THE MAN WITH THE SILVER HAIR !!!!!!!!

Hi Ruby,

I am a stopper and smiler. Actually I am a giggler in the hospital and usually laugh with whoever I am with.... but I am with you on that one.

   I play games too but mine are guess the patient  cos us bum types seem to look rather well a lot of the time and have most of our hair.  I didn't think it was serious in some ways until afterwards and then you think oh right... they thought I was going to die quite soon... Ah. Ok. And here we are! :)

I also did as I was told. Mind you, when you first get it and  they say do this or you'll die, you sort of go along with it really I find.

Good luck with the appointment....let us know the date and I'll cross appendages for you.  blimey, I thought 5 years was long enough, how long are they still going to be seeing you for?

I hope they help you with the rest of it too. My brother lives in Glasgow. Next time I get up there, perhaps we could meet up somewhere?  I can do trains to Edinburgh and I could get meatballs and throw them at you for real hahaaaaa. :) Actually, that might put you off. I could have polite tea with you and not chuck stuff at you. Actually, lets be honest... I couldn't!

Huge hug to a lady full of courage (and smiles and love)

Little My xxx

 

Hi Ruby I smile too now.The clinic I go is urology and more often than not I tend to be the only female unless there is a man with his wife there.The conversations are usually about prostates I know it's rude to listen but it does pass the time.Strange the similarities of waiting rooms I notice the nervous,the pretend to readers etc what I really watch is when people come out from seeing the Consultant some smiling,some red eyed some look in shock I want to go and hug the red eyed and hold the hand of those who look shocked I also want to hug those who smile but of course I can't go around hugging strangers might get myself arrested.i also wanted to smack a man at one clinic he was the image of Jim Royale of the tele and his wife was as tiny as he was huge he was so horrible to her in how he spoke to her but of course couldn't .I too did what I was told in the beginning but found that I ended up not knowing what was going on and as someone who does not like mysteries started to question everything.The very best of luck with everything Ruby you so deserve it .I don't know if I will get to Scotland again as used to go with ex but if I do it would be lovely to meet up and I won't throw meatballs wellllll maybe not. Big hugs Cruton xxxx

Hello Ruby,

I wanted to wish you well with your forthcoming appointment this month and I'm sure that all will be fine - it's just another check-up, a part of our routines which we become used to.

But yes, I also find that now I have so many questions that I want to ask my Consultant about my diagnosis, surgery and radiotherapy, etc. Like yourself and Little My, I just did what I was told and never dreamed of questioning their decisions .......... in a way, the medical teams took over our lives with all the various appointments for tests, pre-op checks and so on. I do think that the need to know more is most likely because our minds can take it all in now, whereas before my mind certainly became a blank and I couldn't think straight ( hope I'm making sense here ! )

Although I didn't have chemo, my nightmare was the radiotherapy suite ( aka The Death Ray ) my hubby and I would sit in the waiting area every weekday morning ....... it was like a little ' club ' with the same patients sat there. With each passing week we saw some of them saying goodbye as their treatments finished and others were in it for the long-haul ....... I can still remember the pain written on their faces.

So, Ruby ...... I guess we all have experiences that will stay with us. However, you are right about having a smile when we are at the hospital ...... it would be nice to give hope to the patients who on just making their first steps in ' our world ' . Anyway, have some ((((((((((( hugs )))))))))) from me !

Love, Joycee xxx

Hello Ruby and everyone else

I so know what you mean about the little 'games' we play in the chemo suite. I did too and also did as I was told. I was still very sick and weak when I went for my first chemo, a bit claustrophobic too and sat at the end of the row of chairs to avoid being squashed between two people. They also had to get me a recliner as still in quite a bit of post op pain. Then I put on the pink lookalike motorcycle helmet as I thought, why not? It was also a defence mechanism I suppose as I could hide behind the anonymity of looking a complete idiot (wish I'd had my camera with me now). Also the brain freeze took my mind off the fact my back was killing me.

Then I got on with the watching... For me, it was more, wonder which cancer these guys have? And why is that person still so chunky when I'm so painfully thin?

Then I had an allergic reaction to my second drug and then everyone was watching me instead (thought I was dying...). Second time, better all round, no more cold cap as drug I was allergic to was the one that makes your hair fall out. Ironic, considering I'd had my hair cut really short from a shoulder length bob in readiness for losing it!  I started to relax into it after that second time.

All the remaining chemos, I was the one with the big smiley face chatting to everyone!! And doing big guffaws at inappropriate moments! Last chemo, I felt the need to go and hold someone's hand when she had an allergic reaction, just as I had done. We are still friends now.

A smile means a lot - so thanks everyone who smiled back at me and enjoyed a little laughter.

Good luck with your appointment Ruby. Take care and hugs to you.

 

XXxxx

 

Hi Ruby,

I had chemo in tablets and so never had the pleasure of the chemo suite, but I did see it the once when I had my one meeting with the chemo nurse, and it gave me a shock. Like Joycee I had the daily trudge to the RT dept  and I went on my own even though my arse was cut to pieces by the end. I got talking to people and it was sad to say goodbye to those who finished RT, I am a bit of a chatterbox.

There was a very sick look lady having RT, she was in a wheelchair not due to age but her condition, and I will be honest and thought to myself I hope nt to end up like that. She often complained of feeling sick but no one ever went to her, but one day I got up and gave her a small sick bowl. She looked at me and said weakly "That's no fucking good is it!"

What a lovely blog you wrote, you're a great and brave person. All the very best with your appointment.

I reckon we ought to be calling you Ruby Booby on Warped!

Tight lines

Tim xxx