How sweet and precious life can feel......

[Tarka]

How sweet and precious life can feel

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As the title starts to say,how sweet and precious life...and health...can feel, when you think you`ve been faced by your own mortality.

What am I on about,you may think.

Well...and I`ve not shared this with anyone at all...two weeks ago I noticed a slight swelling roughly in the area of my right collarbone/neck junction.

It seemed a bit...only slightly...but still a bit... more pronounced a week later.
I pressed gently..it seemed unaffected by that.
I constantly checked that swallowing didn`t cause any undue sensation.
But I started imagining that there was a difficulty.

I started looking at all the apparently healthy people around me.
I wondered how I`d tell my folks about my illness.
I wondered how long my biking life would continue.
I thought about how I may not get to experience the satisfaction of my mortgage being paid in five years time.
Thought about the awful helplessness of weakening,fading away,unable to enjoy even the simpler pleasures in life.
All that...and much more.

Yup...I was worried.
Very worried.....with good reason.

An aunt died of breast cancer.
Another aunt died of 'generalised cancer'.
Two uncles died of lung cancer.
A fiancee ten years ago died of a brain tumour (aged 36 )

It can happen to them...why not me ???

Anyway...I made a slightly panicky visit to my GP today.

He checked the swelling out...and asked if I`d had any impact to the area in the last two months or so.
Hmm....well,let me think....I did have an 'off' this July on the 'Ural Pilgrimage' where I was off roading a Ural combo for 6 days on uncharted dirt roads in Siberia (you`ll mostly know I`m a Ural nut,owning two Ural combos and fancying a Ural solo...) and where I ended up in a drainage ditch with a 2WD Ural combo on top of me.
And since coming home I`ve had to fit a mattress topper to my bed so I don`t get woken up because of my discomfort.......

Ahah,the GP says....as I suspect...you`ve had a break/crack/chip/other malaise of the clavical joint and there is some calcification of the damaged area and nothing to worry about....it takes 6 to 8 weeks to manifest itself.

Well...what a FECKING RELIEF that was.

And how sweet life is.

Look after it.

And enjoy it

[chronyx]

Helps put things into perspective doesn't it.

Glad you're OK mate

[Sharribee]

What a worry for you honey. Glad your GP has reassured you it's always wise to get this sore of thing checked out just in case

[Frad]

Christ that brought back some horrible memories Spent too much time in Clatterbridge two years ago but all sorted now, well waiting for CT scan results on tuesday next

Glad you ok

[moon]

it is a shame that we take so much for granted & so often realise what we have, only when we risk loosing it.

I can imagine the relief when the doc told you what it was...

[Jem]

I'm glad it was a false alarm and you're loving life even more

[HUDDERS]

Glad its nothing serious Tarka

Simon

[Annette]

Good to know you're healthy and well................in the physical sense. The mental health issue is still in debate I believe

Seriously, glad you're OK. Was only saying to Jonathan the other day that we hadn't heard from you for a while and wondering if you were OK.

[Mabels Old Man]

Good to know all's ok, it can be a worry. I know from experience how something like this makes you really appreciate that life is for living.




PS What you swopping the Uly for

[DaveS]

I know the feeling exactly I had a tumour removed and the hospital took absolutely ages to tell me that it wasn't cancerous and although you don't always think about it it does just nag you!
Well done mate and as you say life is sweet and short so make the most of it... and spread the love.