Thank you for the welcome. My real name is Anthea and we live in Suffolk but you can call me what you like! I’ve just got home from work, I work in Morrison’s pharmacy, and hubby had a lovely cuppa waiting for me. It’s so frustrating as most days you would not know there’s anything wrong with him. This weekend we celebrate our birthdays both on the same day but he will be 61 and I’ll be a mere 56! We are going to Clacton to see Gilbert O’Sullivan in concert and staying over so that will be nice. Monday is round 4 of his treatment so he will be out of sorts for a few days afterwards. He took early retirement and I only work 3 shifts a week so we make the most of the days when he feels good. Thank you again for the welcome x

Hi Anthea, so young to be coping with this, I only say that as I'm 71 next month(a young at heart 71!!) and hubby is 73 but it was bad enough for us and we've reached our three score years and ten.  So I was brought up in Chingford, Essex, moved North aged ten years, married a Northerner, had two daughters who then moved South,  married Southerners and I've now got three grandchildren, so tell us a little more as time goes by.  Xx

Hi Ladies and Gents.

Welcome Anthea.  Sorry to hear of the reeason you are here, it's a hard journey to be a part off, but it's great that your husband has been/is so positive.  That aspect alone really does make a big difference.  I can understand your feeling of dread though.  Hoping the scan later this month shows positive results.
I'm nearly 63 and the odd one out in that I live in a country town in Victoria, Australia.  My husband had esophagael cancer and sadly passed away 10 months after diagnosis last October,  Stilll here though, always someone to help when you have those hard days and of course they understand the journey you're on, and we all offer support to each other.  Happy Birthday to you both for this weekend.

Bill, Wonderful to hear Bren is improving all the time.   They shoujld have put in a hoist that you could use right from the start, it's all well and good to have one for the carer's but what about the poor person who is there all day.  

Carol, Sounds like Alfie got some lovely birthday presents.  Your weather sounds terrible, a little like ours.  I'st turned very cold and wet after our pleasant weather last week.  The garage sale went quite well for Deana and Nick.  Tonight I have Rotary, and have plenty of hot water.  I have heard from the plumber though and the pump isn't cheap (what is?) so will be a large bill when all is done. How is Norman 's cough, getting better I hope.

Gloria, Try not to worry about the cancer sores, try instead to focus on the fact it's unlikely they'll go inward.  Eli is getting better, Actually have had 2 nights now where he hasn't woken up from coughing.  During the day he is fine, you wouldn't know there was anything wrong.  

Time to do some dishes.  Take care, love to all.  Sue xx

Hi sue, saw oncologist yesterday cancer is coming back slowly as i thought specialist reckons i should be OK without more cemo till next summer so that's a relief for now, putting me in for pet scan soon wants to check everything to make sure no cancer is sneaking out somewhere else my words not his.. Hope you're feeling OK and all other lovely girls on this sting,, best wishes to all... Billy 

P.s still not sure about ceiling track I'll give them a ring today to ask a few questions every thing went to fast other day, 

Hi everyone. Welcome Billy and Anthea. Since Carol started this lovely little group we have all received so much comfort and chats. Makes you feel you’re not alone with your worries. Hope you find it helps too. I am 80 and have lost my husband to oesophagus cancer 13 years ago. Still miss him madly. Then two years ago I was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin Lymphoma. Been through Chemo and radiotherapy but still here. I don’t feel or look my age I am told but some days not so good. I live in Shropshire and have three daughters and six grandchildren and four great grandchildren so I am lucky  to have great support and lots of love from them all. Autumn is certainly here. Been trying to tidy the garden a bit and set some spring bulbs. Everywhere you look in the shops it’s Christmas. Can’t believe where the years gone. My cancer sores are healing well at the moment so hopefully I won’t have to check in with my oncologist on the 15 th of this month and can make an appointment 6 months down the line. Wonderful, most time between appts for me. My love to all. Gloria xxx

Well my crowd of friends it's lovely to hear all your updates, we all have so much going on in our lives what with cancer, children, grandchildren and trying to live a life before we all fall off this mortal coil!!  I'm so pleased Eli is a lot better Sue, at least with Deanna there you will have help with the bill for the repairs.  I can't believe it's nearly a year since Neil lost his battle but you've come a long way and I'm so proud of you and happy you're my friend!  Billy so sorry to hear your news, we're awaiting a scan and have an appointment for January, fingers and toes crossed.  Gloria it sounds like you are getting a little better, I hadn't realised you are 80!!  So the matriarch of our group, we bow down to your seniority!  So today I've done zumba, we all decide to go and see Judy at the cinema  tomorrow I'll sort it out I say,  oh my God what a carry on.  Dorothy's coming she says, Flo yes, Christine yes, Mary yes, so five of us, I look up the time, 1.15 or 4.25pm, Dorothy rings she'd forgotten she's already going with other friends so double booked, Christine can't eat before the movie due to her hernia, Flo is playing golf so can't go early!!  After numerous texts and phone calls I tell them I've made an executive decision, Mary and I will go on our own at a time suitable to us!!  I picked Maggie up and we went to Dunelm Mill had coffee and cake then I bought a camp bed and some lovely fluffy Teddy bear bedding for Ella as she kept falling off the blow up bed, plus it nearly killed hubby blowing it up.  He's been to see the Toffs and had a natter with the lads, he's fed and watered so a content hubby, he swallowed a half sucked caramel on the way home and nearly chocked, he's not safe to be let out on his own.  I'll post Thursday as won't be home until late to night.  Love to you all, Carol xx 

Evening everyone! Billy, how strange! I was born in Ipswich and now live in Felixstowe. Do you still live there? It’s nice to learn about all your lives but forgive me if I get a little muddled as I’ve arrived a bit late to the party! My husbands name is Stephen and we have known each other for 43 years. We lost contact for a few years when I married my first husband and had my daughter(now 35 years old). We met up again unexpectedly 16 years ago and have been married for 14. My daughter Lorraine has just announced she’s expecting her first baby next April! I have been out for a nice meal tonight with my friend while hubby has been enjoying the main love of his his life....football! He got a ticket to watch Ipswich Town for £5 but personally I wouldn’t even pay that! I have an early start at work tomorrow so I’ll bid you good night and hope that all is well for everyone tomorrow. Love Anthea xx

Hi anthea, my father went to various jobs and finished up in North Lincolnshire, where i met my wife of over 45 years ago, (Brenda) Brenda was a widow her husband was killed in a factory accident they'd had three boys., eldest boy was one year younger than me, bren is nearly 14 years older than me so she took some persuading before she'd marry me,.... Billy 

A great day at the pictures but it was just me, Mary and another woman, fifteen minutes later no trailers, pitch dark, so I stagger down the steps, go to reception, they'd forgotten to put the film on!  We enjoyed it though but as we came out Mary said, not very uplifting was it?!  Not really I said when you're dead at 47 years of age.  Christine hasn't come back to me so I'm in her bad books, it's not often I fall out with friends but sometimes you get taken for granted and people  forget what I'm dealing with on a daily basis.  Hubby is doing well (I hate saying that as I feel its tempting fate and next week he will be unwell again).  Its like living your life on a knife edge but I still take each day as it comes, making plans is dangerous as I've learnt over the past couple of years.  I took Mary and Joe a big bouquet of gorgeous roses which smelt stunning and a bottle of merlot to wish them well in their retirement.  Joe had been in a bad mood this morning he's worrying about getting bored, I told her she's going to have to learn to count to ten, slowly.  Well done Anthea on your news, grandchildren are such a blessing, something to look forward to.  Sue, hope you're OK, Billy I hope all is in place with Bren.  Take care,  love Carol x