Well folks, the last few days have been a bit of a challenge. I won't go into details - it would make a hyena sick.
In an earlier blog I drew the comparison between childbirth and my current situation, on the basis of pain.
Is there anyone out there that's been in labour for five days ? No ? Then I can hold my head up with all you wonderful mothers !
Yesterday morning Gill came into our living room to find me curled up on the floor by our sofa, asleep [fast asleep would be an exaggeration!]. No, this isn't a confession of marital discord - that's what OK magazine is for - just practicalities; Gill has to be up for work and I didn't want her losing sleep, too.
The phone rang at about 10:00 yesterday morning - it's my GP. He's received the MRI and CT scan results and was wondering if I'd like to pop in and discuss them before my Op' . . .
"Left hand, I'd like you to meet Right hand. You will be working together from now on"
It would be extremely churlish of me to raise an eyebrow at this, given my circumstances, but NHS admin' seems to be lagging behind the Clinical side [by a country mile !] despite the extra billions we taxpayers have provided for it. I look at my grandchildren and feel like sobbing . . .
I did manage to get out yesterday and what a wonderful sight was waiting for me ! Mother Nature has been busy with her paintbrush and our local park, Ferry Meadows, looked resplendant in her Autumn finery. Another few days and I would've missed it. Some things are definitely worth the effort.
The purpose of the outing was to visit my dentist. I swore to Gill that I would do this just as soon as I was able [Fit? No, just able], and I was going stir crazy !
You would have to go back to "There may be trouble ahead" to make sense of this, but I desperately wanted to shake this mans hand.
He protested that 'he was only doing his job' and that he's just 'an ordinary guy' and I agreed with him.
"I know, you're an ordinary man doing an ordinary job. What you did for me was extraordinary and I'm here - on behalf of my wife, my children and my grandchildren - to say thank you, so don't try and stop me, we outnumber you!" I then congratulated him on the outcome of the Rugby World Cup [he's from S.A and they won - against England].
"You've no idea what that cost me!" I told him. We were both enjoying a 'warm moment' and the pain really didn't matter . . .
So, what's next ?
Friday I'm to see some guys in Oncology. They will have seen the biopsy results by now, and will no doubt have come up with a cunning plan - I mustn't call anyone there 'Baldrick' - which they will be keen to share with me.
I hope they forgive me if I'm less than enthusiastic about it. We'll see, it's a good 2 days away yet and I'm likely to be a bit more 'up for it' by then.
As for the useful distraction - the Apple Mac-mini thingy - I've no regrets at all, what a marvellous bit of kit ! It's going to take me a few whiles to master it, but hey ! what else have I to do for the next month ??
Right then, I'm for a cuppa [that whiles away a good 20 minutes !].
