I have known Terry since about 2000. We first met in Lanzarote where I co-owned a bar called Nancy Spain’s
In September 2001 I formally interviewed Terry for a managers position in the bar. It’s easy to remember the exact date because during the interview the second plane crashed into the World Trade Centre in New York 9/11. We watched with horror as the scenes developed and our heads were bowed low. Our hearts sank as we both knew that life as we had known would be forever changed.

I’ve always classed Terry as a trustworthy friend. Time drifted us apart as I had to return to Ireland. But over the years we kept in contact.
Throughout my diagnosis Terry helped me by supporting as much as possible. During my first remission we visited Terry to meet his new born son Tyler.And his beautiful wife Sara. That was the 12 of June 2016.
We’ve laughed we’ve cried we both shared grief and joy.

We never needed to talk every day or month or even year. But we have both known that if we needed each other then the world became a very small place

March 2022

28th March 2022 I was painting the ceiling of the house I just purchased in Kerry and my mobile rang. It was via Messenger and the caller ID was Terry. I had gloves on and couldn’t answer. So a few moments later I called back.
I have to be honest and no idea why but I felt something bad was happening. Terry resides in Lanzarote. The call started “Hi Terry is everything okay mate?” The answer was “No I have bad news Ian” and Terry commenced detailing that he had a rare form of Sarcoma, diagnosed as inoperable Stage 4 MPNST Sarcoma. He had all the information compiled including blood test, radiology reports and oncology reports. Diagnosis was life ending within 3 months.
Like a switch I commenced working with my friend to battle this cancer. But I needed time to understand this cancer as I’d personally never heard of it. With the exception of Anita I’ve not had to work with a cancer victim that I was close with. But friendship aside we commenced the positive mental assault against cancer. Over the following 48 hours I shared experiences with Terry. He had a defined PMA, positive mental attitude. And the battle began.
That was 28th March. The prognosis was actually a week before hand.
I had an appointment with my oncologist the following week but had a no fly restriction slapped on me. Which remained in place till nearly the end of May. But once released I booked the flight.

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April, May & June 2022

The Red Devil

Not quite the Red Devil I wanted to talk about, unfortunately.

Doxorubicin (Adriamycin) is an aggressive type of Chemotherapy and it is used for multiple types of cancer such as blood cancers, Lymphoma, Leukemia, various solid cancers such Sarcoma, Breast Cancer, Ovarian cancer. It works by inhibiting an enzyme known as “topoisomerase 2” and blocking RNA and DNA synthesis, which leads to cancer cell death.

Apart from the Chemotherapy drug having a bright red color and causes your urine or other body fluids to turn a reddish color for 1 to 2 days after a dose is given which is how it got its nickname.

Adriamycin has been withdrawn from the market but Doxorubicin has now fully replaced it. Most medical professionals still refer to the drug as Doxorubicin (Adriamycin).

Apart from general possible side effects the prime concern using Doxorubicin is that this particular drug can cause serious heart damage and heart failure. Each Therapy is called a “cycle” and each cycle is administered by IV over about 30 minutes in a cancer care wing of a hospital. Oncologist keep a very close eye on heart rates throughout the entire course of chemo treatment.

Common side effects of doxorubicin may include:

nausea and vomiting, which can be severe
total hair loss (alopecia)
diarrhea
swollen mouth and mouth sores
loss of appetite (anorexia)
shortness of breath
fatigue, extreme tiredness
low platelets (thrombocytopenia)

During my own first line treatment in 2014 this drug was part of the treatment A.B.V.D. The “A” Doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamycin) – so I have had experience of this particular nasty drug.

Terry however on the first cycle asked the nurse “Is that it ?” followed by give me more of that please. Great approach and great attitude.

Focused on one thing alone and that was to kill this Cancer.

Apart from hair loss and fatigue Terry had very few side effects. His temperament was iffy before chemotherapy and for those who know Mr Green, his normal temperament is roughly 1amp, so best guess it was now at 1/2amp

I have seen Terry working with another friend of ours who’s husband committed suicide in April of this year. This man is empowering, empathetic and a genuinely caring person. I’m honoured and privileged to have such a man as a friend

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June 2022

The photo below was taken on the 15th June, 3 months since terminally diagnosed and just look at this warrior

This man is inspirational. I’m not going to detail what Terry has gone through in the past 3 months but it includes a very aggressive form of Chemotherapy . He has shocked his medical team with his approach and positivity. Yet again cancer has picked the wrong person to fight, it’s early days in Terrys war but he has already started to beat the odds. But not only is he raging war against Sarcoma but he is supporting other victims.

Blankets of Hope (Cork Cancer Care Centre) very kindly presented this beautiful blanket to Terry. These blankets are hand knitted by volunteers to the Center. They are a fantastic organisation. The blankets are a symbol of hope and strength. Thank you Linda and team, as always a great support for victims.

Scan results 23 June 2022

Good things happen to good people and Terry is a great person

Scan results after 4 cycles of Chemotherapy and they are incredible. Terry has done the impossible yet again. The scan not only shows that the tumours are reactive to chemotherapy but there are no new sites, smaller tumours have been destroyed, the 3 lymph nodes have been reduced AND the large inoperable tumour to the rear of his lung has reduced from 7.2cm to just under 5cm.

It gets better. The oncology team are continuing with the current chemotherapy for 2 more cycles with a view to another scan in 6 weeks. They consider that the tumour site behind the lung could be removed. They may extend chemotherapy by 4 to 6 cycles after the scan.

3 1/2 months ago he was told he had 3 months. Now they are looking at a man that has proved them wrong. They are talking more about continued treatment. Here is a man that has already created his Impossible Dream.

**Together we are stronger**
This photo was taken today 23 June 2022 about 2 hours after results and following Terry’s fifth Chemotherapy. Making the impossible possible

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July & August 2022

Cycles of this chemotherapy are every 21 to 24 days.

I seriously hope I get all the dates right here but Terry will be sent a pre release copy of the article for approval. I avoid placing the names of the medical teams personnel on these articles including this one.

Terry was diagnosed with Terminal Stage 4 MPNST Sarcoma. This is a rapidly spreading tumour based cancer. The largest Tumour was sited below Terry’s right shoulder, close to his lung, it was inches away from his spine. Clusters were also shown in mid sections including lymph nodes. It was also noted that new sites were forming through Terry’s body.

Scan results after 4 cycles of Chemotherapy showed that the tumours are reactive to chemotherapy but there were no new sites, smaller tumours have been destroyed, the 3 lymph nodes have been reduced AND the large inoperable tumour to the rear of his lung has reduced from 7.6cm to just under 5cm. An incredible result. A further 3 cycles of chemotherapy over July and August was administered. At which point the medical team decided to do another scan…

September 2022 (Part 1)

Terry’s blood analysis had prompted the scan, The oncologist was concerned about possible heart damage due the high levels of Adriamycin. They also stopped the chemo. We were concerned about the sudden U-Turn, and our concerns were right.

1st of September

One of my favourite months, for many years I’d travel to Lanzarote for 2 weeks holidays to get ready for the winter months ahead. But this year September didn’t start as hoped. Terry had gone to get his 8th cycle of Chemotherapy and had expected a CT Scan with blood works. He arrived into hospital but they started with an ECG, monitoring the heart while in this aggressive level of chemotherapy it is vital as it can damage the heart. The blood test are performed to ensure that the patient has no underlying infections. The oncologist decided not to do the scan or the chemotherapy as some of the blood results were off.

So Terry went home. Just after 5pm he called me for a chat. He was concerned about not getting the scan or chemo. But we discussed it fully and to be fair he was in better form before finishing the call. About 20 minutes later Terry called again – the next 45 minutes of my life I will never forget..

We live in Killarney- 2,560klm from where Terry lives in Lanzarote.. The call start with “ Ian I’m in trouble” Terry was home with his six year old son, his wife had taken their dog for a walk but left her mobile at home. Terry had been able to hit redial. He was going into what I would describe as septic shock. This is an extremely dangerous condition. The power of some sort of infection had gone straight at his central nervous system. I asked Anita to call Sara but it went to voicemail. I did not want to end the call so I could ring Andy (Terrys brother who live 25 minutes from his house) so I kept talk to Terry, trying to help control his breathing, trying to keep him from passing out, trying everything but helpless due to the massive distance between us. Sara got home and took Terrys phone – my first words to her were “Sara Terry is in septic shock, please call an ambulance urgently” Sara gave the phone back to Terry grabbed her own phone and called Andy – Andy is fluent in Spanish and he immediately call 911, at the same time he ran to his car to get to Terry. Andy called me later that evening to say that Terry was kept in, but stable and awaiting test.

Following the call we got a lot of numbers onto Anita’s phone to ensure a situation like this never happens again. Andy also went to sort a panic button for Terry.

He was kept in hospital for 8 days. Blood test showed two infections, one from the kidney (UTI) which had caused a dangerous blood infection. On the 7th of September Terry got his long awaited CT Scan.

Wednesday 21st of September Lanzarote

After waiting over 2 weeks for the scan results Terry met his Oncologist. The report from the radiologist had not been finalised but the oncologist got a verbal report.

Please keep in mind that Terry is from Kent in the UK, but has lived in Spain for the past 23 years. He has a good understanding of Spanish but his brother Andy is fluent. Andy also lives in Lanzarote about 25 minutes from Terrys house. But at medical levels even fluent speakers can struggle. “If you don’t understand or have any doubts about something always ask the oncologist to explain or repeat” it’s what I do and both Terry and Andy started doing months ago.

Terry’s oncology team are Spanish with a good level of English, they speaks to Terry in English but if they get stuck on a word they switch to Spanish. This can result in certain things been lost in translation. It happens.

The oncologist began to explain the report from the radiologist. The main tumour that had initially been measured at 7.8cm and in the last scan to under 5cm had regrown to 7.2cm. This news shocked Terry and Andy but they asked about the other sites and the oncologist switched and said in Spanish There was were told there was no notable change, Andy was iffy about how that translated and asked the oncologist ‘Does that mean the other sites are unchanged” and the answer was “yes”. Terry’s bloods were also in trouble.

You have to be in this type of situation to fully understand the mental impact of this type of news. Our brains react to what we believe is significant and starts to immediately analyse danger. Another similarity we have, we think alike. The therapy had stopped working and failed to contain the growth. The only good part was that no new sites were seen.

Terry asked “what now”. The oncologist said she had commenced an application for clinical trials in Madrid. It turns out that there is a research centre in Madrid specialising in Sarcoma. Trials specifically for MPNST Sarcoma were active. The oncologist would commence application to see if Terry could be a candidate. She went on to mention a number of other treatment centres. Terry was however analysing and focused on the information that his oncologist had said “the tumour had grown and other sites we’re still there” he felt a dark cloud descending over him

Before I go into what really happened next, which is incredible, I’d like to talk a little more about Andy. I first met Andy before Terry and myself met. Andy was a guitarist & vocalist in a band that played in Charlie’s Bar, this bar was across from Nancy Spain’s (the bar I owned). It was late 1999, I’d only lived in Lanzarote for about 3 months at that stage. It was Andy that introduced me to his brother Terry. After leaving Lanzarote in 2004 I’d not spoken with Andy until this year. We knew each other but not very well. Andy is Terry’s rock, he has been by his side every second possible. It shines a light on “brotherly love” that I have never witnessed before. From first diagnosis Andy had researched everything about Sarcoma. Anytime someone in the medical profession mentioned a form of therapy Andy researched it. His knowledge about cancer has grown to a level beyond what might some people could ever understand, he is also a good listener. We’ve had multiple discussions and through Andy my own knowledge of cancer has also grown. In reality Andy has saved Terry’s life more than once. And here is the perfect example of someone’s devotion to his brother becomes a reality….

They left the hospital in a state of shock. For the first time since diagnosis Terry was worried “the tumour has grown” a dark hand was reaching out. Andy was also in deep thoughts but he was creating a plan. A plan that was close to impossible. But impossible is a place where we hunt The Impossible Dream.

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September (Part 2)

Terry called me with the update from the oncologist but handed his phone to Andy , as we regularly discussed options. After the call I commenced research the centre in Madrid and found links to Tenerife. Links that connected two research oncologist to documented trials. Unknown to me Andy was doing the same thing but more focused on the lead research Oncologist in Madrid. He found the guy’s number and without hesitation picked up the phone and called his office…… and right there Andy started a game changer. He got an appointment for Terry and himself to meet one of Europe’s top Sarcoma research oncologist for the following Monday !!! I’m still trying to get my head around this, but he then booked flights to Madrid for both of them, less than a hour after getting what appeared to be devastating news Andy had upped the game.

Thursday 22nd of September

Terry & Andy had to get updated copies of reports, scans, blood analysis & medications for the meeting on Monday. They arrived into the hospital and headed into the oncology ward. After explaining what they required & why these items were needed urgently they were asked to take a seat. As they we’re waiting Terry spotted his lead oncologist leaving her office. About 10 minutes later she returned and signalled for Terry & Andy to come into her office, she had a look on her face to told Terry she was in bad humour.

She had been told by the receptionist what they required and had headed to radiology herself to get the report that was still not prepared. Andy explained that an appointment was arranged to meet the senior oncologist in Madrid through a private consultation on Monday. And this is where everything started to get confusing. Andy pointed out that they need the radiologist report to show that the main tumour had grown and other sites were stable. “Who told you the other sites were stable?” “You did“ – “the other sites are gone the only site remaining in the tumour to Terry’s back”. Both lads were surprised but concerned that they were told the opposite yesterday- they quizzed the answer “I did not say that, I said they were not noted. We do not have the full report yet due to staff shortages. Our head radiologist is in today and will have the written report tomorrow morning” Both Terry & Andy decided not to confront her about the clarity. The left the hospital a lot happier but concerned about the other sites. But the next day changed everything……………………………………….. just wait until you read this

Friday 23rd Of September

Terry and Andy returned to the hospital Friday morning to collect the updated reports. They were all at the reception desk. They took all the paperwork and returned to their car. As they were flicking through the various documents Andy’s mobile rang. He answered it and the person on the other end was actually the senior radiologist – looking to see if they could come in. Andy said yes were in the hospital car park. Five minutes later they were in radiology sitting with the doctor. He explained that he was away up to yesterday and wanted time to go through the scan in greater detail.

All but the main tumour were gone.. the chemotherapy was successful in killing every cancer cell with the exception of the large growth. It gets better.. After careful examination of the main tumour the radiologist reported that the scan showed a mass of 7.4cm, however the core of the mass approximately 5cm appeared to be dead. This was the main growth section, however the outer rim of the tumour was active and appeared to be newly forming. This seriously changed everything about the battle. The chemotherapy could not reach the outer rim. Uninterrupted the radiologist continued in a very clear manner – he had consulted with Terry’s oncologist and the senior oncologist in Tenerife (I’ll explain this later) and the team had reached a decision to do multiple biopsies of the inner dead mass and the outer rim. His conclusion was that the probability of surgically removing the tumour was now approachable but only pending biopsy results and confirmation from Madrid. He organised an appointment for Tuesday 27th

In my experience and knowledge of both Terry and Andy it is close to impossible to shut them up, but in less than 10 minutes they were gobsmacked – they left the hospital got as far as the car looked straight at each other and went “Fuck”

This war had started to turn back to Terry winning. In less than 48 hours every part of the battle had gone from bad to incredible. And this was before meeting the Lead Oncologist in Madrid.

What a rollercoaster and it gets better .

Monday 26^th of September Madrid

Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz

I was in hospital in Cork for my second IVIG treatment as the two lads were on a flight to Madrid . Their appointment was at 4:30pm at the Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz . Like most hospitals this one caters for both public and private patients. The appointment that Andy had secured was a private one. Cancer trials in Spain are generally all public but this particular oncologist could sign off on commencing Terry in trials.

The oncologist is the founder The Research Group ATBsarc specializing in advanced Sarcoma, MPTSD included. You don’t get many higher up the ladder than this man. Terry needed to be recognized as a good candidate for the trials. And all evidence point to him been both mentally and physically strong enough. After a brief introduction and examination of paperwork the Oncologist confirmed that he felt Terry would be an ideal patient.

Medical science is one of the biggest industries in the World. Billion’s are made from scientic research. The Spanish government have invested massive resources into trials and are breaking new ground every day.

To explain a little better if you look at this business model and compare it to a job application. A potential candidate submits a CV and if successfully will secure an interview. If the business accepts the candidate then they have to encourage the candidate to join the business. It’s a similar situation here. The Oncologist wanted Terry in and now he had to place his cards on the table.

He pointed out that Terry’s case was unique as he had never seen this particular type of Sarcoma in the location to the back. The entire case was in his view “something I have spent my life preparing for” Due to the rare type of Sarcoma candidates are also rare. He started listing procedures that he wanted to commence, he lifted his mobile and called the male Oncologist that he had mentored in Lanzarote … how small our world really is. He chatted with this guy and explained that he wanted to head the trials & document it. The battle just got upgraded to a war that Terry could go at with advanced technology and treatment. He instructed that another member of his team based in Tenerife was to spearhead treatment, Hospital Universitario de Canarias Santa Cruz Tenerife.

He then explained at length options that were available, the attempt to totally destroy this cancer would entail an extremely aggressive treatment or a milder treatment to contain the cancer. Without blinking a eyelid Terry answered “Destroy it, I am prepared to embrace any level of treatment you decide on. If this can help me and lead to helping other people then let’s do it” this is what make’s Terry a force to be reckoned with and a pure battle ready Warrior.

The oncologist smiled and went “Good” he then commenced the management plan. He told Terry that the biopsy the next day would be controlled under his guidelines, the samples would be analyised in two separate centre’s, one by his team in Madrid and the second by his team in Tenerife. Following that they would require a further blood test for deeper analysis. New heart test, bone scans and X-Rays were listed. The oncologist said he would commence the plan immediately.

I can only imagine the look on Terry and Andy’s faces as they left the centre to catch their return flight to Lanzarote.

Tuesday 27^th September

Terry is admitted to hospital in Lanzarote for a biopsy to his back. These biopsies are not preformed with anaesthetics, I know how painful they are. Multiple blood test were done. They decided to keep Terry in overnight. His blood count was low and he had a blood transfusion. This can also be part of the build up to new treatments. Terry was then told he had an appointment to see the oncologist in Tenerife on Monday 3rd of October

In less than a week the goal posts were changed, because Andy lifted the phone. It’s that simple, no emails, no text messages just one call and look at what it accomplished

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October

Hospital Universitario de Canarias Tenerife

Monday 3rd of October Tenerife

First meeting with the Tenerife lead Oncologist. This meeting was more introductory than treatment. During the past week the Oncologist from Madrid had fully discussed Terrys case with this lady. She would lead all procedures going forward, and Andy was by his side again.

With the blood test and biopsy already covered they will do a full scan on the 10th of October. The treatment planned includes 2 weeks of targeted radiotherapy at 25gm Grey, this would be considered as a medium level allowing scope to increase or decrease over the 10 day treatment, following this Terry will need to travel to Tenerife every 3 weeks for a 24 hour chemotherapy infusion.

The oncologist has decided against operating at this point, their intention is to reduce the mass of the tumour before surgical intervention.

During the meeting the oncologist handed Terry a card. This card contained the details of a Cancer support group in Spain with an office in Lanzarote that could assist in financial support.

Cancer Costs

Fighting cancer is costly. Over the past eight years between scans, consultancy meetings, blood tests, operations, excess charges, travel, prescriptions and more I have spent over €20,000. My private health insurance has cost €8,000 on top of that and it’s a confined expense, last week alone I had to pay out close to €500 between scans and blood test with further costs this week for oncology meeting.

Money doesn’t grow on tree’s and Terry has started to really feel the financial pressure, both Terry and Andy have shared the brunt of the cost to date. Flights, consultancy’s meetings etc have eaten into savings. The concern from now would be the enormous cost of flights & accommodation getting back and forth to Tenerife. But Spain is incredible at supporting cancer victims and this is what happened next.

Wednesday 5th of October

When I was growing up in Dublin the word Cancer was taboo, it was called “The Big C”. But my first close encounter with Cancer was in August 1994 when my Dad was admitted to hospital . Following exploratory surgery to his right colon they found a sizeable tumour and removed it. We were told that following the operation that he had months to live. On the 25th of November 1994 he died, he had left the hospital for only 1 day in all those month’s. He was 65. Throughout the 90’s and into this century cancer has remained a topic people shy away from. Cancer Awareness has dramatically improved in Ireland but we are years behind in financially supporting victims. Throughout my war against cancer I had no financial support, even this blog site and http://www.hlai.ie which I created to help Awareness is completely funded by myself. To date they have cost me about €5,000. We need to look at Spain to understand how other countries target both research & awareness.

Since the early 2000 the Spanish government have invested hundreds of millions into cancer research and awareness. The hospital in Tenerife are the front of ovarian cancer, Spain had the highest per population count of Ovarian Cancer in the world with a less than 10% survival rate. The Spanish government invested 20 million into Ovarian Cancer research and by 2014 their research facility in Tenerife had a 90% survival rate, they had flipped the survival rate. At the same time other research facilities throughout Spain we working on different forms of cancer. The University Hospital in Madrid the government had assisted in the creation of “The Research Group ATBsarc” specialising in Sarcoma (a rapid spreading aggressive form of Cancer”

The Spanish government & Spanish people recognised the financial strain of individuals fighting cancer. So various Cancer Support groups were established, generally funded by donations, government grants and the Spanish Lottery.

La Asociación Española contra el Cáncer estrena sede en Lanzarote

Following the recommendations of the oncology team Terry and Andy made an appointment with “Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer” for Wednesday 5th in Arriceffe Lanzarote. Their primary financial concern was Terry’s up coming accommodation costs in Tenerife. They were greeted by a volunteer lady who had battled liver cancer for 9 years. The words “means testing” generally refers to a person financial resources however in Spain for cancer victims it refers to the level of Cancer. Terry was documented Terminal Stage 4 Sarcoma so he was instantly registered.

And this is what this incredible organization will cover:

All flight cost for medical treatment, for Terry and Andy

Collection from the airport by a volunteer in Tenerife or Madrid

Accommodation in one of the organizations apartments close to the hospital for any length of stay during treatment (This includes the upcoming two weeks of continuous radiotherapy)

If they do not have an apartment available they will cover the cost of a hotel

Assistance for accompanying Terry, basically someone to help him

Availability of psychologist if required

A daily food allowance voucher of €30 during treatment and stays.

Both Terry and Andy were overwhelmed emotionally. Terry was crying when he told me this, he felt humbled by these volunteers. Talk about taking weight off a person’s shoulders. Other countries especially Ireland need to wake up and see how vital a service like this is.

All of this was accomplished in less than two weeks. Financial Assistance, Complete treatment planning, pain management.

And after months of test’s Terry commences his clinical trials to attack the remaing cancer site

Monday 10th of October 2022 Tenerife

New CT-San but targeted to enhance the area effect by the tumor. This is all part of the build-up for Radiotherapy which is due to commence in two weeks.

Terry meet with the Radiologist Oncologist the following day and had the precision target tattoo’s

Tuesday 18^th of October 2022 Tenerife

Early start at 7:30am for blood test followed by an ECG. His appointment with the Lead Oncologist was set for 10am with Andy beside him.

Monday 24^th of October 2022 Tenerife

Terry arrived in Tenerife with a friend called Freddy. Terry has keep a close relationship with Freddy for many years. I first met Freddy in Lanzarote in 1999. He owned Freddy’s Bar which was a late night local’s bar. Freddy is an absolute gentleman, originally from France but has lived in Lanzarote for a very long time. In my last visit to meet Terry in June we also meet up with Freddy. You couldn’t meet a more genuine caring individual. Andy was unable to accompany Terry on the 24^th so Terry asked Freddy to help. Freddy speaks perfect English, Spanish, obviously French and many more languages. He is an ambassador for Suicide Awareness which allows a great understanding of psychology and like most Frenchmen he is an excellent cook. To be honest you can’t help but love this guy.

terry_and _freddy — Terry and Freddy – June 2022

Blood test and scan were done with a lung capacity test. All showed that Terry was good to commence therapy on Tuesday. The therapy would start with a 24 hour Chemotherapy drip, followed by 10 days of radiotherapy

Tuesday 25^th – An early start with a pre –chemotherapy blood test, all proved good to go. The set Terry up with an IV portable pump connecting the Chemotherapy drug called Trabectadina to Terry’s port line. He was not required to stay in the hospital and went back to the Cancer Support Apartment with Freddy. And so it began – a second battle to destroy Sarcoma with a Phase 2-3 Cancer Trial.

It is important to note that 24 hour Chemotherapy has a different effect on the victim, first line Red Devil was administered over about 30 minutes and even though Red Devil was a more aggressive chemo the effects of Trabectadina over 24 hours is significantly harder to manage.

Wednesday 26^th. Terry since Sunday has had a significant increase in pain originating from the tumor site, Terry’s pain threshold would be similar to mine which is substantially higher that most people. However the pain experienced on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 the lowest and 10 the highest) was described by Terry as a 12. It had broken Terry’s pain barrier. This along with Chemo caused serious sleep issues.

They arrived into the hospital and Terry had the IV removed, 30 minutes later Terry had his first experience of Radiotherapy.

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November 2022

At this point in this article I want to keep a level of privacy for Terry and his family.

Earlier in this article I explained the importance of Terry making it as a candidate for these trials. The scientific Oncology team need to insure that all candidates are able to undergo not only the physical effects but the mental effects. Some people find it difficult to understand why the oncology team make decisions who should and who should not be accepted into these trials. Reality comes down to the fact that 99% of patients who are put forward for trials are already classed as terminal with no actual alternatives available. The decision on selections is based on not just to help future generations but to insure that the patient can withstand the level of therapy necessary to achieve success, this can be a sheer mountain for the patient with exposure to various advanced levels of trial procedures. Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy, Multiple Drugs, surgery and procedures like certain Stem Cell Transplants and Organ transplants. It is not an easy decision for anyone involved. The medical team want to insure that the patient, who is facing an end life situation should not pass in substantial pain.

Sara’s mum & dad arrived in Lanzarote to mind Tyler & free up Sara to fly to Tenerife. So Freddy flew back to Lanzarote as Sara arrived. This switch was very important to both Terry & Sara as they needed each other’s love & strength during a very difficult time. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy along with morphine to ease pain was having a extremely emotional effect on Terry but with Sara beside him he was a force to be reckoned with.

Tuesday 8^th Terry had a scheduled meeting with the lead oncologist. His blood work is excellent, All main organs like Heart Liver Kidneys have not been affected by this aggressive level therapy – which is quiet unusual with the levels of Radiotherapy and the position of the tumour. All side effects were expected by the oncologist. The oncologist is now planning the next 6 to 12 months, makes such a change since March/April when Terry was told it was unlikely that he would survive more than 3 months. Never should anyone underestimate a person’s ability to survive and here is a perfect example of positivity drive and pure devotion to beating the odds

Terry had stopped his morphine intake last Friday as the pain had receded. This is a significant sign that the cancer site has started to reduce in size again and the Oncologist appears convinced that treatment is working.

Wednesday 9^th Terry had his last round of Radiotherapy. Sara and Terry have returned home after 24 grueling days. Finally back home to see Tyler & Sara’s parents. But since Monday Terry has started to recover. He has crossed the crest of the wave and going to commence rebuilding himself. Back home is a great place to recover and gather strength before the next round of Chemotherapy

The schedule ahead is quiet busy for Terry. His next 24 hour Chemotherapy is next Tuesday and following that Terry will need to fly back and forth every week for blood tests, oncology meetings and Scans – these scans will also include a high definition NTAP CT Scan in early December.

More battles won and the war continues, cancer warriors have scares both mentally and physically but for us they are signs of victory

Tuesday 15^th. Sara & Terry returned to Tenerife for the second cycle of the 24 Chemotherapy. Blood test at 08:30 but a delay in starting the chemotherapy by nearly 4 hours. Unfortunately, this can happen especially with clinical trials. Everything is checked and rechecked to insurer that Terry is okay for treatment. The oncologist must sign off on everything before administration. This can really test a patient’s patience (woops) but Terry is getting used to this. As luck had it, Sara had booked a later flight back to Lanzarote for the next day.

Wednesday 16^th. Sara & Terry fly home to Lanzarote. Terry had a restless night on Tuesday, the constant pumping of chemotherapy can do this, its difficult to sleep during treatment. But no initial effects.

Thursday 17^th . Generally speaking, between 48 hours and 72 hours after chemo the hardest effects start to show. Terry was unable to hold down food. On Friday Andy called the hospital.

Friday 18^th . Andy was visiting Terry at home as he was very concerned about his nausea. The oncologist felt that the nausea tablets needed to be increased from 1 a day to 3. They are actually a very small dosage leaving a lot of room to increase them. And it worked very fast. Apart for an upset stomach Terry began eating and drinking again.

Tuesday 22^nd . Terry has to travel to Tenerife once every week between therapies for blood test and meeting the consultant Oncologist. Some great news again, Terry’s blood test are excellent, he has started to regain weight lost, there is still no further pain from the tumor site. The oncologist is more than happy with this. The fact that the pain is almost gone is a sign that the treatment is working. They are now discussing 6 to 12 months from now -considering that Terry was given 3 months to live in March this is simply incredible.

Birthday Boy Terry 28th of November

Terrys birthday is the 28^th of November and in true form of this warrior he has asked that people donate to the charity Asociación Española Contra el Cánce this is the organization that pay for flight’s accommodation and everything associated with the cost of travel including a companion to accompany Terry. They are funded by donations and have been an incredible support for Terry.

Facebook link Lets all do a donation to support this organisation and make Terry’s birthday a great one

Happy Birthday Terry and looking forward to the big one next year.

November 29th

Terry and Andy have an early start for a 8:30am Blood test followed by Terry’s Oncology meeting (Travelling from Lanzarote to Tenerife). There are about 2 hours wait for blood results and then a meeting with the lead Oncologist

The oncologist discussed all side effects and discussed how well she considers the treatment to be doing but a lot more will show following the main scan on 12/12/22

Blood results were good. The Oncologists prepared all the appointments for December including meetings, scans and third cycle of Chemotherapy:

12/12/22: CT-NTAP Scan:

13/12/22 : Blood test, Followed by Oncology meeting and then commencement of 3^rd Cycle of 24 hour Chemo

14/12/22 Removal of 3^rd Chemo and meeting Oncologist

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December 2022

December 6th – Día de la Constitución Constitution Day

The Francisco Franco was head of state in Spain from April 1, 1939, until November 20, 1975. Spain needed a new constitution and political system after his death. General elections were held on June 15, 1977. The newly formed parliament started drew up a new constitution. The Spanish Constitution of 1978 was approved by 88 percent of the people of Spain in a referendum on December 6, 1978.

December 8th – el Día de la Inmaculada Concepción Immaculate Conception Day is a public holiday with religious origins.

The origin of this celebration can be traced back to the mid-19th century and Pope Pius XI, who wanted to commemorate the birth of the Virgin Mary. La Virgen María was born on September 8th, therefore they subtracted nine months to make the day of her immaculate conception December 8th.In Spain, this day also marks the date of The Battle of Empel, also known as the Miracle of Empel (El Milagro de Empel ). It was an unexpected Spanish victory in 1585 in the Netherlands as part of the Eighty Years’ War, where a greatly outnumbered and surrounded Spanish force near the village of Empel won against its Dutch enemies. Prior to battle, a Spanish soldier who was digging a trench unearthed a painting of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, seen by Spanish troops as a sign from God. A sudden drop in temperatures meant that Dutch ships were trapped in by frozen water and Spaniards could attack and beat them in battle, confirming the divine intervention. In 1892 Maria Cristina of Austria, Queen Regent of Spain, proclaimed Mary of the Immaculate Conception patroness of the entire Spanish Infantry, and thus December 8th became a public holiday in Spain.

December 12th – Y es el cumpleaños de Sara Sara’s Birthday

Not a public holiday but it should be. I have spoken a lot about Andy, Freddy and so many others that have helped – but I have not said a lot about this young lady. Sara has been there every step of the way. She has watch Terry battle, cry, get aggravated, jumped for joy, struggle with physical and mental battles. I have mentioned quiet a number of times that when couples are faced with a cancer diagnoses and treatment both of them are seriously affected from day one, There are emotional rollercoaster’s but “Together We Are Stronger” is a cure within itself.

“Sara as I mentioned in June you are an incredible rock for Terry. You are the force behind him and beside him (I could add a few positions but I value my own life)“.

Happy Birthday Sara

Terry and Sara flew over to Tenerife for Cycle 3 and scans. Sara’s parents arrived back in Lanzarote on the 8^th of December. They had to return to the UK at the end of November as Sara’s grandmother has passed away (On her Dad’s side) – May she rest in peace. Sara’s parents have continued to help and support the family in every way possible.

As I have pointed out it is impossible to list the amount of people who help and support Terry and Sara. I try to include as many as possible in these articles. But I would like to mention another couple that have been there every step of the way. Sinead and Danny. I first met Danny when he was part of the band in Charlie’s Bar Lanzarote along with Andy. Danny also played in Linda’s bar “The Bodhran” where Terry worked prior to working with me in Nancy Spain’s. And Sinead who also worked with Terry and myself in Nancy Spain’s over 20 years ago. Danny and Sinead have help in so many ways and have been so supportive to Sara, Terry and Tyler. This photo was taken in 2001

December 13^th

Third and last cycle of Chemotherapy for 2022.

But Terry met with the oncologist for the report on his Scan.

Here is our early Christmas present:

No sign of any new growths
No sign of any previous recurrence
The main tumor site has not increased but may have reduced marginally, as the report was prepared almost immediately after the scan further and greater detailed reports will follow. As a cancer trial patient and with the clout that Terry’s senior Oncologist has the reports are produced fast. The oncologist told Terry that it is exactly as she expected it to be. The oncologist suggested that the next Scan in late January 2023 will be a much better indicator for reduction in mass (Mass is typically defined as the amount of matter within an object). We are already aware that the centre mass is of the tumor is dead so the chemotherapy needs to work through this to destroy the outer layer.
Terry has now regained nearly 6 kilo’s in weight
Terry’s bloods are normal

To top this off Terry went for a meal & bottle of Champagne to celebrate Sara’s birthday last night. During our call today Terry was getting changed to go out shopping with Sara and grab some lunch. What a fantastic change from less than six weeks ago.

Next meeting will be in Tenerife on the 27^th of December, which will be blood test and Oncology meeting. I will update this page at that point.

On a separate note: I have just completed our new website for Lymphoma awareness that runs in conjunction with this blog site, www.hlai.ie . The site is quiet substantial and has a number of links to this site included. It has first page appearance on leading website browsers like Google and is fully responsive with smart phone’s.

It has been a long year for all concerned and especially for the Green family. I will continue to write about Terry’s battle but it is astonishing to think that in March Terry was told that he had 3 months to live yet here we are nearly 10 months later with his Oncology team discussing procedures over the next year. Never underestimate the power of self motivation and positive thinking. Terry’s family and friends have been a fundamental part of inspiring and empowering Terry’s motivation to win this war against Sarcoma

Last update of 2022

27^th of December

Terry’s last meeting with his oncologist for 2022. Early flight to Tenerife and the day starts with blood test followed by a heart scan and meeting with the Oncologist.

Heart Scan was excellent (the heart tends to take a substantial hit during Chemotherapy as the drugs work their way around the body via the blood stream.) This particular form of chemotherapy can have a negative effect on the heart but in Terry’s case it has not.

Blood test was good with the exception of White Blood cells that appeared low. This is not unusual as the aim of chemotherapy drugs is to reduce the immune system so that the drugs can have a better impact on the targeted areas, in this case the last tumour in Terry’s back. During the gap between therapies the white cells tend to recover slowly and it is a very positive sign that treatment is working. A low White cell count also indicates that the immune system is not able to fight off infections and care needs to be applied so that Terry does not get any colds or infections, a cold to a chemo patient is like a flu to people with a healthy system.

Natural ingredients to improve your immune system:

Berries. With a wide variety to choose from, you can’t go wrong adding these little nutrient packed sweet treats to your regular diet. From local blueberries and blackberries to imported goji or açai, these tiny little morsels are packed with vitamins and nutrients to give you a boost you need.
Fish oil. Fish that have high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids such as salmon, tuna or mackerel are known to increase activity among white blood cells, which fight infection. These healthy fats help your immune system and are also good for your heart and brain too.
Leafy greens. Dark vegetables such as spinach, kale and collard greens are known to have high levels of vitamin C along with antioxidants and beta carotene, all of which help fight infection. They are also good for your heart, brain, and gut.
Nuts and seeds. Nuts such as almonds and walnuts as well as seeds such as sunflower contain several vitamins and minerals (B-6, magnesium, phosphorous or selenium) that help regulate and maintain your immune system. Add them to your salads or enjoy a handful for an energy-boosting healthy snacks
Citrus fruits. Most citrus fruits such as oranges, tangerines, lemons, and limes contain high levels of vitamin C, which is thought to help fight infection by increasing your white blood cells. Whether you eat them whole, or squeeze the juice onto your food
Poultry. Chicken soup is good for more than the soul. Poultry is high in vitamin B-6, which can reduce inflammation and is needed in the creation of new red blood cells, and zinc, which increases production of white blood cells.
Olive oil. A staple in the Mediterranean diet, olive oil is a healthy fat that is good for your heart and brain. It also gives your immune system a boost through its ability to reduce inflammation in your body.
Vegetable Soup my personal favourite. You can use an abundance of various veg for this, I included carrots, parsnips, turnips, potatoes, leeks and add a breast of chicken. Very healthy and tasty food. I also make a leek soup with potatoes and onions.

These are all easy to make and great for people undergoing chemotherapy. Chemo tends to damage our taste buds so food like the above help.

Oncologist meeting was on time for a change. But the team are very happy with Terry’s health and attitude. They expect the white cell count to improve prior to his next chemo on the 3^rd of Jan 2023.

What a year for this family. Terry has battled hard and has won battles that the oncology team were concerned about but through every step of the way Terry has kept positive and motivated.

This entire article does not fully reflect the struggle to stay fit and keep a positive mental attitude. It takes an incredible amount of willpower to keep our minds out of the darkness that can cloak our minds. 10 months can feel like 10 years for cancer patients especially those that have been diagnosed as terminal. My own experience of this was over 3 years and I can assure you its not easy, even after therapy during remission it can be a constant uphill battle but with an end in sight it becomes easier. But what a rollercoaster of a year this has been. And 2023 will bring on even a great level of attacking this cancer, Terry is leading the way for his medical team, his positive motivated attitude is a driving force for the team. This clinical trial is cutting the way for research oncologist to map out other victims battles and save the lives of those victims of this dangerous cancer.

I will be adding this page to the original article and commencing a new page for 2023. The 2023 article will commence with a full description of each procedure Terry has had and will then lead onto his continued battle and chemo approach. I am hoping to convince Terry to write part of this himself, but it is Terry’s idea to beat this cancer and tell the world how he accomplished it

So to finalise Terry has a fantastic family and friend’s team working with his every day offering help and care whenever needed . The combination of these wonderful people with a highly motivated medical team plus Terry’s own positive mental attitude is a force beyond description.

As above this page will merge with the first page on the first of January and I will update the 2023 battle as Terry continues to beat all odds.

Port Aventuna World

28th December 2022

A well needed break for Sara, Terry and Tyler but with a difference.

Port Aventuna World

Such a long year for this family. Receiving a prognosis in March that was classed as Terminal Stage 4 Sarcoma, with a 3 month survival rate. To celebrating Christmas with a three day visit to this amusement park outside Barcelona Spain.

The past 9 months have been a rollercoaster so what does Terry decided to do on his second day…

Terry decided to beat one of his fears, rollercoaster’s – Seriously….

So our amazing Stage 4 battle warrior who has beaten every challenge thrown at him decides to step on a rollercoaster – possibly the fastest one in Europe.

Terry described the little old lady who sat next to him …. She had just removed her glasses and was about to sit back and brace herself when Terry, with a massive smile, said “I’m terrified” holding up his shaking hand. Can you picture it ? I can, and had to stop writing due to laughter . But that little old lady must have thought “Oh God I’m sitting beside a nutter” . Terry appeared to have broken the sound barrier – venting out screams in English and Spanish, mostly “Oh F**K” followed by much much more.

“Ferrari Land’s Vertical Accelerator is the fastest (0-180mph in five seconds) and tallest (112m) roller coaster in Europe. Furious Baco (Min. Height: 1.40m) boasts a horizontal catapult that propels you to 135 km in three seconds”

Just try and imagine a Terminally ill Stage 4 cancer patient currently undergoing advanced clinical trials sitting beside you like that. It is inspirational and shows the character of this incredible man. I’ve been to hell but I don’t think I would climb onto a rollercoaster. And you can see the pure joy

There is no stopping Terry he has beating the odds months ago and without doubt 2023 will be a year that Terry will beat Cancer.

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“The Impossible Dream“

Rhydian Roberts

The Impossible Dream

“To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
And to run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong
And to love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far

To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march, march into Hell
For that Heavenly cause

And I know if I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable, the unreachable, the unreachable star

And I’ll always dream the impossible dream
And yes I will reach the unreachable star!“

Source: Musixmatch & video YouTube

Songwriters: Mitch Leigh / Joe Darion

Personal Notes to two incredible people

Andy – What you have accomplished is way beyond what I have written about in this article. You have been an incredible support for your family, your focus and determination has saved Terry’s life more than once. I am proud to know you mate.

Terry – You are a hero of heroes, a warrior who has battled every obstacle, an absolute force to be reckoned with. The fight ahead will be challenging both mentally and physically but I have no doubt that you will win

The Hollies He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother – The photo is all about support. We’ve got you Terry

He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother – The Hollies 1969

“The road is long With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where, who knows where
But I’m strong Strong enough to carry him
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother

So on we go His welfare is of my concern
No burden is he to bear We’ll get there, For I know He would not encumber me
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother

If I’m laden at all I’m laden with sadness
That everyone’s heart Isn’t filled with the gladness of love for one another

It’s a long, long road from which there is no return While we’re on the way to there Why not share… And the load doesn’t weigh me down at all
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother”

Songwriters: Bob Russell / Bobby Scott

“Anita picked this song and what a choice. The words do justice for Terry’s battle and those who support him.” And I love the embedded photo for this video. We consider fighting cancer to be a war. The image in my mind is Andy helping Terry with family & friends in the background covering them. Our weapons are physiological and medical. But it is a war and supporting my brothers in arms is unquestionable

January 2023

Monday 2th of January

Local oncologist meeting in Lanzarote. As Terry was originally treated in the general hospital in Arrecife Lanzarote they do keep an eye on Terry’s progress. It’s good to have a hospital this close that are actively interested in Terry’s progress. The oncologist seemed taken back when he met Terry today. He commented on how well Terry looked and how strong he looked.

After the appointment Terry, Sara and Tyler popped into “Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer”

This centre have been incredibile in supporting Terry whenever he needed advice or assistance. Terry had raised nearly €650 for his birthday for them as they are a voluntary organisation. But Tyler and his class mates had done a door to door Christmas carols singing to raise money for this wonderful charity and they had about €200.

Tuesday 3rd of January

Early flight to Tenerife for Terry. As always the day commences with a blood test to insure that there are no issues or infections. This blood test is done at 8;30am and followed by a meeting with the lead Oncologist

Blood Test results

A low white blood cell (WBC) count, is one of the side effects of chemotherapy. It can delay treatment to allow the white blood cell count to recover, and/or cause the care team to reduce the chemotherapy dose to prevent it from happening again. There are several medications, called CSF colony-stimulating factors, which can prevent the white blood cell count from dropping or help it recover faster. These medications are given by self injection. Terry’s test showed a low white blood cell count and the team decided not to commence with Chemotherapy until next week. CSFs include Neupogen (filgrastim), Neulasta (pegfilgrastim), Leukine and Prokine (sargramostim) and basically stimulate the bone marrow to produce massive levels of blood cells. Terry will self inject from today for 3 days and return next Tuesday for his Chemo.

This is not an unusual occurrence in Chemotherapy as the drugs used can seriously damage the immune system. The production of white blood cells drops as the immune system no longer recognizes infections and can expose the patient to a high risk category for infections. Especially during and the week following Chemotherapy. Most chemotherapy regimes include CSF for the week following therapy but in this clinical trial and the fact that it had not effected Terry in previous cycles they had not included CSF. These are also called G-CSF especially in blood cancer treatment.

Growth factors are proteins made in the body. Some of them make the bone marrow produce blood cells. G-CSF is a type of growth factor that makes the bone marrow produce more white blood cells so it can reduce the risk of infection after some types of cancer treatment.

G-CSF also makes some stem cells move from the bone marrow into the blood. Stem cells are very early cells that develop into red blood cells, white cells and platelets.

The high dose of chemotherapy stops your bone marrow producing blood cells. So you have the stem cells infused back into your bloodstream. They go into the bone marrow and start making the different types of blood cells again. These are self administered and each syringe is a single use disposable unit.

As Chemotherapy progresses issues like this can occur, especially after the third cycle. This would be Terry’s 4^th cycle and indicates how active the treatment is. Clinical Trials are heavily documented to insure that the patient is not exposed to issues and these trials are an educational process for medical teams, advancement to curing rare Cancer’s like Terry’s lead the way to fine tuning this type of treatment. If Terry’s white cells show further issues going forward the team will most likely commence CSF following each cycle.CSF stimulates the production of stem cells inside the bone marrow, it can cause pain within the bone joints which from my own experience can be unsettling but you do get used to it, best way to describe it would be like the pain from a broken bone during healing except the entire body is included, I found it unsettling but a lot of patients have reported serious levels of pain. Like everything in the battle against Cancer each individual will experience effects in different ways.

So this round of Chemotherapy has been moved to next Tuesday 10^th January pending improved levels of white cell count. Terry was disappointed but fully understands that the team will not take any risks. Terry has gained weight and looks incredible. However these test are preformed for a very good reason and can sometimes be an unexpected curveball during treatment. We are not sure yet if this will delay the next CT Scan which was due on 23^rd but the lead Oncologist will decide that next week.

Tuesday 10th of January

Blood Test results:

All good and white cells are normal

4^th Round of 24 hour Chemotherapy begins. The side effects of the Chemo seem to have reduced since the previous round but all going well. Terry returned to the hotel to relax.

As a comparative difference, during the initial radiotherapy and 1^st round of chemotherapy Terry was unable to keep food down for nearly 4 weeks, he had lost a substantial amount of weight. However Terry has regained nearly 7kgs in body weight, so he popped out to have lunch at about 1pm followed by dinner that afternoon.

Terry returned to the hospital and had the pump removed on Wednesday after breakfast .

Oncologist Meeting 10th of January

Terry had to wait as normal for the oncologist. The oncologist was very impressed with how well Terry looked, the increase in weight and how well balanced his blood appears. “Keep doing what you’r doing” – She decided to continue the G-CSF injections for 7 days following treatment. This is all part of cancer trials, these incredible medical professionals learn how to handle different effects, through this learning they not only help Terry but others preparing to undergo this type of treatment. Years of research, funding, dedication & tears go into clinical trials but it is why we honour the fallen and embrace the survivors. What this team are achieving with our Terry will lead to helping so many other victims over the coming years.

31^st of January 2023

Terry had a full NTAP-CT Scan last week and today he had to return to Tenerife to have his 5^th cycle of chemotherapy but as usual it started with a blood test followed by a meeting with the Oncologist.

Blood test were good and Terry got the go for round 5

“28th March 2022 I was painting the ceiling of the house I just purchased in Kerry and my mobile rang. It was via Messenger and the caller ID was Terry. I had gloves on and couldn’t answer. So a few moments later I called back. Terry had been diagnosed with Inoperable Stage 4 MPNST Sarcoma. The initial prognosis was 3 months to live.

Almost 11 months later I was yet again painting in the house, this time the kitchen. 11 months of incredible battling. But the news was unreal. This time I answered straight away

Oncologist meeting 31st January 2023

Its now 3 months since clinical trials with Terry commenced. Almost 4 weeks of intense Radiotherapy along with Chemotherapy, a difficult 6 weeks for Terry but he adjusted to Chemotherapy which was having less side effects than Red Devil. 3 months and Terry looks fantastic. The oncologist was yet again pleasantly surprised at how well Terry looked, he had gained more weight and is stable at 85 kgs – a true fighting weight for his build.

The scan has shown a reduction …… Originally 90mm x 85mm it is now at 83mm x 55mm

90mm x 85mm is a mass of 7,650

83mm x 55mm is a mass of 4,565

That is a mass difference of 3,085 it equates to a 40%

4 cycles and a 40% reduction is something of a miracle

Terry will have another 2 cycles and his next scan will be on the 13^th of March 2023

They are now planning to increase the level of Chemotherapy as Terry has gained weight. Even more juice to kill this tumor

I am emotional overpowered by this, it is far beyond expectations by anyone and everyone involved it this man’s incredible approach. Terry’s positive attitude, relentless battling and a first class medical team have given Terry an incredible quality of life, which is difficult during extreme trials.

Measuring tumors like this one has difficulty and depends on various aspects during the scan, however this is a significant result. Yet another battle win for Terry and his family.

This is just a rough Estimate of the reduction

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February 2023

22nd of February 2023

Lanzarote Carnival, a popular tradition. Traditionally, forty days before Christian Lent, the carnival takes place all over the island. 10 days of costumes, parades and parties in the street.

The “Burial of the Sardine” ( Entierro de la Sardina) is a Spanish ceremony celebrating the end of carnival and other festivities. The “Burials” generally consist of a carnival parade that parodies a funeral procession and culminates with the burning of a symbolic figure, usually a representation of a sardine.

Terry’s start date was a day late as the Canary Islands are on bank holidays this week. Spain is a deeply religious country and festive celebrations are a way of life. The festive carnivals are exhilarating and I have lovely memories of the many events I had attended over the years.

Terry’s blood test are good, with a slight increase in blood sugar levels, this can happen during chemotherapy as steroids are used which can play havoc with blood sugar levels, but not a major concern. Terry has gained more weight and as he is handling this treatment well, a decision was made to increase the level of chemotherapy

The original day one level Trabectadina over 24 hours was set at 62ml. Due to weight loss this was adjusted down to 56ml. With Terry gaining weight the decision to increase this up to 60ml was made.

This increase is also significant in the current battle, the Oncologist has confidence that since the last scan showed a substantial reduction in the mass of the tumour it is clear that the chemotherapy is working and the tumour site is responsive to this, the increase will add greater power behind Trabectadina to suppress the site further

Most people consider that it is harder to loose weight than can weight but for Cancer patients it is the opposite. Using fillers to gain weight during treatment is vital. The negative side of this can be an increase in blood sugar levels

The oncologist has also decided to change the scan date to 14^th March. This again is a great signal from the team as they want to see how responsive the new levels of Chemotherapy are dealing with the tumour site.

Way back in 2001 I had the pleasure of meeting Gallie, Gallie was a very talented musician who preformed in our bar, Nancy Spains. Like the majority of musicians that worked with us we have kept in contact over the years. Gallie moved to Australia with his stunning wife Kellie (Kellie also worked in Nancy Spains) and they have a beautiful family. Gallie has recently returned from recording a new album in Nashville and I look forward to that release. Gallie is also a very talented artist. Terry has kept in close contact with Gallie over the years. Last week Gallie’s sister Louise and her husband Tammy visited Terry in Lanzarote. Some fantastic friendships were forged on the island.

This song was preformed by Gallie and its quiet significant for people who have/are battling cancer. We can be surrounded and loved by so many but late at night we can drift into a very dark and lonesome place to battle cancer. Its not negativity but a powerful tunnel vision on beating cancer. I still get this feeling after a 9 year battle, even after my 5 year all clear. It is difficult to explain but I am sure that people in our position will understand the significant meaning of this beautiful song and the incredible person singing it

Thank you Gallie and apologies again that I forgot the time difference… best wishes to you, Kellie and the family.

March 2023

Tuesday 14th of March 2023

Blood test are good and a slight weight gain to 87.5kgs so “Fat Andy” is back..

Terry has his 24 hour Chemotherapy pump linked in and meets the Oncologist all at this point is exceptional and going well ahead of schedule.

The oncology team are keeping a very close watch on how reactive the tumor site is to the increased level of chemotherapy and Terry is booked in for a NTAP-CT scan at 5:30

Wednesday 15th of March 2023

Terry returns to have the 24 hour pump removed and the oncologist left a message that she wanted to see Terry before he was discharged.

They had the initial Scan results from yesterday

The scan has shown a reduction ……

Originally 90mm x 85mm – 90mm x 85mm is a mass of 7,650

NTAP CT Scan 31/01/23 – 83mm x 55mm is a mass of 4,565

That is a mass difference of –3,085 it equates to a 40% reduction

NTAP CT Scan 14/03/23 – 44mm x 78mm is a mass of 3,432

This is now a mass difference of -4218 it equates to a 54% reduction

This is a very significant reduction and is a clear sign that Terry’s battle is winning.

Basically it has reduced from the size of a large egg down to the size of a large grape …..

These scan are a guideline and only used to allow the team estimate how reactive cancer cells are to the chemotherapy. The scan is a positive indicator as to the how this tumor is been destroyed. On occasions the scans can show other issues, but clarification is always required to confirm is any issues are happening. Terry will have an MRI in the next few days to double check and questionable findings. However the current results are incredible and the oncologist will be doing more CT Scans prior to the next chemotherapy which will be on the 4^th of April

April 2023

April looks to be a busy month for our warrior Terry. More meetings, scans and procedures planned by the Oncologist

4^th April 2023

A good start to the month as Terry’s blood test are excellent and extra weight gain. The oncologist has set up another scan for the 25^th of April prior to his 24 hour chemo and Terry has the green light for his 24 hour chemotherapy

Further meets and proceedures are now planned for the 18th of April 2023

Terry returned to have the Chemo Pump removed and flew back home

This is all a waiting game, between therapies every 3 weeks and having scans that can take a week to get the reports it becomes tiring, it is like waiting for the unexpected results good or bad. The rollercoaster never stops but this has been a good year so far for Terry. Physically he has excelled himself and mentally his focus is defeating Cancer without doubt. It is such a pleasure to work with Terry. Back in the early 2000 I had that pleasure first hand behind the bar in Nancy Spains and now helping to support his battle with cancer over the past year.

But for now Happy Easter

Monday 24^th of April

Terry had a follow up CT NTAP to see how the tumor is responding. In previous post we showed the reduction level to be about 55%, with Sarcoma the medical teams expect some level of reduction but this has been remarkable. However tumors get to a point where they tend to hold at a certain mass at which point the cancer cell have either adapted to medication or become harder to kill. It appears that the tumor is attempting to battle harder. The mass is basically the same mass as the last scan. It will take longer for the tumor is shrink going forward

Tuesday 25^th

Round 11 of the 24 hour Chemo commences following a good blood test. The battle continues. There are a number of side effects to any form of chemotherapy that can be unavoidable fatigue, temperament and chemo brain (personally dislike this term but brain fog sounds worse

Chemo Brain

A term commonly used to describe thinking and memory problems that a patient with cancer may have before, during, or after cancer treatment. Signs and symptoms of chemo brain include disorganized behavior or thinking, confusion, memory loss, and trouble concentrating, paying attention, learning, and making decisions.

Terry has had some experience with this but most recently a week ago, this can last hours or days, in extreme situations weeks. It is best described as dementia, recent memory loss. I can assure you it is very unsettling. It hits at the least expected times. Like Terry I felt it quiet frightening – you have little idea what is happening around you and the disorientation is hard to handle. The victim has little control over their environment or how to even discuss it with another person. Having my own experience in this helped Terry somewhat as I could manage to get Terry engaged in a level of conversation. But as always it’s the people close to the person who really suffer with concern and worry about the loved one’s condition. During an episode its important to check to make sure that the person is not in immediate risk, test including cognitive impairment, checking temperature, checking eyes for bloodshot and insuring that they are well hydrated with making sure all medications have been taken. Following the episode patients tend to suffer from a chemo brain hangover, it tends to pass within a day but can induce temperament issue that last longer. It is vital that patients inform their medical team about the episodes.

Temperament

This is a difficult one to discuss. Chemotherapy patients have all had temper issues, some more than others. Pre warning about this helps, I had no warning and after a lifetime of controlling my temper the walls that protect other is suddenly gone. I alerted my medical team fast about this and they help resolve it by introducing medication. Terry had a less tolerant level than I had prior to chemo, but introducing chemo resulted in what I call ½ amp temper, anything can set the patient off, but recovering from chemo brain makes it even harder. It can lead to deep remorse. We are all responsible for our actions either physical or mental, both Terry and myself have been lucky that we have not gone on the physical end. It is soul destroying for everyone close including the patient. “It’s the drugs” and that is it, not an excuse and generally unavoidable.

Fatigue

Another personal hate and a situation that only people who have had chemotherapy or radiotherapy will understand. It comes in waves, can last minutes, hours or days. Chemotherapy Fatigue is unlike any other form of fatigue. It is a feeling of constant tiredness or weakness and can be physical, mental or a combination of both. It hits at any point and it is not treatable. In my own experience the only way to settle this is to sit back and let it pass

A Question ?

Can you imagine all the above hitting at once … and yes they can. It takes weeks to recover from these combinations.

May 2023

16th Of May 2003

Cycle 12 – where has the time gone, its already mid May. I seem to be missing a couple of years thanks to Covid but this year seems to be going fast.

Round 12 (I like calling cycles rounds as that’s what they feel like) Terry is definitely winning rounds here but be under no illusions Cancer is hard to beat, it is evil and can hit back in clever ways. It can hide and repel, it can adjust to chemotherapy drugs and spread. So the pressure on the cancer warrior is extreme as they must stay consistently strong mentally to endure the battle. Unlike most chemotherapy regimens this cancer trial has no limit to the amount of cycles and they intend to keep going until the tumor is defeated and then some more.

Its nearly a year since I was in Lanzarote to see Terry, at the time he was already beating his 3 month terminal diagnoses with the first line Red Devil Chemotherapy but here we are a year later and the battle continues. It can feel like I have said so many times in my posts fighting cancer is a none stop rollercoaster

Terry arrived with Sara on Tuesday for pre blood test which came back as excellent and commenced the 12^th cycle of 24 hour chemo. He met with the oncologist who has decided to reduce some of the anti inflammatory drugs, one of these drugs contains cortisone

Cortisone (Corticosteroids)

Corticosteroids, often known as steroids, are an anti-inflammatory medicine. They’re prescribed for a wide range of conditions. They’re a man-made version of hormones, normally produced by the adrenal glands (2 small glands that sit on top of the kidneys)

This particular drug can cause facial swelling, body swelling and make a patient consistently hungry which can have various negative reactions. In some of Terry’s recent photos this can be seen. Due to the eating disorder the patient can have an increase in body weight plus a higher level of fluid retention

This photo was taken on the 7^th of May with Terry’s son Travis – Happy 16^th birthday Travis you’re a credit to your parents.

Chemotherapy bloating: Along with steroids used cancer victims can and generally do have chemotherapy bloating – its difficult to stop this and the general advice is to drink plenty of water and light exercise Chemotherapy and radiation can prevent the small intestine from producing enough of the body’s required enzyme lactase, which can lead to bloating, gassiness, cramping or diarrhea when foods with lactose are eaten.

Next scan is set for the 6th of June followed by Round 13. Other scans and test will be decided following the CT-NTAP on the 6th

UPDATE MAY 27TH

Just an end of month note.

Patients undergoing any form of cancer treatment like chemotherapy, radiotherapy, stem cell transplants and hormone therapy experience immune issues.

Our bodies natural defense system is our immune system, this incredible part or our structure recognizes infections such as colds, flu, viral infections, Covid etc and Cancer cells,

In cancer treatment it is vital that the therapy stops the body from producing defensive cells, our bodies recognize treats and cancer treatments appear as a treat, without suppressing the immune system our defensive system will automatically see consider the therapy as an attack and mass produce white cells to battle what it sees as an infection.

“A complex network of cells, tissues, organs, and the substances they make that helps the body fight infections and other diseases. The immune system includes white blood cells and organs and tissues of the lymph system, such as the thymus, spleen, tonsils, lymph nodes, lymph vessels, and bone marrow”

That’s really a very basic summary of our immune system, in reality a proper breakdown would take weeks to write

Cancer patients are seen as people who have either a very weak immune system or zero. They are open to infections. This must be taken seriously and the medical teams nail it home to the patients. Trying to combat this only damages the treatment. In many therapies. Following treatment for various forms of cancer doctors tend to use GCSF

G-CSF (granulocyte-colony stimulating factor) is a type of protein called a growth factor. It is used to help your body make more white blood cells and this helps prevent infections. But even with G-CSF our immune system is still very low.

Terry takes a course of G-CSF a few days after his treatment. It is a form of immunotherapy. In my case the level of chemotherapy coupled with the Stem Cell transplant completely destroyed my immune system, and since my Covid attack in 2020 my immune system was unable to prevent even colds. Hence IVIG treatment

Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment. It uses substances made by the body or in a laboratory to boost the immune system and help the body find and destroy cancer cells. Immunotherapy can treat many different types of cancer. It can be used alone or in combination with chemotherapy and/or other cancer treatments

My current treatment of IVIG is a form of immunotherapy. Even though I am 6 years over treatment my immune system never recovered and the use of Immunotherapy in the form of IVIG is vital.

IVIG, Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is a pooled antibody, and a biological agent used to manage various immunodeficiency states and a plethora of other conditions, including autoimmune, infectious, and inflammatory states. The ultimate goal of this therapy is to normalize a compromised immune system

Signs You Have a Weakened Immune System

Your Stress Level is Sky-High. …

You Always Have a Cold. …

You Have Lots of Tummy Troubles. …

Your Wounds Are Slow to Heal. …

You Have Frequent Infections. …

You Feel Tired All the Time. Fatigue

These signs are for a weakened system but for cancer patients it can be a very long list. Terry had a serious attack last year prior to his current treatment that created a dangerous form of blood poison and a septic attack. They caught it in time but if they had not our friend would not have lived more than a few days back then. It is not unusual for advanced cancer patients in the Stage 3 to Stage 4 range to experience this.

But a weakened immune system can make a cold feel like and act like flu, viral infections or pneumonia (I had multiple pneumonia attacks and IVIG stopped them)

Currently Terry has a viral infection, it commenced earlier in the week and progressively got worse, it included difficulty breathing, painful chest, coughing up phlegm and insomnia. Unfortunately Terry only realized how bad it was on Saturday and had difficulty contacting his medical team, the oncology team are the only people who can prescribe medication during treatment. So Andy took Terry to A&E where his medical file has a red tab (Red Tab indicates immediate medical attention. Blood Test, scans etc are Red Tab so that medical teams read everything urgently) Red Tab also means that the patient is separated from others and given priority in A&E – within an hour of attending, Terry had a blood test, chest x-rays, an drip and was examined by senior doctors. The Spanish health service is incredible.

Basically Terry is now on a 5 day course of antibiotics and pain killers.

Personal note: Terry is very aware of the massive amount of people who care for him but if you or any member of your family have any colds or flue etc please stay away from Terry, he knows we care and that is all he needs to continue his battle. Lets not risk Terry’s health please

E-Mail ian@hlai.ie
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/ian-f-doherty-pc
Facebook: www.facebook.com/hlai.ie
GoFundMe Account: www.gofundme.com/f/59hu6a-cancer-awareness

10 comments

David Cartwright says:

October 27, 2022 at 12:15 pm

Terry is a fighter. In the 33 years I’ve known him he has always got through the tough times and bounced back even stronger than before.
Andy is a true star, looking after Terry in the best way possible.
My thoughts are with Terry, Sara, Tyler, Travis and the rest of the family.
Stay strong my friend.

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Joanne Mary Smith says:

November 10, 2022 at 7:41 pm

Hello all I am Joanne, Freddy’s girlfriend. I got to know Terry, Sarah and Tyler a few years ago when I got together with the lovely Freddy and then got to know Terry better when we both took our hooligan dogs to ‘grumpy dogs training’ (I’m not sure if it was us or the dogs that needed the training, but it was a great experience!).

When Freddy told me that he was going to accompany Terry to Tenerife for is treatment, my first thought was ‘I’m not at all surprised and I’m sure that Freddy will be the right friend to do so, knowing his background with the Cycling Against Suicide events. My main concern was how it was going to affect Freddy watching his friend going through the treatment. I was worried that it might be too hard. We talked about it in depth, how he was going to feel, how he might approach different conversations and in the end Freddy assured me ‘I’ve got this, we will just see what happens and deal with whatever comes up’. He also told me about the helpful conversations he had had with Iain to prepare him for this. What a great team Terry has behind him.

Freddy came back from Tenerife after a week, to be replaced by Sarah. He was feeling very positive at that stage about the treatment and was amazed by the fantastic apartment right next to the hospital. He told stories of an elderly gentleman and his daughter who were also staying in the apartment and the friendships that were being built between them all. Apparently Freddy cooked for all of them and they shared food on one occasion. That makes me feel so proud of Freddy and also so humbled that in such circumstances, people come together for the simple act of sharing food and how precious those moments are.

I know how grateful Sarah is for the support she is getting, I have received some lovely messages from her. Iain, you are a gentleman, a friend and a survivor, an inspiration to us all.

THANK YOU for everything you are doing for our lovely friend and his family.

When it comes down to it, we all need to have our TEAM behind us, we don’t always know who that team is, until it’s needed, with Terry he is blessed by the family he has and the friends who are there for him. I know that he knows that and I’m sure that it is contributing to his survival.

Sending love xx

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1. Ian Doherty says:
  
  November 10, 2022 at 8:25 pm
  
  What a beautiful message and thank you for all your help and support. When we met in June in Puerto Calero, I had no idea that you were Freddy’s partner Your first word’s to me were “my partners name is Freddy” my answer was “I only know one Freddy in Lanzarote and he owned Freddy’s bar” I go a scream “That’s my Freddy”. Like I said that day he is a lovely gentleman who I have a lot of respect for. I’ll send you the photo Anita took of yourself Terry and myself. When Terry told me that Freddy was accompanying him I decided to speak with Freddy to offer support & advice plus so he would have my number if he needed help. I was concerned as the stress of helping a friend during treatment can have an impact on their mental health. But Terry is an exception with his positive approach and having Freddy with him was a powerful tool to help Terry.
  We have all known each other for over 20 years, we may not have met or spoken over the years but friendship is for life and in times of trouble we all come together- it’s why our site pushes “Together we are stronger”
  I was close to tears reading this by the way 😱
  Love to you both
  Ian
  
  PS Freddy now has Andy calling me Iain 😃
  
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Andrew Green says:

November 11, 2022 at 5:03 pm

Thanks for the kind words Ian,,( or is it Yan)😂
Your help, support and knowledge has been incalculable, Terry being able to trust in someone’s advice, who has been battling a terminal illness for the past 7 years has helped him deal with all he’s going through,so thank you for everything you’ve done for him.
A big heart felt thank you to Freddie for being there for him when he needed it most ,you really do find out in time like these who your true friends are.
And a mention for Danny and Sinead and family,who’ve also done so much to help Terry Sara and Tyler.
The wonderful Lola, davina and yolanda at the asociacion española contra el cancer who helped so much and to take a lot of the burden of booking flights, accomodation e.t.c.(a fantastic organisation)
And of course Sara who has been Terry’s rock ,nurse and companion through all of this,also little Tyler, and not forgetting Sara’s parents who came over to help out through the period when Terry was being treated in Tenerife.
And also my wonderful family in the UK ( who are going through difficult times also) who always give support to him even when geographical boundaries get in the way.
And lastly for Terry himself.
You are amazing, the strength and courage you’ve shown in battling this auful disease has been just incredible, it has been inspirational to me and helped me to deal with my own prognosis.
I know with your continued treatment and all the professionals working with you and all the love and support of family and friends you are going to come through the other side,it’s going to be a long hard and difficult road but make no mistake YOU ARE GOING TO BEAT THIS.❤️

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1. Ian Doherty says:
  
  November 11, 2022 at 5:28 pm
  
  Thank you Andy. And I have missed out on adding so many supportive friends – Thankfully it’s a big list and great bunch of people.
  You’ll never need a B-Team with this A-Team.
  Rarely have I had the opportunity to meet so many caring, empathetic and supportive people.
  Living so far away it’s difficult to describe the pure love & devotion Terry has behind him to help empower him to beat a Terminal Stage 4 Cancer, and as you said Andy “TERRY YOU ARE GOING TO BEAT THIS” because every one of us are standing by you and battling every way possible to help you.
  
  Ian, Yan, Iain … I’ve more colourful names that people use as well but I can’t use them here as my sites could get hit by ratings 😱
  
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D Fyfe says:

November 12, 2022 at 7:06 am

Inspirational is a powerful word, but in this case, it doesn’t seem do Terry’s story justice. The strength human beings can muster in times of extreme need is phenomenol, as demonstrated by everyone involved here. Terry’s mum was my Dad’s sister and sadly neither are still with us physically. I’ve watched the Green family’s ups and downs from afar all my life and been aware of their close bonds. Looking forward to seeing everyone in Lanzarote next month x

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1. Ian Doherty says:
  
  November 12, 2022 at 12:35 pm
  
  Phenomenal is a great way to describe Terry, his family and friends. It is difficult to place in writing how devoted all the family are and how much this devotion has empowered Terry.
  
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Mark smith says:

November 13, 2022 at 7:10 am

Well I’m absolutely blown away with all the amazing comments left for such a fantastic guy.
You are truly love Terry, keep fight you absolute warrior! Are thought are with you, mark sue amber Mayzie

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1. Ian Doherty says:
  
  November 13, 2022 at 10:16 am
  
  Thank you Mark, the Article is substantial and will be updated as Terry has further chemo & meetings with his oncology team.
  
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Terry Green says:

November 25, 2022 at 8:11 am

Hello to you all, I am humbled and privileged to have the support that I get daily from family and friends.
I am brought to tears with all your comments and believe me when I say it gives me more strength than you can imagine. Everyone mentioned are amazing people who go out their way to make sure I’m looked after.
I’m so grateful too you all and words are never enough, so I will repay you all by beating this awful disease, and be proud of yourselves because without you all in my corner I could not win this war.
I thank you all,and the special family and friends, I won’t name you as you know who you are.
I love you and am so proud that I have you in my life.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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