4 weeks today...

It is hard to believe 4 weeks ago, right now,(downstairs here at Kensington House), we were celebrating our 27th anniversary of Toop&Toop. Sylvia and I were aware of those endoscopy pictures, and were yet to have confirmed via the biopsy if my tumour was malignant.

Just 4 weeks! We are meant to be in Bruges in Belgium tonight, and our friends that we were to be travelling with are there right now, Gen and Tom home with us. Sorry guys.

Wow, just goes to show how much we can jam into a 4 week period.

Interesting reflecting on all this. I remember thinking a number of times over the years how I would react to being told I had cancer. I remember back in 2005 when we were at a YPO function in Washington and I was standing next to a lady who was travelling the world, and heading to Australia. Now these people had serious money. She looked really well, and then she said that she had been given 6 months to live. In auto 'foot in mouth' style I firstly commented on how good she was looking, she replied "yes, cancer agrees with me!". If that wasnt enough I proceeded to ask her how it felt to know you had 6 months to live. She was totally in control and explained to me about life..."it is all about memories". Both her and her husband were spending the time they had left "creating memories".

Many of you who know me have heard me tell this story. I have reflected on her view on life often, she left me with an amazing and powerful state of mind. I have no idea what did ultimately happen to this lady, I have no idea what her name is, but that conversation left a memory etched in my mind.

It was many years ago, I can't remember when, but many years ago that I started really appreciating my health. All those bike trips, all those big holidays with the kids, the adventures and I have had a great respect for being healthy for many years. Here's the spooky thing, and don't sweat it, not self fulfilling or any of that, but I also appreciated health knowing...we never really know if we are already sick.

Think about it. You are reading this and maybe feeling for me. None of us know for sure if we are the next one to have some event like mine happen, or even worse, an accident or massive heart attack, stroke or whatever. The irony of my sickness is that in the period I had this tumour growing, I can't tell you how many people commented on how well I looked. It never occurred to me that I was seriously sick, even late in the piece with all the chest pain and acid burn, it never crossed my mind it would be cancer.

Well, I am proud to say that today I felt pretty damn good. You may have gathered yesterday was not such a great day, so as I am learning, life at the moment is one day at a time. Take the good days.

Started today with radio therapy, meeting with the Radio therapy nurse, and finally a session on diet while under treatment.

Wow, was that dietry session an eye opener. There were 10 of us in the session and it was like a TV show, not exactly Dr.Phil but the breadth and depth of issues was mind blowing. Oh my god, there is some pain out there.

The distraction from all this health stuff, as you may have gathered, has been shopping for some wheels for Gen. I was intending playing the big deal professional negotiator, no emotion, and prepared to walk from a deal if it wasn't a screamer one. What is apparent, I have lost my hard arse edge either with age, or with all the chemicals.

So Gen and I did a deal between us on the way to our final negotiation meeting tonight. The car we were after is ex Sydney, and the spec was tailor made for Gen. Sylvia had set clear boundaries on the money, as expected, so Gen and I had to do our own negotiations before we got to the dealers. Essentially, Mum and Dad were tipping in some cash, the rest had to be Gen's. When a Dad goes shopping with his daughter after they have been away so long, it doesn't add up to an even negotiation.

Anyway, it is not my car so you will have to find out from Gen what car she has purchased. I love it!

Then there was the issue of me. I was forced into driving a car last weekend. I had/have no intention of buying? Big mistake! Well we have a fair gap to close on that one BUT if you think this is all a bit crazy, this car is second hand, 4 years old. I am getting my Cayenne priced up and we will see where this goes. As every single person who knows me will testify, I have been seriously whinging since January 2011 that I am so overdue a new car. Embarrassing havin the oldest car in the car park at work...not that that really worries me, but I have never had cars as old as the ones I currently have. Poor me! (softening Sylv up).

With all the economic news you have to be insane buying cars? Nup, I recon it is the right time to buy. Just like houses, why buy when everyone is buying.

Interest rates down, great news. Winter could be slow for the real estate people BUT, now is about keeping a great reputation, tough conditions weed out the fringe dwellers in the business, and I hear there is a lot of movement in the industry. We need it. I am only disappointed I am not sitting in the drivers seat pushing the reform, but it will happen through market forces anyway.

Must be feeling better, thinking work again!

That's it, the ramblings must end. I am kinda watching the Diamond Jubilee concert ( how good was that, even had a tear in the eye with Charles speech).

4 weeks today...I wonder what tomorrow will bring?

PS Sylv has fallen asleep, so no proof reading, sorry.