Bank Holiday weekend,August

Well its been a busy,wet as usual weekend.

The Haydock show has been and gone, not had any feed back on that, Manchester has been full of events same as other city's, Both football teams seem to have done al- right. 

On the hospital front its been one step forward and two back at the moment, yesterday I found Velda not very coherent and she was in pain again, the trouble is they keep changing the medicine, don't know if its the price ( don't really think so) or trying to wean her off to weaker stuff ready for home, but whatever, its not working!

To-day should see the team doctors back from their Wet Bank Holiday weekend, perhaps they will sort out the right drug cocktail again.
She was talking quite well to John and myself on Sunday, so it must have been a drug induced thing yesterday, hopefully it will be sorted to-day.

Still not eating by mouth and not passing anything,so its all down to the stuff in the silver bag,which John said looked like the stuff you get in the post after ordering off the internet, and it does!! perhaps its ordered that way hey.

I took an hour off to visit my mate Bob and his wife Joyce on Friday in case they were Campering off to Wales for the weekend, and the first thing he did was present me with a nice little cowl for the chimney on the Narra Boat, just goes to show he had thought of me whilst still in the hectic throws of the Great Eastern adventure and here it is.

Bob's Cowl

What a nice thought and good job as usual.

Well hopefully to-day will be one of the up days, fingers crossed hey.

Another good day

Yesterday was another good day at The Christie, that's two in a row, I know its early days, but its good for Velda!.

She had her hair washed in the morning and Dr Yung her team doctor visited her and said he was very pleased with her progress, then another therapist came in the afternoon and gave her another foot massage, I will have to wash my feet and ask for one as-well next time I go as Velda looks so relaxed whilst having it done, that's what its all about really isn't it , I combed her short shorn locks as well, she won't want to come home at this rate!

She had had a small packet of corn flakes for dinner!!!

 The afternoon visiting doctor said it was time to flush out the white connector ( you read about that in the previous blog didn't you?) and start to pump in the grub!!, though how they get this stuff in a 5mm tube is a mystery to me.

Full English breakfast

Roast beef and all the trimmings

Makes me feel hungry just looking at this, how about you B&B in Oz??

She had requested a packet of those French Fries the visit before and we sat there and munched our way through them between us in the afternoon .

So though this blog seems all about food, Velda has started to eat one way or another and without throwing up every time, which for her is very good, I did reminder her before I came home that I don't go for big women.

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The woman had just started a new diet ;

"No more eating my own words,swallowing my pride, or putting my foot in my mouth" she said.

"Where can I get some talcum powder ?" she asked the supervisor 

"Walk this way , Madam" he said.

"If I could walk that way I wouldn't need the talcum powder."she answered.

Boom Boom

That's all folks

Good day at The Christie

Yes, yesterday was Velda's best day yet and spent most of the day asleep with a smile on her face.I don't mind as I take a book and read, as long as I'm there when she wakes up and then drifts off again its worth the effort to go. Perhaps it was the ponytail sapping her strength hey.
She had to go to the theatre just before I got there in the afternoon and had a shunt put into her upper arm which can stay in up to a month!, whereas the others could only stay in a few days, this new shunt has two inlets ( Positive and Negative)  No!! not really they are  (Red) for drugs and another for food (White), now she won't have to suffer with all the jabs every few days, she was starting to feel like a second-hand dartboard.
A therapist gave her a foot massage in the afternoon whilst I was there, to relax her she said, I could have done with one myself, Velda looked so peaceful and happy!
Well things are looking a bit more positive at the moment and the Dr says it will get better after the second session of chemo, fingers crossed hey.

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After a lengthy examination the doctor came out of the surgery and said to the patients wife, "I don't like the look of your husband ".

"Neither do I ,but he's nice to the kids" she said.

The doctor had finished his examination and with a smile on his face said "Mrs Jones, I have some very good news for you"

"Miss Jones " she corrected him.

The doctor wiped the smile off his face "Miss Jones I have some very bad news for you!"

The doctor checked his patient over and with a puzzled frown said "I can't really tell what the trouble is. I think it must be due to the drinking"

"I understand Doctor, I'll come back when you're sober!"

That's all folks

The ponytail has gone!

Its been an up and down weekend emotionality really, on Friday, Velda had a C T Scan and was told that she had to wait for the results until Monday,.

I took the scissors to the hospital on Saturday and at Velda's request cut off her ponytail which she has spent the last 10 years cultivating, it took me about 10 minutes to lob it off, she was fed up with it round her neck all the time whilst in bed, Now I'm no Mr Teasy-Weasy , those of you of a certain age will remember him from the 50s and 60s as a gay hairdresser to all the famous people of the time.

All the staff think its a good job, but I think its all part of the feel good factor! the hairdresser from the hospital  comes back off her holidays next week and will be abell to shape it into something better I'm sure, but for now its functional, Velda's been cutting my hair for years so it was about time I had my turn!.

When I went to the hospital yesterday  (Monday) Velda  told me she was being moved to St Annes Hospice!

I went to see the Deputy Ward Manager, Janet, a lovely caring lady , and asked her about it and she said there had been a mistake and the doctor who had initially admitted her would be coming up to see us and have a chat!

The outcome was that the doctor, Dr Yung, ( Looks like Jet Li in the Kung fo films) said that he had looked at the C T Scan and had decided to keep her there at The Christie and build her up ready for her next Chemo session, has he could see an improvement already, and not to be impatient as it was only one week since her first session, and would really feel the benefit after the next session, which should be as an inpatient again 

The palliative care team were in attendance too and have changed the cocktail of drugs in the box on her arm so that she is not feeling as sickly as before, so all in all a good weekend with plenty of positive news.

As I've said before, What a hospital and the staff are wonderful, they always ask the visitor how they are coping and do they need any help or advise.

So she is staying put and hopefully sleeping better and putting some weight back on in the near future!

For inspiration click here

This is a video off my son's blog .

  

Yesterday's visit

Yesterday was a good day for Velda and for dinner had mashed potato and gravy and kept it down and then for tea she had Meat,mash and gravy which she brought some back, you can't go from nothing to steak in one go can you!

The evening visit was different in that she was awake more, there again perhaps I wasn't as boring as usual, you never can tell, its been said that I can talk the hind leg off a donkey!, the donkey's at the EST Centre I was a volunteer at for a number of year still have all their legs I believe.

We have had a new wheelchair delivered for when she comes out and goes to The Christie for out-patient treatment, took a picture of it and showed it to her yesterday and she was quite pleased it was a red one, 

Velda's chariot

Very nice but she's not going to beat this Ladies record in it though

Lady Tanni Grey-Thompsom

11 Gold medals  !!

As you can see its not the type you wheel yourself so she won't be abell to go to the new supermarket round the corner that's due to open shortly, Yes we are coming out of the black hole that was Debdale shopping for the last few years 

Reminds me of the program Number One son John used to watch when he was younger, can you guess what it was,  Sesame Street!! Give me an "A".

 Nearly ready,

Perhaps waiting for Velda to come home to open it hey.

Now for a video of my favourite comedian Rhod Gilbert.

On the road to recovery.

Since the last blog Velda has moved to another ward, that's 3 in the week she has been at The Christie!

Yesterday afternoon when I got there she was all packed up to go to another ward, talk about a bag lady the only difference was she was packed up in plastic bags instead of a shopping trolley. 

 When I asked about it I was told it was a bigger ward and more nursing staff to manage the pain management she was going to be having. This started with a box shunter thing in one arm and a drip with saline and drugs in the other, she is now a bit like a second-hand dart board, full of holes!

After an hour seeing her settled in to her new ward , (still in her own electric bed  which was ordered for her a few days previously) the staff nurse came up and said she had just had confirmation that she was to have her first chemo session that evening, result, Shock, Terrified and Worried ! 

I went back visiting in the evening she said she was really pain free for the first time in weeks! The Chemo  was administered whilst she was asleep through the shunt in her arm and when I woke her to say goodnight I was leaving, she said she was really worried about the coming Chemo and when I told her it was already happening she couldn't believe it, so anyone reading this its as easy as that.

Anyone wondering why I'm writing all this about Velda, its my way of coping with the situation! 

Try a look at my son's blog  HOPE  and watch the video at the end of it

Click here

That brought a tear to your eye didn't it, Now count yourself lucky!.
Will see how things are going after this afternoon's visit, but one things for sure she is getting the best treatment that The Christie can give, and you can't ask for better than that can you!

On the lighter side I was walking down the corridor and everyone was looking and smiling at me and then it dawned on me, I'd just been to the barber's ( my own barber is in hospital) and as I have a trimming on No 2 people must have thought I'd had Chemo! Its not so bad for men is it just look like Phil Mitchell,.
The Chemo Velda is having doesn't make your hair fall out, but wouldn't you know it she wants her hair cut short by the hairdresser there as soon as she can manage it, ( Doris Day style,) Women ! 

Maynards Wine Gums

 Last night I turned up for visiting and she had asked for some Maynards Wine Gums, which she said would be a bit tasty for her mouth after all the medicine, I had bought a small tube of them in case she didn't want them after a couple of them, I got a right rollicking for not buying a big packet!!, women!! Must be feeling a bit better already.

Son John is lending her a small Note Pad (lap top) to see if its to her liking before I buy one, it might be too small!, she likes playing Spider Solitaire and it would pass the time of day, up to now she has just lay there in a semi sleep, says she couldn't concentrate on anything because of the pain.

On to the medical stuff, she has had her patches up graded and has a saline drip in and when I went last night she had had a bit of tea and had had some soup for dinner! so things are looking a bit better on the eating front. She is getting a better sleep now with the patches but the noise in the ward is distracting her at night, I told her she has at least got the best of both worlds in being able to switch off her hearing aid!

Just shows that the food in The Christie is better than the stuff I was trying to give her, Velda says that the food there is the best of all the hospitals she has been in so far,  You can have food any time night or day as long as it builds you up and gets you on your feet and ready for your treatment!

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Doctor to new patient;"First I need to study your medical history. Do you pay your medical bills promptly"!

"I think I've got amnesia Doctor"

"Ok,then I will ask for my fee in advance"!

Patient; "Aren't these pills habit forming?

Doctor; Rubbish I've been taking them for years"

"Doctor, I have a small embarrassing wart"

"Divorce him"

"Well doctor, how do I stand?" 

"I don't know. its a damned miracle!"

That's all folks

Velda update

Been a bit busy lately but here is the latest update on Velda !

Yesterday was to be the first of the Chemo sessions for Velda so we arrived spot on time and the first call after reception was another blood test and then sit in the waiting area, the Nurse manager (outpatient dept) soon spotted than Velda was in a lot of pain and she was moved to a cubicle!

We were then seen by a doctor at the allotted time who dropped the bomb shell that Velda was too weak to be given her chemo that day as it's quite dangerous if your system is not up to it!, she has not been able to keep any food down for quite a long time, this has resulted in her losing quite a bit of weight, this not though the want of trying on the part of the GP, District Nurses and McMillan nurse who have been coming regularly.

We were then informed that Velda should be admitted for building up and hydration and that then she would be given her first session of Chemo ( there as an inpatient) when they thought she was up to it, though it was a shock to her I have been quite concerned lately , more than usual I should say really and thought the Chemo was not going to happen that day but didn't see the admission coming!.

I am sure that Velda is in the right place at the moment and that couldn't be any better than at The Christie.

Many thanks for the calls and messages we have received over the past weeks and hopefully the next Blog will be better news!  

GP vs District nurse

Well yesterday I mentioned that the district nurse had discussed the Morphine intake and the GP said slow release tablets! well they didn't work and Velda was throwing up every hour on the hour though the night!.

The district nurse yesterday said enough was enough and called out the On Call Docs Service and the doc came out within a couple of hours and agreed with the nurse that Patches were the way to got, so it was off to Tesco's where the nurse had arranged for them to have my prescription ready,  these Patches did the trick and Velda had a lot better night and was more perky this morning.

Tesco's Pharmacy are open till 10-00pm if you need them by the way!

I can't give the District Nurses enough praise, as they are wonderful and have all the info you need at their fingertips.

The Patches by the way are similar to the patches for smokers to stop, these Morphine ones last for 3 days and once they kick in work without going though the stomach therefore giving that a rest, they certainly seem to be helping Velda.

If you have arrived on this Blog looking for Model Boating, this is on hold for the present time, but do take a look round the site as there might be some older stuff to interest you until things get back to normal, I'm busy housekeeping,cooking and ironing at the moment and this morning was even doing a bit of flower arranging, What a woose!!

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The Prime Minister was on the dais as the parade of military might passed by .

First squadrons of jets flew overhead,then lines of tanks, heavy artillery and columns of infantry armed to the teeth. Finally a group of men marching out of step brought up the rear of the parade.

"Is that your Secret Service Mr Minister?" asked a foreign diplomat.

"Hell no, They are our economists. They can cause more damage than the rest put together!.

Boom Boom!

That's all folks

2nd Visit

Thursday (4th) saw us again at The Christie, this time it was for the kidney test at the Nuclear Medicine Dept.

There is is some clear fluid inserted into your blood stream and then it is monitored two hours later by taking blood from the other arm and then another two hours after that! after its been though your kidneys, this shows them how they are working it seems.

Hope you are paying attention as I will be asking questions later!

Whilst waiting during the first two hours Velda mentioned she had felt sick the last couple of days, and no sooner said than done she had an anti sickness injection in her backside and a doctor taking blood and then an abdominal x-ray, talk about service!

Our appointment was for 9-00am and when we were in the room for the first jab I happened to look up and there was a clock that said exactly 9-00am ( I read it, it wasn't a speaking clock)

After tests at exactly 11-00am and 1-00pm it was home again.

So now you know what a kidney test at The Christie is all about 

The staff were as nice as the last time we went, so that was very encouraging and not a flook the first time.

The District Nurse came yesterday and after a chat with the GP at the surgery they have decided to try Morphine in slow release tablet form to try and get over this sickness thing, we will have to see??

What's all for now folks, have to hang out the washing on the see....., nearly burst into the old wartime song then!

Trying to keep the house up to its usual high standard, so she is happier not seeing any dust!!

A Visit to The Christie

Last Thursday (28th) Velda and I had our first visit to The Christie,  not a place you would want to go to really ! but there again its noted as the biggest and best in Europe for the work it does! so its not all bad if you need to go somewhere like that.

This was just for a blood test and interview with a doctor to explain the forth coming procedures.

We have another appointment this Thursday (4th) at the Nuclear Medicine dept to have blood tests on her Kidneys which takes three tests with two hours between each test, so we will be there quite a while, there are restaurants and cafe's there and you can go out into the gardens if you feel up to it between tests we are told.

The next process is an appointment  on the 11th to finally start the treatment!! which is a one treatment of chemotherapy every three weeks for six times.

The hospital and staff there are second to none and I can say that the staff and organisation are brilliant, everything is so organised, you are guided from one section to another with the minimum of fuss and waiting.

I must say as well that of all the help given on the NHS, the district nurses have been the best of all and very professional in everything they say and do!, well done to you all!

We must be the envy of every country in the world with our NHS its just a pity that its abused by a few people that don't want to work or have never worked.

Well that's it for now folks,  thanks again of the cards and messages much appreciated.