In a couple of hours time I head off to the hospital for my final dose of neoadjuvant chemo - hurrah!  I am feeling slightly demob happy this morning even though it's all really rather serious stuff and there are still three weeks of being good ahead of me - the summit of mount chemo is a long plateau not a peak.

As with real walks that involve long hill climbs, I am feeling the exertion and am quite tired, probably exacerbated by the fact that having finished work there is no need to be lively.  But, also like real walks, when I know I'm on the last bit, at least of this stage, I find inner reserves to yomp to the finish line (a real pain for those I walk whose internal-psychology works differently).

I have a box of fancy biccies to replenish the patients' supplies and some posh chocs (well as posh as Waitrose sell!) for the nurses who have been so wonderful, especially D, P and W who have overseen my treatment directly.

Whilst it will be a bit strange not having to go there every three weeks, I can't say I'll miss it!  No more oncologist appointments until after surgery so a bit of a break in prospect.

So, by the end of today I will - barring last minute disasters (once a risk assessor always a risk assessor) - I will be on top of mount chemo... all of which sounds like a cue for a song:

On top of Mount Chemo

(I still can't eat cheese)

My tumour's much smaller

Th'oncologist's pleased.

The last set of steroids

That disrupt my sleep

And miscellaneous tablets

To help keep me fit

Farewell to the blood tests -

At least for a while.

And no more hill-climbing

With puddles and stiles!

Now it's on to the forest

So dark and so deep

But not for a few weeks

Til this phase is complete

So thank you Creator

And thank you my friends

For climbing it with me

Around all the bends

And as I move forward

To places still new

I know that, together,

We'll see this thing through.

My poetry's lousy

The rhymes are contrived

But I got up Mount Chemo

And more than survived!