Covid – up close

Regular readers might remember that on a trip down to Italy a few years ago I somehow managed to get pleurisy on the drive down and spent a coupled days in Como hospital getting it under control. The doctors reckoned that spending 8 hours cooped up in an air-conditioned car might have been the cause. It turned out to be a traumatic trip which you can read here if you’re interested but it’s a sad story. I got over the pleurisy but I remember the painful discomfort all too well. So what? you ask. Well a week or so ago after our first long drive in months to go and see daughter Becksy in London I started to get this hurting feeling in my chest and back which slowly got more uncomfortable as the week wore on, not helped by a second longish drive to visit Becksy on Sunday, lovey as it was to see her. I woke up yesterday morning and after a really troublesome night’s sleep I thought I’d better get it checked out. I called my GP and she advised me to go to Horton hospital A&E straight away as it could be covid-related or a heart issue or a return of something more sinister. Oh lord.

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Back and still here

Well…I’m back online so all’s well. Kind of. I had the op last Monday as planned but because my life is always one step away from a drama, it got complicated. Half way through, with my guts out on the table, my heart arrested for four and a half minutes. A little longer and they would have been bagging me up. But after much effort it restarted and the op was completed. Six hours altogether for a 2 hour procedure. All the time my family were kept waiting for news because it was pretty touch and go it seems. That was one hell of a day for all of us but I’m home now and, although very sore, recovering steadily. I owe a lot to a lot of people but I’m not going to bang on here because I’m keeping this one for my book. It’s good to be back but even better to be still here of course.

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The C word

Well I think most people will have twigged by now from the occasional asides I’ve been dropping into recent postings that I was diagnosed with cancer a couple of months ago. Bummer eh. Anyway 7am tomorrow I’m off to hospital for surgery to remove the carcinoma from my bowel and any surrounding tissues. Then 6 months of chemotherapy beckons. I’ve had lots of cards, calls and texts today from friends and family wishing me well which is very kind. Then tonight a pleasant evening’s few drinks and meal at the infamous Anglers with my family. None for me of course.

medical update

Oh come on nurse, it can’t be that bad, can it?

it’s sick man

As well as being one of my grandson’s favourite current phrases, perversely meaning that something’s actually rather good, in old-speak it’s also a literal way to describe my situation and our household’s over the last week or so.  And it kicks off chillingly with my daughter R.

medical update

Well I went for the consultant’s examination on my possible narrow angle glaucoma problem and the outcome was…..all positive. Woo hoo. I don’t have to have my eyeball popped out and cut into with a scalpel. On the down-side I do have to be nice to people and little animals now and it’s also just cost me £500 for two pairs of new glasses; one for near stuff and a pair now for driving and long distance viewing. Ah well at least I can see properly again and I’ve avoided the worst operation imaginable (slight exaggeration but you know what I mean).