Oncologist Meeting April 2019

2nd of April 2019

Following blood test last week I met with my Oncologist today. This was my first meeting with him in 2019 and the first meeting since my return to work, he did meet me on 18th of Dec 2018 to okay my return to full time work.

I have been involved in freight forwarding, logistics and transport since 1980 and in senior management since 1984. I worked throughout the first Lymphoma attack in 2014 and only stopped because the oncology team insisted that I could not work in late March 2017. Following the Stem Cell Transplant in July 2017 they stopped my return to work but throughout most of 2018 they allowed me to return to higher level education including my MBA in Oct 2018. I achieved a senior management position with JMC & was appointed as their Cork General Manager in Dec 2018. The job was and still is a fantastic opportunity and the company has gone from strength to strength.

The only obstacle we have experienced has been fatigue. This has become a major concern. The company and my team in Cork have been more than helpful to find solutions but my own concern was that this could be an indication that the Lymphoma was returning. So this meeting with the oncologist was a vital key to my health.

But initial blood results and physical examination covered by the oncologist have proven that the Lymphoma has not returned. The Oncologist has order further blood test and specialist to examine everything in greater detail. As my particular case is rare they have no guidelines or previous victims to compare with. The Oncologist first remarks were “you have been through extreme levels of therapy which included chemotherapy, Radiotherapy & a full Stem Cell Transplant” but he is absolutely convinced that I have beaten Lymphoma & the effects of the exposure to the extreme levels of treatment are showing through fatigue. He felt that I have launch myself back into business with the same expectations as I would have had prior to ever been diagnosed and that I should try to ease back a “step or two” and gradually work up to a more comfortable speed. This view is also shared by our Managing Director, who just happens to have beaten a different form of Cancer last year.

So yes I have a lot more blood test to do this week but I am left with the idea that I may have brought on the fatigue myself. I made a point in previous blogs that if this is purely fatigue then I can and will manage it. Since been diagnosed in 2014 I have become a good listener and I would consider myself to be capable of changing things in a hope to improving myself over time. I am considering calling one my next blogs “Changes” and making the changes both physical & mental. I still maintain a positive strong mental attitude & I will not entertain any negativity.

God is indeed great, whoever your God maybe

I am not suddenly finding God, I have seen way too much pain & suffering in the world but I do believe that there is something beyond our lives and I also believe that my own purpose in life and survival has yet to be defined. It is my hope that these blogs help others and ultimately create awareness On that note the blog has now reached 13.250 views in 76 countries.

The 9th of April 2019 will be my Mum’s first Anniversary, she passed away last year from Bilateral pneumonia with an underlying condition of vascular dementia. The tiny flower in this photo which is smaller than 1/2 cent is called a “Kalanchoe blossfeldiana” (took a while to discover that). This beautiful plant was taken from the family home after my mum died, it had not bloomed for almost 4 years. I have 3 cuttings from the plant, the first bloomed on Mums Birthday in Jan and now all the plants are in full bloom for her anniversary.