Nearly there....

Sorry to read the latest update Pip. Thoughts with you at Retrobike HQ.
 
I wasn't sure at what point it would be appropriate to respond, but now seems like a good time.

Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement and support - I can feel the love flowing. There are a few members on this site who I correspond with regularly, and I have given them more detail, but the gist of it is now out there.

I was asked yesterday by the woman who has put the Support Package in place, where do I think I would like to spend the last bit. She knew that I previously mentioned that I would like to see it out at my sister's place on the edge of the Malvern Hills - this was when I was instructed to fill out a ReSPECT end of life form. She is now suggesting it would be more suitable for me in the Local West Berkshire Community Hospital Rainbow Rooms. Whoa there, hang on love! Surely you're a bit ahead of yourself aren't you? I plan to crack on here for a while yet šŸ„³.

When this Summer finally gets here, I'm planning to get off out to do some stuff, from visiting some places, to walking some places, to hopefully riding a motorbike. I did manage to do quite a bit on this Site yesterday and today, which involved a bit of thinking, and writing, and attaching pictures, and replying to Private Conversations. It was somewhat more of an effort than would normally be expected, but all of that stuff makes me feel that I have achieved something, and that makes me happy. I'll continue to carry on as long as I am able on here.

Any road up, my sister has been trying to crowbar me out of here for a while now, as I just didn't feel like going anywhere with all that has been happening. The plan is for them to collect me on the 30th and whisk me back to Malvern for a week. They will take me to visit their three (two nieces, one nephew and four grandchildren in Bristol, Tenbury Wells & Swansea), and hopefully I'll manage to leg it up the easy route to the top of the Worcestershire Beacon on the Hills at some point.

That'll do for now.

Thank you all.

Pip.
 
Hi Pip, can you find away around the bike problem? Support rider in a car who can swap on should you get tired on the road. I assume needing to randomly stop with fatigue is your concern.

Lost a friend a few years back who we would take out in his own car for spirited drives once he wasnā€™t able.

Appreciate a bike is a much more complicated problem and risk.

Stay Strong
Chris
 
Recap:
After dealing with Resection of the Bowel for Sigmoid Cancer in November 2017, followed by 6 months of Chemotherapy from February ā€“ July 2018, then a Colostomy Reversal in June 2019, the Cancer returned by October 2019 ā€“ Metastasised to the Liver and Abdomen. I was given the Terminal Diagnosis on December 16th 2019.

This was my 4th Cancer diagnosis following Stage 4 Testicular in 2002 (Metastasised to the Lungs and Abdomen) and Prostate in 2012 (Robotic Radical Prostatectomy). I hope this goes some way to explain why I have decided to say no to anymore more treatment ā€“ I have had enough now! Anyway, I was advised by various NHS Staff to make a ā€œWish Listā€, while my brother and sister said to name anything that I wanted to do, and they would do their best to make it happen. I told everyone that I have done everything!

For a start, Iā€™ve seen all the good bands ā€“ Itā€™s hard to explain what it was like seeing a band back in the 70ā€™s, compared to now. Black Sabbath, Status Quo, Queen in the Southampton Gaumont Theatre in ā€™76. AC/DC in the Top Rank Bingo Hall in Reading, Judas Priest in the Brunel Rooms in Swindon. Hawkwind at the Stonehenge Free Festival ā€“ crikey, they came on at about 2am! Witnessing the birth of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal on the London Club Scene, and then that leading onto the whole Thrash Metal movement. I even saw Metallica in the Lyceum Ballroom just off the Strand in ā€˜84, and also Slayerā€™s first ever U.K. gig in the Marquee, Wardour Street ā€“ now that was game changer!

Anyway, I donā€™t do holidays abroad, but I did consider flying to Vancouver to blag my way into Kona H.Q. and see if I could hang out with them for a day. I had after all watched that endearing video with Dr. Dew showing some German visitors around 381 Railway Street, and one with Paddy White at 2455 Salashan Loop, Ferndale. I could then fly on out to Hawaii and take some pictures of local places that have been used for various Kona models. However, I thought it would be expecting a bit much of them, as they are probably busy inventing and selling new bikes, rather than having time to reminisce with a Kona fanatic over some bikes that they made 25 years ago.

So I decided that I could probably get a motorbike again ā€“ I passed my motorbike test in the 70ā€™s and have owned a few. This was just before my 2nd lot of Chemotherapy treatment for this particular Cancer, which would last for 6 months; Jan - June 2020. My brother and sister were understandably concerned for my safety, but I though what the heck, what I have got to loose.

I did a refresher course on the former Greenham Common Air Base, and then bought that Silver Machine ā€“ see what I did thereā€¦. a 14 year old ZX6R, to see how I got on. I only paid Ā£2,995 for it so it didnā€™t really matter too much if I couldnā€™t manage to ride it, and I could just sell it again. Somehow between Chemotherapy cycles, I manged to get out on it, and felt confidant and comfortable. I started hanging out a bit more at Greenham Kawasaki, and they, errā€¦. encouraged me to try a newer model, which lead onto me trading in the 2006 model for the 2017 that I now have.

Hi Pip, can you find away around the bike problem? Support rider in a car who can swap on should you get tired on the road. I assume needing to randomly stop with fatigue is your concern.

Lost a friend a few years back who we would take out in his own car for spirited drives once he wasnā€™t able.

Appreciate a bike is a much more complicated problem and risk.

Stay Strong
Chris

Thanks Chris, that is a good call and it was kind of you to help your friend out like that. Last year when I still considering riding to my sisterā€™s place in Malvern (100 miles from here), I was offered some support to collect me if I couldnā€™t manage the entire journey. Iā€™m not sure now if it will be doable for me this year, but if I feel up to it I can call on the same offer again.

Pip
 
Last edited:
Okay a bit of an update. As I mentioned on the 21st May, my sister and brother in law picked be up on Sunday to take be back to their place in Malvern.

We took a drive up to the Wyche Cutting and planned to walk North up the fairly steady slope to the top of the Worcestershire Beacon. However there were a gaggle of about 30 Hang Gliders to the South, so we legged it up Jubilee Drive to get a bit closer.

The pictures don't really capture the spectacle very well, but you can see what a fabulous day is was. I did struggle with the climb, and had to rest up a bit more than I expected, and I was tired for the rest of the day. The next day we visited my eldest niece and her husband in Tenbury Wells, and I hope to see my younger Niece in Bristol and Nephew in Swansea during the week if I'm up to it.

Looking North - but not at the Hang Gilders:
Pip Hilly Jubilee Drive 300521.jpg

Looking South at the Hang Gliders:
Hang Gliders South 300521.jpg

Looking North after they came around:
Hang Gliders North 300531_1.jpg

Oh yeah this is crazy o'clock here at moment, but those Dexys do that!

Pip
 
looks like a fabulous time was had,im glad you enjoyed it,bit shocked at the time this was posted tho..yikes thats early.
 
Loved the last photo focusing on the sky. Scenery really looks epic! What a view! Well done on getting up there - no mean feat!
 
Back
Top