Day 71

Today has been a quite day with only the car plus thinking ahead towards the operation and its aftermath to contemplate.

We have been talking about chemotherapy. It is quite normal now to find the Oncology Department to recommend an additional three sessions. It is also the case that they recommend this happens when recovery from the operation is still continuing.

Now I must assume the Oncology Department is not staffed by sadists. Therefore it would be recommended for the long term good of my health. So the argument goes it lessens the chances of as recurring problem. It may of course well be that when the operation happens some cells may still be lurking in which case chemo would be a necessity. It would be very sad if there was a recurrence and I had declined to have any more chemo.

Why do I hesitate and ask rhetorical questions? Constipation plus the catheter represented for me a very low point. Two years ago I had an operation to remove the prostate. The guy in charge of the Oncology Department told me that in the long run having catheters fitted and unfitted wouldn't do me any good in the long term. I am mindful that during two of the three chemo sessions I have ended up in Accident and Emergency. In the circumstances I hope dear reader you can understand my hesitation. There is also the spread of swine flu to think about. Chemo patients are particularly vulnerable to infections.

In reality I don't have to make up my mind until after I come home. I need therefore not to worry at this stage but to be mindful that the question is more likely than not to be raised.

Meanwhile back on earth we have another car problem. The ABS warning light is showing which is not a good thing if you need to go on a long car journey. The fault has been diagnosed as a faulty speed sensor. The manufacturer has not as of yet sent the part and we would like to use the car to go to the mainland on Thursday. The problem is that our special reduced offer of tickets available to residents only is available to our car. We would have to pay an admin fee should we need to use another vehicle. Such is life.

Tomorrow is a busy day. Apart from the car, we are helping Andrea out and we are going to have a meal with Gillian(Daughter in Law) in Portsmouth.