Screw you cancer

26/02/2021

Help Michael Shirtliff raise money to support The Prince of Wales Hospice, Pontefract

24/02/2021

Hi all,

Sarahs funeral will be taking place Friday 26th of February.
The church service will be at St Paul's church Alverthorpe at 14:45 and then we will be off up to the crematorium at kettlethorpe for 15:45.
The church service will be live streamed through Facebook on this link.

http://www.facebook.com/ArthurBellFD

We will be having a massive get together to celebrate Sarah Clark life when we all can finally meet up.

I will be setting up a just giving page to go towards all the help the Prince of Wales hospice did for us all while Sarah was in there care.

Thanks again for all the kind and meaningful messages.
Michael Shirtliff

Arthur Bell Funeral Directors are an independant, local and family run funeral directors Est in 1922.

05/02/2021

I just want to say a big thank you for all of your lovely messages and sharing your memories with Sarah Clark.
It means so much to know how special she was to everyone who knew her.
Thank you

03/02/2021

Hello all I write this message with such deep sadness.
My amazing Sarah who was such a wonderful mother and partner sadly passed away late last night.
She fought right to the end and was such a strong person throughout it all.
I will deeply miss her so much as all of you will who knew her will.
We will always love her and will never be forgotten. X######
Michael Shirtliff

20/11/2020

I started to write a post this evening to tell you all about my first round of treatment, how my mental health has been.....you know, the usual depressing dribble; then I thought no. There is something so special I want to share with you all.

As some of you know, I have sung in a gospel choir for over 10 years. Not only has singing been a massive help for my mental health over the years, but the choir have become like an extended family. I've made some amazing friends and created great memories over the years. What I didnt realise was that they all feel the same way as me!

I awoke one morning the other week and saw I had been tagged in a post from our choir's private group page. I clicked through and it read:

'So Sarah Clark.....Suprise! We wanted to make you a special video to show you that we love you...........

Well I couldnt get any further than those words as I was overwhelmed with tears. Sobbing away I tried to read the rest to Michael. Then there was this video....and I am not ashamed to say that I cried all the way through it. Take a look for yourselves - I cannot thank my choir family enough for taking the time to pull this together for little old me. To tell me they are there for me. So so special and something I will cherish forever!!

Sending all my thanks and love to WCGC!!! xx

"If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting, time after time." Sarah has been part of our choir family for over 10 years and has been going through a reall...

15/10/2020

I've never avoided Facebook or my messages like I have done this past fortnight. Apologies to people who have cared and messaged me, I just haven't been able to talk. There's just no words...and when I tell you, you will have none. But know that I get that....you don't need to say anything.

My leg pain has been caused by a fracture to my pelvis. Yes a fracture...hence me needing morphine for the pain. The fracture has been caused by the spread of this bastard disease they call cancer. Into my pelvic bone and surrounding muscle and tissue. Due to the weakened state of my bone and the very serious risk of a huge break if I bear too much weight on my leg I have been living in a wheelchair and am likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

I always knew triple negative breast cancer was very aggressive with a high reoccurrence rate. I'm now told mine is very aggressive. From march this year I had clear CT and bone scans. Within 6 months the cancer is now in my pelvis and both lungs. The doctor suspects that my cancer is chemo resistant....hence it spreading whilst been on treatment.

Here I am less than 12 months from my original diagnosis with my new one. Metastatic breast cancer with no cure.

I'm devastated for me, my children, my family....I'm struggling to come to terms with what the future holds. I'm also struggling to think positively - I've had bad news after bad news and I need to catch a fu***ng break!! I start a new treatment regime at the end of this month which will see me receiving a different drug called immunotherapy. We hope that this can help put the brakes on the cancer growth and slow/stop the spread.

People take it from me. Hold your loved ones and live each and every day like it's your last. Make the time to do things before it's taken away from you ❤️

17/09/2020

Last chemo people!! 🎉🥂💪. I should sound more excited but it's so hard to celebrate because it's not the end of my journey by a long shot. This has been the hardest, most emotional 10 months of my life. As the weeks go on I'll probably share less about me and more about breast cancer in general. Helpful articles, links, pics etc. I'd like to start sharing this page further afield to help educate more women and men about breast cancer (yes I said MEN...they get breast cancer too!) You see, you've learnt something knew already 😁 lol.

Thanks again for all your support and kind words - and direct messages! It really has meant a lot. Thanks for being on my journey.

I've been asked a lot about my leg pain. All I can say is that I'm on a higher dose morphine, it's getting more painful as the days go on but I've finally had my MRI so I should hopefully get some answers soon 😆👍

07/08/2020

Can't sleep, so I thought I'd chat to you lovely lot to take my mind off the pain whilst the meds kick in ☺️

It's been like this for over a week now. This buldging disc is becoming a right pain in the arse... literally! My arse, back, pelvis, groin, front of my thigh and down my shin. I can't stand, sit and well walking must be quite amusing to watch.

Whilst I'm waiting to see the neurosurgeon my GP has been chopping and changing my pain relief. I'm now on a daily cocktail of tramadol, paracetamol, ibroprofen, pregabalin and liquid morphine. Oh...and I did I mention I had my 4th chemo yesterday?!? 🤣🤣

I had my review the other day with my oncologist and told her how bad it floored me last time. She advised that as it has a cumulative effect and I will feel worse again after the next 2 that she would reduce my chemo dose ever so slightly to try and lessen the affects a bit.

I'm feeling pretty ok at the moment which is miles different from last time as it knocked me out straight away. There's time yet though....🙄

Well, I think the morphine is starting to work, albeit slowly, so I might just get a few more hours kip before the munchkin wakes up 😴

18/07/2020

Bloody hell, feel like I've been run over by a bus. Hardly left the sofa today. Aching everywhere and horrible shooting nerve pain from head to foot. Also accompanied by plenty of tears of frustration, feeling useless... feeling sorry for my fat arse. (She says sat eating chocolate fudge cake with double cream). Don't judge..I'm losing my taste more after every session so enjoying it whilst I can 🤤🤤.

On a positive note (I'm trying)....I mentioned my leg pain to the doctor on Thursday who kindly popped into see me during my chemo. Had it for a few weeks and it's getting worse...my GP said trapped nerve - I kind of worked that out for myself! The doc said she would request an MRI. What I wasn't prepared for after spending 5 hours in hospital for chemo to be offered an MRI the very next morning at 8am. Oh my god I was knackered! They told me to go to the ward and wait for the results. I didn't expect to be still sat there waiting 7 hours later 😠.

However, I got my answer. Disc buldge at L5/S1 causing compression on nerve. As I have leg weakness and can't lift it off the bed they are referring me to see the neurosurgeon at LGI for further advice. Could it be after over 10 years of pain, 3 disc buldges, loads of pain killers, back injections and a diagnosis of spondylosis I'm actually gonna get sorted?!? 🤔.

Have to say, I'm so impressed with the team at Jimmies. Didn't enjoy the long wait yesterday which they apologised for but they really do go above and beyond. 👏

16/07/2020

Hey hey...so here's where i'm hanging out for the day. I am on dose number 3, which means I'm half way!! 😁👍 Whoop whoop!!

I'm just having pre meds which is a large dose of steroids and antihistamines which make you sooo sleepy. After an hour I can then start on the poison.

I don't want to jinx it but the last dose of chemo wasn't too bad. I had 4 days of feeling pants then it quickly passed. I have however managed to get a trapped nerve in my leg which has been agony. They're gonna sort an MRI out for me which is great so we can what's causing it.

I managed to learn a few chords on my new guitar but after the practice my fingers went tingly and numb. Peripheral neuropathy is common with these drugs but it's not stopping me from holding things etc so they're not too worried at the moment. If it gets worse they will adjust my dose.

Well, the sandwich lady is doing her rounds so I'm off to get my order in 😁🤤

25/06/2020

Round 2...all going smoothly for a change. Abraxane done now for carboplatin 😁😷

23/06/2020

Morning campers! My hair started falling out the other day so this happened yesterday. I think Ben quite enjoyed himself lol 🤣🤣