Well it all started just by going for a well man clinic.
My daughter had been nagging me something terrible.
She's in the medical profession and she said, 'it's 20 years since you've been checked over,
so have a blood test.'
So I did and I had one prior to going on holiday,
so there was a letter behind the door when we got back:
'please make an appointment to see a doctor as soon as possible regarding the blood tests'.
Well, we were thinking all sorts, because I was on pain killers at that time
and I thought, well is this affecting my blood or whatever,
and then he came up with the bombshell of leukaemia.
First you get over the shock of leukaemia, then you go and see what type you've got,
and he said, 'yes it's what we thought, it's CLL, it's chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.'
That's fine. That's as much as we got to know.
We didn't really know anything else after that.
He just kept saying, 'right, we'll keep an eye on it and we'll just see,
and see if it gets worse.'
Then, that was the first I heard of watch and wait.
I couldn't understand at that time, it was only later on I found out why they couldn't treat it,
but it was just very frustrating. I felt disappointment and frustration.
I just wanted to get rid of it, you know, I wanted to get back to normal.
It's a horrible disease, leukaemia,
it's scary to say the least.
Even the word is scary.
If you say leukaemia to anybody, they look 'oh, I'm very sorry', but you know, I'm not dead yet. [Laughs]
Moods were rather bad because obviously you worry a lot if you just don't know what's coming,
and you really don't know what's coming. It does worry you.
I think your mood gets a bit frayed, which is rather a better word for it
and you get anxious and anxiety, all that sort of stuff.
I was alright until my white blood cells were rising
so obviously it was getting closer and closer with the threat of treatment.
The fatigue and tiredness was taking over me.
I became anaemic and treatment was getting closer and closer and closer,
but because of my fitness, we did all sorts, we never let it stop us.
We always got on with things we wanted to do.
We trekked all the Machu Picchu in Peru and actually my haematologist was amazed.
He said, 'for a man of your age, as you've kept yourself fit,
you've lasted another 12 months without treatment.'
Well, I started my treatment and the they gave me a treatment of FCR.
Now, it is a very toxic type of treatment: it's two cancer chemotherapy drugs and one rituximab.
I did up a very severe reaction to the rituximab on the first attempt, they hospitalised me overnight,
just to let things settle down.
But they said it's quite normal for this to happen, to allow your body to get used to the drug you're taking.
The treatment itself I handled very well.
I went through six sessions of FCR over six months
and it was amazing.
I had very little sickness. I'll say I have one bad day per month of sickness and that was it.
I see the haematology team every four months.
I was seeing them every four months prior to the treatment,
which then went to every two months up to and when we got very close to treatment.
But now they see me every four months, check everything is going great.
He said he's quite happy with things but we'll still keep an eye on your for the next four months at every time.
I think I'm more used to it by now, you know, I feel more relaxed.
I'm not expecting bad news, I don't know whether you can understand that,
because I feel well, I'm just not expecting it.
Whereas before I knew it was deteriorating, now I've gone the other way.
I do know what to expect, it's easier the second time around on watch and wait
because you've gone through it, you realise what it's all about.
I have a part-time job and have loads to do around the house, absolutely loads to do.
I like to keep busy at all times: I'm a strong DIY man, I go cycling, walking,
anything I can do to keep myself fit as well.
Any advice I would give on this sort of treatment is just be patient and get into support groups, meet people,
because there's people there that are going through or have gone through what you're going through,
and they'll put you at ease.
Even while we're on watch and wait, we travelled all over, we dived in the Caicos Islands
and we walked Machu Picchu. We've done all sorts.
Then after treatment, we've done more charity stuff,
like a swimming contestant in a relay for RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution).
We've just done a zip slide for the Lymphoma Action Group,
but just live your life normally and just do it, don't hold back.
You only rent this space for a short time.