Mesothelioma Petition - Downing Street

I was honoured to be asked to help hand over the petition collected for NCARD on 20th May at Downing Street.

The Whole day was an experience. I met Chris Knighton on the train and although I have met her several times over the last 4 years I have hardly spent any time chatting. It was like a girl's day out. The journey passed so quickly and we called in at St Pancaras Station for a cuppa on arrival. Then off to Downing Street.

When I was a child of 12 you were able to walk up Downing Street, it seems so strange that you have to go through security to walk on a British footpath. Alas, this is a sign of our times its such a shame that we have lost that wonderful feeling of being able to walk anywhere and feel safe and secure. Without being too political there was a demonstration going on for Sri Lanka. Would we dare go to these countries and start an uproar, no we wouldn't! We missed out on a lot more publicity due to Joanne Lumley, but good on her getting our fighting comrades a home in the country they have been loyal to.

I was given the box of some 24,000 signatures to hand over, with the help of Dave Anderson MP (it was heavy), I knocked on the door and the butler answered, in a few swift seconds the door was closed again and our hands no longer held the box.

We spent 20 minutes outside doing an interview for the Daily Mirror, please check the link on the side under important links. Then we took some pictures ourselves. Thankfully, as our train didn't leave until 7.00 pm, we were invited to Westminster and Chris, Dave and I had cream tea, unfortunately for John Edwards and Liz Darlison they had to attend another function in aid of Mesothelioma and poor Paula who had pulled everything together had to travel straight back.

After Cream Tea, Dave took us up to the terrace, I was so thankful as I had a thick sweater on and I was roasting, wish up north had the same temperatures as down south! A glass of wine as the sun went down was a perfect ending to the day.

Everyone has worked extremely hard to get this off the ground and I come along and hand it in, how cool was that. The signature count for my friends, family and I was 1066, I said we have to succeed as this is the year William conquered England.

Once again thank you to everyone that signed the petition.

Jan

Recovery after Mesothelioma Operation

Well its 12 weeks tomorrow since the operation and apart from the odd problems I keep having I am getting somewhere, or there again am I now having more good days than bad!

I got some really good news today, my haemoglobin is now up to 11.8 so in 3 weeks its raised by some 1.2, I know its a strange thing to get excited about but hey that means my bloods are starting to behave themselves. Even my platins have settled down and I have no liver or kidney infections. This leaves the question of why my Kidney is aching so much but at this moment in time I don't really want to worry or go there. You can call me a coward at the moment but you can't blame me for not wanting to think about it yet, it has been a rough old few months.

I do have some uncertain news, this swelling under my boob or on the rib under my boob has got quite prominent, our local GP came out yesterday and wants me to have a bone scan, fingers crossed its just a broken rib mending the wrong way. I could have gone to see John today but the thought of bouncing around in the car for 90 plus minutes didn't appeal to me, maybe because I'm on the up and didn't want to knock my recovery. Also he is always so busy that you hate taking his time up.

If anyone gets a chance can you please click on the mesothelioma link follow through to the Epp Group and read Womble's story about his operation and success in still being alive today, this will brighten up those who are considering going for it.

I also received an email from a lady out in USA requesting information regarding Cryo-ablation. I asked "how did you get my name" "thank god for Chris Knighton" the lady responded back.

I have also been asked to go with the party to hand deliver one of the petitions for the National Centre for Asbestos-Related Disease at no 10, me outside Downing Street inside the fenced area, what an honour. Can you imagine if my blood was still low I'd look like a ghost within the group, maybe that's why I was put forward! This means a trip to the hairdresser and a bit of pampering!

If you would like to help (its a similar petition to the link I did a couple of days ago, but the more the merrier) then please contact Chris Knighton for a blank form and get your friends and family to sign it and send it back to Chris, so far there are 21,500 signatures lets see if we can get more.

Dogs are roaming around wanting dindins so better leave you all before I make your eyes shut and feed the babe's.

Keep positive and lets win this fight