Well, my dear readers, the writer of our script has been throwing in a few more surprises.
We will try to keep the tone light: the week begins with Our Hero taking himself off to have his monthly infusion of Mistletoe which is designed to keep the immune system in trim – and we do indeed think it works. After all, he is still with us, Our Hero, despite the gloomy oncologist’s prognosis.
However, his journey is not smooth: he arrives at his destination with black smoke belching from the engine of the car.
A helpful man from the RAC fixes the pipe that is something to do with the fuel injection which has been nibbled through by hungry mice. Diesel has been showering over the hot engine.
But, what of it?
Death?
Engines on fire?
Pah! Nothing to Our Hero.
Now one of the tasks which The Meddlesome should have taken over (as well as feeding the Ancient Aga and dealing with sulky Septic Tank) is setting mouse-traps. She is not, however, good at that sort of thing. She has tried the ‘live’ trap option and has ended up rearing an orphaned baby mouse by hand (tahini is good, should you ever find yourself in that situation) and the old fashioned variety of trap she invariably avoids emptying.
So no traps have been set lately – 'live' or deadly.
Near death by mice was unforseen.
Which brings us to today. It began very well: the wonderful, maverick surgeon has been on the phone. He says ‘No’ to the clinical trials, he says ‘No’ to any more chemo (not that this was on offer anyway), he says keep radiotherapy ‘for ze leemph’ in reserve. Radiofrequency ablation for the liver metastases? He is reserving judgement (and so are we – but we are looking into it.) Most importantly, he says not to worry about the fact that Our Hero is not putting on weight. He is, overall, pleased with his progress.
There is relief all round.
But there has been a niggling worry from the beginning of this story: what will happen should Our Hero have one of his Cluster Headache cycles on top of the cancer, on top of the pain he is only just controlling, and on top of his extreme weakness?
Cluster Headaches are the big, bad mysterious and truly terrible relation of migraines. They are also known as ‘suicide headaches’ because the pain is so bad that it is unendurable. Our Hero is just beginning what is usually a five week period of these headaches – headaches so bad sufferers have been known to thrash their heads against walls and, indeed, give up the will to live.
We do hope that our GP will be doing some Googling – research must have moved on and we are getting so tired.
