There is a bit of a conflict with writing this instalment of my life. On the one hand I have just had a brilliant holiday around the Mediterranean on a wonderful ship, on the other I have had to change procedures for my cancer. Should I mix up the good and the bad? If I had written the holiday blog sooner it would have no sour taste to leave you with. So before I launch you head first into the blog I will say firstly that I am in great health, apart from the obvious, and as happy and contented as I have ever been. With that said…let’s go.
When I last blogged you it was late July and I was looking forward to the holidays having done lots of silly charity events. It was time to chill and have fun with the family. For a pilot involved with the holiday industry for many years a “holiday” has always meant a week or ten days because of leave restrictions in this, the most manic of times. Now I have the luxury of indefinite leave! At which point may I wish those of you doing such work a more relaxed roster from October, I fully remember the pain and fatigue! But for now I am a mere punter buying my seat and staring out of the window at Heathrow as I identify every whine, click and judder of the A321 as we take off on route to Frankfurt. Even Frankfurt itself has memories of when I used to pilot a small turboprop out of Southend, usually at very short notice, less then 30 minutes, negotiating with the air traffic control as we flew, in order to pick up motor parts for General Motors. Seems like a thousand years ago, just entries in the log book and dusty photos in the loft. Now, sat in my comfortable Lufthansa seat I am content to ask myself the question when I will get a cup of tea and muse over the endlessly new ways of presenting a snack and lessening a cabin service, but I am surprisingly content with not being in control.
It was only a few weeks ago we had grabbed the holiday bull by the horns and booked a Mediterranean Cruise. This was a perfect holiday solution, but I’m not going to write you a travel log to bore you, for that you would have to go to richardsholidays.com! No, it doesn’t exist! However I may post a few photos here for your interest and envy. Suffice to say that we spent two days in Rome before the 12 night cruise with visits to Monte Carlo, Florence, Athens, Pompeii, Vesuvius and many Greek islands finally ending up in a hotel in Venice. 15 days away. How’s that for an itinerary?
Those of you who have packed for a cruise know the nightmare of the “formal night”. For the guys it is a DJ but the girls of course have to take a selection of posh frocks to cover the holiday. The bulk and weight just goes up and up and to find that a scheduled carrier such as Lufthansa only allow 20kg per passenger as opposed to the Holiday Charter 23kg adds further to this logistical nightmare. Just don't mention the shoes!
Oh go on, lets get back to making you envious. Rome…hot…empty and beautiful. The hotel overlooked St. Peters and the sight filled our open window. The Basilica and museum are not to be missed. Normally the word “museum” does as much for me as watching chess. But the Vatican have been er “acquiring” stuff for various Popes for hundreds of years and their collection is quite something. Add to that the thousands of pieces of artwork and lavishly painted ceilings everywhere and you will not be disappointed. Please wear trainers however as a good grip on the floor is required when the torrent of Korean tourists cascade over you whilst you inhale the beauty of a Rafeal or deVinci. The Trevi fountain…spectacular and crowded. Colleseum… boiling but fascinating due to our guide. And that was just Rome in two days. Try the photos:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Copleyphotos/MediterraneanCruise#
The ship was the Ruby Princess and I will simply say that it was perfect. Here is the link to the web if you want to see more:
http://www.princess.com/learn/ships/ru/
Now, you know how you can travel the world and always meet someone connected to your life? A personal invitation to the bridge for a look lead to a long conversation with the Captain because we had a common past. Would you believe he has a Commercial Pilots Licence and we had common friends as a result. The whole of the visit was probably organised by the ships Doctor who obviously let on about my past, I’m not complaining, but heck, those guys have a crazy amount of space up there and in truth a thumb joystick to steer by when the automatics aren’t engaged. I’m actually envious of the uniform “whites”. The whole concept of 4 hour watches, a beautiful new ship, 1200 staff and needless to say 24 hours gourmet food with sunshine all year round and I’m sold on the idea…is it too late to change career? As we get older those of us who fly aeroplanes in the dead of night for 12 hours at a time feeling like a dogs dinner both before you start and again 12 hours later will no doubt agree, at least they will tonight whilst turning around late in Sharm El Sheikh! But hey, we get to actually play hands on with a very expensive toy, man and machine against the elements and Flight Operations…none more pure a combat of skill and skulduggery.
Ok, so I hear you say, enough of the holidays and whimsical flying anecdotes, what of the Copley health?
Mmm, well that started in Turkey and continues at the Marsden.
It would appear that I have a number of very small brain tumours smaller than the size of a pea. Not the best news to pass on I give you but I am in the very best of hands at the Marsden and they are seeing to the next course of treatment which will be a Whole Head Radiotherapy. The radiation is evidently x rays. They only destroy cancer and have no effect on healthy tissue. The treatment is over 10 sessions, the first of which was last Friday and actually only takes about 20 seconds of exposure but the pre amble is somewhat longer. My thirst for knowledge and fascination for the whole of my illness has no bounds and I have even managed to get some photos of me having my mask, my “shell” made up. This is to completely immobilise me whilst treatment is given and believe me it works! Not unpleasant for some odd reason because it is one hundred percent your shape…perhaps I’m just secretly into bondage! Anyhow here are the photos:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Copleyphotos/Radiotherapy#
As I said earlier I am absolutely fine with the treatment. You may have noticed the white hair in the previous photos due to my chemotherapy, well, that may go soon for a while as I progress through the sessions. Hey, I’m nearly 49 and I had a full head of dark hair 2 years ago, it will be a different look for a couple of months…not too sure about the eyebrows though! The biggest bind with the whole thing is that I have to give up driving for a while!!!!!! Now forget the cancer, that is such an inconvenient pain in the arse! Just pure unadulterated personal and social trauma. But not forever and I can see why. In response to being told by a lovely, petite Asian Doctor who I’m sure is a sixth former at the local school, to once again take it easy and rest, don’t have a bath and lock the door, cover corners to tables and remove objects from my every surroundings in case I should have an accident (the radiation enlarges the tumours for a short time before sterilising them) I have decided to train to trigger as many speed cameras locally as possible. Now that has you confused doesn’t it?
Inspired by my recent riding activity I have purchased myself a beautiful super lightweight racing bike which had cost mega bucks a few years ago and was on Ebay as a “has been”. Not any more will it languish amongst the many other toys from the previous owner it is going to get Copley powering around these camera infested Southend streets at speeds in excess of 30 and I hope 40mph having a wail of time without legal repercussion. I have to say the available speed ratios is quite something (effort = SPEED). In fact I am so inspired I’ll add a photo or two here:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Copleyphotos/RacingBike#
Shame about the fat lump who has to sit on the saddle and ruin its pedigree.
When I last blogged you it was late July and I was looking forward to the holidays having done lots of silly charity events. It was time to chill and have fun with the family. For a pilot involved with the holiday industry for many years a “holiday” has always meant a week or ten days because of leave restrictions in this, the most manic of times. Now I have the luxury of indefinite leave! At which point may I wish those of you doing such work a more relaxed roster from October, I fully remember the pain and fatigue! But for now I am a mere punter buying my seat and staring out of the window at Heathrow as I identify every whine, click and judder of the A321 as we take off on route to Frankfurt. Even Frankfurt itself has memories of when I used to pilot a small turboprop out of Southend, usually at very short notice, less then 30 minutes, negotiating with the air traffic control as we flew, in order to pick up motor parts for General Motors. Seems like a thousand years ago, just entries in the log book and dusty photos in the loft. Now, sat in my comfortable Lufthansa seat I am content to ask myself the question when I will get a cup of tea and muse over the endlessly new ways of presenting a snack and lessening a cabin service, but I am surprisingly content with not being in control.
It was only a few weeks ago we had grabbed the holiday bull by the horns and booked a Mediterranean Cruise. This was a perfect holiday solution, but I’m not going to write you a travel log to bore you, for that you would have to go to richardsholidays.com! No, it doesn’t exist! However I may post a few photos here for your interest and envy. Suffice to say that we spent two days in Rome before the 12 night cruise with visits to Monte Carlo, Florence, Athens, Pompeii, Vesuvius and many Greek islands finally ending up in a hotel in Venice. 15 days away. How’s that for an itinerary?
Those of you who have packed for a cruise know the nightmare of the “formal night”. For the guys it is a DJ but the girls of course have to take a selection of posh frocks to cover the holiday. The bulk and weight just goes up and up and to find that a scheduled carrier such as Lufthansa only allow 20kg per passenger as opposed to the Holiday Charter 23kg adds further to this logistical nightmare. Just don't mention the shoes!
Oh go on, lets get back to making you envious. Rome…hot…empty and beautiful. The hotel overlooked St. Peters and the sight filled our open window. The Basilica and museum are not to be missed. Normally the word “museum” does as much for me as watching chess. But the Vatican have been er “acquiring” stuff for various Popes for hundreds of years and their collection is quite something. Add to that the thousands of pieces of artwork and lavishly painted ceilings everywhere and you will not be disappointed. Please wear trainers however as a good grip on the floor is required when the torrent of Korean tourists cascade over you whilst you inhale the beauty of a Rafeal or deVinci. The Trevi fountain…spectacular and crowded. Colleseum… boiling but fascinating due to our guide. And that was just Rome in two days. Try the photos:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Copleyphotos/MediterraneanCruise#
The ship was the Ruby Princess and I will simply say that it was perfect. Here is the link to the web if you want to see more:
http://www.princess.com/learn/ships/ru/
Now, you know how you can travel the world and always meet someone connected to your life? A personal invitation to the bridge for a look lead to a long conversation with the Captain because we had a common past. Would you believe he has a Commercial Pilots Licence and we had common friends as a result. The whole of the visit was probably organised by the ships Doctor who obviously let on about my past, I’m not complaining, but heck, those guys have a crazy amount of space up there and in truth a thumb joystick to steer by when the automatics aren’t engaged. I’m actually envious of the uniform “whites”. The whole concept of 4 hour watches, a beautiful new ship, 1200 staff and needless to say 24 hours gourmet food with sunshine all year round and I’m sold on the idea…is it too late to change career? As we get older those of us who fly aeroplanes in the dead of night for 12 hours at a time feeling like a dogs dinner both before you start and again 12 hours later will no doubt agree, at least they will tonight whilst turning around late in Sharm El Sheikh! But hey, we get to actually play hands on with a very expensive toy, man and machine against the elements and Flight Operations…none more pure a combat of skill and skulduggery.
Ok, so I hear you say, enough of the holidays and whimsical flying anecdotes, what of the Copley health?
Mmm, well that started in Turkey and continues at the Marsden.
It would appear that I have a number of very small brain tumours smaller than the size of a pea. Not the best news to pass on I give you but I am in the very best of hands at the Marsden and they are seeing to the next course of treatment which will be a Whole Head Radiotherapy. The radiation is evidently x rays. They only destroy cancer and have no effect on healthy tissue. The treatment is over 10 sessions, the first of which was last Friday and actually only takes about 20 seconds of exposure but the pre amble is somewhat longer. My thirst for knowledge and fascination for the whole of my illness has no bounds and I have even managed to get some photos of me having my mask, my “shell” made up. This is to completely immobilise me whilst treatment is given and believe me it works! Not unpleasant for some odd reason because it is one hundred percent your shape…perhaps I’m just secretly into bondage! Anyhow here are the photos:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Copleyphotos/Radiotherapy#
As I said earlier I am absolutely fine with the treatment. You may have noticed the white hair in the previous photos due to my chemotherapy, well, that may go soon for a while as I progress through the sessions. Hey, I’m nearly 49 and I had a full head of dark hair 2 years ago, it will be a different look for a couple of months…not too sure about the eyebrows though! The biggest bind with the whole thing is that I have to give up driving for a while!!!!!! Now forget the cancer, that is such an inconvenient pain in the arse! Just pure unadulterated personal and social trauma. But not forever and I can see why. In response to being told by a lovely, petite Asian Doctor who I’m sure is a sixth former at the local school, to once again take it easy and rest, don’t have a bath and lock the door, cover corners to tables and remove objects from my every surroundings in case I should have an accident (the radiation enlarges the tumours for a short time before sterilising them) I have decided to train to trigger as many speed cameras locally as possible. Now that has you confused doesn’t it?
Inspired by my recent riding activity I have purchased myself a beautiful super lightweight racing bike which had cost mega bucks a few years ago and was on Ebay as a “has been”. Not any more will it languish amongst the many other toys from the previous owner it is going to get Copley powering around these camera infested Southend streets at speeds in excess of 30 and I hope 40mph having a wail of time without legal repercussion. I have to say the available speed ratios is quite something (effort = SPEED). In fact I am so inspired I’ll add a photo or two here:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Copleyphotos/RacingBike#
Shame about the fat lump who has to sit on the saddle and ruin its pedigree.
Now about this effort thing?
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