Friday, July 29, 2011

Sad news

It seems to be a gathering band of folk fighting the odds of survival. Yet another of my colleagues is facing a battle against the odds.  
The people surrounding me, all the hospital staff, my wife and my son and daughter are totally irreplaceable.  Added to that all the good wishes from friends have given me even more of a chance of winning.

As I have said before, I did not realize how many marvellous people there are in the world.

Stay safe.
Bob 

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Still fighting!

I am still here in intensive care, unfortunately having now contracted a bug, but remain positive and determined to win this battle, firstly against the pneumonia and the infection, and then back onto the fight against the tumours.
I’ve said this before, but I must say again, the hospital staff here in Clinica Benidorm,  are incredible in their professionalism, enthusiasm and care.   With this team of doctors, nurses,  administration staff, interpreters  and health workers I will beat these setbacks and eventually the Cancer.
Once again, thanks to all those wonderful people who have sent me so many upbeat messages.
Stay safe.
Bob 

Monday, July 25, 2011

Thank you

I appreciate all the goodwill messages which are pouring in daily, and I will never be able to explain just what they mean to me.   We seem to be talking about the illness all the time on the blog, but you have all been so kind it would be wrong of me not to.   Keep waiting for good news, so this is what I am doing.
Thank you from the bottom of what you didn't know I had - my heart!
Stay safe.   Bob.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Even more Adventure

Pure accident, no-one's fault, I have managed to catch pneumonia.   So my Cancer treatment has had to be put on hold until this is gone.  Silly.   It's just one of those things.  I will keep you posted and obviously I want to get on with the treatment because any delay is not good.  So we will get rid of the pneumonia first and then get on with the real business of getting better. Thanks again for reading this blog.
Stay safe.   Bob.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Advent Rad

About to move into the radio surgery phase today.   So the blog will go quiet for a few days until I come out the other end, and I´ll let you know how it went.   Everything will be terrific with the team I had behind me.   So no worries.  Talk soon.  Thanks for reading this.
Stay safe.  Bob.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Advent great news

Next week I should know what is soon to happen in my continuing treatment on the head and then the lung. All is going the way it should and things could not be more positive.

But for the moment, better than even that, is the news that my wonderful wife, who has survived the breast cancer she contracted twenty years ago, has just had one of her six-monthly checks and has been given the all-clear. To each of us, there is nothing more wonderful than that.

It looks like it's going to be another beautiful weekend and I hope you all enjoy it.

Sorry there's not much this time but thanks for reading it and please,

Stay safe

Bob

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Adventure delay

Sorry about that but for some reason the blog was misbehaving.

So to continue. I am delighted to say that the radiotherapy treatment to my head has now been completed and the great team behind it all say it went very well. When they are pleased believe me, I am pleased. They are a fantastic team.

Last Friday several others of our radiotherapy group finished their treatment too. Now they, like me, move on and it was heartwarming to see the radiotherapy staff show them such friendship and support as they left the unit. Their faces are etched on my memory forever.

My next step awaits and I will keep you informed.

As a journalist you might expect a comment from me on the ongoing alleged hacking and more surrounding the News of the World and others.

From what I have read and giving myself the luxury of believing that a great deal of the allegations have the serious ring of truth my personal view is that some elements of our profession sank to  hitherto unplumbed depths and in so doing have caused immeasurable damage to their victims. This a disgrace and and cannot be forgiven. There is never a journalistic reason to damage people's lives.

But I hope it is accepted that that vast majority of working journalists then and now did not and do not operate in this way and should in no way be stained by the rotten apples in this sorry drama. It will take a lot, I suspect, for the public to trust in honest, professional journalism again. But I hope they will.

Many thanks for reading this and I hope no more delays.

Stay safe

Bob

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Adventure again

The Moors and Christians festivities finale this weekend in our village. So good to see people forgetting all that might be getting on their nerves and just having fun. I have to say  that living in Spain has certainly taught me that having fun coupled with the Spanish ability to enjoy life are real assets.
Leading up to this weekend my radiotherapy continues at Hospital Clinica Benidorm where the warmth and gentle humour of the staff and their dedication are an inspiration.
My fellow patients are marvellous. Every day the greetings are warmer, the unspoken understanding between us all of varying nationalities so obviously genuine. These good people have a true courage well beyond mine.
And now, back to my old newspaper in Fleet Street many years ago. As I've said before, journalists can be a strange breed prone to being quite ridiculous when the muse grabs them.
One madman calmly walked to a desk in the newsroom one afternoon, hid under it for more than hour until we all forgot he was there, and waited.
About an hour later a hapless and beer befuddled reporter returned to that desk, his, and sat down. It was just at the point that the hidden hack bit him on the leg . The surprised one leapt into the air in deranged shock coupled with a blood-curdling scream that silenced the newsroom for a second, and himself narrowly escaped a heart-attack. We actually produced newspapers while all this was going on. Wierd profession but great fun.
Again, thanks for reading this and stay safe.
Bob