Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 30/09/2026I would appear to have reached the age of 70. I have no idea how the heck that’s happened but, here we are. 051
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Chapter 38 of my diary is up 🙏 njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/09/28/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 38Chapter 38 “Counting Stars.” Friday 4th September Of course we packed too much; we always do. Anyway, on our way, just after 10am, for what was an uneventful journey. Except that, for me, it … 101
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 19/09/2026My review of the definitive book about Rory Gallagher has just been published on The Afterword site. Beautifully written by his brother, Donal, it is a love letter to Ireland, the blues and one of the best to ever pick up a guitar. #RoryGallagher #DonalGallagher theafterword.co.uk/edged-in-blu...theafterword.co.ukEdged In Blue: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Odyssey with Rory Gallagher 030
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 06/09/2026A delicious coffee outside Ola Tir a Môr, about 100yds from the house. Perfect. 040
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 05/09/2026Chapter 37 of my diary is up, in which we discover just what ‘maintenance’ means. njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/09/05/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 37Chapter 37 “Cake By The Ocean” Monday 24th August Chemotherapy Maintenance Day One. A nice lazy morning; shave, shower, lotions and creams, coffee and toast in the garden. We set off for the hospit… 450
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 23/08/2026Chapter 36 of my diary is up. Home from the hospital and the power of good friends . njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/08/23/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 36Chapter 36 “Thank You For Being A Friend.” Saturday 9th August The first full day out of hospital and, feck, it felt so good. Just not having people coming in for obs, drugs, blood tests, to stick … 130
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 15/08/2026A lovely chat on the phone with my famous brother, today. We were comparing war wounds and battle scars. It was so good to catch up. 030
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 08/08/2026Chapter 35 of my diary is up. Might I suggest that you don’t read it while you’re having a meal. njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/08/08/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 35Chapter 35 “Take Me Home.” This chapter contains some difficult details, especially if you’re squeamish about toilet-stuff. You have been warned. Sunday 26th July We arrived at A&E and Janet ex… 110
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 07/08/202612 days, 4 cannulas, litres of infusions and a thousand needles later, I’m home. It feels so good. 9240
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 01/08/2026Pls help my amazing wife if you can: I’m taking on the Walk 30 Miles in September Challenge to help raise money for Cancer Research UK. Please show your support and help fund life-saving research by donating to my page. fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/janets-...fundraise.cancerresearchuk.orgJanet's Giving PageThanks for visiting my fundraising page. I’m taking on the Walk 30 Miles in September Challenge to help raise money for Cancer Research UK. Please show your support and help fund life-saving research ... 011
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 01/08/2026Please help my amazing wife if you can:Thanks for visiting my page. I’m taking on the Walk 30 Miles in September Challenge to help raise money for Cancer Research UK. Please show your support and help fund life-saving research by donating to my page. fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/janets-...fundraise.cancerresearchuk.orgJanet's Giving PageThanks for visiting my fundraising page. I’m taking on the Walk 30 Miles in September Challenge to help raise money for Cancer Research UK. Please show your support and help fund life-saving research ... 113
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 31/07/2026Chapter 34 of my diary is up, in which life goes from the sublime to the ridiculous. njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/07/31/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 34Chapter 34 “Never Before.” Monday 13th July My car is booked in for a service and poor Janet has the sorry task of taking it to the Nissan Dealer in Reading and waiting for the work to be done. The… 100
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 13/07/2026Chapter 33 is up. The Lump goes on holiday. njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/07/13/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 33Chapter 33 “Johnny’s Garden.” Monday 29th June. Another Monday, another day of ‘will they finish the garden today, or not?’ They had messaged to say they’ll be here at 9.30, with … 131
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 28/06/2026Chapter 32 of my diary is up. A celebration strangled before it could start. njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/06/28/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 32Chapter 32 “Open Arms.” Italian Saturday from Puglia, on the 13th June, meant a beautiful fillet of Red Mullet with fennel, potatoes, tomatoes, capers and parsley. It’s a wonderful dish; so f… 241
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 13/06/2026Chapter 31 is up…and downs 🙏 njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/06/13/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 31Chapter 31 “Be Good to Yourself” Monday 1st June Work on the garden begins today but I’d love to just go away and come back with it all done. Oh, well; as I said to a tour-guide in Boston whe… 321
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 09/06/2026We’re really enjoying the Tom Hanks World War II series. It highlights how much of our recent history we didn’t get taught at school; bearing in mind that I was born just 11 years after the war ended. Highly recommended. 030
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 08/06/2026I've felt quite unwell this past 2 weeks, since Chemo 5.1. A distant headache, a constant feeling that dizziness is just a sudden movement away, and the bastard, never-ending nausea that is the centre of my life. So a bit of normal shit; coffee with @jaybee2801, is so precious. 1110
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 31/05/2026Chapter 30 of my diary is up. It has a postscript from Janet which I am proud to publish. njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/05/31/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 30Chapter 30 “Pink Rabbits” – The National Friday 22nd May Bloods, today. “Sharp scratch,” ‘Woah, that’s nearly coming out the other side.’ Of course I didn’t say that. At lea… 110
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 20/05/2026Chapter 29 is up. Thanks again for all of the kind messages 🙏 njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/05/20/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 29Chapter 29 “Blue Suede Shoes” Tuesday 5th May Today was Janet’s turn. Today was the day we would have arrived back at Heathrow after nearly three months in New Zealand and Australia. Janet had the … 430
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 09/05/2026We went to the Hand & Flowers for a drink with Janet’s sister and her husband, yesterday. It was so great to see them, (it’s been 5 months,) and our friends at The Hand. It was good getting dressed up a bit too; that hasn’t happened since January. A tiny bit of normal life. 050
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 05/05/2026Chapter 28 of my diary. A troubling time. njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/05/05/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 28Chapter 28 “Lost Verses” Friday 24th April Bloods 9am. I was sitting outside the department at 8.10am, in and out by 8.15, home by 8.35. Result. It was a Polish nurse this time and the test was com… 121
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 23/04/2026Chapter 27 of my cancer diary is up. njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/04/23/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 27Chapter 27 “Rocket Man” Saturday 11th April 2026 A late-night for both of us watching the Artemis II crew come home, but it was well worth it. The capsule splashed down at the exact time and place … 120
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 18/04/2026My guardian angel, waiting for the sun to set on Borth beach. I love this photo. 1171
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 15/04/2026Well that was good! Our meeting with Dr. Booth and Rachel, following Saturday’s scan, was nothing but good news. The scan showed no new issues and the physical exam showed no new lumps, 'in all the right places.' So, the treatment is working. That’s all I need to know. 3140
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 10/04/2026Chapter 26 of my cancer diary is up 🙏 njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/04/10/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 26Chapter 26 ‘Hmm, tell me about your childhood.’ “Hyperactive!” Easter weekend was a feast of amazing food. Janet will tell you that she loves planning a menu for a weekend so, when it’s… 010
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 02/04/2026Chapter 25 of my diary is up. Chemo Days 3.1/3.2🙏 njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/04/02/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 25Chapter 25 “Ticket to the Moon” Friday 27th March 2026 Bloods Day! A 9am appointment at Bracknell, sitting waiting at 8.25. Rightly, they saw the 8.30 and 8.40 people before me but the usual little… 010
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 31/03/2026Chemo Day 3.2 One bag of anti-sickness and one bag of Bendamustine. #fuckcancer 2140
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 25/03/2026Chapter 24 of my cancer is up. 🙏 njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/03/25/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 24Chapter 24 “My Brother Jake” Wednesday 18th March 2026 A Day to Treasure. As soon as Janet saw Wednesday’s weather forecast, at the weekend, she decided that we were going on a picnic. Being The Gr… 110
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 16/03/2026Chapter 23 of my cancer diary is up 🙏 njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/03/16/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 23Chapter 23 “Have You Heard the News Today?” Would you like some good news? Of course you would. Blood test this morning at Bracknell so we did the usual, ‘get in early while it’s quiet,’… 022
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 12/03/2026Chapter 22 of my cancer diary is up. njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/03/12/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 22Chapter 22 “The Pie” My wonderful sister-in-law, Jacqui, took the ‘cottage pie as chemo pie’ theme and ran with it as only she can. She sent us a photo of her own version, which made us… 010
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 08/03/2026Chapter 21 of my cancer diary is up. You’ve had the fun and frolics, Now it’s time to for the bollocks. njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/03/08/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 21Chapter 21 “Down, down, deeper and down.” Wednesday 4th March If you’re going to have a bad day then there’s a good chance it’ll be immediately after a chemo session. It makes sense, I suppose. All… 130
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 03/03/2026Chemo Day 2: Chapter 20 of my cancer diary is up. njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/03/03/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 20Chapter 20 “Counting Stars” Chemo Day 2.1 It’s Monday morning, on the 2nd March 2026, and it’s the day of my second chemotherapy session. We’re up early, ready to leave at 7.20 for Cancer Centre at… 220
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 01/03/2026Chapter 19 of my diary is up. ‘Twas the night before Chemo ….’ njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/03/01/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 19Chapter 19 “Through All That Nothing” Friday 27th February Bloods 9.50 Bracknell. We know from experience that if you rock up early at Bracknell and get the right nurse, you can get in early.… 220
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 28/02/2026Since we can’t visit our favourite restaurants while I’m on chemotherapy, we’ll just have to have our nights out at home. Cheers everyone 🥂🍾💚❤️ #ArmourOn 580
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 26/02/2026Chapter 18 of my cancer diary is up.🙏 njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/02/26/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 18Chapter 18 “There’s Love That Makes A Cup of Tea” Monday 23rd February A quiet weekend full of televised sport. The wonderful Winter Olympics have been a godsend. I’m not a fan of the s… 010
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 22/02/2026If anyone is looking for previous episodes of my diary, you can find them here: njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com?s=diary+of+a...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comSearch Results for “diary of a lump” – Diary Of A LumpA cancer diary 010
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 22/02/2026Chapter 17 of my cancer diary is up. Thank you for the support and reposts 🙏 010
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 22/02/2026njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/02/22/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 17Chapter 17 “It’s About Time” Thursday 19th February 2026 “Your hair falls out with chemotherapy, doesn’t it?” It’s a commonly held view but, these days, it’s not always the case. The reason it’s a … 020
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 19/02/2026Chapter 16 of my cancer diary is up 🙏 njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/02/19/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 16Chapter 16 “More Than Words” “I just don’t have the right words…” Who does? Not many of us, that’s for sure. Who knows what to say around illness or death? Who knows what to say at a funeral? “Sorr… 210
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 18/02/2026It’s so odd getting all the usual gig emails from venues and ticket agencies… and having to ignore them all. #fuckcancer 120
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 15/02/2026Chapter 15 of my journey with cancer. So many friends have asked what happened on Friday that it’s unfair to hold back any longer 🙏 njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/02/15/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 15Chapter 15 “I Got You, Babe.” I’ve never believed in Friday the 13th. I mean, of course I know that it’s a date on the calendar, once or twice a year. Denying that would be pretty stupid. No,… 421
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 14/02/2026Chapter 14 of my cancer diary is up. njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/02/14/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 14Chapter 14 “Kiss On My List” BANG! I looked at the alarm clock; 5.35am; I needed a whizz, third one tonight, so my body had made sure I woke up. BANG! My back hadn’t given me a belt of … 110
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 11/02/2026Chapter 13 of my cancer diary is up 🙏 njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/02/11/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 13Chapter 13 “If You Could Read My Mind, Love” Well, that was a shock to the system. So far, the week after Chemo Day has gone pretty much exactly like the clinicians said it would. The steroids give… 041
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 08/02/2026Chapter 12 of my cancer diary is up 🙏 njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/02/08/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 12Chapter 12 “You’ve Got A Friend” Let’s talk about support. If you’re going through cancer on your own you have my undying love. I cannot imagine the stress that is added to your illness by ha… 021
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 06/02/2026Chapter 11 of my cancer diary is up. njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/02/06/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 11Chapter 11 “Super Trouper” After a night of my body and brain buzzing around like a swarm of bees, I think I had around six hours sleep. I mentally checked myself, as usual, and then checked my bod… 010
Niall Brannigan @niallb1.bsky.social · 04/02/2026Chapter 10 of my cancer diary is up. njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/02/04/d...njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.comDiary of a Lump 10Chapter 10 “Just One Victory” Over 100,000 people in the U.K. receive chemotherapy every year. So, every ten years, that’s a million people. See? I’m not special or different. In fact, today,… 110