14 March 2021
It has taken sometime for me to write this entry. The great news is that after a series of scans in early March 2021 it was confirmed that I again achieved full remission and there is no detectable cancer present. That date was the 14th of March.
Clearly brilliant news.
Recovery from the treatment has been pretty hard. That was expected but the reality for me was that it was very much harder than I expected. Lots of challenges to overcome and it is really only the past 4 weeks that I am feeling substantially normal and well.
My hair has returned (even had my first hair cut)!, as has my fitness and all outward appearances are back to pre cancer. My weight is back to normal. Mentally, I feel balanced, optimistic and strong.
I have commenced “maintenance” treatment with a drug called “Glofitamab” which I receive every 2 months. This has been a little tricky as this is part of a Phase 1 clinical trial and it has taken some time to get the cocktail of supporting drugs right.
I remain optimistic that this drug will help maintain and extend my period of remission.
I am also retiring from Deloitte on the 1st of July (or shortly thereafter) so it has certainly been a year of change for me and my family. We are all doing well and I love seeing the girls develop into wonderful young women. Very thankful for this.
I am also really excited about the next phase of this life I live which remains largely up to me to shape. I love that thought.
My main focus will be to maintain a healthy life and do the things and work with people I want to, when I want to. This is wonderfully liberating. Like many of us I also look for to the ability to travel again in the coming years and hopefully now this can be at a different pace and for much longer time periods. Spending time with good friends and family. I am fully Covid vaccinated and happily so – hopefully this will enable safe travel. Sooner.
I hope this entry finds you doing OK as this certainly has been a challenging time for many of us as we deal with the many impacts and changes Covid has delivered.
Stay well.
My Unplanned Sabbatical 