My Brother’s back in the country after a short break and some problems with buying somewhere to live that has gone shall we say not without complication. Anyway he came to see me tonight and he’s now starting to prepare for climbing Kilimanjaro next year for SCOPE. He will be raising funds for Scope and their work for children and adults with cerebral palsy. It’s now dead simple to donate, just go to the JustGiving page and stump up a few quid or whatever you can afford. My £50 directly handed over doesn’t appear  but believe me if was hard to give up, he waited until just after I’d taken my  medication and was most vulnerable.

Here’s a picture in hard training        Here’s his legal stuff    And here’s where to donate!

Date

Treatment Blog - December 09

My Brother’s back in the country after a short break and some problems with buying somewhere to live that has gone shall we say not without complication. Anyway he came to see me tonight and he’s now starting to prepare for climbing Kilimanjaro next year for SCOPE. He will be raising funds for Scope and their work for children and adults with cerebral palsy. It’s now dead simple to donate, just go to the JustGiving page and stump up a few quid or whatever you can afford. My £50 directly handed over doesn’t appear  but believe me if was hard to give up, he waited until just after I’d taken my  medication and was most vulnerable.

Here’s a picture in hard training        Here’s his legal stuff    And here’s where to donate!

31.12.09

Jane spoke to Mr Madhusudan, between them rearranging the OxyNorm and Anti Biotics, it was difficult to see who was the doctor and who was the patient’s relative. Anyway it turned out if I could remain stable over the next 24 hours I could be released - gladly I think!

30.12.09

Early in the morning I was awoken again by the dreadful pain again similar to that on the 28th. The Nurse this time was far more understanding, he was male but I’m not holding that for or against him. He offered me a dose of OxyNorm every hour for the next three hours until the pain had gone as well as my normal medication, it worked a treat and again I could have held the stand up session but on the Burns Unit it didn’t seem quite so appropriate. Dave, Lydia and Karen came for a brief visit as well as Jane. I’d forgotten but of course everyone wanted to get away for the Hootenanny!

29.12.09

My Brother visited early, I’d been moved to the Emergency Admissions Unit, he was far earlier than the rules allow but he managed to blag his way in and stayed until the Consultant Registrar arrived, he asked if Barry was family and if it was OK for him to be in on the news he had for me, of course I said yes and the news was the results from the liver biopsy done the previous week. The news was that the tissues taken were almost identical to those from the oesophageal tumour so we should prepare for that to be the news once discussed at the next Multi Disciplinary Team Meeting. Barry didn’t take the news well, neither did I. We rallied together and decided it would be best if Barry headed Jane off at the entrance to break her the news to give her some time before she came into the ward to decide whether she wanted some time alone or come straight in and see me. Of course Jane came and saw me she’s much stronger than before, later I was moved again this time to the Burns Unit, far more pleasant people and staff.

28.12.09

My Dad’s 80th birthday today, he has a few gripes and groans but manages to get to the bookies and bingo a few times a week and I reckon could still drink me under the table. I woke up in agony that day, bent double over the sink not knowing whether to be sick or not. Jane started talking about packing  a night back and I knew what that meant. Jane rand my sister for some advice but she was at work and although she works as a sister in the A&E at the QMC its no advantage believe me. We finally got seen by an A&E nurse around lunchtime I think. My temperature was up and down and my blood pressure was again low, I had a chest X-Ray and later a CT scan. Back in the cubicle transport was booked to take me to the City Hospital and I was given a bucket full of morphine, ten minutes later I could have done a stand up routine the relief in pain was so great.

27.12.09

Went through the Christmas presents seeing which ones needed replacing or returning for whatever reason, obviously dis regarding those that legitimately fall out of the list  because they’re duplicate then there’s a DVD - I just didn't like it.

Barry, Jane and I had rightly put the world to rights on Christmas night, we could discuss for days to follow but I’ll be right in the end so end so why bother,

Today we managed a trip out with Brian & Yvonne along the Cromford Canal, a few kilometres one way to get  a hot brew or in Miriam’s case a cold ice cream. It was good to walk with different partners for a few hundred meters and again put the world to rights.

As many as possible or survived the walk are invited to tea at Brian & Yvonne’s this evening, don’t worry it’s close enough for me to hear the burglar alarm later I’ll sleep like a log after the fresh air, My Dad’s 80th birthday tomorrow, so all who know the old grump are any is welcome to drop him a line or call in for a wee dram, I’ll be amongst them!

25.12.09

Had a good chin wag with Paul yesterday evening, although they’re twins they couldn’t be different! All my best to them and their families like have always been there fore me, I’ve known that in my mind even if I haven’t needed to use them.

I’ll see me brother this afternoon after lunch with Jane’s younger sister,  my parents are going to pop along for a wee dram  rather than spend then whole  evening at home alone. Last night we called round at Andy & Helen’s house, I always feel at ease there, mulled wine and snacks on the table and nothing serious just jokes and daft banter which is what we all could do with by the bucketful this Christmas.

Well it’s getting time that we headed off to Burton on Trent - just head towards the smell of Marmite and tyre rubber and you can’t go far wrong, the girls were up at 7am opening presents, I got up with them, so did Jane, them she suggested I went back to bed for another hour which I successfully did - bloody marvellous that I actually slept without a bang on the head. Anyway that’s it for now and for today I dare say, my Brother and I normally put the world to right over a drink or two long into the morning as I suspect many of you will. Have a great day whatever you’ve planned, don’t have too much to drink or worse still to eat!!

23.12.09

It’s nearly tea time and my fourth visitor of the day is to arrive shortly so I thought I’d get a bit on the blog now  mainly about yesterday. Jane dropped me off at the South Entrance as usual, it’s become very familiar to us all over the months. From the  very scant  instructions I’d been given I booked myself in at Oncology Outpatients and took a ticket for blood taking in that same room as described to me, “Have you got your form” was the first question. “No, I was told you would have it here waiting for me”. That’s very unusual she said let me see now ( does that sound Irish?) anyway she did have my blood form which nearly knocked her over, she took my bloods muttering something about systems for this and that and gave me the impression she’d worked there for 35 years but hey! She was the one with the needle in her hand so I said nothing! 10 minutes later I was trying my best to get into the Gervis Pearson Ward, when I did finally get to speak to someone they said to ‘pull’ the door but on every door it said ‘push’ so while I frantically tried pull every door with my backpack and paper work in my hands which wasn’t easy I felt blessed when one finally opened, only to look over my shoulder to see a man with a white coated arm saying ‘there you go mate’. It was my turn to walk off muttering things about sh*t systems. They were expecting me but didn’t have a bed for me yet one would be available soon, either someone was ready for discharge or it was shortly before tea time and Sweeney Todd was preparing the menu.

I had been moaning a bit but not overly for me I thought but the nurse continually apologised to me and only me that a bed wasn’t ready. At 2pm it was ready , I didn’t ask about the previous occupier I was just grateful to have it. At 3 pm the porter came for me and the procedure began. I went through a series of three “medical professionals” looking at me, the Registrar, a Doctor and finally the Consultant who I recognised as Dr Jobling who had fitted my NJ tube back in March. He described all what he was going to do and basically then got on with it. I only has a local anaesthetic but a bit deeper into the tissue around the area which was to be biopsied. It all went very well and he showed me the tissue samples and described then as very good, I wouldn’t need to go back for any more. From those samples all would be revealed!

My visitors were Darren this morning to talk about the bike mainly and what needs doing to it and what will happen to it in early spring - basically it will be sold and I said whatever it gets over a certain price he could have for the work he has done in it but he was having none of it, I was to treat the girls for a late Christmas present - a trip to Centre Park would be nice! Then Mick arrived, he’s almost back at work full time and will be able to start work in the garden again soon after he’s signed back on and the grass who is a regular visitor opposite has no more reason  to get him fired!

Barry came this afternoon, he’d been in a bit of a scrape with E-bay and buyers from Nigeria etc. He was going to play them along for a bit before revealing them as time wasters but money grabbers!

Mick’s brother Paul is about to arrive so I’ll leave it there and fill you in again tomorrow

20.12.09

It’s been a couple of days hasn’t it? Health wise I’ve been steady, coughing along with Miriam, swollen legs and feet I suspect from some odd mixture of drugs but not on view so I’m not too bothered, sleeping isn’t too good and I’m using the back rest and pillows along with the A shape pillow to make an odd shape to sleep on along with a footstool from downstairs. If the pension man comes up trumps with his prediction for lump sum and pension then I’ll be laughing all the way to the bank from I have some friends of friends to cast an eye over it first just to make sure it’s above board. As is the purpose of this site if anyone else is in the same predicament and wants some free advise then just ask and I’ll do my best to come up with an answer. Any news from tomorrow will be of a benefit, its no fun just waiting for results as you’ll all know, good or bad at least we can start making moves in whatever direction. I won’t mention figures here but if anyone is interested ten I’ll be only too pleased to pass on details when I next get chance to come in.

We went to church yesterday tea time, 6’til 7pm ish for carol singing and as sometimes happens I had a bit of a moment but before I knew it Paul Stain, if you look at the comments list it’s Aly, Paul & Gee who they advertise as came over and offered a shoulder to cry on. Nothing sinister just a moment of weakness probably because so many people from that group had spoken to me for just the first or second time and I didn’t know what to say in return

18.12.09

I’ve had a few comments about the url for the site having mysteriously changed. All I can say is try googling johnwiddowson.com and choose any of the top two entries you find and then amend your favourites, I’m not saying it’s something I’ve done but still being an amateur at this lark it may well have been.

We saw Dr Swanwick again this morning  and once again we discussed the pain issues and managed to change the tablets I take for variants of the same strength but in larger capsules so I have less to take. I have an appointment to see her again on the 8th of January. Jane dropped me off at home and went to do the weekly food shopping at Tesco while I waited in for Claire the Macmillan Nurse. I’ve been feeling fairly good for the last few days with the more comfortable sleeping set up and better pain killers and it was also obvious to her that things were different, that came and went and before I knew it, it was lunch time, Jane dropped the shopping off and had to dash to Miriam’s carol concert at school where the kids all sang well but because it was breaking up time they were all a bit hyperactive. I managed to put the shopping away so we won’t be able to find anything for the next week.

I had a call from the bed manager from the oncology ward at the city hospital, I need to attend the outpatients clinic at around 10am next Tuesday to have blood taken then make my way to Gervis ward to have the biopsy done in the afternoon, I should take my overnight bag with me just in case! I should be able to come home that same day if all is well but if there is any sedative on offer for wimps then count me in and I may be a bit drowsy on the way home.

17.12.09

With online shopping even I haven’t got an excuse for getting away without doing the Christmas shopping - drives me mad and since being on half pay it’s given my bank balance a bit of a knock. I was wise though to squirrel away a few quid for these rainy days if you know what I mean and things have turned out better than some years when I’ve not had to watch the pennies with quite such vigilance.

I don’t know or really care about the copyright of the photos from yesterday and today, this is my web site, they’re my kids what more is there to say? Here is Miriam as Arcangel Gabriel, she made Jane cry and both of us very very proud.

Good news today from work or if you liked working with me then perhaps it could be taken opposite. Some time ago, last paragraph from the blog on 22.10.09 I mentioned an application for early retirement on ill health grounds depending on whether the figures added up or not, well this morning through the post came the decision and it has been accepted under tier 1 which means a bit of a lump sum and an annual pension, that along with my Army pension should be enough to see off all our debts and make sure we can still have some sort of lifestyle similar to that which we have become accustomed to. From 1 Apr 2010 I’ll no longer be there but hey you’ve been without me for a while now and I’ll come in and see you all and give my explanation as to why I had to do it in person rather than in coded short sentences on the Internet. I have a ream of paperwork to go through yet and perhaps a personal interview but nothing I can’t take in my stride after the last year.

I have another visit to Dr Swanwick tomorrow at Ilkeston Hospital for 10am to discuss the pain and how it’s going I presume and then the Macmillan Nurse is coming here at 11.30 for a chat about more general things and I normally feel more human again after she’s gone.

16.12.09

Snow tomorrow or not? I wouldn’t bank on it either way. Went to Treetops after a flying visit to my Mum’s this morning, at Treetops I had a full back massage and as soon as we got home we had to run out again to deal with a matter at the bank, when we got back and had some lunch I was absolutely jiggered. There were three cards in the post box by then saying they had tried to deliver but we were out. Jane rang one of them, it was my bed support to help me sleep better since having the second dilatation, they did come back but the other two are not available until tomorrow. I think we’ve got the Christmas present list finally sorted out. Pleased don’t be offended if you don’t get a card this year, we’ve written some to those who are obviously up to date with our plight but those who simply write because we’re on a list they use every year and just put ’hope you are all well’ will get left off and we’ll spend the money on something else.

To the side are a couple of pictures of the girls taken a week or so ago.

15.12.09

Well it’s just odder than odd! Today it’s much colder so you’d think any pain is going to be worse in fact I slept a bit rubbish  but got my 2am tablet feed in and managed to eat as I should and have felt much better all day. Jane & I managed to get to Derby for some stationery supplies for me and then over to Eastwood for a set of inks for my Epson R300, £5 for a set of six would you believe! Both of us are still waiting on deliveries from e-bay transactions from over a week ago which is a bit worrying, they’re not worth mega bucks but it’s a present short if it doesn’t arrive. It must be one or a combination of the drugs I’m taking but my memory is just awful and although I have a little notebook I write serious stuff in there is something playing on the back on my mind that I’ve forgotten something quite serious. It would be impossible to go through everything and everyone I’ve spoken to or planned stuff with over the last fortnight so I apologise in advance if I really have forgotten something.

Talk about ‘in pain’ - Darren came to see me last night to talk about the Super Dream and where we’re going with it. When he arrived I was bent double over the sink trying to take my 8pm tablets. I could hardly speak and was in tears because of the pain. Yes I’ll admit it, the tears and blubbing like a baby and all that because that’s how dramatic the pain can be - then again half an hour later after the tablets had kicked in and so had a glass of red wine I was OK again.

14.12.09

Had a lazy day today which I’d fully intended not to do but I slept badly and just as Jane was making the bed I came back into the bedroom wanting to get back into it, which I did and didn’t get up until about 10am. After that I was and have been in pain for most of the day . Anyway we’ve got a couple of jobs lined up for tomorrow to keep me busy and awaiting the bed manager’s confirmation, although I don’t need and overnight stay, I’ll go into the city hospital next Tuesday and have this biopsy done on my liver so that’ll be my Christmas present. It’ll probably take a week or so for the results to come through just to keep us on our toes.

The back pain is annoying me so I’m finding it difficult to type let alone concentrate and type anything sensible so I’ll leave it there for tonight!

13.12.09

It’s been an odd weekend, nothing happening except monitoring the changes in the medication from Dr Swanwick. Fortunately it’s just been reducing the number by giving me less tablets for the same dose, bigger but less! I had some sad news today that my Uncle Cyril who moved to Swindon  some years ago dies yesterday he was 82 I think, he’ll be cremated down there but have his ashes brought back to Ilson.

I’m doing fairly well, reacting to the different medication better, able to go to the loo a lot easier and because of the rise in the dose of Oxycontin I’ve not had any inclination to take much if any of the breakthrough medicine OxyNorm. Calendar is empty this week apart from Treetops on Wednesday for a massage although I’d have to check with Jane to be sure. I do expect an appointment about the blip on my liver which is beginning to annoy me more than anything. If it’s anything like last year Christmas and New Year tend to hold things up as if everyone is on leave or unreachable and only cases with people having limbs hanging off are treated.

11.12.09

Christmas shopping all done? No me neither. Went to see the Oncologist yesterday and he’d spoken with all and sundry obviously pre-empted that I wasn’t leaving his office without  some answers and although he sounded a bit like a taxi driver “it’s just at the end of your street mate” when he said “the appointment letter is in the post” I had to believe him and expect to get it tomorrow. It’s an appointment to biopsy the lump in my liver which will be  the only way to get some answers as to what the darn thing is. Anyway we left quite happy that for the moment at least we had no unanswered questioned and should only have a short wait, in NHS terms, before something happens.

Today we went back to Ilkeston Hospital to see Dr Swanwick, she’s very open, honest and seems to know what she’s talking about without having to get a second opinion on everything. Until the results of the biopsy come through she’s just concerned with getting the pain levels under control without sending me into cuckoo land which she seems to be doing a good job at.

10.12.09

I do my blog then update it and upload the whole thing as it’s a Publisher article to the web, after so many months it can take a few minutes now so I finish that then just check it on my and / or Lydia’s PC just to make sure it has all gone OK.

Last night I did the same and happened to check the comments page as well, with my cheap web software I’m never sure which bit might fall over. Anyway there was the comment from Helen.

Helen Blagden
Hi John, you may remember me, My dad (Hugh Fitzgerald) was in the bed next to you in Edward ward City Hospital. I do hope you're keeping well.  
The sad news is my dad didn't make it, he passed away in Hayward house on the 27th November if I could sum the last week up it would be one word Traumatic.  
I want to leave you a message to say Thank You, at times I have sat here and read all the up's and down's, it's helped me so much, and I will continue to do so. Keep fighting john, always do. Kindest regards Helen.

Well when Hugh came on the ward he was like a breath of fresh air and we had some laughs, we were at least a similar age, the last time I saw him was in the Chemo Clinic on 04.09.09 when I left this comment on the blog for that day.

We also saw an old friend from my time on Edwards 2 ward, Hugh Fitzgerald, he looked a bit beaten but was glad to see me and we embraced like a couple of old women when he left, I’ll see him again I just know it.

Funnily enough from the same day, the previous sentence in fact, is another noteworthy passage that will be of some relevance later today when I see the Consultant Oncologist

anyway a bit later she returned with the results of the scan saying the consultant would discuss in more detail at my next meeting with him on the 15th but the results of the scan in brief were ‘All Clear’! So really pleased with that and put my mind at rest, as I said it had been worrying me a bit.

At the end of that same paragraph I said I’m sure I’d see him again and Helen if you would give me the details of the funeral I would love to keep that promise. We knew something special between us at the time I just think we didn’t know what it was. All the best to you Helen, please e-mail me at john.widdowson@ntlworld.com to make sure I get the details.

09.12.09

Went to see my brother early this morning bearing gifts, he had an early appointment for jabs to get him underway on his expedition to Kilimanjaro. After that we high tailed it over to Treetops for our massage, I had back and shoulders while Jane plumped for back massage, my therapist gave me some lavender and Bergamot mixture to use on a tissue to help relieve anxiety at home! Tomorrow is the appointment with Mr Madhusudan to discuss the ultrasound from last week, I really hope to get some answers or at least a plan of action after the conversation with Dr Swanwick on Monday this week. Helen dropped me off some free range organic chicken’s eggs this morning, I’ll have a couple tomorrow for lunch they really are delicious. Talking off all things nice to eat I’ve had an invite to the office Christmas meal on the 23rd and whilst I really do appreciate the offer I going to have to decline. At the moment I really can’t be left alone for very long and certainly couldn’t get there and back on my own and heaven knows what I’d choose from the menu! Again on the subject of food I have managed to pile on another half a stone and the sagging swags of skin on my thighs have now gone so now I know I can do it I can try and do it with more substantial and healthy food than crisps and ice cream. Eating itself seems to be easier again but of course now I’m plagued a little with acid especially in the night if I lie flat, must keep some gaviscon to hand! That’s it for tonight there’s some good repeats to watch!

08.12.09

Jane and I went to see Miriam in her school play this morning as the Arc Angel Gabriel, she had quite a big speaking part really and pulled it off really well for a just 5 year old then we popped off to Nottingham to pull in a bit more Christmas shopping. It’s also my brother’s birthday tomorrow so not that I’m last minute or anything but I had to get him something as well. Thinking of it now and his trip to Kilimanjaro there are probably more practical things I could have bought him but we can put our heads together nearer the time and discuss all that. Later I didn’t plan to do anything but the phone was hot concerning appointments for Friday and the Macmillan Nurse about how it went on yesterday and the Miriam came home with Helen for a cup of tea, always a pleasure to chat to Helen as a fellow sufferer. I think I dozed for half an hour or so which means I lose all recall of the day just gone and start to talk about thing that happened today as if they were last week and it really gets on Jane’s pip! With the change and mix of tablets I slept downstairs in the chair until 4am then went upstairs to bed and straight back to sleep until 7am, I had a cup of tea then tried to go back to bed again but it was agony this time and there was nothing happening until I’d took all the medicine for 8am as prescribed below. My appetite is really picking up now and tea and coffee are no problem although still with sugar.

Massage at Treetops tomorrow then Thursday it’s an interview at the City Hospital to discuss the Ultrasound from the 25th Nov. I’m either going to have news that it’s all OK, that I need a biopsy to confirm exactly what it is or an MRI scan as another test to do first. Trust me though I won’t be leaving until I know which one it is and why. After that Friday at 10am now is another appointment with Dr Swanwick at Ilkeston Hospital then as far as I know it’s Saturday off but I’ve probably got that wrong as well!

Last Amended 13.12.09

8am	1 x 30mg	Lansoprazole	Anti Acid / Reflux
	1 x 30mg	OxyContin	Slow Release Pain Relief
	1 x 2mg	Diazepam	Muscle Relaxant
	1 x 300mg	Gabapentin	Treatment of nerve pain
	2 x 500mg	Paracetamol	Base layer of pain relief (under estimated)
	1 x 75mg	Diclofenac	Anti inflammatory
2pm	1 x 2mg	Diazepam	Muscle Relaxant
	2 x 300mg	Gabapentin	Treatment of nerve pain
	2 x 500mg	Paracetamol	Base layer of pain relief (under estimated)
	1 x 30mg	OxyContin	Slow Release Pain Relief
8pm	1 x 30mg	OxyContin	Slow Release Pain Relief
	1 x 2mg	Diazepam	Muscle Relaxant
	2 x 300mg	Gabapentin	Treatment of nerve pain
	2 x 500mg	Paracetamol	Base layer of pain relief (under estimated)
	1 x 30mg	Lansoprazole	Anti Acid / Reflux
	1 x 75mg	Diclofenac	Anti inflammatory
2am	1 x 2mg	Diazepam	Muscle Relaxant
	1 x 30mg	OxyContin	Slow Release Pain Relief
	2 x 500mg	Paracetamol	Base layer of pain relief (under estimated)

07.12.09

Ha! that fooled a few of you, I was blogging after midnight hence two days running the same date. Been to see Dr Swanwick this morning at Treetops (also managed to blag a massage for Wednesday while I was there) had a good long discussion about pain and how it works and another change and / or addition to my medication, I’ve drawn it up on a chart for those of you with an interest in what I’m shoving in every day, might not mean a lot but as a reference it may have a purpose at some point.

07.12.09

Just a short note about yesterday. Didn’t blog at all as I was in so much pain. The girls were out doing medal examinations all morning then they picked me up and we went for a meal at the Sherwin Arms, after an initial struggle with a piece of beef I managed my food quite well but in the afternoon the pain picked up and I was awake all evening and night and slept best, and only,  from 7am to 9am this morning. Off to the pain clinic this morning and will hopefully come back with some answers, fingers crossed. The good news is the drains are still working OK thanks to the A Team!

05.12.09

Days slipping by now rapidly heading towards Christmas and going back to yesterday I was trying to practice what Mark, the nice chap who did the consent form had said. After he saw my list of drugs he told me how especially with back pain Diazepam can help in reducing the anxiety and muscle tension which can lead to a vicious circle when dealing with it just with pain killers. This morning all I can say is tell me about it sunshine. I’ve been in absolute agony all night and most of today, up to a 8 1/2 to 9 on the pain scale. To top it all off today Jane found out that our drains outside were glugging and on preliminary investigation it would need a man with some rods, knowledge, a bit of muscle and a bit of know how on how to fix it. After a few calls Jane’s Dad turned up later accompanied by Peter Simpkins his old mate who used to work for Severn Trent and now wears his underpants over his trousers, Andy and his brother Simon (Slim) who’s van is equipped to break into the third dimension if required never mind unblock a drain or two also turned up as if it was a bit of a team trial and behold before darkness fell all drains were back to normal and glugging noises banished to the depths of the Severn Trent journey to the centre of the earth.

We have new lottery tickets for tonight, a bit like having clean sheets on the bed I think and always gives me that extra sense of the chance to win. Probably does nothing at all to the 14m to 1 odds but there you go! I seem to remember that at some point this afternoon Andy, remember who wife is recovering from Breast Cancer, gave Jane a hug and a shoulder to cry on for a minute or two then Jane, who had been watching me become more tense, annoyed, tearful and frustrated because of my complete lack of ability to do anything at all to contribute passed on the hug and assurance to me for a few minutes - now that ladies and gentlemen is what relationships, trust and true friendship is all about.

04.12.09
Oesophageal
Dilatation

Couple of Pics of Miriam

After a night of almost no sleep at all I met Lydia’s friends as they called for her to walk to school then I remember Jane walking Miriam to Nursery and coming back shouting ‘I’m going shopping now’. Next thing I knew she was back and it was 10.45am and the appointment was at 11.45am. The letter for the appointment has just dropped through the letterbox so I just had chance to fill in the medical questionnaire get my shoes on and get off. Again I wanted Jane to stay with me as long as she could but it wasn’t as easy as with the ultrasound. I did get to speak to Mr Catton before he started about how the pain was still my number one priority and he wanted to see what Dr Swanwick can do on Monday next week, as I do. The Oesophageal Dilatation went very well again just using the balloon. Have a look at the leaflet which explains quite well what happens. We got home about 2.30pm and I took my afternoon tablets and that was pretty much that until tea time which ironically was the dreaded Spanish omelette which got stuck in my gullet and had to be flushed about just about a year ago. Still no news on whether the ultrasound needs to be taken any further i.e. Biopsies so I’ll play that one down until it happens.

At the hospital I managed an informal chat each for just for a few minutes individually with Kathy, Mr Catton and Ebron the Endoscopy Nurse who is a good friend of my sisters. Lots of reassurance if only I can get a grip of this pain next week I’ll be more than happy!

03.12.09

Proper in demand today, this morning I read an email sent late last night from Rob Staley wanting to come and visit me this morning at 10am and sure enough he turned up and while Jane was out we had a couple of hours putting the world to rights. I had my lunch when Rob left at 12:45 then when Jane came back I decided to risk a trip in the car down to Dunelm Mills to fetch one of those wheat warmers with lavender in them just as another something to try and take the pain away. I came back with one that looks like a short scarf just wraps around my neck and another that is a replica  of a normal hot water bottle, any way they both seem to do the trick and didn’t cost the earth. I don’t know what came over me but I asked Jane if she wanted me to walk with her to fetch Miriam from school which I did in what seemed like sub zero temperatures. I met Darren while we were there and he asked if he could come and see after tea me for half an hour this evening and of course I said yes, only to nod off and when I woke up my brother had turned up with Lydia from my Mum’s house and I was still knackered and my head all over the place. Anyway we sat down for Spag Bol and the phone rang and Darren wondered if I wanted to shy off tonight’s get together as I’d looked a bit tired - the guy should be a GP! I must also be getting better or at least people think so as today I had my first request to fix someone’s laptop which seemed to have died a death. I said I’d have a look if they brought it round but I am getting on for a year out of practise!

02.12.09

The two recent photos brought some oohs and aahs generally from the ladies but ‘nuff said about that. Yes I am looking better and this Friday I have what should be a routine slot to expand my oesophagus again. I’m on last spot on the morning list so I can perhaps catch him for a chat about other things before he dashes off for lunch .

Next Monday is the appointment to sort out pain management at Treetops and there is still the matter of the ultrasound and whether or not I’ll need a biopsy. I’m having to use the blog as my personal diary as you can see. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had my ears chewed for forgetting this and that and listening to “I told you that last weeks” Anyway enough whinging and I’ll blog a bit more tomorrow out of desire rather that out of necessity.

01.12.09

Things didn’t go too bad today. Kathy rang this morning and in dealing with the issue of not being down on the list to see Mr Catton until 04 Jan 10 and needing another Endoscopy to stretch the oesophagus she’d squeezed me in on the end of the list for this Friday so he could dilate it some more to enable me to almost get the darn turkey in whole and to be able to have a bit of a chat with him, sedation allowing, about the pain management and how thing are supposed to progress between now and say Christmas. So again I’ll get Jane to come with me as far as she can, she may even be allowed to sit in on the procedure which would be fantastic and then we’ll see what happens from there.

I needed another ’keep yer tabs warm beanie’ which I purchased from Blacks in Vicci Centre, it’s half fleece lined so it doesn’t itch like mental, Miriam is sporting one of hers just to get her picture taken with me and that oh so wonderful pair of Doccers in dark tan they’re just a size 8 now they’re made in India or wherever it is I’d usually be a size nine. I remember we used to meet on a Saturday morning just to all sit and polish them, oxblood was the favourite or the natural colour they were meant to be until they had outlived their usefulness then like my brother he’d spray them silver or they’d be modified in some other way as to impress the rest of the gang!

Please check out the JustGiving Page, I’ll try and get Barry to show the offline donations as well  but remember any amount is more than appreciated, I haven’t defrosted the horses head yet but I am keeping tally of how shall I put it “any tight knackers”!