Thursday, 3 January 2008

Thanks so much to Julia for the 'swift lift' in today. 34 minutes in the Porche....nice!
Hot chocolate, massage, treatment, packed lunch, home, brilliant!
I feel fine although tired. Nothing much more to report. 14 treatments to go and I'm really getting excited about heading back to France. Once the treatment finishes I have 8 weeks before they need to see me although I'm not allowed to leave England unless I feel fine. I'll be tired then I've been told, really tired. No sweat.

You know, I've had some of the loveliest things written in the comments. Have a read of this....

A man sat down at his computer and started to type ‘Bonjour everyone!! I didn't ever think I'd be here but none of us do I guess…’ and he starts to tell us what he is feeling and thinking.And it begins, a slow whisper that spreads quickly around the world – thinkshrink, thinkshrinkReaching up to the highest Alpine mountain, across the world to the sun drenched beaches of Australia, across the pacific to America, riding the waves of the Atlantic to stretch back across Europe and home to Hertfordshire. By then the whisper is louder and stronger, a definite chant, a mantra – thinkshrink, thinkshrink. At keyboards around the globe, friends old and new take up the beat, the rhythm of the words sending strength through the electronic ether…As he sits at his computer the man sees the words we send him and hopefully he knows, if he could look right through the screen he would see us all looking back at him as the beat grows stronger and stronger – thinkshrink, thinkshrink, thinkshrink….a united heartbeat, the living sound of hope.

Whoever that was....thanks.

Keep 'em coming, it's so lovely to hear from you. From my great friends in Courchevel and other parts of the French and Swiss Alps to New Zealand, to England. My old school friends, neighbours, school teachers and family friends. We can beat this together. I feel very humbled but I'm taking great strength from all of you.

Love

Ali

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Ali,

Sooooooooooooo pleased to hear that you are now past the half way mark, the next sessions will just fly by.

I log on most days and its great to read your blog and see the comments that people leave.

I know that with support from us all you will get through this and so I'm adding my THINKSHRINK thoughts to those of everyone else.

Love Mrs H. x

Rob said...

Ali Happy New Year, I have been catching up on your progress after returning to work this morning after a brilliant Christmas in Dundee with the family and Hogmanay in Edinburgh with friends. The highlight probably our daughter Anna at 2 partying like a rock star till after 3 in the morning with two of her wee friends its amazing what crisps and chocolate can do!! Close call to her outlasting her old man! It looks like you have been having some fun over the festive period and your spirits seem really high which is great to hear/see. We have been thinking positive thoughts for you and your family and its good to see that single figures for the buzzy treatments beckons, which must be a great thought for you. Will keep thinkshrinking for you and hoping that this finds you as I have only just worked it out.
Cheers Rob (Pearson)

Anonymous said...

Hi Mate,

Was just 'ThinkShrinking' and thought i'd quickly log on to say hi. I was also thinking about how much i'm looking forwards to a long weekend in Annecy this summer with you and Jeanette, swimming in the lake and a few games of crazy golf. Perfect.

Speak later,

Fatnick.

Unknown said...

Ali, just heard about this rubbish thing and thought I'd send you a little note to wish you all shrinking in the world. Take care you, Tash (Redford) of HVSU days!

Anonymous said...

Ali - they are my words, specially for you, and I'm so glad you like them. I wasn't brave enough to leave my name....
Thinking about you, we can all shrink this together.
Linz (Cottle) also HVSU....

Anonymous said...

HI Ali
Hope you are enjoying the first few days of 2008. I am coming to the end of the final Gang Show rehearsals before we hit the tech and dress rehearsals at the weekend. Do you remember Marilyn standing on the table stamping her foot and shouting 'Quiet now!' Well not much has changed except now I'm the mad woman doing the stamping while Ewan is playing the piano and shouting just as loud! I wonder if the poise and balance you now demonstrate (well maybe not in the last few weeks!) when you are skiing developed from all those years dancing in your tap shoes and riding on the crest of the wave!! Hope the rest of the treatments fly by and you get back to France before you know it.
Love to all the family

Jemma

Anonymous said...

Hi Ali,

You are and always will be an absolute diamond bloke.

My memories of you are getting absolutely hammered with the likes of your bro, dalton, withers, dench, williams and many more on HVSU summer trips. You must remember the rain dance in Switzerland that we did!.. Mate you are full of smiles and happiness. Wishing you all the best on your return to full fitness.

I can feel the shrinking as we speak. Take is easy and hope to see you soon. Love Craig Redford (Tasha's Brother)

Anonymous said...

Ali, the MAN!

Just want to say "Hi :)"! Waching you almost everyday, it's so much light in here. So many wonderful people!

No doubt the THINKSHRINK is working, so much energy in this word. Be careful :) we are only have started....

Lots of love!

Ilia (St.Pete)

Anonymous said...

ali me old son, still loving the blog... jealous you got a proper xmas feed, haven't had one for 9 years!!!! am keeping up with all the news, i know and you know we'll be up the semnoz making a few turns before the end of the winter. never been up there actually, shocking i know, but let's do it together ma boy. we're all thinking shrinking here in val d so keep it up and stay strong like bull!!! chief

Janeywhit said...

Hi Ali!
Alistair Rainback!
I remember you and your brother Simon from the HVSU days (seems like there are quite a few of us lurking around here!) You will probably remember my sister Sally better, I tended to hang around in the dark spaces at Gang Shows rather than mince about with you prima donnas on the...FRONT ROW!
Well, I can now finally see the point in Facebook. Your blog (and the comments from your many friends and family) is awesome. Sure beats some utube clip of a cute cat or daft cartoons which I normally get sent. SO impressed to read all your stuff and just hope we can all thinkshrink very hard for you.
Please keep the blog going, I will keep reading and I will be thinkingshrinking thinkingshrinking good thoughts and vibes from the cold old north of West Yorkshire/Manchester.
Love to you and all your family, take it easy and one day at a time...
love jane (Whitham, ex hvsu)
Ps I hope this comes out right, I have already written once but the whole lot disappeared, I think. Apologies if you get it twice.

Anonymous said...

Hi Ali,

I'm thinkshrinking away for you. You're doing really well, keep up the positive thoughts and YOU WILL WIN.

Love to you and all your family.

Christine xx

Anonymous said...

Fella,

I'm cracking up at some of these comments. Whoever 'Anonymous' is, let him now my brother's a GP if he needs any viagra for his little problem!

Good to see the mighty Arsenal are marching on since we met a few months ago. If ever you need tickets just drop Cat a line (If you ask me it will never get done!).

Thinkshrink big fella.

Love Dave N' Cat, and Hannah and Charle George.

J-A said...

Ali - SO good to talk to you again after 19 years! Definitely the best thing that happened to me yesterday. As for today it's only just begun but it IS Friday - C'MON!

The thinkshrink vibes are heading across to you from all my colleagues (they ask me everyday how Mr SkierMan is), family and friends and the Convent of the Poor Clares in Dublin. I even said a whole rosary for you last night - something else I haven't done in 19 years!

Good luck with the Buzzmeister today and have a fab weekend.

Lots of love
Jane-Anne

Philip B said...

Morning mate!

The end of another week and well on the way to the end of your treatments. You are sounding very buoyant and still up to the old "Sorry, I've lost my wallet. Can someone else pay please?" trick. Some things never change, eh?

Seriously though, we are all thinking of you non-stop and beaming shrinkiness your way.

See you soon,

Philip and all at LF

Anonymous said...

Hi Ali,
Happy New Year - great to see you're over half way there and in good spirits.
I love the ThinkShrink idea and the slowly building worldwide crescendo. You know the background music to the build-up? The ShrinkPanther!
Love to you and Jeanette and here's to a great '08
Tim P