Glimpses of cheer

I’ve just got to write something cheerful. This is just too depressing for words. I apologise that recent blogs have been very serious. I have been very cross about my treatment and when I have been unable to have a go at the medical staff, I have tended to go on a bit of a rant. I know there are many people far worse off than I am but sometimes you need to reach out and things we write strike a chord with other people.

This weekend has been busy as Ray was running a course and the weather was dreadful. About half of the course takes place outside the studio in beautiful nearby locations. We have to have some very patient models who will put up with the rain, wind and cold. Fortunately they are lovely people with a real sense of humour and all went well. I am always involved with the preparations and props so I was just kept busy enough.

As I came home on Friday with very real concerns about whether I really was going to get to the transplant stage and was obviously very unhappy, my lovely daughter gave me so much wonderful support this weekend. We visited a Dickensian Christmas Fayre which took place in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard – processions, theatre, Victorian market, amusement booths and a pipe band. The following day we went to a hotel in the New Forest for a special Christmas event.

Monday got serious again: a visit to my GP to try to get advice about treatment, then to the oncologist specialising in radiotherapy. I did mention all the delays as he obviously thought my transplant was at the beginning of next year. I should have a CT scan on Thursday when I will be measured up for radiotherapy. The actual radiotherapy will begin in Christmas week! I am just so lucky. There will be 18 sessions, so 18 trips to the hospital at £10.00 a visit. Being ill is expensive.

Yesterday I had a scan at the Nuffield Hospital for the ENT consultant and a hearing test as I have tinnitus but no waiting around – so different from the NHS. Tomorrow I go to the NHS hospital for a CT scan prior to radiotherapy and I will be marked up ready for it to being in three weeks.

So this is me being cheerful! It’s not all bad, of course. Tonight we are going out and on Saturday we are going to London to visit our son – always a treat and absolute relaxation.