feet on the ground...plans all up in the air

Although his skin is still sensitive to sunlight and strands of hair continue to fall out from time to time, Steve continues to recover from the side effects of the Vansel drug trial. His appetite is good, gut back to normal and energy levels improving, although still not quite up to pre-trial levels. However, the months of inactivity whilst on the trial have taken their toll on his creaky knees, so we must pace ourselves getting back up to speed.  

We took advantage of yesterday's good weather to walk along the Thames to one of our favourite pubs, The Trout at Wolvercote. 

The round trip from home via Port Meadow is about five and a half miles, so a good walk.  We managed just fine, with a lunch break in the middle and short stops to sit on a bench and admire the view on both legs of the journey to give Steve's knees a rest and allow me to stretch out my back. The good news is that he wasn't breathless at all, although he did feel tired by the time we got home.

Encouraged by this success, we have been thinking seriously about a short city break in northern Europe followed by a week away somewhere a bit warmer, just as soon as I have completed work commitments which have kept my feet on the ground for the last fortnight or so, and will continue to do so over the next 2-3 weeks. 

However, we can't make firm plans to get away even at this late stage as there are so many things are up in the air at the moment.....

.....Steve is back in the normal "cancer clinic" system, with a hospital appointment later this week when we will no doubt discuss the last drug trial and any other clinical trials on the horizon which might be suitable for him....

.....I am waiting for an appointment at the spinal clinic, after an MRI scan highlighted several problems with my lower back. I'm not sure what can be done, but at least I now know the reasons for the pain - not a malignant tumour, which had been worrying me....

.....Our garden project seems to have stalled; so far, one contractor has dropped out and another who has quoted can't start until August....in the meantime, the fencing components are taking up most of the dining room and are now being used as an impromptu extra table (i.e. dumping ground) which is not a good sign!  

....Clearing out the contents of the rented garage which flooded back in January and February has also stalled, partly because there is nowhere to store the things we want to salvage until the shed is replaced as part of the garden renovation project, but mainly because we just can't get up any enthusiasm.  There are more exciting things to do with any spare time and energy.

Things will start moving forward again soon, I hope...Perhaps we should simply focus on how to celebrate 16 June - just three weeks away now - the date which will mark five whole years since Steve was diagnosed with mesothelioma. 

And he's still going strong...How lucky we are, when so many of our friends in the mesothelioma community have lost their battles with the disease in the meantime....

Big hug to all the meso warriors who are still in there fighting and supporting each other, especially those going through, or about to start, treatment.  No doubt, Steve will be will be rejoining your ranks again at some point, but in the meantime we are going to make the most of this treatment-fee period, even if there are lots of things up in the air at the moment...