Friday and Tony had the day off work because we are off to see the WIZARD OF ONC aka Dr Emma Staples. The kids get a lift to school and I soak in the bath and then do my hair and get dressed. I always try to 'dress up' a little for the hospital, why? I dunno really maybe because they are were the only times I went out to begin with.....of course I know I want them to see me at my best and marvel at how well I look etc too and partly because I know my Mum would want me too 
So just after 9.30am we get in the car and head off to Romford. Now I am not a maudlin person, in fact sometimes I think I am too cheerful for the chatroom and feel a bit out of place and worried I might upset someone with my slightly black and quirky sense of humour.....so when Tony put on his CD which was a compilation of accoustic versions of songs he liked....I found myself keep thinking "oh this is nice, would be good at the funeral, everyone would be balling their eyes out to this" and the next came on "oooooh what about this one" - I have learned to keep these thoughts to myself and Buttercup as Tony really doesn't get it or appreciate them. Todays photo intermissions were taken Feb 8th 2006 on the small pond at the end of my road (well actually its a 'Close').
We arrive at the oncology department and tell them name "Deborah Perry" - achhhhhhh that screams around inside my head. The nurse that shepherds Dr Staples patients around to the inner sanctum is called Kelly....we usually have a laugh but today she called out in the main waiting room "Deborah Perry?" and again "would you like to come round Deborah" and then she saw my face and "OMG I have done it again haven't I" indeed Kelly......no gold star today. We joke and laugh about how she knows she should call me Debs but forgets - has she had a head CT lately?!!!! We sit outside Dr Staples office and can hear them inside chatting and laughing and eventually I am called in - whoaaaaaa not seeing the registrar today! She checks my bloods and says everything is fine, however it shows I am not drinking enough fluids as my poor kidneys were struggling a bit. She asks about the memory problems and I tell her generally its beginning to improve with the exception of the small gas explosion in the kitchen. She tries to contain her smile and says "Debs, Debs" whilst shaking her head "best I not comment other than to say put a note on the oven please".
Then we get around to the next MRI which is due next month. She looks up my last one from August and says....I think you can wait till say February 2010 I really doubt we are going to see any change and this way you won't be worrying about scans and results over Christmas. How does that sound?" sound.......I could have kissed her LOL I damn nearly skipped out of her office to go and get my prescription. Which was when Kelly came out with her next confession "Debs, I really hope your prescription is ready, when I went to bed last night I sat up and thought OMG the prescription was still in my tray and not the pharmacy, if its any consolation I could hardly sleep, I rushed it down at 9am and told them it was urgent......I am really sorry".....I couldn't keep a straight face after telling her she was off the Xmas card list I had to tell her it was ok. It was, I got to the pharmacy and they said it will be around 5mins, they had just one more person to check it. It was actually around 2-3mins and we were on our way home.
As we are driving through North Weald, where we had our first flat together and Jack was born, we decided to stop off at the Kings Head pub for lunch. Chicken and bacon sarnie for me and Tony had ribeye steak with caramelised red onion and they both came with chips! Huge bloomin sarnie mine was and I struggled to eat it all. When we left the carpark was full of vintage and new Lotus cars......Tony was in heaven, he drove all around the carpark saying "yep that one would do me" before pulling out. (I borrowed the photo of the pub off its webpage 
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Home and the kids were phoning not long after "where's Dad, isn't he picking us up?" nope, the sun is shining you can walk.......noises of disgust except from Sean who had gotten his bike out of the dungeon and rode home. Now begins the half-term holiday, at least I won't have to drag my headache ridden ass out of bed while on chemo next week, but nor will I enjoy the peace and quiet I normally get when they are at school. We didn't go to Tesco's yesterday - yes you all heard that right, instead we found lotsa fresh pasta and sauces in the fridge and decided to use them up.
After dinner, Tony took Sean and Lara back to the leisure centre where they train for karate which is actually the base for the area's table tennis club. On Fridays people can train for free and have a go against the robot and generally have fun. Its on from 7-10pm. They got home around 9.45pm absolutely soaking wet - who knew that table tennis was so energetic. Apparently it was "awesome" and they both want to go back next week.
Today has been a very good day, should I be worried that I am not having a scan for 6 months instead of 3??? Well if my oncologist is happy then I am happy. She is even going to ask the neurologist about me coming off my Tegretol especially as I confided that I actually forget to take it most days LOL That last photo of the swan is my favourite, not sure if it had bad eyesight and thought the stick was a bit of bread or not.......but its a kinda unusual photo I think. Have a fabulous weekend people, do something you like, just for the hell of it.
Thought for today:
One of the most beautiful gifts in the world is the gift of encouragement. When someone encourages you, that person helps you over a threshold you might otherwise never have crossed on your own.
John O'Donohue
