

Anyway, how are you all doing? I enjoyed catching up with everybody's news - it's really like going to a party and seeing all your old friends.

Nicola, sorry to learn of your dental issues. What a nuisance, especially at this time of year - I hope they don't interfere with your enjoyment of the Christmas fare. Plenty of gravy sorts most things out - not much good on mince pies though - how I yearn for a hot mince pie and cream! It's great that your latest scan was good news again - that's nice news to take into the festive period, speaking of which, I bet your daughter is excited, not only with what Santa brings her but also with having her mum so much healthier than she was last Christmas.  Speaking of which, what a long way we've come over the last twelve months - a few ups and downs along the way but ultimately in a better place than we were at this time last year.

Guzzle is still keeping to form as Mr Motivator - top man! Vatch continues to make progress and everyone else seems to be slowly moving in the right direction. Poor old (or should I say young) Roz Dog he's been through the wars but hopefully he's on the right track now. Irene, Jo and Debbie are still an inspiration to us all - thank you to you all for being such a great bunch over the last year.

I'm in a generally good place. My night-sweats have returned though and it's been blamed on a thyroid problem (can't remember if it's over or underactive) which is likely to have been caused by the radiotherapy. I've got another blood test in February whereupon they tell me that I'll be on medication for the rest of my life which will hopefully sort the issue out for me. I still get fatigue and have insomnia most of the time (you'd think the former would cancel the latter out, but alas no). Most importantly, all my check-ups have been clear. Eating going fairly well, no bread, chips, curry or black pepper of course but at least I can eat and taste which is more than I could comfortably do last year. And no PEG tube this year!

Anyway, I'm going to hit enter before this darn site crashes me out again.

It just remains to say that I wish you all a very merry, peaceful and, above all, healthy Christmas, and let's continue with the good progress in 2015 - especially you Roz Dog.

Simon XX    

Welcome back Simon!  Can't tell you how delighted I was to read your lovely post and catch up with your news.  

Sorry to hear about your thyroid problem and hope the medication does the trick, but great news that your check-ups are clear and you are eating reasonably well - what a gigantic step forward from this time last year eh?  Like you, I never eat bread at all these days, but I am managing a few chips now and again (sweet potato ones are even better)!  I am completely off chocolate (and still can't believe I'm saying that having been such a chocaholic).  I thought I might try a Quality Street last night just to see if anything had changed, but it still tasted all wrong, sort of salty but can't really decribe it.  I've turned into a bit of a trifle addict (those ready-made individual jobs from the supermarket) so have made a HUGE one for this afternoon and am looking forward to it more than the turkey and trimmings, but I should manage some of that too - with lots of gravy and bread sauce!

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone, and a happy HEALTHY 2015.  

Lots of love

Irene x

Folks I need some help....I'm talking to chriswat who's as a post cancer of the oropharanx.....she is in a bad place and needs people talking to her to prove that it does get better....if you can help me I would be grateful

Vatch,

The details of the post oropharanax cancer person was omitted from your post - any other way you can put her details on? I'm happy to drop her a line. I tried your recent activity but couldn't find the relevant thread.

Laters

Simon