July 2008 Archives

Sometimes I'm so glad I started this blog.

There have been some good times; I say that but on reflection they have been mainly bad.

But nevertheless, my illness and what I've decided to do with it, has undeniably led to some interesting places.

I think you are really going to enjoy this post because it's so different to anything I have done before.

Basically, through Radio Sheffield, I was offered the opportunity to take part in a Desert Island Discs-style show.

In the UK we have this famous Radio 4 programme where the scenario is as follows. If you were to crash on a Desert Island which tracks would you take with you and why.

I've always thought I'd love to do it and when asked to pick my six I jumped at the chance.

It is actually quite difficult to choose so maybe some of you could post your top six too - just to get a flavour of what some of you like out there.

It's an interesting show and has revealed the music likes of top politicians, artists and general eminent figures for the last 40 or so years.

I think some of you will find this post hard, others will find it positive; I think most of you will find it sad.

My life expectancy literally is weeks now.

I know we have been saying that for a while but my white cell count is spiralling upwards and out of control.

After Friday's rather miserable post I have to say I am actually feeling OK.

I spoke to my consultant while having blood and basically asked: "What is the point of this?"

Think about it, what is the point of carrying on with this half-existence? I can't eat much, have a beer, socialising with friends is difficult if my stomach is ripping into me. I'm weak and progressively deteriorating.

Why draw this period out?

Woken up today just feeling unutterably sorry for myself and generally terrible.

Was able to sleep for hours yesterday and really thought I would be brightening up this morning.

Well the stomach discomfort has started again and I think that's why I was woken up at 6am rather than any natural causes.

I have to have a day in hospital anyway on Friday for blood.

Feeling unsettled aside I am exhausted because I need red blood cells and my arms and legs are starting to shake a little.

Why do I have to put up with this?

Pain is one thing - but I've been ill for three weeks.

No one seems to be able to do anything for me.

As soon as it kicks off my quality of life disappears. I don't want anyone around me, I just want to curl up in a drain somewhere and die.

I'm sick of hanging on.

In just know this is going to take ages to conclude and I have had enough.

Hello Everyone, its Liam here again. Thank you for all your support yesterday, the final numbers for the petition were 11,301. A fantastic result.

However he spent ages last night reading all the comments on the Blog and was thrilled that everyone enjoyed the visit with him. He is always touched by what people take the time to write and yesterday was no exception.

Click here to watch a video of the day too.

Hello again everyone.

Right, I thought we could have some fun with this one.

We have got a petition to hand in at Downing Street and I thought you could all come along with us.

It's now 8.45pm on Tuesday and the plan is to be there around 12pm tomorrow.

So rather than just write about it I thought we could post live hourly updates throughout the day and try and stick some pictures in as we go along too.

Might be a bit rough round the edges but this is probably going to be the last big outing I make so why not make the most of it?

First of all just a little update on my health.

Thank you to everyone who has asked.

I am shattered. My energy levels are terrible and every time my stomach seems to be improving it just kicks off again.

Managed to get out in my car this weekend and had one last night in my Sheffield flat.

It was a wonderful sense of independence again.

I'm really pleased I got to say goodbye to my home in High Green - I loved that place - but there was a strange mixture of happy memories tainted with unrelenting tragedy.

Not many humans go so quickly from planning their own wedding to planning their own funeral. More on that in a future post.

As for this morning I just felt really sick.

I got the car back to my parents, then crashed out and slept for much of the afternoon.

Hoping to save up some energy for tomorrow.

HI Everyone

Regards
Liam

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Click below to hear the next part of this interview between Adrian Sudbury and Toby Foster on BBC Radio Sheffield

Click below to hear the next part of this interview between Adrian Sudbury and Toby Foster on BBC Radio Sheffield

Click below to hear the next part of this interview between Adrian Sudbury and Toby Foster on BBC Radio Sheffield

Click below to hear the next part of this interview between Adrian Sudbury and Toby Foster on BBC Radio Sheffield

Click below to hear the next part of this interview between Adrian Sudbury and Toby Foster on BBC Radio Sheffield

The number of signatures backing our campaign crashed through the 10,000 mark this morning.

Thank you for all your efforts. It is amazing how so many people have got behind the cause this week.

Our job is now to ensure if anyone hasn't signed the petition to do so before Wednesday to maximise the support.

Please click here and sign up if you are a UK citizen - there are still a few days left.

Nevertheless, what a great result. I think it's fair to say we are all delighted and really proud of this.

Our petition has only been running for a short period of time and the support for it is nothing short of phenomenal.

Thanks again for all your efforts in pulling this off.

The number of signatures backing our campaign crashed through the 10,000 mark this morning.

Thank you for all your efforts. It is amazing how so many people have got behind the cause this week.

Our job is now to ensure if anyone hasn't signed the petition to do so before Wednesday to maximise the support.

Please click here and sign up if you are a UK citizen - there are still a few days left.

Nevertheless, what a great result. I think it's fair to say we are all delighted and really proud of this.

Our petition has only been running for a short period of time and the support for it is nothing short of phenomenal.

Thanks again for all your efforts in pulling this off.

Apologies again to everyone who has had problems logging into the blog or posting comments.

There have been lots of issues behind the scenes but hey - we're only the biggest media group in the UK. Professionally it is quite embarrassing and I can only say sorry for any frustrations experienced by people who have tried to post.

This post is about updating you all about the campaign and giving you all a rough draft of where everything is going.

I am also hoping everything on the technical side is fixed because we continue to welcome all your ideas and input.

If you are unable to post please send a brief email to matthew.kerwick@mgn.co.uk

Your contributions, and desire to see this through, have been remarkable so on behalf of everyone at the Huddersfield Examiner, reporter Katie Campling and me, thank you very much.

I should start off with the petition.

What a great result. It closes on Wednesday and we have set ourselves the target of 10,000.

At the time of writing it stood at just over 9,300 - we are going to come incredibly close!

The 10,000 figure means it would be in the top ten of most popular national campaigns on the Downing Street website.

We achieved this in an incredibly short space of time.

Still chuffed we are beating the get Bruce Forsyth knighted campaign.

More gremlins I'm afraid but finally I have been able to finish this post off.

After the 'bad news' I never thought for a second I would see my 27th birthday.

I think I am still living back in May, and time, what with the campaign, petition, the parties, general fun and now the illness, has just disappeared.

I'm not normally a big fan of birthdays but it would seem daft not to mark this one.

Let's face it, and this is a bit sad to actually write, but it's very likely to be my last.

Despite still feeling poorly my family and I are still going to have a fun day today.

I knew my birthday was looking up when my dad picked up this hugely inappropriate birthday cake. Made us all laugh though.

For many of you who don't know Keith - yes his name is Keith - he only reads books by Bernard Cornwell, preferably the Sharpe ones and loves Carry on Films. Needless to say it was a fine choice.

The comments from all you have been incredible as well. I have asked Liam to actually do some work for a change and get publishing them! We had about 60 in one minute!

HI readers

It's Liam again. I have another update on our friend Adrian Sudbury, and this one is happier.

The sawbones (doctors) are convinced that he is drinking enough fluids, therefore they won't bother connecting him to an IV drip machine, therefore he does not have to stay in hospital overnight. They're still waiting on the results of tests to confirm what is wrong with him at the moment but the results won't arrive until at least Wednesday thus no point keeping him in hospital.

On another note, tommorow is Mr Sudbury's birthday. I'm sure you can all understand how he wouldn't want to spend his birthday in hospital. Remember to log on tommorow and everyone wish him a happy birthday

Regards
Liam

Hello readers,

It's Liam here. I'm a friend of Adrian and also the technical support geek behind his blog. Adrian has asked me to post a brief message giving you an update on his current situation.

Adrian has been admitted back into hospital for a night, maybe longer, while the saw bones (doctors) try and work out what is wrong with him.

He will be away from his computer so will be trying to blog remotely via texts (to me) and phone emails. I will (as I always do) make sure any comments are passed onto him.

He did send this message to all his readers: "hi everyone. Although this is the last place i want to be i think we really need to get to the bottom of this infection, no pun intended, get out of hospital and back to a good quality of life as quickly as possible. The plan is to set me on with some iv fluids while tests are carried out on my blood and dung."

It looks more and more likely that a stomach bug of some sort is behind this.

I still think I'm getting better but since last Monday both my parents, my sister and several guests, have all fallen victim to the same sickness and uncomfortable guts.

In most cases these should clear up within a couple of days but I am concerned that for me it's going to take much longer.

If any of the symptoms do get worse I think a trip back into hospital might be a good call - even though it's the last place I want to be.

The symptoms include fatigue, making me even more tired than usual, and having to draw a close on all the festivities this weekend.

That is just annoying.

In better news a push on the campaign has done well. Click here to sign the Downing Street petition and remember we are aiming to hit 10,000 by July 23.

Hi everyone,

Just a quick update to let you know I am feeling much better now. Stomach problems rumble on but I am much better.

Please don't post any comments here because I will take this post down later.

This is just an apology really. It's been very frustrating over the last couple of days. Our blogs have been upgraded behind the scenes and that is why you have all experienced problems posting comments.

If any are missing please re-try again today.

I'm back in hospital today (Friday) having blood and platelets.

If it does stop working again - or other problems emerge - please can you drop a brief email to liam.mcneilis@liverpool.com or steveharrison@liverpool.com

Thanks again for all the comments - incrediby uplifting and moving for me to read.

Best wishes,

Adrian

I sometimes wonder what I put you readers through.

One day it's all guns blazing, drink downing, House of Lords campaigning bravado.

The next day you get this.

Sorry.

Our campaign has now been highlighted in the House of Lords.

This is another massive boost for the campaign, petition and everything else we are trying to achieve.

There are few issues I am aware of that have worked their way up the political ladder so quickly and so spectacularly.

Thank you to Lord Harrison of Chester and Gordon Parsons (of Nottingham) for taking such an interest in what I am attempting to make a reality and for raising the issue of education on such an incredible stage.

My message to all the Lords reading this, or who have taken an interest in the issue, please get in touch if you have any further ideas about making this 40-minute talk about blood, bone marrow and organ donation, a reality in 6th form colleges.

While the exposure was superb - the answer was of course less clear.

Here is a link to Hansard - the UK Parliament's official record.

Please click here.

The video team have been trying to get a video of the speech but let's just say it's proved harder than we first thought.

We are still in the process of talking to colleges and developing a more detailed strategy.

So much for just hoping Whitehall would wave a magic wand.

It's such a simple, cost-effective idea, but I know it is going to take more time and work.

Well - every single one of you reading this is incredible too.

I am even more confident than ever that we are going to pull this campaign off.

I have been discussing it all with Katie Campling from the Examiner and Caroline Berger from the Anthony Nolan Trust.

We have decided we have hit a hump rather than a brick wall.

I hoped that after everything we've worked to achieve - it's not much to ask - that Whitehall would now be able to wave a magic wand and make all this happen.

Basically, it is not as easy as you might assume for the Government to make the talk about blood, bone marrow and organ donation compulsory as such, for 6th form colleges and schools.

Colleges are not necessarily obliged to do it.

However, from September it was only going to be rolled out on a voluntary basis anyway.

Time is still on our side.

We just need to get back to the drawing board and re-think a little bit.

If anyone out there is involved with further education colleges or 6th form schools, and thinks this is a good idea, you might have a better insight into how to make this more formal.

Please get in touch.

I still think if we reflect a little, seek a bit more advice, and please I include all of you in this, and work together, we can put so much pressure from the college end up and on the Government down, that many will have to look at this seriously.

That's roughly where we are now and I will keep you updated next week with more details.

As promised yesterday, there is lots more in the pipeline that will keep this campaign up and running.

Firstly, apologies for ongoing problems with the blog.

I would like to say it is the incredible amount of 'traffic' - as we blog nerds say- that is bringing the system down.

Unfortunately, it is spammers hammering the Trinity Mirror systems.

Seriously, have you guys got nothing better to do with your time?

Move out of your mum's house and get a proper job you fat geeks.

Yes; I am fully aware that I am rotund due to steroids and once again living at home - but that is not the point.

On a different note, as I mentioned in this previous post, I have a slight sinking feeling that the Government might back track on making the talk about blood, bone marrow and organ donation compulsory for 17/18-year-olds from the start of the 2009 academic year.

There has been no official statement or release yet.

You have all seen the video from Westminster. It sounds and looks concrete.

But we have come too far now.

I was hoping to round all the campaign stuff off with this post but there are a few loose ends yet to be resolved.

Let me get back to you on this one - and I may be calling on every single one of you to help if things remain unclear.

I am increasingly tired.

But I am dying and there is absolutely no way I am letting this go.