33. Queens View

Photos: Matt & Dawsie on TheHerald Magazine; Scotland Newsagent Billboards; Nina & Anthony Wedding Party; Dawsie, Jen & Beautiful Bride Nina; Bridesmaid Kas and friends; Matt & Anthony the Groom; Skipping stones under the Forth Road Bridge...

What a fortnight! As you may already know, I signed up for the next month's Conquer a Corbett challenge in the bonny Scottish highlands...a Corbett is a mountain between 2,500 & 3,000 feet for the non-walkers and non-scots among us. It's planned to be a good day out on May 26th, we can raise a few quid for MacMillan Cancer Research and get fit in the process - it was funny to hear that the papers wanted me and my mate Dawsie to represent the cause and pose for a few snaps. The location was chosen to be up at "Queens View" with a great view looking over Loch Lomond with the sun setting over our shoulders. Our ignorance really shone through when we had to ask the photographer questions about what and when these pics will be used. So you can imagine the laughs we caused when we woke up last weekend to every Scottish newsagent advertising The Herald with a photo of us boys posing on the front. Gold!

It was the same day we woke to the newspapers, that we had woken after a great day and night out. Kas' best friend since 4 years old, Nina, got married to another Aussie bloke (and younger too...) Anthony on the Friday. We spent the previous night at Prestonfield House in Edinburgh before heading off to the stunning venue in South Queensferry. This place seemed to have a real Aussie feel to it and it certainly welcomed all of the guests for the day perfectly. Nina looked gorgeous, just like a porcelain doll and big Ant looked pretty good too in his Scottish skirt, the bonny kilt. Such a good day to leave all my CML issues back at home and a chance to burn the dance floor up without too many worries...

So then in the midst of the hype and gearing up for Kas's brother Gav and Nat's wedding next weekend, the Aussies playing well in the Cricket World Cup, mum and dad arriving in a few days time...I was pulled way back to earth yesterday with an email from my consultant. It seemed that when I didn't see him personally last visit, the registrar who I saw took a PCR test and I was just given the details yesterday. Not too good, but not too bad either...it's another result exactly the same as the previous three - 2.7%. I'll be seeing my doc this Wednesday, so from there I think we now have enough ammunition to present a pretty good cause for me getting off these meds and onto one of the new drugs - preferably Nilotinib or "son of Gleevec". It'll be a very important catch up as far as I'm concerned...I know by now my CML counts should have come down way below the mark it's currently at. I'm also a tad worried that they recommend the Bone Marrow Transplant route now as we have a little one due in September...not very good timing as you can imagine. It'll be a tough call as I am feeling so good right now, fitter than I've ever been and looking extremely, extremely handsome ;) Fingers crossed for the new meds...

So now it's onto the next countdown and something I've really been looking forward to over the past few months...my folks arrive back in Scotland for a holiday on Wednesday. I can't wait to see them - let's just hope the good run of sunny weather continues while they are here.

Well done to Ali who completed the London Marathon last weekend for me and The Anthony Nolan Trust. Such a gutsy effort in pretty hot conditions!! He's raised almost two grand and still has a small way to go to reach his target of £2,500 - check out his site at http://www.justgiving.com/ajtb

For more info on our Conquer a Corbett Challenge in May, check out our site at : http://www.justgiving.com/conqueracorbett

So until my appointment this Wednesday... thanks for the messages and emails! Keep them coming in...