This in between Christmas & New Year period is always a bit of a blur. The normal week is suspended and all the days blur together. I've just come through my third spell of chemo and so the last week or so has been strange anyway. I was OK until day 4 (Saturday?) when I got ill. I managed to take all five doses of chemo without spewing them up and I'm on the road to recovery again. This illness is strange. It's like six illnesses one after the other. Take pills, feel ill, get better. Take pills, feel ill, get better. In one respect I'm no different to how I was in October, which is different from, say, recovering from an operation or a broken leg. Then there's the "Next time I'll know what to expect so I'll be better prepared" syndrome. Which basically means putting everything on hold. You're either recovering from the treatment or getting ready for the next dose.
We once visited Portland Bill, near Weymouth in Dorset. Chris was about 18 months old and we remember that this was the time when he turned almost overnight from a baby to a toddler. I also remember carrying him on my shoulders along a street and forgetting to duck under a branch of a tree, so he copped a faceful of leaves. He's taller and heavier than me now, so I hope he doesn't hold a grudge.
Anyway, we visited Portland Bill. It was foggy that day and the foghorn at the lighthouse was sounding. I recall standing near the lighthouse. When the foghorn sounded it drowned out everything. The earth shook. It was impossible to think. Then it stopped and it was heaven for a few seconds. Then the fear of another blast on the foghorn began. The next seconds of silence were spoiled by the oncoming dread of the oncoming noise. When it started it was as bad as before. Each time it sounded was like the first time. It made no difference whether I knew when it would start or not. Eventually we left and went back to Weymouth, never to return. I couldn't stand the sound, or the anticipation of the sound.
I was reminded about that when I was lying in bed this morning. Actually, chemo isn't that bad as long as I take care of myself and don't get tired. I can cope. I wouldn't cope with living near a lighthouse with a foghorn. Ever.
Do you know the joke with the punchline "Tea break over. Back on your heads!"?
Wednesday, 30 December 2009
Monday, 28 December 2009
Monday
I spoke too soon. Yesterday was a bad day. Maybe I overdid it on Saturday. I helped Chris soundcheck his drum kit in the studio for an hour or so, and while I didn't do a lot, it was a lot more than I've done of late. Then I stayed up late watching TV. I didn't drink much either.
Something caused me to wake with a start on Sunday morning and boy did I feel ill. I went to the bathromm and lay on the floor for a whille, then ent back to bed. I managed to take some anti-naisea pills along with my chemo pills, and kept them down. I managed to eat some toast then slept til midmorning when I had a cup of tea and brought it back up. So, no more tea. I ate toast and sipped water and dozed/slept until Monday morning. When I felt ill again. There was nothing to bring up but I felt a bit better. However, my fluid intake for the last day has been a lot less than the litre and a half I'm supposed to drink, so I'm not out of the woods yet.
Something caused me to wake with a start on Sunday morning and boy did I feel ill. I went to the bathromm and lay on the floor for a whille, then ent back to bed. I managed to take some anti-naisea pills along with my chemo pills, and kept them down. I managed to eat some toast then slept til midmorning when I had a cup of tea and brought it back up. So, no more tea. I ate toast and sipped water and dozed/slept until Monday morning. When I felt ill again. There was nothing to bring up but I felt a bit better. However, my fluid intake for the last day has been a lot less than the litre and a half I'm supposed to drink, so I'm not out of the woods yet.
Saturday, 26 December 2009
Boxing Day
So far so good. It's day four of the current cycle of treatment and I'm doing OK. The preemptive strike with the anti nausea pills seems to have worked. I'm still feeling a bit tired but slept all night last night instead of the usual three hours or so.
I enjoyed Christmas Day. I even put on a glitzy cowboy shirt instead of the usual t-shirt. Chris & Heather were here in the morning, along with Jayne and her new man Ian and Rob who used to live with us last year. Jayne, Chris & Rob stayed for Christmas dinner, but then it was just Sue and myself in the evening. Typically there were three programmes of TV at the same time and we could only record/watch two, so I watched James May's Toy Stories and Sue went upstairs to watch her fix of Christmas soap, whilst recording "Strictly". We did watch Taggart together, taking great delight in saying "There's been a muuurrrrrrdaaahh" at various stages in the story.
All this fine Christmas fare (we still have half a turkey to plunder and it's now Boxing Day) has blinded me to the fact that there are no less than three unopened packs of Cadbury's Dairy Milk in the fridge. That's 3x 400 gramme packs, 1.2 kilgrammes of the best chocolate in the world- unopened! That's over 2 pounds of chocolate. This situation cannot be allowed to continue. We must strike and strike fast and decisively.
Who wants a bit of choccy?
I enjoyed Christmas Day. I even put on a glitzy cowboy shirt instead of the usual t-shirt. Chris & Heather were here in the morning, along with Jayne and her new man Ian and Rob who used to live with us last year. Jayne, Chris & Rob stayed for Christmas dinner, but then it was just Sue and myself in the evening. Typically there were three programmes of TV at the same time and we could only record/watch two, so I watched James May's Toy Stories and Sue went upstairs to watch her fix of Christmas soap, whilst recording "Strictly". We did watch Taggart together, taking great delight in saying "There's been a muuurrrrrrdaaahh" at various stages in the story.
All this fine Christmas fare (we still have half a turkey to plunder and it's now Boxing Day) has blinded me to the fact that there are no less than three unopened packs of Cadbury's Dairy Milk in the fridge. That's 3x 400 gramme packs, 1.2 kilgrammes of the best chocolate in the world- unopened! That's over 2 pounds of chocolate. This situation cannot be allowed to continue. We must strike and strike fast and decisively.
Who wants a bit of choccy?
Friday, 25 December 2009
Christmas Eve continued
As I was writing the last post I became aware of movement downstairs. The cat roams freely at night so I ingored it at first. It was when I heard the cutlery drawer open that I thought I'd better investigate. I went downstairs and Chris is in the kitchen making a sandwich. He'd walked back from the pub in the town centre and crept in trying not to make a sound. Having a few beers and trying to move around quietly are not normally compatible. So we had a cup of tea and I had an early breakfast and we sat and talked until four in the morning when I thought I ought to get some sleep.
I must have slept for all of three hours when a text woke me up. It was Tracy from Oz wishing me a happy Christmas. It was early evening where he was, but early morning here. Anyway, I got up and took the first of the day's dose of pills.
I've reserved a time slot just after the Christmas dinner for my next sleep.
No change there then.
I must have slept for all of three hours when a text woke me up. It was Tracy from Oz wishing me a happy Christmas. It was early evening where he was, but early morning here. Anyway, I got up and took the first of the day's dose of pills.
I've reserved a time slot just after the Christmas dinner for my next sleep.
No change there then.
Christmas Eve
I tried to take my pills in the correct order today. This meant waking up and taking two anti-nausea pills followed by seven of chemo. I had to take those on an empty stomach and with plenty of water. An hour later I took the normal daily pills and had my breakfast. My fingers and joints were very stiff this morning. I don't know if this is a side efect by my hands were very bad during the first month of treatment when I ended up in hospital. The morning went uneventfully. Sue was cooking and baking and I was unwelcome in the kitchen, so I retired somewhere quiet with the newspaper. I felt sleepy and a bit cold, so after a breakfast of bacon & egg sandwiches, shared with Chris who'd arrived home after driving 950 miles in the last 30 hours, through snow and ice, up to Glasgow and down to London, finishing in Leicester this morning. O for the energy and stamina of youth.
I took my second dose of chemo pills at lunchtime (only five of these) and, feeling cold and tired, fell asleep fully clothed, in bed. I reecall Jayne bringing me a cup of tea but when I woke it was late afternoon and the tea was cold.
After an evening of watching TV fully awake (my sleeping pattern is totally screwed) I decided that I ought to get to bed, so as to be at least semi-aware of events tomorrow.
I took my second dose of chemo pills at lunchtime (only five of these) and, feeling cold and tired, fell asleep fully clothed, in bed. I reecall Jayne bringing me a cup of tea but when I woke it was late afternoon and the tea was cold.
After an evening of watching TV fully awake (my sleeping pattern is totally screwed) I decided that I ought to get to bed, so as to be at least semi-aware of events tomorrow.
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
Those were the days
This is a photo I took of a commemorative plaque beside the road just outside Robin Hoods Bay, North Yorkshire. I was watching a documentary about folk singer Eliza Carthy on Sky Arts tonight and Eliza's family live there. Seeing pictures of the narrow streets leading down to the sea reminded me of the plaque.
I hope that you will take time to read the inscription on the plaque. It tells you in a few words how times have changed. We've had a few inches of snow and the roads are impassible (impassable?). Part of the problem is the ineptutude of many drivers. They just can't drive when there's snow or ice on the road. They drive too fast, all accellerator and brake, and too close to the vehicle in front. Another factor is we drive all year round with summer tyres, and the tread is too shallow to grip when it's snowy. Then there's the nanny state with the health and safety don't drive, stay off the roads, etc, when it's clear to anyone with an ounce of sense that if enough people drove on the roads the snow would be broken down to slush and drain away. The problem with that solution is points one and two- bad drivers and summer tyres.
Anyway, please take time to look at the inscription.
Boiler update
We had a call from a boiler engineer this afternoon. He had the spares to repair the boiler but hadn't been told that the boiler was upstairs and he had to reach the exhaust vent in order to dismantle the boiler. We showed him where it was, and showed him the sheet of ice outside the back door which was caused by the leaking overflow. He didn't have a ladder or someone to hold the ladder steady, so we persuaded him that it'd be better to leave the spares and get another engineer around once we'd thawed out.
The boiler leaks but it's safe and it's working. That'll do until after the holiday.
We live in Northamptonshire and the engineer had been called in from the Forest of Dean to help with the backlog. They hadn't had any snow so far, so he was surprised to see how bad it was.
Chris has had a busy day. He had to get up early to drive to Coventry to pick up a load and take it to Glasgow. I kept in touch with him through the day. He said the roads were bad on the M6 over Shap and on the M74 near Moffat going up. He followed a snow plough as it removed about 12 inches of snow from the carriageway. He rang later on his way back from Glasgow and on to London to pick up his load for tomorrow. When I spoke to him he had done about 680 miles and had another 85 or so to go. It was raining so he could drive at 70. Once he's collected the load he has to deliver it to Leicester and then he can relax for a couple of days.
My first dose of chemo has gone without too much trouble. I'm a bit sore around my kidneys so I must drink plenty of fluids.
The boiler leaks but it's safe and it's working. That'll do until after the holiday.
We live in Northamptonshire and the engineer had been called in from the Forest of Dean to help with the backlog. They hadn't had any snow so far, so he was surprised to see how bad it was.
Chris has had a busy day. He had to get up early to drive to Coventry to pick up a load and take it to Glasgow. I kept in touch with him through the day. He said the roads were bad on the M6 over Shap and on the M74 near Moffat going up. He followed a snow plough as it removed about 12 inches of snow from the carriageway. He rang later on his way back from Glasgow and on to London to pick up his load for tomorrow. When I spoke to him he had done about 680 miles and had another 85 or so to go. It was raining so he could drive at 70. Once he's collected the load he has to deliver it to Leicester and then he can relax for a couple of days.
My first dose of chemo has gone without too much trouble. I'm a bit sore around my kidneys so I must drink plenty of fluids.
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
Tuesday
On Monday afternoon I was in my customary position stretched out on the sofa when the phone rang. I got up too quickly and felt a bit dizzy. After that I felt unwell and in the end decided to go to bed early. I must have gone off to sleep right away. The next I knew it was the following morning and Sue is calling to me to wake up.
I got dressed and went downstairs and had breakfast, forgetting to take my medication, and then Sue drove me to the hospital. She dropped me off near the clinic and continued to work, and I walked to the clinic, entered and went straight to the treatment area and sat down. After about 15 minutes one of the nurses asked if I'd been assessed because they didn't have my file. Doh! I should have read the appointment letter.
So I went downstairs and booked in at the reception. A few minutes later I was called through by a nurse. I was weighed (twice, the second time without my Doc Martens as they didn't believe I'd put that much weight on). I put it down to my all-inaction lifestyle (and Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate) and I'm currently breaking the scales at a tad under 100kg. I might have to start doing some exercise, but I'm content to wait until after Christmas and the current course of chemo.
Once the consultation was over I went back to the treatment room and spent the next few hours connected to a drip and alternately reading the paper and dozing off.
I was finished by four o'clock. Sue came and collected me and we drove home through crowded streets. The town was gridlocked again, a combination of bad driving, untreated roads and too many people out shopping.
I'll start the dose of chemo tablets in the morning and hope that I've got enough anti-nausea tablets to get me through the next five days.
I got dressed and went downstairs and had breakfast, forgetting to take my medication, and then Sue drove me to the hospital. She dropped me off near the clinic and continued to work, and I walked to the clinic, entered and went straight to the treatment area and sat down. After about 15 minutes one of the nurses asked if I'd been assessed because they didn't have my file. Doh! I should have read the appointment letter.
So I went downstairs and booked in at the reception. A few minutes later I was called through by a nurse. I was weighed (twice, the second time without my Doc Martens as they didn't believe I'd put that much weight on). I put it down to my all-inaction lifestyle (and Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate) and I'm currently breaking the scales at a tad under 100kg. I might have to start doing some exercise, but I'm content to wait until after Christmas and the current course of chemo.
Once the consultation was over I went back to the treatment room and spent the next few hours connected to a drip and alternately reading the paper and dozing off.
I was finished by four o'clock. Sue came and collected me and we drove home through crowded streets. The town was gridlocked again, a combination of bad driving, untreated roads and too many people out shopping.
I'll start the dose of chemo tablets in the morning and hope that I've got enough anti-nausea tablets to get me through the next five days.
Monday, 21 December 2009
Monday morning
Apart from a brief foray to the shops on Sunday, I stayed in all weekend. Today I must go up to the hospital to have a blood test, ready for my next chemo session tomorrow.
One thing about all this enforced inactivity is that I read a lot, watch a lot of TV, and surf the internet. So I followed the latest Climate fiasco in Copenhagen with interest. I've already posted about the hypocrisy of it all, the private jets, the limos, the five star hotels, the deliberate misinformation and scaremongering, the falsification of facts and the rest of the charade. What puzzled me most was why bother? Why do all these fat cats turn up at these events and shed crocodile tears while they cry wolf about the fate of the world's poorest? Why? What's in it for them?
I'm beeing too cynical when I say that the richest nations look down on the poor with distain, and hate them because they produce nothing but children, and knowing that any attempt to improve their lot will only make them breed more. (Their opinion- not necessarily mine) So they stand on the platform in front of the world's media and give away money we don't have to the world's poorest nations, knowing full well that the people who need it won't see a penny, but the leaders of these poorest nations will soon have a shiny new jet so they can swan off to the next global fiasco.
So what's in it for the like of Gore and the others who have grown rich by peddling Man Made Climate Change? Those of us who are old enough to remember Watergate will remember a phrase used at the time "Follow the money". So, where's the money coming from, the money that will keep these vultures circling?
The answer, my loyal readers, who show up to read how my leukaemia is progressing, (please forgive me for using this blog as a soapbox)- the answer is Carbon Trading.
If you are interested and want to know more, can I direct you to this website?
http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/search?q=big+carbon
That's it for now. Please keep warm (except my friends in OZ- stay cool mate)
One thing about all this enforced inactivity is that I read a lot, watch a lot of TV, and surf the internet. So I followed the latest Climate fiasco in Copenhagen with interest. I've already posted about the hypocrisy of it all, the private jets, the limos, the five star hotels, the deliberate misinformation and scaremongering, the falsification of facts and the rest of the charade. What puzzled me most was why bother? Why do all these fat cats turn up at these events and shed crocodile tears while they cry wolf about the fate of the world's poorest? Why? What's in it for them?
I'm beeing too cynical when I say that the richest nations look down on the poor with distain, and hate them because they produce nothing but children, and knowing that any attempt to improve their lot will only make them breed more. (Their opinion- not necessarily mine) So they stand on the platform in front of the world's media and give away money we don't have to the world's poorest nations, knowing full well that the people who need it won't see a penny, but the leaders of these poorest nations will soon have a shiny new jet so they can swan off to the next global fiasco.
So what's in it for the like of Gore and the others who have grown rich by peddling Man Made Climate Change? Those of us who are old enough to remember Watergate will remember a phrase used at the time "Follow the money". So, where's the money coming from, the money that will keep these vultures circling?
The answer, my loyal readers, who show up to read how my leukaemia is progressing, (please forgive me for using this blog as a soapbox)- the answer is Carbon Trading.
If you are interested and want to know more, can I direct you to this website?
http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/search?q=big+carbon
That's it for now. Please keep warm (except my friends in OZ- stay cool mate)
Friday, 18 December 2009
Friday
We had a phone call at 7.30 this morning. The central heating engineer (who lives in our town) was going to call on us first because all his booked calls were many miles away and the roads were treacherous. There was a couple of inches of snow on the ground so Sue decided to walk to work rather than drive and I decided not to go in at all. I had hoped to sort the archive room out but that will have to wait until after Christmas now.
The engineer called around and took the boiler apart. His face was red when he found a bolt that he hadn't tightened last time he was here. There are other faults and he's ordered more parts, but it safe to use (as long as you empty the drip tray regularly)
While the engineer was working away I decided to listen in on Terry Wogan's last morning show. It was brilliant as ever and his producer Barrowlands chose all the tearjerkers that he could find. We had Nat King Cole singing "Stardust" followed soon after by Eva Cassidy singing "Over the rainbow". And another Janet & John story that was so full of single entendres I almost blushed. Wonderful stuff.
My back has cleared up and I only get the odd niggle. My immediate plan is to keep warm over the weekend and then it's back to the clinic for round three of the chemo on Tuesday.
I'm still shouting at the TV. There's plenty to get wound up about. I shout a lot when I look at the antics of the new Global Warming high priests. Their hypocrisy astounds me. They tell me that my car is responsible for the increase in CO2 and as a result we're all going to drown as sea levels rise. And they all arrive on private jets. So many that there isn't enough tarmac to store them all. They have to fly them out of the country and park them in Norway. Then they get into gas guzzling limos and drive around town- so many limos that they had to bring in over 2000 of them from all over Northern Europe. And they don't see the hypocrisy!
There are very few leaders who lived by the rules they sought to apply to the rest of us. I can count them on the fingers of one hand. (and have a finger or two left over).
I'm reminded of a man who was born in poverty and died a criminal, yet his followers changed the world.
No not Che Guevara, but Jesus of Nazareth. Just like the new Green Religion, whose high priests have learjets and live in airconditioned luxury (yes I mean you Mr Gore), the high priests of Christianity also live in palaces and attend summits and conferences and issue wordy statements and declarations. You can't change the world by issuing orders from above, and implementing them with a big stick. Plenty of despots and dictators tried that, and their statues are ground into the dirt.
That's enough. There's a TV that needs shouting at.
The engineer called around and took the boiler apart. His face was red when he found a bolt that he hadn't tightened last time he was here. There are other faults and he's ordered more parts, but it safe to use (as long as you empty the drip tray regularly)
While the engineer was working away I decided to listen in on Terry Wogan's last morning show. It was brilliant as ever and his producer Barrowlands chose all the tearjerkers that he could find. We had Nat King Cole singing "Stardust" followed soon after by Eva Cassidy singing "Over the rainbow". And another Janet & John story that was so full of single entendres I almost blushed. Wonderful stuff.
My back has cleared up and I only get the odd niggle. My immediate plan is to keep warm over the weekend and then it's back to the clinic for round three of the chemo on Tuesday.
I'm still shouting at the TV. There's plenty to get wound up about. I shout a lot when I look at the antics of the new Global Warming high priests. Their hypocrisy astounds me. They tell me that my car is responsible for the increase in CO2 and as a result we're all going to drown as sea levels rise. And they all arrive on private jets. So many that there isn't enough tarmac to store them all. They have to fly them out of the country and park them in Norway. Then they get into gas guzzling limos and drive around town- so many limos that they had to bring in over 2000 of them from all over Northern Europe. And they don't see the hypocrisy!
There are very few leaders who lived by the rules they sought to apply to the rest of us. I can count them on the fingers of one hand. (and have a finger or two left over).
I'm reminded of a man who was born in poverty and died a criminal, yet his followers changed the world.
No not Che Guevara, but Jesus of Nazareth. Just like the new Green Religion, whose high priests have learjets and live in airconditioned luxury (yes I mean you Mr Gore), the high priests of Christianity also live in palaces and attend summits and conferences and issue wordy statements and declarations. You can't change the world by issuing orders from above, and implementing them with a big stick. Plenty of despots and dictators tried that, and their statues are ground into the dirt.
That's enough. There's a TV that needs shouting at.
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Wednesday afternoon
Good news. I contacted the insurance company about my leaking central heating boiler and they said they'd get on to it.
I hadn't heard by 3.00pm so I rang them back, explaining how a cupful of water gushes out of the unit every time it fires up. And how we can't use the airing cupboard to store the towels and sheets (because they get wet.
They told me that they can get someone out to look at it.
On Saturday.
Or maybe Monday.
I hadn't heard by 3.00pm so I rang them back, explaining how a cupful of water gushes out of the unit every time it fires up. And how we can't use the airing cupboard to store the towels and sheets (because they get wet.
They told me that they can get someone out to look at it.
On Saturday.
Or maybe Monday.
Wednesday morning
I should rename this blog "living with a broken central heating boiler". Yes, it's sprung a leak again.
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
tuesday
It's been a few days since I last posted, which is indicative of what's been happening, i.e. not a lot.
The central heating system packed in last Wednesday. I reported it but they couldn't get anyone out until Friday. The only real inconvenience was having to boil water for the washing up, as we have electric heaters and an electric shower, plus a gas fire in the living room.
The engineer turned up on Friday. I left him to it. After a while he said it was fixed and left. The boiler was now worse than before with strange noises emanating and the pressure gauge fluctuating wildly. I rang them back but they'd gone home. I rang on saturday morning and because I'd smelt something burning they sent the gas supply people to the house. They checked but couldn't find anything (I think it was the main circuit board burning out), but they stuck a "do not use" notice on the boiler. On Monday another engineer turned up. He'd been to the house before. (Did I tell you that this is the worse boiler we've ever known and it hasn't worked for more than six months at a time since it was installed?)
He took the unit apart, replaced all the parts that the other engineer was supposed to have replaced, renewed the pump and tested it (the other guy didn't test it but left in a hurry)
Anyway we now have central heating and hot water again, which is just as well because it's going to get cold.
Luckily all these call outs are covered by insurance. The boiler is six years old. It is a combi type and they are rubbish. Our old heater worked for twenty years without failing once. We only changed it because we had a conservatory built and the heater had to be moved. It's true that the more electronic gizmos and circuits that are used, the more likely they are to fail. We will have to change this boiler again soon and I'll have to look for something that is a little more reliable, probably German.
Other than thatI'm feeling fine. The pills for my back pain seem to have worked.
I'm going into work on Friday for an hour to see what needs attention before Christmas. Next Tuesday is chemo day.
The central heating system packed in last Wednesday. I reported it but they couldn't get anyone out until Friday. The only real inconvenience was having to boil water for the washing up, as we have electric heaters and an electric shower, plus a gas fire in the living room.
The engineer turned up on Friday. I left him to it. After a while he said it was fixed and left. The boiler was now worse than before with strange noises emanating and the pressure gauge fluctuating wildly. I rang them back but they'd gone home. I rang on saturday morning and because I'd smelt something burning they sent the gas supply people to the house. They checked but couldn't find anything (I think it was the main circuit board burning out), but they stuck a "do not use" notice on the boiler. On Monday another engineer turned up. He'd been to the house before. (Did I tell you that this is the worse boiler we've ever known and it hasn't worked for more than six months at a time since it was installed?)
He took the unit apart, replaced all the parts that the other engineer was supposed to have replaced, renewed the pump and tested it (the other guy didn't test it but left in a hurry)
Anyway we now have central heating and hot water again, which is just as well because it's going to get cold.
Luckily all these call outs are covered by insurance. The boiler is six years old. It is a combi type and they are rubbish. Our old heater worked for twenty years without failing once. We only changed it because we had a conservatory built and the heater had to be moved. It's true that the more electronic gizmos and circuits that are used, the more likely they are to fail. We will have to change this boiler again soon and I'll have to look for something that is a little more reliable, probably German.
Other than thatI'm feeling fine. The pills for my back pain seem to have worked.
I'm going into work on Friday for an hour to see what needs attention before Christmas. Next Tuesday is chemo day.
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
Wednesday
Wednesday started the same as Tuesday. Backache and stiffness. Today I was bullied by Sue into doing something about it. She rang the surgery and they rang me. The upshot was that I had an appointment to see a GP this morning. He said that the painkillers weren't going to cure anything and what I needed was some anti-inflammatory drugs. And Omaprazole to stop the Naproxen messing my stomach. And some Diazapam to relax the muscles in my back. It's just as well I have an exemption certificate or that lot would cost over £20gbp.
I hobbled back to the car and Sue drove back to work. I called in to say hello while she got the prescription made up. It was nice to see everyone and catch up with news.
Sue then drove me home at lunchtime and she went back to work. She's under a bit of stress at the moment and her blood pressure is up a bit.
During the afternoon the central heating failed. I hope it doesn't get too cold because they can't come out to fix it until Friday. At least that's covered by insurance.
I hobbled back to the car and Sue drove back to work. I called in to say hello while she got the prescription made up. It was nice to see everyone and catch up with news.
Sue then drove me home at lunchtime and she went back to work. She's under a bit of stress at the moment and her blood pressure is up a bit.
During the afternoon the central heating failed. I hope it doesn't get too cold because they can't come out to fix it until Friday. At least that's covered by insurance.
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Tuesday
Tuesday started early. I woke up at 5.00 feeling stiff and with pain in my back and pins and needles in the legs. All the symptoms of a slipped disc. I got up and mooched about, started to read the paper and got in and out of the shower in good time to be collected by Sue to go to the hospital. We arrived at the Pathology clinic to see the biggest crowd waiting for tests. Because my appointment with the specialist is dependent on having up to date blood tests, I was given a different waiting room number to those who just turn up and wait their turn. Usually this means that we can be in and out of the clinic in five minutes. I sat down and heard the number 27 called. I looked at my ticket- number 33. This meant 30 minutes wait at least. Oh well, I'll be late for my appointment at the clinic. I read the paper and was eventually called and they took my blood.
We then walked through the miles of corridor to the Centenary Wing. When we arrived the place was full as well. Every seat was taken. The receptionist said that they were running about an hour and twenty minutes late. Some more chairs were found and we settled down with the paper. I read the paper from cover to cover and also completed the crossword and the codeword puzzle.
Sue went to the Outpatients Canteen and returned with a coffee. It was almost three hours before we were seen. My doctor apologised for the late running. They were trying to see all their patients before Christmas. I think one of the doctors was off sick as well.
The consultation went well. My blood tests were encouraging. The leukaemia cells were once again negligible, and my white cells were low, which means that I'm still susceptible to infection. I explained my slipped disc and he thought that it'd probably get better on its own. He was surprised to see that I'd put on half a stone in the past fortnight. (I'm not. I've been eating like a horse, and gorging on Cadbury's Dairy Milk, and taking no exercise.)
So that's the story for now. I'm going to have my next round of chemo on schedule, starting on December 22nd. The doctor said that I could put it back a week, but I know what to expect now, so I'm happy to get on with it.
I ought to get out more. The doc says I should be OK as long as I stay away from large crowds of strangers.
We then walked through the miles of corridor to the Centenary Wing. When we arrived the place was full as well. Every seat was taken. The receptionist said that they were running about an hour and twenty minutes late. Some more chairs were found and we settled down with the paper. I read the paper from cover to cover and also completed the crossword and the codeword puzzle.
Sue went to the Outpatients Canteen and returned with a coffee. It was almost three hours before we were seen. My doctor apologised for the late running. They were trying to see all their patients before Christmas. I think one of the doctors was off sick as well.
The consultation went well. My blood tests were encouraging. The leukaemia cells were once again negligible, and my white cells were low, which means that I'm still susceptible to infection. I explained my slipped disc and he thought that it'd probably get better on its own. He was surprised to see that I'd put on half a stone in the past fortnight. (I'm not. I've been eating like a horse, and gorging on Cadbury's Dairy Milk, and taking no exercise.)
So that's the story for now. I'm going to have my next round of chemo on schedule, starting on December 22nd. The doctor said that I could put it back a week, but I know what to expect now, so I'm happy to get on with it.
I ought to get out more. The doc says I should be OK as long as I stay away from large crowds of strangers.
Monday
Monday will be remembered for my backache and my inability to get comfortable anywhere except in bed. So I got up and had breakfast, read the paper, couldn't get comfortable and so went back to bed. Woke up and had lunch. Couldn't get comfortable because of the pain in my back so I went back to bed. Woke up when Sue made dinner, went back to bed because I couldnt get comfortable.
You get the picture?
Painkillers work for a while but there's a restriction on how many you can take in 24 hours. Anyway I slept until 5 this morning when I got up and started on the merry go round again.
Off to see the specialist on Tuesday morning. I'll ask him about this.
You get the picture?
Painkillers work for a while but there's a restriction on how many you can take in 24 hours. Anyway I slept until 5 this morning when I got up and started on the merry go round again.
Off to see the specialist on Tuesday morning. I'll ask him about this.
Sunday, 6 December 2009
Sunday
I felt well enough to dress up warm and go out with Chris on Saturday afternoon. We drove over to Corby to collect some equipment that we'd put in for repair and whilst there, we called in to the catalogue clearance warehouse, which deals mainly in ex-Argos stock. There were a lot of people shopping, and there was a roaring trade in flat screen TVs at cost price or less. I noticed pallet upon pallet of blueray players and dvd recorders, two electrical gadgets that didn't exist five years ago, and now can't be given away.
Twenty five or thirty years ago it was VHS vs betamax video systems. One was relatively cheap and the other gave better results. What isn't always acknowledged is that the porn industry's decision to opt for VHS that sounded the death knell for Betamax. During the 90s there were a number of video systems using laser discs vying for supremacy. Once again, the porn industry chose DVD and the rest is history.
I wonder if the warehouse full of Blueray players at discount price could have anything to do with the rise of the internet, and sites like Youtube, where you can watch video scenes from almost every TV programmes, film, concert and pop video for free?
I watched TV in the early evening, then went for a lie down. I woke up just as Sue was going to bed, but being wide awake decided to watch Match of the Day. It's always good to see Chelsea being beaten. Unfortunately it's a rare occurrence these days. Then I started flicking channels and went to bed late. Woke up with backache. Went back to bed as couldn't get comfortable. Slept til 3.00. Got up to meet daughter Jayne's new fellow. Was persuaded to try Chris vibrating seat. Later I noticed that my backache had eased. Was it the seat, or the two painkillers I took before coming downstairs?
The rest of Sunday involved sitting in a comfy armchair alternately reading the paper, dozing, and watching TV. Sue cooked a lovely dinner.
Lazy days.
Following on from my comment about Youtube, I was talking to Chris about bands that I saw back in the 70s, and I mentioned the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. Here's a clip of the band on the Old Grey Whistle Test playing "Delilah". I love the instrumental section. very visual.
Twenty five or thirty years ago it was VHS vs betamax video systems. One was relatively cheap and the other gave better results. What isn't always acknowledged is that the porn industry's decision to opt for VHS that sounded the death knell for Betamax. During the 90s there were a number of video systems using laser discs vying for supremacy. Once again, the porn industry chose DVD and the rest is history.
I wonder if the warehouse full of Blueray players at discount price could have anything to do with the rise of the internet, and sites like Youtube, where you can watch video scenes from almost every TV programmes, film, concert and pop video for free?
I watched TV in the early evening, then went for a lie down. I woke up just as Sue was going to bed, but being wide awake decided to watch Match of the Day. It's always good to see Chelsea being beaten. Unfortunately it's a rare occurrence these days. Then I started flicking channels and went to bed late. Woke up with backache. Went back to bed as couldn't get comfortable. Slept til 3.00. Got up to meet daughter Jayne's new fellow. Was persuaded to try Chris vibrating seat. Later I noticed that my backache had eased. Was it the seat, or the two painkillers I took before coming downstairs?
The rest of Sunday involved sitting in a comfy armchair alternately reading the paper, dozing, and watching TV. Sue cooked a lovely dinner.
Lazy days.
Following on from my comment about Youtube, I was talking to Chris about bands that I saw back in the 70s, and I mentioned the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. Here's a clip of the band on the Old Grey Whistle Test playing "Delilah". I love the instrumental section. very visual.
Saturday, 5 December 2009
Saturday morning
I woke up at silly o'clock this morning. My back is still giving me grief. I got up and had some breakfast and took my pills. Sue went out early to take a friend shopping so I checked my emails and had one from my friend Bob Howe in Sydney.
Bob came over with Nicki Gillis back in the summer and we played a number of dates including the Great North festival near Castle Barnard in County Durham.
Bob found a video of our performance of the Eurythmics song "Thorn in my side" on Youtube, so here it is as a reminder of last summer, and a foretaste of next summer, when Nicki will tour the UK and Europe, and I will be back on bass guitar duties.
We've still got some spare dates, so if you're looking for a great evening's entertainment please get in touch.
Bob came over with Nicki Gillis back in the summer and we played a number of dates including the Great North festival near Castle Barnard in County Durham.
Bob found a video of our performance of the Eurythmics song "Thorn in my side" on Youtube, so here it is as a reminder of last summer, and a foretaste of next summer, when Nicki will tour the UK and Europe, and I will be back on bass guitar duties.
We've still got some spare dates, so if you're looking for a great evening's entertainment please get in touch.
Friday
Sue says that i must be feeling better because I've started shouting at the TV again. Well, there's plenty to shout about. The whole Man Made Global Warming conspiracy is starting to unravel as people realise that lies and spin are part of the scientific process as well as the political one.
I have plenty of time to surf the internet and I recommend you drop by Wattsupwiththat.com for an insight into what's going on. The AGW scaremongers would have us believe that today's temperatures are unprecedented and it's all our fault and produce a fatally flawed "hockey stick" graph as proof with no argument. Other scientists have asked for the data so that they can independently verify it, but no, they won't release it.
So what's this got to do with my current health status? Try this.I'm feeling unwell but don't wish to consider the fact that I might have a serious illness. I pay a specialist to examine me to give me a clean bill of health, and to disregard any symptoms or results that may prove contrary to my preferred diagnosis because they are an inconvenient truth. I obtain the report and tell the world that I'm healthy and have a doctor's report to prove it. My loved ones and other concerned individuals see the report and contrast it to my actual physical condition and are righly concerned. Are they sure about this? Did they run tests? All of them? can we see the results of these tests? Why not? Can we take the data and have it independently verified? Can we have a second opinion?
All right so my analogy is backward. I'm really ill but wish to convince the world that I'm well. The global warming scaremongers are doing the opposite. They earth is behaving much as it always did. The weather is variable. It's been a lot hotter in the past and it's been a lot colder. They are trying to convince us that the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age (which is the story of the planet's weather in the last 1500 years) didn't exist and they have the figures to prove it. OK, show us the figures. Let us have a second opinion on that.
If I were seriously ill but wished to make it known that I was healthy and well, people would question my motives wouldn't they? What is he hiding and what does he stand to gain or lose by this? So it is with those who are trying to tell us something that just blatantly isn't true. What are they hiding? What do they stand to gain by lying to us?
As you can tell, I am feeling better. Apart from severe back pain from when I put my back out while throwing up last weekend.
Another post soon
I have plenty of time to surf the internet and I recommend you drop by Wattsupwiththat.com for an insight into what's going on. The AGW scaremongers would have us believe that today's temperatures are unprecedented and it's all our fault and produce a fatally flawed "hockey stick" graph as proof with no argument. Other scientists have asked for the data so that they can independently verify it, but no, they won't release it.
So what's this got to do with my current health status? Try this.I'm feeling unwell but don't wish to consider the fact that I might have a serious illness. I pay a specialist to examine me to give me a clean bill of health, and to disregard any symptoms or results that may prove contrary to my preferred diagnosis because they are an inconvenient truth. I obtain the report and tell the world that I'm healthy and have a doctor's report to prove it. My loved ones and other concerned individuals see the report and contrast it to my actual physical condition and are righly concerned. Are they sure about this? Did they run tests? All of them? can we see the results of these tests? Why not? Can we take the data and have it independently verified? Can we have a second opinion?
All right so my analogy is backward. I'm really ill but wish to convince the world that I'm well. The global warming scaremongers are doing the opposite. They earth is behaving much as it always did. The weather is variable. It's been a lot hotter in the past and it's been a lot colder. They are trying to convince us that the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age (which is the story of the planet's weather in the last 1500 years) didn't exist and they have the figures to prove it. OK, show us the figures. Let us have a second opinion on that.
If I were seriously ill but wished to make it known that I was healthy and well, people would question my motives wouldn't they? What is he hiding and what does he stand to gain or lose by this? So it is with those who are trying to tell us something that just blatantly isn't true. What are they hiding? What do they stand to gain by lying to us?
As you can tell, I am feeling better. Apart from severe back pain from when I put my back out while throwing up last weekend.
Another post soon
Thursday, 3 December 2009
Thursday
I seem to be recovering well from the treatment last week. My hunger appears undiminished- take this afternoon as an example.
I had a can of soup for lunch, with four doorsteps of crusty bread and a cup of tea. I finished that and still felt hungry so I ate an apple. I nodded off for an hour and Chris came in. he was looking for something to eat so I persuaded him to go to the shop as I fancied a cake or a bun and our cupboards were bare. He returned with a pack of Chelsea buns (yum) and a danish pastry. I'd described a Chelsea bun but he came back with the danish as well as the buns. It tasted lovely! He'd also bought some crumpets and I smelled them as he buttered them from the toaster so I had a couple of those as well.
Hmmm... what's for tea?
On a different note, I had to pay for a prescription at the hospital pharmacy last month, so we looked at getting an exemption certificate. It took a bit of filling in and obtaining doctor's signatures and rubber stamps, but it arrived in the post yesterday the 2nd December.
What I didn't realise was that I'm entitled to free prescriptions when I reach 60 (along with my bus pass, and that's in about three weeks.......
I had a can of soup for lunch, with four doorsteps of crusty bread and a cup of tea. I finished that and still felt hungry so I ate an apple. I nodded off for an hour and Chris came in. he was looking for something to eat so I persuaded him to go to the shop as I fancied a cake or a bun and our cupboards were bare. He returned with a pack of Chelsea buns (yum) and a danish pastry. I'd described a Chelsea bun but he came back with the danish as well as the buns. It tasted lovely! He'd also bought some crumpets and I smelled them as he buttered them from the toaster so I had a couple of those as well.
Hmmm... what's for tea?
On a different note, I had to pay for a prescription at the hospital pharmacy last month, so we looked at getting an exemption certificate. It took a bit of filling in and obtaining doctor's signatures and rubber stamps, but it arrived in the post yesterday the 2nd December.
What I didn't realise was that I'm entitled to free prescriptions when I reach 60 (along with my bus pass, and that's in about three weeks.......
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Weds 2nd December
I must be feeling better. I was hungry all day yesterday and I'm enjoying the taste of my food. I had chicken soup with 4 doorstep sized slices of bread at lunchtime; steak & kidney pie and chips covered with HP sauce for tea; ate half a bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk during the evening followed by a cheese and marmite sandwich for supper. Add in the apples, toast, cereals, bag of crisps and copious cups of tea, not to mention eating a pomegranite and getting juice everywhere and you get the idea.
When I started the treatment I weighed over 100 kg (about 15 and a half stone)and When I was weighed last week it was down to about 94kg which means I've lost a stone or so. I looked in the mirror this morning and thought I looked a bit thin in the face so I hunted out the bathroom scales. They were in the back of the airing cupboard. Sue says that they're not accurate, but I thought I'd weigh myself anyway. If they're weighing heavy I'm in trouble because even with eating all this grub I'm down to 93Kg or 14 st 9lb.
At any other time I'd say a diet that lets you stuff your face all day and still lose weight would be a winner, wouldn't you?
Enough. I'm off for a snack.
When I started the treatment I weighed over 100 kg (about 15 and a half stone)and When I was weighed last week it was down to about 94kg which means I've lost a stone or so. I looked in the mirror this morning and thought I looked a bit thin in the face so I hunted out the bathroom scales. They were in the back of the airing cupboard. Sue says that they're not accurate, but I thought I'd weigh myself anyway. If they're weighing heavy I'm in trouble because even with eating all this grub I'm down to 93Kg or 14 st 9lb.
At any other time I'd say a diet that lets you stuff your face all day and still lose weight would be a winner, wouldn't you?
Enough. I'm off for a snack.
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Tuesday morning
As Monday progressed I felt well enough to sit downstairs and start work on my accounts for this year- something that I dread even when fully fit. I managed to file 2008-9 with HMRC by the end of October this year, after what seemed like interminable phone calls and aborted sessions online. Most years I'm so wound up by the process that I put off filling the following year's accounts until the last moment. As my music career has been cut short by events I'm taking this opportunity to start work early.
I was also conducting a conversation by text with my son Chris, who left home on Sunday evening at about 10.00, drove to Durham, parked up for a few hours, loaded and drove to Glasgow, and then drove home via Northampton, a distance in excess of 700 miles in around 18 hours. I've driven to Truro in Cornwall and back in a day, stopping only for a walk on the beach at Perranporth, and I drove over 400 miles in a day and played a festival when on tour with Nicki Gillis last summer, but 700 miles on Britain's roads in a day is a lot.
Anyway, the upshot was that I ended up more tired than I realised, and was quite groggy when I dragged myself to bed at about 11 o'clock last night.
I must take it easy today.
I was also conducting a conversation by text with my son Chris, who left home on Sunday evening at about 10.00, drove to Durham, parked up for a few hours, loaded and drove to Glasgow, and then drove home via Northampton, a distance in excess of 700 miles in around 18 hours. I've driven to Truro in Cornwall and back in a day, stopping only for a walk on the beach at Perranporth, and I drove over 400 miles in a day and played a festival when on tour with Nicki Gillis last summer, but 700 miles on Britain's roads in a day is a lot.
Anyway, the upshot was that I ended up more tired than I realised, and was quite groggy when I dragged myself to bed at about 11 o'clock last night.
I must take it easy today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
