Wednesday 21 April 2010

That's that done

Took ages this morning. Not only do you have to drink the litre of dye, which takes 45 minutes to get through the system and into the parts that other lemon flavoured drinks can't reach, but they keep you for a good hour afterwards now, just in case you have a reaction to the dye or the IV marker that they put into you on the table. So, that's basically a whole morning gone.

It was, however, interesting to see the other people there waiting to have the scans done. There was one lady of 94 who also had to drink a litre of the dye. "What? You want me to drink all of that?!" She seemed to be coping with it OK when I left her, though, so good for her. It's also interesting that little old ladies of 94 in wheelchairs are still considered suitable candidates for radio- or chemo-therapy. 10 years ago, I am sure she wouldn't have been. One could have a debate about the ethics of radical treatment in one of such years, but it's probably best to leave that to others.

Coincidentally, it would have been my Grandmother's 100th Birthday today, so she would have been only 6 years older than the lady in front of me. Grandma died of lung cancer in 1974 - who knows where she would have been if she hadn't smoked all her life and had been offered the opportunities that the lady today was offered?

Anyway, in two week's time, I will know whether June will be wiped out as well as the Spring. I have to say that I am looking forward to getting through this stage now, and, hopefully, to not having to worry too much about it for a few years. While it's never going to go away, at least there may be a period when there isn't "something else to look forward to" by way of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or whatever.

Saw a vapour trail for the first time in a week just now. It's been very pleasant having clear blue skies without them, I have to say and I am sure that people who live on flight-paths of busy airports have really noticed the difference. I hope that they have been making hay while the sun has been shining, because they are unlikely to have the opportunity again. There goes a plane over head now, even as I type. The real world returns.

6 comments:

  1. Hi Andy. Followed your link from the Leica forum - cancer is a real bummer to state the obvious but I have several friends and colleagues who have made amazing recoveries from seemingly awful situations. They all say "its all in the mind" - those with a strong will do best. My wife has two friends fighting breast cancer right now too. Can you do anything to get Liverpool into Europe next year? My bank (employer) is sponsoring them next season - cost us a fortune - and now they are struggling to make the top 4. Could be worse though. You could be a Hereford United supporter like me. Very best wishes, Andrew Hardacre

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  2. My playing days are over, I'm afraid :D

    Thanks for the kind comments. I do appreciate them.

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  3. Keep it up Andy. It must be a great help to others in the same boat to stay sounding so positive.

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  4. Thanks

    It can be hard to stay positive, but the alternative isn't great so why not?

    :-)

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  5. PS - I would love to know who my anonymous commenters are ;-)

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  6. My thoughts and very best wishes are with you, Andy.

    Ken.

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