Epitaph
Better Than the Alternative!
C Words:
Cervical
Cancer
Chemotherapy
Cytotoxic
Copecitabine
Clive
C-Words
Cancer is coming to a theatre near you. Very soon.
Synopsis:
C-Words is based on Clive Rushton’s candid blog detailing his journey through treatment for life-threatening neck fractures caused by a cancerous tumor and the subsequent chemotherapy and radiation.
The narrative records the deteriorating quest for optimism and the unrelenting rise of pessimism as the treatment, a ‘cure’ commonly referred to as “worse than the disease” takes hold.
It travels through his highs and lows, depressions and euphoria, despair and relief until the final outcome which, of course, at this stage we don’t know. If Clive writes the last paragraph, then everything is OK; if someone else writes it, then everything is still Ok, simply in a different form.
Clive Rushton shook hands with Muhammad Ali, possibly the most famous and revered sportsman of all time, and has pulled a pint in The Rover’s Return, probably the most famous pub on TV. He is a multiple Olympian both in the swimming pool and on-deck as a coach. He is a qualified Physical Education teacher, holds a Masters of Arts in Leading Innovation and Change and has been National Performance Director or National Coach to three different sporting nations. “ … you still haven't lost your sense of humour.”
Dedicated to Those Who Know. Those who have already travelled the trying chemotherapy journey.
Many will have been through trials and tribulations much worse than mine. Some have emerged reinvigorated and renewed; many have been ensnared in the claws of the dark side, the Evil Empire of malignant metastases, whether by a benign acceptance, or through a relentless resistance to the end.
I respect and salute you all.
-Clive
I guess when writing about dealing with a deadly disease it behooves you to write your own epitaph. I’m certainly not comfortable considering doing that for myself currently, but perhaps when faced with the imminent things change. The following posts are all written by Clive, I will insert any photos that seem relevant but otherwise leave them as is.
-Tom
Shaking hands with Muhammad Ali in Atlanta ‘96
Pulling a pint at The Rover’s Return