Thursday 6 December 2012

Ticking away ... Day 767 ~ we're talking 'quality of life' now ...

I was thinking that yesterday's check-up, the first in three months, might not be quite so encouraging as previous ones had been.

In the event it was probably slightly worse than I had anticipated.

The groin strain that I had started to notice about ten days ago is likely to be cancer cells in my pelvic bone according to my new consultant ... but this can be treated by radiotherapy with a view to maintaining the "quality of life".

My PSA reading according to my last bloodtest is now just over 30.

The small lump in my neck may be malignant ... but there are drugs that should be able to knock it back for three or four months.

So, it was more of a triple whammy than a double.

Still, all is not lost and the next move is to have a CT scan to see how far those cheeky little cancer cells have got and then I [or more likely the doctor] can decide whether I have some radiotherapy and/or some more drugs or adopt a 'wait and see' policy ... and then have some radiotherapy and/or some more drugs.

So although I'm hobbling a bit at present I am still making the most of life and I was still able to pose for a photo after yesterday's 'bringing you back to earth with a bang' session ...  

Me after another visit to the Cavendish Suite ...

There was some good news though. When we went into the Cavendish Suite a good number of the nurses and staff remembered us and showed us the attention, courtesy and care they have showed us thus far ...

... and the bacon rolls and coffee Jamie and I had afterwards were very enjoyable [though I did think Jamie having two bacon rolls was rather excessive]. 

42 comments:

  1. Charlie, I pray for your full recovery. When things feel tough, just remember how much joy you haveshared with all of us, we always think of you as that. I don't know if you want to try this, but one loses nothing, has no side effects and it is delicious. This fruit grows in Peru, where I am from and it has helped many. Please stay in touch, I have profound admiration for you and your works.

    http://degraviola.com/guanabana

    http://www.guavaleafextract.com/guava-leaves-and-prostate-cancer-cells/

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    1. Thank you Piccola ... I am not feeling too despondent though perhaps my enthusiasm took a bit of a knock.

      I will have a look at those links for which I thank you.

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  2. Charlie - you've been a longtime friend since Y/360, and I've always appreciated your posts about life in the British countryside. Please know that you're a source of inspiration to me.

    My best to you and yours. You are an incredibly brave and gracious man.

    -Will

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    1. Thank you for your kind words Will. I have said it before, I have surprised myself. I am not a religious person [rather like you I suspect] but from somewhere I have developed an inner peace which I never knew I had. This is a strange trip ... a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Hopefully my blogs will continue for some time yet. Thank you once again ...

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  3. Hi Dad.

    There's no such thing as an excessive number of bacon rolls. There can only ever be "not enough".

    I was happy to spend the day with you yesterday, and only wish there was more I could do. I'll see you soon.

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    1. This from the man who can down two bacon rolls before his father has even started his ... though we had succeeded in sitting in different parts of the seating area, each behind a pillar so we couldn't see the other.

      Once again Jamie, thank you for accompanying me. I wish you didn't have to do so.

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    2. Father and son, united in bacon rolls if not by geography. Aaaah, the romance. lol

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    3. We do appreciate our bacon rolls ... though Jamie's appetite is larger than mine.

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  4. Charlie, I hope that you can feel how much we think of you. The good-will (gosh, does that have a hyphen?) and best wishes that are flowing in your direction are sincere and profound.

    Thank you for sharing all your journeys with us. ((hugs))

    And on another note ... I've read of them before, but what are bacon rolls?

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    1. Thank you Pet. Yes, I am touched by the comments on here, Facebook and even Twitter. Your continued support is much appreciated.

      As for the bacon rolls, if you copy and paste this link ~ http://www.willowscoffeeshop.co.uk/special-offer-1/ ~ you will hopefully see a bacon roll and a glass of orange. The bacon roll doesn't look very healthy but with some tomato sauce [ketchup] on it and with a cup of coffee it takes some beating ... especially when you've just taken a beating personally.

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  5. Charlie I really admire the way you come out of hospital with that news,and you can still smile for your photo.What an inspiration you are.Lets hope there are many more photo opportunities to come.Ann

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    1. Thank you Ann, I hope so. The photograph was taken after I'd had a cup of coffee with my family so perhaps I was feeling 'buoyed' at that stage.

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  6. Sorry to hear about these setbacks, Charlie, but as ever you face them with such good grace and cheerfulness. The photo, as always, belies your condition, you look remarkably healthy!!

    I have to agree with Marcus, there is no such thing as 'too many' bacon rolls!!

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    1. Thank you Mitch. The bacon roll has become something of a tradition after our visits to hospital ... long may it last !

      Thank you for your kind words. I still feel pretty good except for some mild discomfort in the left side of my groin, some of the time. Nothing major though.

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  7. Hi Charlie, you're right - that was slightly worse than any of us might have anticipated. Thanks for keeping us updated in such an open and honest way.

    Still I'm formulating the basis of a Ticking Away song... one Triple whammy, two Bacon rolls and a post check-up photograph.... maybe some work still required :-)

    My thoughts and best wishes are with you.

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    1. Thanks Ian ~ I;m looking forward to hearing that some of YouTube soon ... I have to take something called Sando-K three times a day to keep my potassium level up. I now have a Sando-K song, well, a couple or three lines, which I sing most times I have my lunchtime Sando-K. "Sando-K, Sando-K, Have you take it everyday ..." ~ you get the idea.

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  8. That is a very clear and flattering picture. You do look healthy and have lovely teeth. I looked up the link to the bacon roll and would love one with added onion and a slice of tomato. The bun looked very pleasant too. My prayers go out to you, and I make a point to say one everytime I see a pedestrian crossing sign too.

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    1. Thank you Karyn. I like the photograph so much I've made it my profile photo here and there ... well, not here as you can see.

      Thank you for your kind words once again and your prayers.

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  9. Charlie Sorry to hear your news. Hope that you can have a good Christmas.

    Regards Jeff

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    1. Don't worry Jeff [unless illness intervenes] I will be having a good Christmas ... and enjoying every day after that. With best wishes to you and yours Jeff.

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    2. Thanks Charlie. Our weekend in Buxton had a mixture of good and bad weather. But we managed a short walk from Ashford up to Monsal Head and back via the Monsal trail to Bakewell (that was on the Monday). I was hampered by a heavy cold which I am still trying to shake. Trying to swim it off today.
      Jeff

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  10. Oh shite, that was a bit of a blow to the solar plexus, I'll bet. Quality of life, eh? Well, you'd better take them at their word and get on with enjoying yourself! *wink* At least then, you have a defence in that you can say you were just ensuring your quality of life was as good as you could get it - as the boys in blue slap the handcuffs on! lol

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    1. It wasn't an unexpected blow Jenny so to some extent I was able to roll with it ... I might have a glass or two of wine tonight. I'll tell my Beloved you say it's ok.

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    2. Abso-jolly-lutely. You can refer anyone to me, in the case of objection in the future. I'll sort 'em out. :)

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    3. Oh and if you like red wine, I've just discovered the MOST luscious red wine ever! It's from the Bolney Estate in Sussex - their Lychgate Red. It's currently on special offer on their website at £8.99 a bottle. So while you're busy treating yourself - why not invest in a bottle of super duper luscious red!

      https://www.bolneywineestate.co.uk/html/lychgatered.php

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    4. In the event Im only opened a small bottle ... not even two glasses in that. Still it was enjoyable. As for the wine from the Bolney Estate [a new one on me] I will have a look and may treat myself as suggested. Thank you Jenny.

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  11. Just want to say that such is the lure of a bacon roll, I even went to see that link - and I know what a bacon roll looks like, as I've just eaten one for breakfast, outside our local Asda. lol

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    1. I Googled 'bacon rolls' + 'images' and a page load of images filled the screen of my monitor ... if only there was the smell too.

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    2. I sincerely hope that modern technology never finds the way to couple smells with pictures. Yes, it would be great in the case of a bacon roll - but it would make reading news reports fairly challenging!

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    3. You may a fair point Jenny. Still, smells would provide an extra something.

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  12. Hi Charlie...hang in there my friend. I am sorry to hear your news was a bit worse than anticipated. Go forth and enjoy yourself. One never knows what is around the corner, for any of us. Sometimes when things seem bleakest, they brighten up.
    Your friend,
    Chuck

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    1. Thank you Chuck. Good to hear from you. I'm not thinking far ahead, just enjoying every day, every minute.

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  13. Just a short note to say that I have an appointment to get the results of the CT scan referred to above on the 9th January.

    Today I got the date of my CT scan ~ the 10th January.

    To be fair the doctor did intimate that this might happen.

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  14. Just trying to catch up on everyone. For some reason or other, Blogger doesn't encourage me to read everyone's posts in the way Multiply did. But there we are - I'm here. I had bacon rolls for brekkie too today as it happens. If you have bacon rolls, life isn't all bad! Sorry to hear this news, Charlie. I too wish you a good Christmas, lots of bacon rolls and the odd tipple, what could be more festive? I hope all the treatment sorts itself out and you keep looking as you do in that pic!

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    2. I know what you mean about Blogger, it isn't so user friendly is it. Thank you for your good wishes Neil and the advice on food and drink [which I will do my best to adhere to] and I will do my best to keep on looking good [or as good as I can manage].

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  15. Looking very good and healthy on that picture, keep enjoying the bacon rolls and those walks, wishing you good times and great blogs to follow.

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    1. Thank you Diane ~ I will be doing my best.

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