I’m going to do an experiment in pop-up, temporary, newslettering.

I’m having radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer over the next couple of weeks and I’m going to be writing about the experience in an email newsletter (subscription page).

I intend to write most days, but the main expected side-effect of the treatment is fatigue, and I’m already 7-months sleep-deprived from new fatherhood, so some days it will be short or just not happen.

In part it’s a way for me to let people know what’s happening without having to think too hard about who to add to a WhatsApp group or something.

I still need to write a “story so far” kind of intro, but as usual, I’m juggling the need to get something set up with the need to have some writing to share. I’m also working out how intimate and truthful it can be without being a gross-fest – I expect to be working on that throughout… but one of the problems with this kind of cancer is that many people with prostates don’t talk about their bodies and feelings the way that many people with breasts and ovaries tend to – and that includes me, so patience please.

It’s not a substack, please don’t call it a substack. For a start, it’s free – I have no interest in charging you for the privilege of reading more emails, especially emails that are all about me and my insides.

I’m also not tracking your “engagement” or capturing and selling your data and when this is all over I’ll be deleting whatever data gets collected.

Public comments won’t be enabled, but if you want to say “Hi!” then a one-line email reply would be lovely. Just because I’m not sure yet how much I’ll be able to process other than one-liners.

I have doubtless forgotten something vitally important in setting it up, I beg your indulgence… again…

Subscribe to “Zap! A Radiotherapy Diary”

PS the first unexpectedly difficult thing is finding images to use that aren’t either tear-jerky or just jerky or “woah dude! TMI!” – so have a path in the woods where you can’t quite see what’s round the corner… ?