Sunday 30 October 2011

Just a Few Bits.

There isn’t very much to report, but whilst I am having a lazy day, I might as well update on a few bits and pieces.
Ady has gone off with his friend to watch his friends son play football, so no doubt, he will be shattered when he comes back, and we are going round to some friends for dinner this evening !
The girls are singing ‘Let’s sing’ or whatever it is on the wii...it sounds bloody awful!
I am up to date with my ironing, so I am enjoying a few minutes to myself. I don’t get many of them these days, so I might as well make the most of it!

Since we saw our lovely oncologist, things have been quite calm on the home front. It makes such a difference when you know what direction you are travelling in. Next years journey might not be the most pleasant, or fun, but at least we know what it is.
Sitting here, thinking back over the last six months, I think to myself, bloody blimey noras, what a flipping journey we have been on. But in some ways, the hospitals saga, biopsies, scans and all the rest...even the operation, all seems ages ago.
Ady feels as if his life has been put on hold. He has his diagnosis and he has a treatment plan, but, for the moment, he feels that everything seems to have stopped.
I am enjoying and making the most of the lull before the storm, and using this time as a time to recharge, take stock and get ready for the next stage.
We do have one or two appointments over the next few months. We are seeing the bum people...what are they called....oh yes, the colorectal team, to get the results from Ady’s scan and bloods for his bowel cancer. Blimey, we haven’t given it that much thought, except for the odd passing one, so I hope they will say he is still in remission ...... that is what we are expecting, anyway!
Then we have the piss lady, I mean the urology nurse, to see how Ady is getting on. I shall happily report that my sofa has remained nice and dry !
And then we have the bones man, I mean the rheumatologist, to check Ady’s arthritis.

Charlotte and I were generally chatting in the car the other day. She told me that she is feeling a bit left out of things at the moment. She feels like we are passing her onto other people while we trot off to the hospital. I reminded her that this had only happened twice and that all the other times, they were at school. She thought about it and agreed, saying that perhaps she was over reacting. I told her that she wasn’t, and the way she feels, is the way she feels. We then started talking about PSA levels and radiotherapy. She started telling me about PSA velocity during and after radiotherapy. We had quite a grown up conversation about it. She told me that she had been googling and had learnt a lot.
I offered for her to come with us in January to see the oncologist and she said a big “yes please”.
I will have a chat with Steph, when the time is right, and see if she would like to come too. I will also drop a note to our oncologist, the pre warn her that the girls are coming. I doubt that children going to see the oncologist with the cancer patient is the norm, so I spose it’s only polite and anyway, she is really really nice and would probably appreciate it.

Last Friday, I rang the benefits office to see where our money is.( You might remember a few weeks ago, they wanted all of my accounts, so they could increase the payments correctly according to what I earn). Strangely enough, it is still with the decision maker and they have a back log and are very busy, but they will sort it. I thought to myself, feck me, this is bloody déjà vu, this is. I very nearly lost the plot and had a rant, and then thought to myself, oh well, it will happen when it happens...I am sick of battling away at these people.
We are lucky that Ady gets £98.75 each week and that we don’t have to pay our council tax while we are on benefits. Not quite his full time wage we are used to, but it is better than getting nothing. There are probably people in the situation now, that we were a few weeks ago, getting nothing. I would rather they got at least something before we got our little bit extra. It’s a bloody shocking state of affairs, it really is, but that is the way it is. We have enough food in the house, we have logs and coal and we haven’t tipped over the other side of our overdraft, so as long as the boiler doesn’t blow up, or the car, or the roof fall in, then we will be OK.
Just two more things to report:
There is a possibility that now Ady will be having radiotherapy, we might qualify for free piss pads YAY !!
And the other thing, which in my view, is of much more concern, is the Cialis seems to be having some sort of effect !!!!...nothing much, just a slight tingling ‘down there’, but I can feel a headache coming on already! Ady has told me that I MUST report this in my blog!

Oh, and just one more thing before I go...
On Tuesday November 15th, Prostate Action has secured a slot on ITV’s This Morning. A Harley Street Urologist is going to discuss prostate cancer. They need about 30 men’s rears, who are over 40 and do NOT have prostate cancer to pop to London for a free breakfast, expenses paid and a finger up the bum. No bums will be shown on TV and the main aim is to show that a rectal examination will not kill you and nor will you die of embarrassment. However, over 10,000 men die of prostate cancer each year.
If anyone is interested, please contact me and I will put you in touch with the right people.
Before you men squirm at the very thought, just think of what us women have to go through. Lying on our backs, trying to avoid eye contact with the nurse while she peers between your legs shoving a  metal object up our doo dahs and our cervix scraped,  and making small talk which always comes around to our lady gardens!
And THEN, having our knockers pummelled and flattened, while they are squidged into a machine, which I hear can be a bit painful, to check for breast cancer.
Sometimes, I would rather be a bloke, if all I have to have is a quick finger up my bum...which incidentally, doesn’t make you gay *rolls eyes*.

Oh yes, I nearly forgot, last thing, I promise. Lots of people have said to me that I should think about getting this blog made into a book. Well, I have absolutely NO idea where to start with that, and also if this is REALLY book worthy or not. If you are reading this and know about these sorts of things, could you let me know...That would be quite fun J

4 comments:

  1. This is my favourite blog so far, it's just lovely to hear that you all know what's happening with treatment & appointments. Ady out with his friend, the girls being girls and you being mum and having a wee bit of time to yourself :0).

    Love you all xx

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  2. I understand totally about life being put on hold. :( And having had metal things up my doodah and a machine clamping my boobs and a finger (and worse) up my bum, I can report that the metal thing up the doodah is the worst. :)

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  3. Perhaps send the blog off to This Morning tv?

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  4. Hi Emma, I have just spent the last 3 hours reading your blog, yes I know I am a slow reader!
    It is soooooooooo book worthy.
    I have laughed and cried whilst reading it.
    Bloody benifit agency hasn't improved it's service!
    I'm sorry I didn't get anywhere with Penshurst school today. All my love to you, Ady and the girls.
    Emma B xxx

    PS hope toe is on the mend and nail growing back?

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