Jeff's Random & Readable Revelations

Confusion

I'm sorry about what seemed to confuse my two readers, as I now find that I have two called "June"! My comments were directed to June B, but it was great to find out that June W is also following my news.

I had another bad day yesterday after visiting friends for lunch but Nina seems to have had a brilliant idea as to what is causing it. Just as the bad day on my bithday was caused when we went to lunch at friends, I had sat in the sun and think that the drugs I am on react badly with sun. Thank goodness I feel better today and I shall avoid the sun.

I have had a letter from the hospital to inform me that me that my blood count is still low and I will probably have to have another transfusion on 9 June. Hopefully this one will have some positive effect.

At the moment I am being kept entertained watching the French Open Tennis, and this afternoon I will watch the Cup Final. What a busy life!

Improvement

The Bank Holiday weekend was horrific. My post infusion pain was so intense that I wondered at times if I could survive! I know that is a dramatic statement, but it is difficult to convey the degree of pain that is being experienced. Yesterday, however, was a complete reversal as I felt that some invisible power had swept away the pain and I almost had an explosion of energy! Today - not quite as dramatic but it would appear that the good times are continuing. I do no have anymore invasive treatment until 18 June, so I am hoping that the current state of affairs will persist until then.

I had a phone call from a friend today telling me that she had discovered my blog. Well done June, that means that I now have at least two readers! Just keep watching this space.

Morale Booster

Jim Hulbert

Today I have been in a lot of pain and totally unable to sit in any chair in comfort. This left me very depressed and just sitting feeling sorry for myself when the phone rang. I can't explain how quickly my mood changed when I heard that American accent! It was my dear friend, Jim Hulbert callinng from St. Paul MN. Jim, you just do not know what a tonic it was hearing your voice. I think you have changed the course of my mood for the rest of the day. Bless you and Sue, it is great to have friends like you.

Significant Birthdays

We cannot believe that our youngest granddaughter, Jaimie, is 18 today! Time has rushed by since our miracle arrived. Have a wonderful day, darling, and realise that life is yours to enjoy.

Today is also the day that my cousin Lorna joins our special "Sedley Club". This is the one that only over 70s can join! Welcome to the club Lorna - you can't escape the fact that you have joined the other four of us!

Scarborough (Cont.)

We arrived home last night, but I did not feel up to updating my blog.

On Tuesday we went to Whitby on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Pickering and suddenly all the men reverted to being little boys again as we leaned out of the window to take pictures. Those with hair finished up with sooty grit in it and the smell of the smoke and coal was so evocative of a bygone era.

The NYMR Train Arriving at Pickering

The weather in Whitby was not very good and we had to spend most of our time there dodging the rain. I think I overdid it as I was quite exhausted by the time we arrived back in Scarborough and went straight to bed and missed dinner.

Yesterday we travelled home via Wertherby and again I found the journey very taxing and had to go to bed as soon as we arrived home. Today I had to go back to the MDU for the second of my infusions. This one was not as long as the one last month and the pain in my bones only started later this afternoon. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day all round.

Scarborough

The View From Opposite The Hotel

I have at last found a cafe with free WiFi so can let you folks out there know what is going on. I think I overcooked yesterday as I was not on top form when we returnrd to the hotel. We decided that I should not go on the trip today, but take life easy. Nina has gone to Castle Howard with the rest of the crowd so that she can also have a break from me. I walked to the post office and back to the hotel with a break for a coffee. A distance of about 1 mile in total, and it only took me about 90 minutes! At least I did it.

Transfusion

I'm sorry that this entry is late, but I was too exhausted on Friday evening to post it. Saturday, we were travelling to Scarborough with the U3A and I then had trouble getting connected to the hotel network.

After last week's tacit Tuesday came fraught Friday! I did not realise that the transfusion of two units of blood would take 6 hours. I am not so sure that I got the correct blood, as my upper canine teeth started to grow and the necks of the young nurses looked very inviting! Oh Dear! Just as well that I still have my sense of humour - it is keeping me going. I do feel that I have a bit more energy than when I entered the Medical Day Unit on Friday morning. The four days in Yorkshire will prove it one way or the other.

MDU - Before the Rush!

Transfusion, Infusion & Confusion!

It was my birthday on Sunday and I had hoped that I would have a little change of luck and that I would enjoy myself. We went to lunch at friends and I was offered a glass of wine; now I have not had a drink for months as I have been on morphine as a painkiller, but there were four doctors at this lunch and they all said that it would do me no harm! Oh Boy! How wrong can you be? I will not go into the details of the effect that it had on me, but suffice it to say we had to come home immediately and I had not felt so ill in my life!

Today we went to see the oncologist and to have a blood transfusion, but apparently my doctor asked for the wrong blood test, so I could not have the transfusion. I had another blood test and the transfusion is booked for Friday morning. Please, please let it happen then.

We are supposed to be going to Scarborough for four days on Saturday with a U3A group, so we will know everyone. Hopefully, after the transfusion we will be really ready to go! I will report after the event - assuming it takes plaece!

Happy Birthday Nurse Nina

Nurse Nina!

Never have I wished Nina a happier birthday than today! She has become "Nurse Nina" over the last seven months with the same efficiency that she has demonstrated in everything she has done in her life. No man could have wished for better.

The latest update on me is that I have to see my oncologist on Tuesday and will probably have to have a blood transfusion to give me a bit of a boost. Let's hope that it works. I will then have to wait until 21 May for the second infusion and hope that it is not as dramatic as the first. I will report accordingly. Until then we are going to enjoy Nina's birthday and mine tomorrow.