No treatment today....

So I'm having  long weekend away in Fairbourne

Radiotherapy week 5

                                                                               Week 5
● Day 19 Monday 19th May. Again, collected 08:35 by Alan then to Tamworth for Chris & Peter. Q E by 10:05. Enema thing completed by 10:25 told to start drink for an 11:30 start so a long read was in order. Treatment commenced on time the usual cat nap in the scanner. A useful tool if you can do it. Chris,Peter & myself were in the car by 11:50 I arrived back home for 13:00 I even stayed awake the whole trip. I have recently noticed that body hair from the belt area is all but gone, what there is of it looks more like 'Bum fluff' and as smooth as a baby's bottom. Also I am getting a 'Pot Belly Pig' look in my middle. When did this start? It just goes to show just how observant we are about ourselves, we just go through the motions. Hair will perhaps come back, or not, either way not a problem 'Pot Belly Pig' will have to go, I think it's down to the drugs (as I have read) & no doubt lack of my usual exercises, but I can only do so much. A note about yesterday (Sunday) There is an old Norse (Viking) saying, “If you want to make your God laugh, make plans for the future.” I think mine had a good chuckle. Before taking Carol and her friend to their beading session, I had to sit on the throne at least 3 times before I considered it safe to go out. My morning’s plan had to be abandoned. After my early lunch I dropped off to sleep, my son was making a sardine on toast lunch for himself and dropped the grill pan. I heard nothing at all for all the noise created, I might just as well have been dead, but to his relief I did grunt once. Determined to go out with my camera I went to Barton Marina for a few hours, just down the road from where Carol was. I had a very enjoyable time which was the important thing.

● Day 20 Tuesday 20th May Collected for 08:35 then off to Tamworth again. Noticed that the road works have been finished, so we can get back to the original route. Arrive at Q E 09:55 told to drink at 10:40 after the enema thing 11:30 treatment finished who's gonna take me home then? Alan is off on 2 long distance runs. Tomorrow could find us running late the other scanner has broken down so the operators might have to be working Saturday to help out with the backlog, we shall see.. Back home 13:00 after an ambulance runaround all’s well so far . I have noticed that the hot flushes are more common nowadays, if that is all I have to worry about, I’m not complaining.

● Day 21 Wednesday 21st May 08:35 collected by Alan and off to Tamworth to pick up Peter, no Chris today. Where has all the traffic gone to? We arrive at Q E 09:45. Room 4 machine still out of commission we (room 6) are running late by around 25 minutes, after the enema thing I was asked to delay drinking until 10:40 so I will be ready for 11:15. Another doze in the scanner and out by 11: 35. The ladies do not understand how I can drop off in such an environment. I tell them “It’s easy” I go to main reception to sign out, Peter is sitting there alone so I go to join him. As I go to sit beside him the driver takes the brakes off his chair, as I was about to say my good-byes I was asked if I was ready to go home. You bet I was, that was an unexpected bonus, treatment & straight out for home Back home for 12:50.

● Day 22 Thursday 22nd May. Collected by ambulance 09:05, called to Kings Bromley, then Tamworth. Arrive QE 10:55 room 6 running late by up to 25 minutes. After the enema thing, I was told to drink as of ‘now’ started treatment 11:40. Seems that room 4 is up and running now but there is quite a backlog. The ladies are having to work Saturday morning to reduce the backlog. Had a solo return home with Alan, Peter & Chris need to see the Dr. Before going home so had to be left behind. Back home for 14:15. I had a phone call from room 6 this afternoon. “Fridays treatment is cancelled”. So, 4 days off, no treatment, how does this affect me regarding the cancer? With 4 days off, does this mean the cancer is going to start a recovery? I'm not worried, there is no point. So end of week 5 and only one complete week of treatment. 7 weeks now become 8 weeks  Not the best news I could be having.

The prostate saga continues

Week 4

● Day 14 Monday 12th May. Small bonus this morning, did the enema thing at home, without the enema.  Problems on M42 from J8-J5 Called into Tamworth for Peter & Chris then took a long circuitous route to M6. On the whole, we did pretty good, just about 30 minutes later than normal. The enema thing went well so treatment was over by 11:30. A new driver took me home via Stretton, but I was back for 13:25. I thought there might be problems as I waited in the adjacent waiting room, an engineer turned up as I was about to disrobe for the scanner, but it was no big thing, he had a look and reckoned I could go ahead for treatment, he could sort things out when I had finished. I had a new driver to take me back home. I did have two short naps on the way back to Stretton, which is around 7 miles past my home. Back home for 13:25. I felt good this afternoon, could it be I am getting used to the radiotherapy?

● Day 15 Tuesday 15th May Alan collected me 08:35. We picked up Chris & Pete from Tamworth the found long delays on M42. As per normal all traffic jams seem to have no reason for their existence, and this was no exception neither the one that followed. We arrived at Q E 10:10 by 10:30 I had done the enema thing, despite having dropped a load before leaving home crude? Yes, but that is how I am at times. Room 6 was running late by 30 minutes so I was asked to delay my drinking for 30 minutes. I was ready for home by 12:00 Alan collected me, I had no other driver to take me home, so a 2+ hour journey home via Coleshill and Coventry, in the back seat of the car. No fun I can tell you back home around 14:00

● Day 16 Wednesday 16th May collected 08:35 & off to Tamworth for Chris & Peter arrive Q E 10:10. Enema thing done & dusted by 10:25, room 6 running late by 20-30 minutes asked to drink 11:10. 11:50 finished dressed and signing out. Had a shock, picked up by Alan 12:00 and home by 12:50. Stayed awake for the whole journey but the need for sleep caught up around 16:00 on the whole I’m still feeling good, no sore spots in the treatment area, skin seems to be fine. It’s just the slight discomfort in the hips when walking which diminishes after a short rest. As long as I can keep moving, I can live with that.

● Day 17 Thursday 17th May Collected 08:35 & off to Tamworth for Chris & Peter arrive Q E 10:10. Enema thing done & dusted by 10:25 after ea big detour from M6 to Great Barr to pick up A34. The traffic was horrendous.. Treatment went well as per normal, the let down was the 2hr wait for transport. I could have perhaps travelled with Chris & Peter to Tamworth then onwards, but it was not to be, I did fall asleep during the trip back home, I think it was down to boredom more than anything else. Tomorrow will see the first full week of treatment.

● Day 18 Friday 16th May Collected 08:35 & off to Tamworth, it going to be a warm one today. Collect Chris & Peter then off to Q E. We arrived at 09:40 despite heavy traffic warnings . I did my enema thing and then was told to delay drinking until 10:15 so I will be ready for 10:50. I am getting along nicely with a good book, but today not so easy. The waiting area is not a quiet place by any means, people are talking  and laughing. With waiting for treatment in the waiting area, it feels more like waiting for your holiday flight, there is not that hospital feeling there at all. I think I’m a tad different, I am a loner, as men are accompanied by their wives or lady partners. There are 10 treatment rooms that I am aware of, and that make for a lot of people. I was called into room 6 at 10:45 and out again by 11:05 after my usual cat nap in the scanner. I saw Alan walking across the waiting room, looking for his next passenger. I then went to the main reception area where I saw Peter & Chris waiting to go home, so I called over for a chat, Alan followed me and called out a name three times, no response. After a short delay, Alan called for us to go home, he had sorted things out great stuff, I was back home for 12:20 with an enema free weekend ahead of me.

HMRC e-mails???

Rubbish, when will these idiots realise I do not answer to so called mails from HMRC? THEY DO NOT SEND THEM!!!! A brown envelope with a window, with your name and address is what you get. I have had at least 7 of these 'mails' in the last 5 days some with 2 messages in the file, so that makes about 10 then. In the past fortnight, I have had mails from banks I use & don't use telling me my account will be or has been suspended, followed with the usual link to provide details. Try to report scams/phishing to banks does no good, so I do not bother, just delete without opening messages.

Just to cheer me up a bit

Just walking and looking around with a camera, what more could I ask for?

Week 3 of prostate treatment

Week 3

●  Day 10 Monday 5th May Bank holiday so no treatment. So, camera packed I went to Calke village & walked to the Abbey taking photo’s as I went around, the weather was great and the waking, although hard work was enjoyable.
● Day 10 Tuesday 6th May Alan called for me 08:25, we have a second passenger to collect in Coleshill, would I sit in the back? We went to Burton to pick up A38, & at the Branston junction we saw the road was full of stationary traffic in both lanes.. We headed for Rangemore to pick up a road to Lichfield…along with a lot of other drivers. An incident as the police would have it had taken place with 7 vehicles in collision somewhere between Alrewas & Lichfield. After several detours and holdups we arrived in Lichfield 2 hours later. Alan phoned, Oops, I phoned his base as his phone was not working correctly, he reported the problem. Later he was told to just take me in as other arrangements were being made for the second passenger. Another 50 odd minutes went by before we arrived at Q E. I did the enema thing, only to find out that room 6 was delayed by 45-60 minutes. I was eventually seen at 12:45 “Please make haste as we are behind and others are waiting” was my greeting which suited me as I had had enough. 13:15, I was met by Alan at reception, was I ready to go? Yes but toilet visit first please, I could feel a gas build-up, I was not prepared to let that one out in a car. We left the Q E 13:25, we had a lady to take to King’s Standing first, then go find the Tamworth road for M42. Once on the motorway, my eyes felt like lead, I just blacked out until we reached home. 14:55, a long and very tiring half day out.
● Day 11 Wednesday 7th May 08:25 Alan called ,we're of to Tamworth for a second passenger, collected 09:05 man & wife he is the patient. Arrive Q E 09:50. 10:15 enema thing etc. done, just wait, and wait. 12:45 called into scanning room, I asked about the delay the answer I was given should have been expected as an ambulance patient, I am A M or P M, with no specified time, so I have to be fitted in as and when, just do the enema thing, and knock on the door to say hello, I will then be told at some time later when to drink. The card in the holder now is not good enough. Theses are the new rules now, I have been lucky in the past. 13:30(Ish) Collected by Alan, I’m a back seat job, we are to pick up a chair-bound passenger from the other side of the hospital. I arrive back home 14:55 feeling somewhat jaded boredom I think .Lunch then to the shops, I felt life coming back after too much sitting doing nothing. It’s another day tomorrow.
● Day 12 Thursday 8th May 08:25 Alan picked me up, off to Tamworth again for the same people. Arrive  at Q E  09:50 I did the enema thing & went to tell the operatives ‘I was here’ promptly ushered out,as I was in a restricted area Seems I just can’t win for trying to do the right thing. All seemed well at the scan. There seems to be no time as such for pleasantries, it’s all business and very polite. I do try to make light of the formalities, joking about bad memories, having a tattoo on my head so they can red the information needed. Lead balloons come to mind. Oh well, as long as the job is done I can live with it.  I was told to start drinking at 10:25, as this would give the required amount of liquid in my bladder The scan took place 10:55, yet again I drifted off which is no bad thing really. It is surprising how comfortable a hard slab can be. Alan was due back in around 12:00 returning from Telford (these guys do get around), I travelled back home with the same folk on the inward trip. I arrived home for lunch 13:00. I did drop off for a short nap top end of M42 but that was no surprise to us. Apart from the general tiredness there are no side effects that I can feel.

● Day 13  Friday 9th May Collected by Alan then off to Lichfield again. Arrive Q E 09:50 did the enema thing. I was going to call to the ‘office’ to say hello when I was called for, I was told to hang on for a good half hour to have a drink as I would be seen at 11:15. I said I was thirsty, so I could have a beaker of water now, and have the other 3 as required. It was agreed, then about 3 minutes later I was called again and told to empty my bladder again at 10:35, then have the 4 beakers within the 5 minutes. I remarked that it was a good job I had spare catheters with me, otherwise I would not be able to comply. I explained that I was down to my last 3 days supply, and by Monday morning I would be out should delivery fail. It made no difference, in not so many words, the reply was ‘Just do it’ . So, I just did it, emptying the bladder so soon after the enema thing I hardly produced a cup full, a complete waste of a catheter. The scan was the usual thing but for a pair of very,  very cold hands, grabbing me here ,there and everywhere I was put through the treatment, no problem slept through it mostly. I was ready to go home by 11:40 but had to wait until 13:10. We were going to Lichfield to drop off 2 passengers, this we did then coming back home Alan decided he knew better than his sat-nav, after a long circuitous trip around Lichfield  a drive into Burton (instead of the shortcut I recommended) I got home by 15:00. I can now look forward to a weekend off