It's good to see your name too Annabel and I also wonder where the time goes!

I was talking to friend at work about her Dad who had been diagnosed with cancer but is now fine after treatment.  I couldn't believe that it has been a year since his operation but then when this "where does the time go" feeling comes over me I remember my brother-in-law's theory.  When we were two years old, one year is exactly half your life however when we get to, say fifty then one year is a fiftieth of your life.  Sorry I may have just depressed the entire cancer chat community with that one.

Anyway I am going to clear off now so don't work too hard during your days off -- I know I wont!

xxx

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Thanks for that Jules,

Have to admit that I missed practice 3 myself as we went to B&Q to buy a replacement outside wall light that got broken when the wind blew the back door open and it knocked the old one off the wall. Ah the joys of being a home owner!

Anyway no rush just message when you are able and like Annabel don't work too hard although telling you that may be a fruitless use of my finger tips.

Please take care.

Garf. xx

Hi Brian,

You told me not to appologise and so I start this message by saying I am sorry!

So sorry that you reached a point where you thought you would never speak to your Dad again and so I am happy for you that his fighting spirit has kept him with you and you are still able to talk to him.  I remember the last time I spoke to my Dad which was a little strange as, because of a particularly bad turn he had a couple of days before he died his accent had actually changed.  I don't know why but I could tell from speaking to him that he was getting increasingly frustrated as I had to get him to repeat himself a couple of times.  I don't know if he realized at the time how near the end he was - I hope not!

Anyway best wishes to you and your good lady wife Brian and as I said I will try not to stay away for so long.

Garf.

Hi everyone,

After figuring out how to re-navigate the site -(you wouldn't believe I am on a computer course would you?) - I have found this thread I started to update with some sad news I got this morning.

My Brother-in-law in North Wales lost his Father to cancer yesterday evening.  I knew Len very well as I used to work for him in his building company but also cutting Christmas trees every year for about sixteen years.  He was a good and kind man with a mischievous sense of humour.  He used to try and often succeed in embarrassing me on many occasions.

He will be missed greatly and it also means that my three nieces have now lost both their Grandfathers to cancer.

Take care everyone!

Garf.

Morning Garf

Was sad to read your latest piece of family news.  Always brings back lots of memories (hopefully good ones) of how much people mean to you. I only ever had one nan (rarely seen) as my other grandparents were dead before I was born.  Always grateful that my own children had my Dad around until six years ago (hubby's parents were older when they had their kids and his Dad died the year before our first child was born though his Mum lived till our daughter was 10 (she was the best Mother in Law I could have had).  My nan died when I was 18 but I had never really known her that well (might explain why my Mum's character is distant too).  I am sure your brother in law will appreciate your support just now.  Jules x  p.s. glad  you have found your way back to the forum.

Hi Garf,

Really sorry to read your post about your brother in law's dad. I hope you can draw on all the good memories that you have about him to get you through this terribly sad time.

Take care, Garf.

Thinking about you and sending hugs, Jo xx

Hi Garf,

I too like Jo and Jules am sorry to read about the loss of another of your relatives to cancer. It does seem to me that some families are badly affected by cancer.

I know all to well how this feels having lost my mother, grandmother an aunt, mother in law and two step mothers all to this evil disease.

Sending kind thoughts and best wishes, Brian.

Thank you all very much!

Again it's at times like these that I wish I didn't live so far away although I know there is little I could for people if I was with them.  Obviously memories of Len are at the forefront of my mind right now but knowing what his son is going through I can't help feeling a little like I did when I lost my Dad.  It's only natural I suppose but this is certainly a difficult time, perhaps made more difficult by my already fragile state of mind.

Garf.

Hi Garf

Its never easy when we suffer another loss, whether to cancer or not, especially when you are already feeling fragile as memories, good and bad tend to fight with each other.  No quick solutions but as before try to take small steps through your day and if this is still keeping you low please re-visit your GP - you cannot keep coping alone without help/support.  It is important for you to accept that some things are just outside your own control when it comes to illness (easier said than done I know).  You need to look after yourself and in turn you will be stronger for those around you.Take care forum buddy.  Jules 

Hi Jules,

Thank you so much for your support and I promise to take your advice to heart.  I have to admit to being surprised and maybe dissapointed at how much this latest  piece of bad news has affected me.  Those blasted demons are certainly out in force at the moment

I spoke to Claire this afternoon and we are hoping she can make it for a visit at the end of October but I will get in touch with my gp before then as I know it can take a long time to arrange a counselling appointment.

Sending hugs to you!

Garf. xxx