David Quinlan

Software Engineer, Geek, Trumpet, Interested in Cooking, Photography, Running, Yoga, various other things, Cancer Survivor.

Solutions Architect @ Mercedes-Benz UK

Soprano Cornet @ Hitchin Band

Eb Trumpet @ The Brass Foundry

Dominican Republic Sunset

Hairy Cell Leukaemia Relapse – 2 Year Update

It’s been 2 years now since finding out my Hairy Cell Leukaemia had relapsed. I’ve blogged about this previously in more detail, basically, not the news we wanted at the time. Looking back the treatment and recovery journey was very different to the first episode. Long story short, my recent haematology results (last week) came out all pretty much in normal expected ranges, nothing that the consultant is worried or concerned about – next check up in 6 months. I’ve…

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A Time to Say at the Bigg Theatre

We are delighted to share that “A time to say Bocelli and Brightman” will be coming to the fabulous Bigg Theatre in Biggleswade on Saturday 17th August at 8pm. A musical tribute to classical singers Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman, performed by Howard Ellis and Helen Power. Enjoy beautiful music from Italian opera, film, and theatre to classical chart hits. In Time To Say Bocelli & Brightman, Howard and Helen explore the starsโ€™ solo careers and their famous duets. Click…

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HCL Relapse 12 Months On

This day last year I started chemotherapy for my relapse of Hairy Cell Leukaemia. It’s hard to believe it’s been 12 months but thankfully, here we are! At the time, my calendar was filled with chemotherapy appointments and blood tests, every two weeks running until end of May, but in our minds, we were taking it one day at a time. Looking forward at the time, all we had to go on was what happened during my initial treatment, neutropenia,…

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Upcoming Concerts

Long overdue a post on my blog – will start with some upcoming concerts! It does appear to be a mini-tour of “St James’s” Churches… ๐Ÿ™‚ London International Orchestra St James’s Church, Piccadilly Thursday 23rd November – 7:30pm Conductor: Alexander Walker Tickets from Eventbrite London Euphonia Orchestra St James’s Church, Sussex Gardens Saturday 25th November – 7:30pm Conductor: Dario Peluso Tickets on Eventbrite Hitchin Band – The Snowman Saturday 2nd December Performances at St Mary’s Church, Hitchin at the following…

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Ride London 2023

Ride London 2023 Done

It’s been a couple of weeks since the ride so about time for me to do a write up! In summary, this year it was a very smooth ride, in that I wasn’t held up by any incidents, there were no warnings of thumb tacks on the road, the weather was just right, wasn’t too windy, wasn’t too warm.. just right. I set off from the house shortly after 5am on the morning of the ride. In previous rides, I…

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Ride London 2023 Countdown

6 Month Update

This weekend is more or less the end of the initial 6 month period that I was informed I would be having treatment. Cutting a long story a bit shorter (sorry, I do waffle a bit), I responded well to treatment so didn’t require the 13 or so cycles of treatment that I was expecting in that 6 month period. Since my last blog, I’ve had 2 more cycles, at the beginning and end of April. I had a blood…

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Hairy Cell Treatment Latest Update

Time for an update! It’s been a while ๐Ÿ™‚ In my previous post was written just before cycle 4. I went on to have 3 more cycles before my consultant suggested we take a break and do a biopsy to see where we are. Only so much can be analysed from blood results so biopsy it was. I had the results from this a couple of weeks ago, where my consultant informed me I am responding very well to treatment,…

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Cancer Treatment Update

Hairy Cell Leukaemia – Treatment Update

It has been over a month now since my last update, so I thought it was about time to gather my thoughts! Looking back to my first post on this relapse, I was due to start my treatment on November 17th and would be approaching cycle 6 this week, however, this isn’t exactly how things have panned out. The original start date date slipped 2 weeks to December 1st as pharmacy at Lister did not have the chemo drug I…

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HCL Relapse – Treatment Update

I start my treatment for my HCL relapse this Thursday (17th Nov). It seems quite a long time since the initial warning signs were found in my annual check-up in July, but as bizarre as it sounds, it’s good to finally have a start date, because, a start date, means an end date! I am facing 6 months of fortnightly chemotherapy (at the Lister in Stevenage) – where I will be given Pentostation by IV drip. This is a very…

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Wiltshire & New Forest

Another year, another holiday in the UK. We’d planned to go abroad and were looking at Split in Croatia but I couldn’t get travel insurance (more on that below). MrsQ put out a request for recommendations on Facebook and received lots of replies. We chose to do a 2 location trip, with very different accommodation at each! Shepherds Hut Yes, we went “glamping” for 3 nights at a location just outside Tisbury in Wiltshire, a Shepherds Hut with nearby kitchen…

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