So I'm back.
I've been having a cancer free period, so have deliberately stayed away from here but am now entering another phase of appointments, surgery etc. so I've returned to share my thoughts, fears and experiences with you all.
Tomorrow I'm off in to see the consultant who performed my WLE on the shoulder and kindly removed my 28 lymph nodes (only one infected - that's good eh? to quote him) from under my left armpit. He just wants to check that my graft is OK and things are generally alright. We get on great but he's madder than a mad thing (maybe that's why we get on). A typical conversation with him - oh yeah he's Irish by the way.......very Irish:
"Is there anything else you need to know Steve?"
"Umm (wheels turning)....what other muscles etc. will be affected when you go in through the armpit?"
"Well we cut right through this one muscle (touches me roughly where muscle is) but you don't need to worry about that, you don't really need it."
"You sure? After all I've evolved as a human being with that muscle, so I'm pretty certain it serves some purpose"
"Hell no, trust me you won't be missing that one"
"Ahhh.....OK"
So tomorrow could be fun.
The day after I have to go in for my pre-operative assessment. Deep joy. Despite my rather weak protests, the scarey lady on the phone insisted I needed one even though I only had one a couple of months ago. She was very insistent and very scarey, so being English, I agreed a time, put the phone down and then moaned a lot. That showed her!!
Then a week Friday I'm in to have my lymph nodes extracted from the left hand side of my neck. Now everyone tells me that although it's quite a long op, recovery isn't too bad at all. Having asked around the community there are various little niggles but nothing too onerous.......... until you consider that I'm booked in over the bank holiday. Smart timing!! No beach lounging in the sun for me then. Oh hang on there's a couple of flaws in that plan anyway; firstly I'm not allowed to lounge around in the sun and secondly sun on a bank holiday - god I'm such a joker.
But before all of that there's the big one. Yes that's right, the FA Cup.
This Saturday is a huge day for my new football club. I have the honour of managing the side in it's first ever FA Cup tie and we're playing Spurs....no no not them.....Fleet Spurs. We're making a day of it; BBQ, Disco, Bar open all day and night - win, lose or draw we're having a party. Could be messy.
Funnily enough when they first found this enlarged node in my neck and surgery was proposed, I told them (them being the NHS) I had to be fit for the 20th and was assurred I would be. By taking forever to get me in and sorted the good old NHS have actually upheld their side of the bargain - I'm perfectly fit!! I'm not entirely sure that's what we envisaged at the outset though, well at least I didn't.
Now before I sign off I need to put the record straight.
On a previous Blog I listed out a few of my favourite things (it was a slow day, cut me a break) but I'm dismayed that I left my sandals/slippers off the list and I apologise unreservedly to them.
A good few years ago my wife purchased me a pair of sandal type things. They're not the sort with straps and buckles that you wear white socks under whilst sporting your tailored shorts. Oh no, I'm far more of a style icon than that. These one's have a thick cork sole bottomed off by a decent amount of rubber with a single wide strap that sits over your foot, sort of from the base of my toes backwards for three inches or so. None the less they kinda resemble sandals and I was filled with trepidation when I first saw them - sandals!! But the missus had bought them and you know, quiet life and all that, I bit the bullet and reluctantly wore them.
Several years later I am still wearing them. They have been the most comfortable pair of footwear I've ever had. They've been all around the world with me, I literally take them everywhere; Tobago, Canary Islands, France, Ireland, Barnsley and Milton Keynes. They are you see my little piece of home away from home, that constant that runs through my life whatever I'm doing and wherever I'm doing it. They are the last thing I take off at night and the first thing I put on in the morning. In fact they accompanied me on the long walk to theatre a couple of months ago and they'll do the same next week. They are my comfort blanket and I salute them.
How could I have possibly left them off of my list - damn they should even have been ahead of John Travolta, only just mind, but ahead of him all the same.
So there we are, having paid homage to my slippers (I'm actually wearing them now) I fear it's late and I must retire to bed to prepare myself for tomorrows encounter with Ireland's number one mad professor.
Sláinte!
