This scan has been my most nervous to date. When I look at the last few weeks, I realise a few things. One, I have kept a lower profile recently. This then leads to less support and less people aware of what is going on. But secondly and maybe more daunting, I am nearing the two year anniversary of my diagnosis. A diagnosis where the doctors told me that my expected life expectancy is 3-5 years.

My Sydney neuro oncologist, Dr Mustafa Kashraw, has been very straightforward with me. This scan has shown the tumour has been stationary in its movements and growth. The best thing that I can currently hope for. I’ve been lucky that my doctors in both the UK and back here in Australia have been very good, and I have built up trust in them both.

Everything in life changes, and we must change with them. I once had life goals and plans to get there, things I wanted to achieve by certain points in my life. All of these goals and plans went out the window in March 2014 when I was diagnosed. Since March 2014 my goals have been to make the 3-year milestone to stay alive and healthy. The next milestone is then to make the 5-year anniversary of my diagnosis and outlive my doctors’ original diagnosis and life expectancy.

To make these milestones I’ve looked at my health, my diet, my exercise, what makes me happy and also the stress levels and what causes them. All of these factors affect my body. These cause a cellular change in the body and in turn will affect my physical and mental health. I will see how these changes help and change my life – so keep an eye out for future posts and how these changes go!

But for now its time to go snowboarding (in Japan) and enjoy life until the next scans!!

Mex