Category Archives: Colin’s Blog

Colin’s weekly blog

12 Friday Apr 2013

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Well, it’s blog time again and we started the week by beating Sunderland 3-1 then on Thursday we beat R. Kazan going through 5-4 on aggregate and this Sunday we go to Wembley to face Man City in yet another  F.A. Cup semi-final.  After beating R. Kazan we will meet Basle in the Europa Cup semi-final and I hope I’ll be well enough to go to these games because (phew!) it’s a hard life being a Chelsea supporter at this time of year.

I have been feeling tired but busy this week. We have collected a different car for Helen, which we nearly wrote off within four yards of leaving the garage (the wing mirrors were not set properly) and we have had two separate visits from McMillan and district nurses.  They ordered me a hospital bed which was delivered and erected on Thursday but as yet I have not slept in it.

Tony and Dan have been training hard, keep it up boys! Bootsy is still awaiting a puncture repair kit for his trike and Nick is coming to grips with his sewing kit because his lycra has ripped beyond reasonable repair after having a tumble!

Here’s a date for your diary: 26th May at The Cock in Hitchin from 2pm -5pm.   An old school friend of mine and a fellow Chelsea supporter, Brett Healey, has organised a sponsored full body wax to raise more funds for Headcase.  There will be a jazz band, “Rance Rocking Chair Band” and a BBQ. I am really looking forward to having the first pull on the wax strip and from then on I’m sure others will be able to join in the fun. Fun for us, but not him because he’s really hairy!!  Apparently, Barclays Bank will match any proceeds raised, which is fantastic.

Breaking news! Our local Slimming World group have decided to have Headcase as their charity this year according to Gill, a member of the group who works in Tesco.

And finally, I would like to say a massive Thank You to Bootsy, the staff of London Underground and the stewards at Chelsea for allowing and directing the two of us to all the disabled entrances at the ground which really made life easier.

Colin’s weekly update.

07 Sunday Apr 2013

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Well, another week of survival and I had wanted to see Chelsea whoop The Mancs and they did! This leads us to another semi-final at Wembley and even… possibly…the FINAL!! On Thursday we moved another step further towards another European final In Amsterdam. I am determined to get there if Chelsea does. I always said that Rafa would come good and he did! Ha ha! To round off a very busy week we have another match against Sunderland today and, with any luck, that will push us even further up the league.

Last Sunday we went across to Steeple Morden and had dinner with Charlie which was very nice. My appetite is coming back due to the steroid increase. After a few months since diagnosis and I have finally got a visit from the McMillan nurse, she has ordered me a hospital bed for the downstairs room as sometimes I have a struggle to get up the stairs. She has also offered me a day visit to the Hospice.

We have been to Car Giant to look for a replacement car and eventually have found a Renault from Enfield so that Helen can make a gradual return to work when her leave ends.
Finally I’d like to say a big thanks to Richard Washbrooke Photography for donating ALL of his proceeds from the Littlington night to the Headcase charity.

Brilliant.

Colin’s weekly Blog – nine month survivor

31 Sunday Mar 2013

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nine

Well, here is the latest blog on Good Friday March 29th. In a few days, on April 3rd, I will become a 9 Month survivor, another milestone achieved.  Yesterday though, I received a letter from Addenbrookes to say I can’t fly (because of the brain tumour) or travel long distance, i.e. Eurostar, by rail (because of the blood clot) which is all because I had told them that I had agreed to go to Nice to accept the donation on behalf of Headcase for the Ironman Event.  Apparently this is because of the air pressure of the flight or being effectively under the water in the Chunnel.  They also said that I will have to have the stomach injections for the rest of life.  I had been told this before, but seeing it in black and white brings it home all the more.

Hopefully, I’ll be in a position to give a final total raised by the last Chelsea Fundraiser in Littlington, on next week’s blog.

Forthcoming events – Thanks to Faye Tracey there is an event being organised for the ladies (link is http://headcase-ironman.me take a look ) which will include virtual horseracing and lots of Pimms and Champagne. Follow the link and sign up for May 11th because the guys can join the ladies in the evening when there may well be a comedian.

As well as this, Vicky Marvel has arranged a “Back to School Ball” where you had better wear your uniform or risk a detention (or worse, Colin giving you the cane with his silver  dog headed walking stick!) and be prepared for a professional DJ reminding you of the music you loved to dance to.  This is on Thursday 16th May.

That’s it for now, hopefully I will be off to watch The Blues whoop The Mancs on Easter Monday as long as I can find the bloody ticket. I know I’ve put it somewhere safe but God only knows where that is.  I have a sinking feeling when I remember I did a load of shredding yesterday……!

Colin’s Weekly Blog

22 Friday Mar 2013

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Hello again everyone.

Let me start by explaining why my blogs have been erratic lately and have not been posted on time. Firstly, in case you’ve all forgotten by now, I’ve got a tumour. A feckin’ big Grade 4 one, and the symptoms are very different from day-to- day tiredness, sickness and anxiety. I seem to be at the early stages of Tourette’s!! Coming off the train at Baldock station last Sunday evening (back from football) I blurted out to this random young lady “Hello love” right in her face!

On top of this rather worrying tendency, my bloody computer has been playing up sporadically for the past two weeks and was only 100% repaired last night.

The disco in Shirley and John’s pub, The Crown in Stotfold, was brilliant and the group, The Blazing Eighties were truly amazing. Over £600 was raised that night and lots of people left feeling really happy with their excellent raffle prizes drummed up by Shirley and her staff, who managed to persuade local businesses and customers to donate. Huge thanks to all involved in making this a successful evening, it is appreciated so much.

Jimmy2

On Tuesday I was meant to be picked up and taken to The House of Commons by Colin Spiers, the founder of Headcase, to lobby Parliament about funding research on brain tumours. Unfortunately I was feeling unwell that day and had to cancel. Helen phoned Addenbrooks and they advised her to increase my steroids, which seem to have worked because on Saturday I managed to attend another fundraising event.

This was arranged by Debbie, the landlady at The Crown in Littlington, on our behalf to raise more funds for Headcase. (It’s strange that most of the pubs involved are called ‘The Crown’ and it’s my crown which is the cause of all my problems at the moment!) Ex Chelsea, Tottenham and England player Jimmy Greaves was there, along with the legend that is Ron Chopper Harris. As well as this, there was a comedian to add to the entertainment. There was a raffle and an auction for signed memorabilia. The final figures for sums raised have not been divided amongst various charities and the expenses calculated yet, but a good time was certainly had by all. Apparently though, Ron Harris is going to sponsor The Iron Man event to the tune of £300.

Lots of people have been donating individually, Penny from The Boot in Baldock, Ian Wilkie, Kevin Morgan, Jim and Julie Cranston, Maureen and Graham Blunt, Kim and Kevin Toman and Stormin’ Norman to name but a few. I’d like them to know that it is all received by Headcase with gratitude. So sorry if I’ve left anybody out but ……like I said at the beginning, I’ve got a brain tumour!

Saturday with Jimmy and Chopper!

22 Friday Mar 2013

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jimmy1So a great event on Saturday night where Jimmy Greaves and Chopper Harris entertained an audience of over 200 with jokes and stories of the past 50 years….We still await to see the final total raised but a good time was had by all.

Many thanks to Richard Washbrooke for providing the photographs on the night, funds were raised with many of them being signed, there are loads more to see (and buy) at the link below.

http://richardwashbrooke.photoshelter.com/gallery/Colin-Smith-Headcase-Cancer-Trust-16th-March-2013/G00007KVCd_uTi5Q/1/C0000rwvc5hGMefI Remember all proceeds goes to Colin’s charity…

Jimmy2

Weekly Update

13 Wednesday Mar 2013

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I will start by congratulating Tony and Dan on their efforts this week in Abu Dhabi and Dubai for their triathlon trials and training from which they returned last Wednesday.

Helen’s employer, Carillion Surgi Centre, held a quiz night on Friday on behalf of Headcase and presented them with a cheque for £3000 which is really brilliant and means we have achieved 10% of our target in one fell swoop!

On Saturday I went to Chelsea v WBA. I was driven by Bootsy, Becca and Nick.  Chelsea had arranged with Bootsy that I would sit in the disabled area at the side of the pitch, not the best of views but at least I was there.  We had to sign a load of autographs as we looked for all the world like Andy Pipkin and Lou Todd.

Colin 2

I had a check-up at Addenbrooks yesterday and was told that the tumour is stable at the moment.  They identified my recent “turns” as seizures or little fits and so they have put me on medication to control them.

 

Boris We sent out a photographer to spy on Nick to make sure he was training hard.  To our amazement he was sprinting up to the line as we snapped him.

 

We also managed to get a shot of Bootsy peddling like fury to improve his time.
Little Britain

Finally, just to remind you all that there is a fund raising live music event at The Crown in Stotfold organised by the wonderful Shirley and John King.  There are lots of great raffle prizes donated by local businesses and the band is The Fantastic Blazing Eighties, so go along and have a blast!

Colin’s Weekly Blog

02 Saturday Mar 2013

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NickIt’s weekly blog time, and it still amazes me the extent of the generosity and support from you all. Friends and people I don’t know send kind comments which are so humbling and give me the strength to carry on.

Well, I had my hospital appointment with my consultant for more results on Friday 22nd. They confirmed that I have a “saddle” blood clot the size of a rugby ball, crossing both lungs. Because of this they are stopping all chemotherapy and further treatment to cut the risk of increasing the clotting. The clot has to disperse naturally which could take weeks or months. The only thing which will help is a daily injection to the stomach which Helen administers. They can’t contain the tumour with steroids either because this can also result in more clots. This is a total Catch 22 situation but they will continue to monitor and make on-going assessments.

On that Friday, in the evening, it was good to see “Young Cabbie” Lee Wallace who had driven up from Ealing to spend some time with us, and Bootsie and Tony came on Sunday to watch the Chelsea v. Man City game with us. As usual, I got excited and went for a fall across the living room, over the coffee table and landed head first in the radiator while everyone nonchalantly carried on watching the match!

Well my auction of CFC memorabilia ended this week raising a total of £1060! I have already deposited this to Headcase. I’d like to congratulate Becca for baking and selling delicious cakes raising £120 with her “cake-a-thon”.

Tony and Dan are continuing their training in Dubai this week. Well done lads!

By Thursday we had located enough lycra to start Nick’s leotard and, with enough machinists, we Little Britainshould have a fitting by the time this blog goes out. Also we caught up with Bootsie , training flat out on his equipment as he may still be needed if Tony wimps out or breaks another nail or two!!

Newsflash! Carillion, the owners of Lister Surgi Centre where Helen works, have donated a cheque for £3000, yes that’s three grand, to Headcase!

Up and coming events are:
Next Saturday, March 9th at The Crown in Stotfold , there is live music by The Fantastic Blazing Eighties hosted by Shirley and John King in support of our amazing charity.

That’s me in the wheelchair with my flag.

21 Thursday Feb 2013

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wheelchair

Let me start by saying that it’s good to be back and feeling more normal and thanks to those who stepped in for me last week to enable my blog to go out.  I’ve a long way to go now to get rid of the clots on the lungs, daily injections in the stomach for up to five months while monitoring the tumour – the clots being the priority now and not to form any more.  I am on oxygen at home at the moment to stop breathlessness and I’m awaiting a wheelchair to be delivered.

So once again I was admitted to Addenbrooks at short notice, not really being sure what was up exactly.  Arrived…taken to Oncology short stay…blood tests…chest Xray…MRI scan and when the results came back it amounted to blood clots on the lungs. They wanted me to stay in for monitoring and so they had to find a bed for me which they did at 10 O’clock at night.

It wasn’t until the staff handover the next morning that I got the technical term for my condition.  As the doctor and night team were handing over, they were going through the other patients.

“This is Mr So and so, bowel cancer.  This is Mr Blah Blah, bone and hip cancer.  This is Mr X, cancer in the femur   and this is Mr Smith, admitted late last night with….constipation!!”

I looked up at them.  “What?”

They were giggling.  I said, “Excuse me.  I’m terminally ill here.  It’s a brain tumour, not constipation!”

Well, thank you all again for your donations and for your messages of support. I try to thank you individually but my computer is as slow as me these days!  I am going back to the hospital again on Friday for more tests, scans and to check on the fecking clots!  A new magazine/publication recently launched by a friend of ours,  Ms Katy Ryan, “In-Spire”,  ran a Headcase article this week and my story  featured under the headline “Six Months Survivor and Counting”  You can find it at  www.in-spirelsmagazine.co.uk.

My two Chelsea auctions have ended this week of my personal collections of programs and ticket stubs. The proceeds will be deposited direct to the Headcase charity once the money has gone to my PayPal account and all the fees (EBay charges, postage, PayPal fees)  have been deducted.

I would like to wish a speedy recovery to our Ironman, Tony, who underwent a more invasive operation on his shoulder than he first thought. My heartfelt message is,  “Get over it and get back training!” I understand that he is on holiday next week to recuperate.

We have encouraged young Bootsy to dust down his cycling equipment in case he is needed to step in as a replacement for Tony on the off chance he doesn’t recover and get fit in time. We’ve also negotiated with the organisers to have a separate competitor to do the running part of the Ironman which Nick has agreed to do. We are frantically trying to locate enough Lycra to custom – make a leotard for him!

Finally, I would like to welcome into the family my latest grandchild, Francesca, who arrived on the night of Wednesday 20th of February weighing in at 9lb 1oz.

 

 

 

This was always going to be a rocky ride!

16 Saturday Feb 2013

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I have been asked to write on Colin’s behalf this week as he is unable to post a blog update himself. Alas this is because he is currently in hospital, his condition has taken a sudden turn for the worse with a diagnosis of multiple bilateral pulmonary embolisms ! (blood clots on both lungs) he is having treatment for this and at the moment this condition is serious.

Colin feels that posting his developments like this will help people realise how this terrible disease can so rapidly escalate! He has made sure there has been a wonderful element of humour in this blog to encourage people to relate to the person as well as the disease. We have all read some moving and wonderful postings from Colin’s friends and family and we are delighted to have been privileged in helping providing the forum for everyone to express their support and feelings towards Colin and his family.

However we also need to impart just how catastrophic this cancer is and how fast matters go from concerning to serious. For those who take a serious view on wanting to understand what happens, from a more medical perspective you may want to read: http://www.hindawi.com/crim/medicine/2010/862028/ it is from the USA, but it is one of many case studies available for review.

Gender of people who have glioblastoma multiforme and experienced Pulmonary embolism:
Female – 29.7%
Male      -70.2%

Age of people who have glioblastoma multiforme and experienced Pulmonary embolism:
40-49 – 15.14%
50-59 – 24.29%
60+    -58.04%

Our prayers and best wishes are with you Colin.

Weekly Diary – Bucket List

09 Saturday Feb 2013

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imagesHello everybody,

Let me start by apologising for the quality of last week’s  blog, I seemed to be all over the place, and when this was pointed out to me I was stubborn and in denial. So, from now on, if the blog reads well, is humorous and makes sense it is from me. If not then it’s probably from Helen and her sister meeting a deadline, ha ha.

Last Friday night I ventured out in Baldock town centre with Helen, Bootsy and his lovely wife, Jan. We had a couple of drinks at The Rose and Crown and a beautiful curry at The Chilli Lounge. I used the sympathy vote to persuade the waiter to upgrade from a couple of After Eight mints at the end of the meal for the ladies, to beautiful boxes of chocolates using the squirm factor! We had so many well-wishers and saw so many friendly faces, it was really quite humbling, people I hadn’t seen for years were making the effort to come up and speak to me.  It was a good evening.

I was back in hospital last Tuesday for blood tests and all was fine. There was an increase in steroids and back on chemo – 5 days on and 23 off- my God the tablets are getting bigger and bigger! To be honest, I haven’t been that well this last week. Sleeping a lot, feeling nauseous and being a bit confused. But hey, I’m now a seven month survivor and was told that if I stay stable I will be able to fly to Nice for the Grand Event in June. So that is the next target on my “bucket list” after the birth of our ninth grandchild which is imminent (nearly the other night!) but is due on Feb 26th.

Well, no football for me this week but up and coming events

Fund raiser: Organising a disco at The Crown- date and time to be arranged Chelsea auction of my personal collection memorabilia, part one and two finishing on next Saturday 16th.

Finally, I would like to thank Becks for a great big effort in the cake-a-thon. It turned out to be a cake-a-gone!!  After leaving Liam’s grandfather in charge of Beck’s baby Liam, Becks was horrified when she came in from her errand and could see a rather large man sitting in the corner finishing off the last cake! Yes, it was her Dad, Nick, whose only explanation was “It is red nose day and I’ve put 50p in the tin, Cock!” Don’t worry Becks, he did the same to us on the way to Munich when he ransacked the mini bus, eating all the cake that Stella had made for everybody!

Let me end by offering my continued support and thanks to Tony and Dan. Good luck to Tony on his fingernail repair on Thursday and his shoulder operation which is on the same day. I am away on Saturday night for a break in Leicester with my brother and sister-in-law, Pat and Peter, to meet a couple of old friends from Bradford.

Until next week…..TTFN.