The extended birthday celebrations started the Friday before last with a day out at the Silverstone Classic event and finished today, waving goodbye to daughter Katie and partner Ed as they headed back to London after spending the weekend with us.
In between, Steve and I had a day out on our own in London on Monday (my actual birthday) going to exhibitions at Tate Britain before returning home for birthday cake and prosecco; lunch with our friend Ruth on Tuesday; a second "birthday" meal out with Katie and Ed on Saturday evening and a visit to Oxford Castle, playing at being tourists in our own city.
However, it hasn't been all play...In between the celebrations, the big "spare room" clear out has started and we now have many bags ready to donate at Oxford's new Cancer Research supershop which is due to open on 12 August, not far from where we live. One large item of furniture has gone to a new home via Freecycle, giving us much more room to manoeuvre in what will eventually be the guest room. But there's still a long way to go....
Although Steve has been generally well, a couple of times over the last week he has felt a bit light headed. We wonder whether the recent very sultry weather conditions have played a part. He seems to be OK now, thank goodness. I have been unable to fully shake off the cough that started in France nearly seven weeks ago, so I think its about time to get it checked out - always assuming the GP can fit me in before we go off on our travels again.
Our little health annoyances pale into insignificance when compared with the pain and suffering of other members of the meso community. Pain management seems to be a very difficult thing for the medical profession to get right - too little and there is breakthrough pain; too much and the sufferer is constantly drowsy, sleeping or groggy. What a horrible dilemma....
June and July seem to have flown by. It's now just a calender month before Steve's next hospital assessment in September, so it's important that we keep busy rather than get distracted by thoughts of what may or may not happen when we next speak to the medics. I wonder whether we can finish the guest room before then as well as make time for some sociable and pleasurable things. Time to set some targets, like fellow meso blogger Tess...
Sending much love to the meso warriors, especially Jan who is still having a really tough time; Ray who is back on painkillers; Ernie who is in a hospice while they try to find the right balance/combination of painkillers; Barry also in a hospice, after the local hospital failed to spot a DVT, even though his wife had pointed out the obvious symptoms, and to Lou in Australia who hears the result of her PET scan tomorrow....also to Linda Reinstein in the States, whose home was robbed and precious things taken, including gifts from her husband Alan (who died of mesothelioma) and their wedding rings...how devastating is that?
On the good news front, Tess has finished her chemo, had a good response and is now enjoying summer, and Mavis is managing well with her chemo even though appointments don't always go to plan....
In between, Steve and I had a day out on our own in London on Monday (my actual birthday) going to exhibitions at Tate Britain before returning home for birthday cake and prosecco; lunch with our friend Ruth on Tuesday; a second "birthday" meal out with Katie and Ed on Saturday evening and a visit to Oxford Castle, playing at being tourists in our own city.
However, it hasn't been all play...In between the celebrations, the big "spare room" clear out has started and we now have many bags ready to donate at Oxford's new Cancer Research supershop which is due to open on 12 August, not far from where we live. One large item of furniture has gone to a new home via Freecycle, giving us much more room to manoeuvre in what will eventually be the guest room. But there's still a long way to go....
Although Steve has been generally well, a couple of times over the last week he has felt a bit light headed. We wonder whether the recent very sultry weather conditions have played a part. He seems to be OK now, thank goodness. I have been unable to fully shake off the cough that started in France nearly seven weeks ago, so I think its about time to get it checked out - always assuming the GP can fit me in before we go off on our travels again.
Our little health annoyances pale into insignificance when compared with the pain and suffering of other members of the meso community. Pain management seems to be a very difficult thing for the medical profession to get right - too little and there is breakthrough pain; too much and the sufferer is constantly drowsy, sleeping or groggy. What a horrible dilemma....
June and July seem to have flown by. It's now just a calender month before Steve's next hospital assessment in September, so it's important that we keep busy rather than get distracted by thoughts of what may or may not happen when we next speak to the medics. I wonder whether we can finish the guest room before then as well as make time for some sociable and pleasurable things. Time to set some targets, like fellow meso blogger Tess...
Sending much love to the meso warriors, especially Jan who is still having a really tough time; Ray who is back on painkillers; Ernie who is in a hospice while they try to find the right balance/combination of painkillers; Barry also in a hospice, after the local hospital failed to spot a DVT, even though his wife had pointed out the obvious symptoms, and to Lou in Australia who hears the result of her PET scan tomorrow....also to Linda Reinstein in the States, whose home was robbed and precious things taken, including gifts from her husband Alan (who died of mesothelioma) and their wedding rings...how devastating is that?
On the good news front, Tess has finished her chemo, had a good response and is now enjoying summer, and Mavis is managing well with her chemo even though appointments don't always go to plan....
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Great to hear about your extended birthday celebrations, ours will be starting in about 2 weeks time , with the next scan about a month away. Ray put it back so we could enjoy our birthdays, funny to see even when we change it he seems to stay in sync with Steve.
ReplyDeleteEven better the pain has reduced quite a bit so he is back off the painkillers - although that nearly all became immaterial yesterday when a lorry driver came too wide round a country road and nearly wiped Ray off his motorbike!!! One of his nine lives definitely used up.
have a great time on your travels and fingers crossed for everyones scans.
Amanda