Surviving Oesophageal Cancer

Hi Steve,/goodyear,

New engine mount, new name, rearranged plumbing, what more could you ask for!
Enjoy the journey it's often more fun than the destination.
Make the most of that sun.

Cheers Ben.

Hi Ben
It’s great that you’re eating well and at least you seem to be maintaining weight and not losing any. I was told by all the team that I would never put on weight again with only being able to eat little and often, and with the newly rearranged digestive system. Naturally, being the model patient, I took them at their word and began to indulge in cream meringues, ice cream and cookies every single day for a year. What a perfect year that was! I soon put weight on and then had to figure out how to lose it when I hadn’t enough energy to exercise. The solution seems obvious, but I do miss those cream meringues Lol.
Anyway Ben, I hope you have a lovely weekend and the sun shines on you and Sharon. xx
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” Author unknown.

Hi Good Year
Nice name! As Ben says “Enjoy the journey.” I’m sure you’ve got plenty of mileage yet.
Crystal xx

Everyone, I hope it’s a sunny day. Xx

Hi Steve and Crystal (and any others who are interested)

An update -- finally found out after more phone calls that the panel who review CT scans have graded my colonoscopy as routine! Spoke to my surgeon and he was not impressed and as a result we have decided to go private (our surgeon is also an endoscopist and will be doing the job) and booked in for 25th august. So at last we have a date!
Meantime I have put on 1kg (now 61 kg) in the last week yeah!!! here's hoping it stays on.
Life is good really with lovely balmy days - our harbour looks like glass every morning and the walk around the waterfront with Trixi is magic.
Might even take a couple of days away in Queenstown and look enviously at all the ski bunnies or maybe try a bungy jump (I jumped out of a plane a few years ago but not sure the body can handle a bungy jump yet - might wait til next month as I hear they offer a freebie when you are over 70. Could meet with some slight resistance from Sharon on that one ) Anyway dreams are free!!!

Trust all is well with you all.
Cheers Ben

Hi Ben
It must have been ever so slightly annoying to discover that having initially lost you in the system for a few weeks due to administrative errors, the review panel had then downgraded your colonoscopy as routine, no doubt causing you to make numerous phone calls again. I only hope you go the satisfaction of phoning them up and telling them exactly where they could put their colonscopy instruments Lol.
If you are putting on weight that isn’t a bad sign at all is it, so let’s hope you continue to do well.
Free bungy jumping if you’re over 70? You mean you have to pay to jump under 70?!! And are you issued with a bungy jumping pass along with a free bus pass? Anyway, I’m positive that Sharon will object to your bungy jumping, even if it is free Lol. What date is your birthday next month?
I’m fine thanks Ben although I pulled my back last week and have been walking sideways since. It’s feeling much better today and I can actually sit down now.
I was just looking at your profile again and am impressed with all your medals and would like to know what they all are.
Anyway Ben, I hope today finds you very well and certainly not bungy jumping. Take care and let us know how you’re getting on. xx

Hi Good Year
I hope all is well and that you had a great holiday and the weather kept good for you? Let us know how you’re getting on too. xx

Hi to Everybody else. Hope you’re all doing well and that the coming week will be a good one.
Love Crystal xx

Hi Ben

Bungee jumping, that sounds good, it will properly be less stressful on the body than jumping out of a plane, I haven’t had a go at bungee jumping but did a static line jump from a plane from 2000ft to raise money for the charity MENCAP which turned out to be quite a hard landing. After this I learned to fly where I had to encourage my passengers not to jump out of the aircraft! I certainly hope you get your appointments sorted out soon, it just goes to show that it doesn’t matter where you are they still make the same cock ups. I like the sound of that snapper in your other post; I was rather partial to a red snapper every now and again.

Hi Crystal

What have you been doing to pull out your back? I found doing your back is such a horrible pain you just can’t get comfortable and if you do you have to move again to do things, I hope it gets better soon, no bungee jumping for you. Well the car behaved itself, we did over 1100 miles through the most beautiful scenery, to include the Windermere Lakes, Eden Valley, North Pennines and North Yorkshire. I had a little mishap, on the water slide at Center Parks, slipped over onto my back, cracked the back of my head causing me to bite through the side of my tongue; very painful!

Just waiting to see my consultant at the end of the month, and apart from loosing almost half a stone due to all that walking and cycling I am doing fine, I just need to try and regain some weight.

To everyone else looking in I hope things are well with you and your loved ones.

Hi Crystal,

Yes the messing about with making an appointment was a real bummer! but not long to wait now. It is before my birthday which will remain a secret for now but have the whole fam damily coming down to Portobello to celebrate as they seem to think that being 70 yrs young is special they could be right. So will have 3 daughters and spouses 9 grandsons one grand daughter and one great grandson plus those old enough to have partners so should be fun.
Fancy a woman wanting to know about medals! All way before your time I think. There are four, NZ Operational service, Naval General Service Medal Malaya, New Zealand General Service Medal Korea, and Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal. I was only 17 at the time and we were in the Far east for 15 months!! A great way to grow up and learn to live in close confinement with your fellow man.
Any way whát's this about knocking yourself around or are you just in sympathy with good year. Something else that you don't need.

The weight I put on has disappeared again so spoke too soon.
Take care.

Hi Steve,
Sounds like you enjoyed your trip in spite of trying to make a hole in the water slide. It is more than 20 years since we have been to the Pennines and Yorkshire. both Sharon and I have fond memories of our time there. I'm envious of you walking and cycling great to hear it.
I can manage a 4.5km walk along the waterfront most days but that's my lot and then someone switches off the switch and I wake up an hour later. But I have learned to accept that as par for the ivor lewis course and am working on reducing my handicap.Also envious of your pilots licence would loved to have done that but have run out of years now.Trust your next consultants visit is a good one for you.
Keep up the good work.
Cheers Ben.