3/3/2014.
Forgive me blog for I have sinned.
It’s been nearly 8 months since my last
scribbling.
But then again, I’m quite convinced that
I’ve not needed it, I think my roller-coaster ride has finished and now I will be
getting off. I may never blog again (at least not about this subject).
Here I am, 13 months post treatment, able
to eat, drink and be merry with the best of you, oh yeah. Ok so I still have to
make sure I drink a cup of tea with my slice of cake but at least I can have
cake now. So cake I shall have, Birthday
cake, I missed out last year and it was one of those milestone birthdays, I hit
that 40 years of age and I don’t remember I thing about it. It wasn’t from an
excess of substances that I suffer this amnesia, more so an inability to do
much due to the overall state of my being, the post treatment recovery, the
time of extreme tenderness and being generally quite fragile. This means that I feel cheated, swindled and
down right diddled. As you may or may
not be aware, where I live, I, my beautiful wife and children are lucky enough
to have an expanse of garden, long, large and mostly grass, a place that lends
itself rather well to becoming a venue for gatherings of celebration, as it has
done so many times in the past. I had
always been looking forward to the time when I could enjoy the company of so
many of you wonderful people, here in my little corner of Dorset, my Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty, my home celebrating with me my big 40. Alas this
was not to be. So, let us do the next
best thing, my 41st!! Yes this year I’ll be turning 41 at the start
of spring (not long now) and I have more reasons than ever to celebrate.
Reason 1
I kicked cancers butt, ok so I had help
from the NHS (god bless the NHS, we’re lucky to have it),
Reason 2
My beautiful wife and I have been married
10 years this year. (It seems like only yesterday many of you came to our
wedding!)
Reason 3
I’m turning 41.
Reason 4
This is a strange one, it must be a spinal
thing but like our good friend Nick who celebrates his reason for being with
wheels annually, my wife wishes to mark the 15 year anniversary of the incident
that causes her to never run again. (Not that she ever did. Ed.)
Any reason is a good reason for a gathering
of friends and family so why not come and join us, you know who you are.
We will be hosting a party, for those of
you brave enough to chance the spring time weather, we will supply food, hot
BBQ food, you just need to bring yourself and your own beverage for as I
managed to build my very own Summer Pub at the bottom of my garden whilst
recovering last year (I hung my radiotherapy mask in there), I neglected to
install a cellar, D’oh. We will also have a large bonfire and various types of
shelter. If you wish to bring your own caravan, campervan or tent you are
welcome to do so.
Invites will be sent out shortly, If you
think you deserve one and don't get one via facebook, text or word of mouth,
get in touch with me as I would love for you to come and grace my utopia, to
party, rejoice and make merry with me and my kin on the 22nd of
March 2014.
I draw this journey of mine to a close now,
having had you read my path whether it was on the up or the down, I feel it has
all been worth while. This purely selfish indulgence of mine, this sad and happy
ride upon my roller-coaster has come to the end of the line and now it is time
to get off. I know I am stronger for it, I know I am one of the lucky ones for
surviving this ordeal and for having a wide and varied circle of friends, these
people did more for me than they realize and they all kept me going, from the
oldest ones that surprised and energized me by carving chunks from their own
hairstyles, during a random night of silliness (Leighton), to the ones that did
this for charity and just kept coming around, again, and again, and
again…(Thursday club), from the family I have around me, some of which have
enough of their own problems to deal with day after day, to the school Mums and
Dads that still ask me “How are you?” For this I am truly thankful and now feel
strong enough to give something back, pay it forward so to speak, which is why
I would like to see you all soon.
I
know that it did help me to scribe down all my feelings along the way and I
hoped it may have helped some of you understand how it was for me. I know it’s
not the thing for everyone but to anyone else out there about to start their
own apprehensive journey, all I can say is it worked for me.
This is me, Steve Royal. Thankful and
Cured.
One more thing,
Have a week, in fact, have many, MANY
glorious weeks.
