Onwards and Upwards No. 41 – Slippery slope from here
Hello my healing team,
I hope this update finds you well!!
I am happy to report that everything in my space is going well. The positive test results that I received in January have been enough to help me refocus on living deliberately, although I must admit, our two week cruise around the South Pacific Islands helped no end also. In short, I feel good, I feel strong.
The past few months have been busy. I have worked hard to stay well. I could have done more exercise, but am happy with what I have done, swimming and riding with my local buddies. My diet could have been better, but I have eaten well enough. I continue with many of my complementary therapies like kinesiology and acupuncture, and am working with a Chinese herbalist. You may remember in a previous update that there were a lot of unpleasant symptoms that go with my chemo. Well, I think I have been quite lucky given that I have tolerated the symptoms reasonably well, I attribute this to all of the things I have been doing to stay well. So maybe, not all luck……..but either way, I’m Winning!
Now that I have finished chemotherapy, the next step for me is an Autologous Stem Cell Transplant. This is the same procedure that I had in August 2014, where they give me high dose chemo to kill off my existing immune system, then reintroduce my stem cells so that they can rebuild. It is quite daunting as I will be very unwell and feel pretty crappy for a few months. I received the news last week that my stem cell transplant will occur from 18-20 April at the Alfred Hospital. Arrgghh. Having been given the dates, it really feels as though ‘Shit just got real’!! I have known for 6 months that this was coming, but now that I have dates, and it will all happen in just one months time, it is a little intimidating. I do remind myself “you did it once, you can do it again!!” ……. and I will.
To occupy my mind, I have been supremely well supported by friends and family to deliver the MY Mount Eliza Run & Fun Festival. So in a little over a week, on Sunday 26 March 2017, we will host this event with a planned attendance of roughly 1000 people all coming to enjoy running, walking and a host of family festivities including:
- 5 or 10km run /walk
- face painting
- jumping castles
- gaelic sword fighting events
- BMX /skate / scooter events
- A day of live music.
- Reptile petting zoo
- Heaps of kids games and activities.
- A day of awesome live music
- Much much more
For more information or to register to participate in the run / walk, go to:
The Festival is being run by myself and a group of amazing volunteers and all proceeds will go to Myeloma Australia to help them continue to support patients, carers and families impacted by Myeloma. Mileage come along to show your support!
Take care
Geoff
Can’t wait to be part of the festival! And be there to support you during the SCT. Teams win games, not players!
Looking forward to the inaugural My Mount Eliza Festival. It will be awesome!
A great event to look forward to- running or walking, everybody should feel better after doing it- and a great cause to boot! See you there!
Your sharing is inspirational Geoff – wishing you the very best of health and care come April