OK..so I am just entering the “blogging” world so I hope you will bare with me.

There are a lot of blogs and books that discuss dealing with cancer, and all of the different types out there work for different people. Cancer is a strange beast. It hits randomly. What do I mean by this? Well, there are so many types of cancer for a start and then so many categories of cancer that you can be diagnosed with, it’s all a bit of a movable feast. Where do you start? You might be someone diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer and have no idea of what’s to come, or someone who has just been told you have stage 3 bowel cancer and have no idea what that means, or thyroid cancer or skin cancer or pancreatic cancer or lung cancer or prostate cancer or ovarian cancer or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma or whatever cancer you are diagnosed with. There are so many different types. Bottom line is cancer as a diagnosis is scary and ultimately is a really personal adventure.
For me it’s been a very interesting story involving more than one type of unrelated cancer and the various issues that accompany people on the cancer journey. Every aspect of your world is impacted to a greater or lesser degree. Physical, emotional, mental, material and in many cases spiritual.

Part of my journey starts today. I have started a blog! Why? Because I think I have a great deal to share that may help others. That may help you. I hope so. I also hope this can become a forum for real people struggling with cancer who have questions or their own thoughts and they might find a safe place to tell their stories as well.

My adventure started in September 2020 with a stomach pain that ended up with 3 weeks in ICU, gloriously gaining a stoma ( which some people refer to as a “bag”) and a diagnosis of bowel cancer and learning to walk again. Luckily the stoma was reversed in 2021. At the start of 2023 I was told (unrelated to the first diagnosis) I had breast cancer .

It’s been a three year adventure and has involved numerous experiences around all the impacts I mentioned above. I have gained a lot of experience in the tips and tricks about how to navigate your own adventure, particularly those aspects that no one tells you.

This blog is my way of helping those of you on your own cancer adventure and I’d love you to join me as I tell you my experiences and also hear about yours. Lots more to come!

Gen