Not quite the end of the road…… but not too much further to go (I hope)

I’ve written and deleted this update twice so far. The first two versions were really depressing and that’s not the feeling I want to get across. I’m very close to the end of this blog, probably one more update at the end of this month and then it’ll be time to get the book ready for publishing in September, time to get on with the rest of my life, and time to move on.

The month started off poorly. The steroids I was prescribed reacted badly with me. They gave horrendous mood swings. One minute euphoric, the next suicidal. I was also getting strange tingling feelings in my lower legs and arms. After discussing with the hospital we decided that as my voice was showing no signs of improving after five days that I may as well pack in taking the tablets. My temper, whilst never on exactly a long fuse was now close to blowing with no warning, again an after effect of the drugs. I was very close to getting out of my car in the week to confront an idiot on a bike who was riding on the wrong side of the road, whilst also on his phone. He was in the wrong, but I know that if I had stopped it would have ended up in violence, I had little control over myself.

There was some good news earlier in the week. I’ve been nominated for an award at the National Rugby Awards. I’m incredibly honoured, and whilst I haven’t seen the actual nomination, knowing the person who made it, I suspect it’s a cracker. I’ve made the short list so Carol and I will be off to Twickenham on 1^st September to see who’s won. Rams have also made the short list for the club house development, so hopefully there will be a few of us there.

Max got to make his senior rugby debut playing for the Honey Badgers 7s side down in Exeter on the second weekend of the month. I drove down to watch him play (and bring him back as he couldn’t stay overnight). It was good experience for him, playing with some pretty experienced players. His pitch time was limited, but that was to be expected. All in all a good way to start, especially as they won! 

I was totally knackered by the time we got back on Saturday night, possibly not the brightest idea I’ve ever had. However over the weekend I took the best part of 600 photo’s at the 7s and the Rams Open Day. I was fairly pleased with the results and will try to take more shots over the summer. 

I’ve been in what seems like daily contact with the CNS Nurses as we’re slightly concerned that I’m not progressing as I should be. They were good enough to push through my PET scan and follow up appointment with Scary, it’ll have been four months since I last saw her, I wonder if she’ll have grown?

The 13^th July is the anniversary of the Live Aid concert, held 31 years ago at Wembley stadium and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, it’s also our wedding anniversary. 31 years, and who said it wouldn’t last.  I celebrated by getting up at the crack of dawn to drive over to Oxford for my PET scan. I’d been told that parking at the hospital could be horrendous, so I arrived at 7.45am for my 9.30am appointment. I’m glad I got there early as the car park was already filling up and by 9am cars were queuing for spaces. Unfortunately I was unable to have anything to eat or drink prior to the scan, other than water, so sitting in the canteen with a bottle of H2o whilst the bacon was cooking wasn’t the brightest idea I’ve ever had. The scan followed 90 minutes of sitting around whilst my body absorbed whatever sort of radioactive dye was injected into me. Lying on the scan bed and being lightly strapped in brought back memories of the radiotherapy treatment back in January, but at least this time I could move slightly and didn’t have a mask pinning my face down, and there was no Phil Collins!!! 30 minutes later I was released from the scanner, cannula removed and told I could go home. As I was leaving I was given a leaflet regarding precautions I should take as I would still be radioactive until around 3.30pm. They included not being close to pregnant women or little children and sitting down if I needed a pee, no idea why I’d need to sit down? No celebratory meal out for our anniversary, I was feeling pretty knackered. So homemade chicken pie, sweet potato mash and asparagus. I was glad I no longer had to sit down to pee if I’ve eaten asparagus! 

I had my appointment at ENT on Thursday afternoon and after waiting for over an hour I got to see my old friend Scary again. I felt much more comfortable speaking to her and Jo than I had in the last couple of meetings with doctors who I had no history with. She asked questions about how I’d been since I last saw her. She asked about my reactions to the steroids, she seemed interested, unlike a couple of the other doctors. The PET scan didn’t show up any anomalies, however it wasn’t too clear either. This is very similar as to when I had my original CT scan in December. Scary decided to have a look at my throat via the up the nose route. I’ve said before that it isn’t the most pleasant experience and unlike having needles stuck into me, it’s an experience I’m struggling to get used to. It didn’t help when Scary decided to get the senior bloke involved, he’ll now be known as “Cool Dude”, who I’ve not seen before. He also had a good look at my throat via the up the nose route! Between him and Scary they’ve decided to do another biopsy on me in two weeks time. This will be done as a day op under a general. Those of you with good memories may recall this passage from the blog back in December –

“The Biopsy all went a bit pear shaped as I reacted badly to the General Anaesthetic, had a cardiac arrest, “Died” for around 10 seconds apparently before CPR brought me back.”

I’m hoping that we don’t have a repeat of that episode!

I went through the Pre-Op talk with one of the ENT nurses on Thursday, so we’re all set to go. Scary and Cool Dude reiterated that this is a case of dotting i’s & crossing t’s and they don’t think there is anything to be too concerned about. Their opinion is that my throat is just taking a bit longer to heal than they expected. The photos and scans show a shed load of scaring around the area of the RT. It may well be that my voice never recovers. Whilst I would have much rather have been told that everything was ok and to stop wasting their time moaning, I’m not too worried.

The weekend will be a busy one. Errant son will be making his 15 a side debut this evening playing for a Wooden Spoon XV in a match ahead of the infamous Fat Blokes 7s on Saturday where he’s turning out for the Honey Badgers again. Its daughters last weekend at home before she disappears off to Europe for a few weeks, she’s spending four or five days at the end of her trip in Nice……………  Last but not least we’ll be over in Wargrave with some good friends to celebrate the departure to the land of the low grey cloud of a lad who I think I first met some 10 years or so ago, he’s turned into one very personable young man

So, that’s it until the end of the month once the Biopsy had been done. As always thanks for reading.

To be continued…………….

#Shouldertoshoulder