29 November 2018.

Just a simple visit to the Doctor.

OK kids, I've been diagnosed with cancer at the base of my tongue in my throat. Not a good thing, but every medico I've spoken to has been extremely positive and told me it is totally curable with treatment.

I'm not shopping for sympathy, but I'm not much of a talker about private stuff (much to Suzanne's dismay) so I'm writing this the keep family and friends up to date, and save you all a bunch of phone calls and emails. Maybe this will also help out someone who might go through the same thing somewhere down the track. It's always good to get the story from the horse's mouth, even if his tongue is a bit munted. 😃

I'd had a really sore throat for about a fortnight, then I started having trouble swallowing. It wasn't good. Then I coughed up some red wine, which was strange because I hadn't had any red wine for a few weeks, so I knew something wasn't right. I'm pretty clued up like that.

Off to the Doctor I go, after being badgered by my wife Suzanne and my mother-in-law Marie for a week or so. She suspects I may have COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). I'm no Doctor, but I don't think so. She didn't even look in my throat, but sent me off for a chest X-ray.

Here we go...