Snowdon to Squamous Cell Carcinoma

"I've got a lump on my neck" - I took a look, running my fingers down each side of his neck. It felt like one of his glands were swollen. Well, long story short, it didnt go away and he went and got it checked out. An x-ray showed a small 2cm mass on one side and a few smaller ones on the other. At this point nobody seemed overly concerned and he was referred to ENT. They however, took one look at his referral and requested an urgent biopsy of the lump.  

During the wait for results, Thomas and his brother and cousin went to Wales for a night camping and climbing Snowdon. I'm normally there with them, navigating. But this time I was at home sending maps and routes and instructions on staying safe. 

They set off feeling chipper, Thomas's brother had been wanting to get up Snowdon for ages and their cousin seemed buzzing for it too. 

I get a call from Thomas about 9am who was a bit stressed and a bit lost 😂 he sends me their location and i reply "that doesnt look right at all". After some more live locations, I realise they're over an hour on foot from Snowdons Llanberis path, and heading in the wrong direction. I ring him -

"Thomas i gave you the postcode for the car park. It was literally at the start of the route, I dont know how you've gone so wrong?!" - 

"I went to the postcode Lauren!! LL55 4NV!" 

"Its LL55 4NW i sent you babe"😑 

"Fuck saaaake" 😂😂

They've been hiking for 3 hours by the time they get back to the car to go to the correct carpark, but Dale and Cameron are done. Mentally and physically 😂 Thomas on the other hand, not so much!! He tries to get them jeed up, put the initial cock-up behind them and to still go for it... but they are Romeo Dunn ✋🏻 Dale hires a rowing boat on the lake and Cameron is wanting to do nothing that involves any physical exertion whatsoever, so opts for the pub. 

Thomas however, bloody goes for it! Sets off on his own to the Llanberis path and starts jogging up. He's sending me his location and im at home grinning from ear to ear, watching his progress. He video calls a couple of times to share his views and he is bursting with energy and good vibes. Sweating his tit's off as well like, but he was up and down in under 3 hours! I was so proud of him. I would of been on that lake, in a rowboat, beer in hand, singing 'boats and hoe's!' if it was me in that situation 😂

A week or so later Thomas was out his daily walk which involves a loop of the surrounding villages. He calls me and says "the hospital just called, they want me to go over, this afternoon". My heart stopped. I knew. I fucking knew at that moment something bad was happening. First off, it was the weekend. Secondly, you wait weeks for appointments, you don't get called over on the day for anything routine. I felt sick. Thomas was calm and seemingly unphased as ever, telling me not to worry. 

We went over to KGHs ENT department and a lovely nurse called Poppy called him in. Another nurse called Hayley was in the room and she too was genuinely lovely. I sat shaking while she delivered the news nobody wants to hear, to the man I love. 

I looked at him with tears streaming down my face and HES  reassuring ME "hey come on, its ok, dont cry". But the tears are rolling down his face too. The nurses were so gentle with us and Hayley went on to explain in more detail, the type of cancer, what the next steps would be and asked a few questions about his overall health. "I ran up Snowdon a few days ago?" That was what they wanted to hear. It gives him a better fighting chance because hes fit and healthy.

I couldn't speak (and if you know me, you know thats a rarity!) I literally could not get a single word out. My head is full of thoughts, racing in and out of my head, too fast to process and I just sit there silently sobbing, trying to digest what Hayley was saying. And then she says the words that everyone in that place wants to hear "We are very hopeful that we can get you better Thomas, your cancer is one that is usually very responsive to treatment and the survival rates are good, its a difficult journey but we should be able to cure you of this" 

We left the hospital and Thomas is his usual stoic self. His catchphrase for life is this - "It is what it is" 🤷🏻‍♀️ so much so that I had a keyring made with that quote by him on it. I wish I had an ounce of his bravery. 

So thats how he went from Snowdon to HPV+ Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Graded as  T1 N2 M0. (The M0 is the best part...thats 'Metastasized' and the 0 means its not spread anywhere further than his neck. 

Next up....Treatment plan. Ill try to keep things lighthearted along the way. Gallows humour for the tumour?? 👀😑