Given the slightest hint(thanks Norman) it really is time to give a health update.

Last Monday I saw the wonderful Oncologist Dr. Judith Cave. She told me that my blood tests were fine, my weight constant and in short all was okay. The real bonus was that I have been put on a 6 month review instead of 3. As I put on Facebook this week, I regarded this fact as a good result. At the risk of repeating myself I know I am fortunate in that the operation and chemo don't always work out. It's also worth remembering that the 5 year period since the operation does not expire until August 2014.

It would be wrong however to think that all has been 100% these last weeks. Recently I had the embarrassment of dirtying myself. This happened without warning and started when I was walking home form the Surgery. I found this disturbing because the dreaded word incontinent came to the fore. I dread the thought of this happening when I am out visiting. Dr. CDave thought this was one of the after effects of the operation and may result in an alteration of lifestyle if it persists. Hmm we shall see.

To happier times. I mentioned that I was due to have my second Birthday Bash on 9 October. Nineteen of us gathered together and we had a really lovely day. Yes as a family we do get on. There's no don't sit so and so with such and such. My niece Clare produced some marvellous cup cakes, which were more like works of art to be honest.

Yesterday I recorded an interview with Ventnor resident, Musician Richard Studt. My good friend Terry Pearson recorded the interview for me. It will go out in my show on Angel Radio on 10 November. Richard was very accommodatingly and I thank both him and his wife for their kind hospitality.

Today it's Grand Daughter Emily's tenth birthday so I am off to help celebrate.

Wow it has been a long time since I posted. Perhaps I should use the cliche time flies when you are enjoying yourself.

Fundamentally my health remains excellent. I look okay(well physically if you see what I mean) and feel great. Thankfully there have been no more "hot flushes" and dizzy spells when we have been out walking. Oh sure there have been one or two acid attacks. They have with one exception tended to be mild compared with some over a year ago. I find now I am having the same size portions of meals as Ev and also I am able to eat a bigger range of food. I still need to keep my liquid intake up.

The power of the Internet knows no bounds. When we were staying at Topcliffe in August one of the other users there said he has been following this blog. Fame at last. He found it through the Angel Radio website www.angelradioisleofwight.moonfruit.com. The other person was a woman I met at a patients' support group. She had had the same operation as me earlier this year. It turns out Gill Jones the clinical nurse specialist had recommended this blog. Thanks Gill.

Speaking of the Patients' support group Ev gave a talk at this meeting of what it is like being a carer. She put a lot of thought into this and had made some notes. Essentially however she spoke from the heart. She did brilliantly. I don't know about you dear reader but I always know when a speaker is holding an audience's attention in that there is no shuffling or coughing or any noise really. When Ev had finished and questions were asked one of the men present remarked no, Ev had said it all. I felt really proud of her. As I have remarked before I shudder to think what I would have done without her.

What else has been going on? I have had a good run of guests on my Thursday Radio Show and that is set to continue for the rest of the year. This Thursday we are talking tax with an expert(definitely not me). Then we have in the following weeks a representative of the Island Food Bank, Jazz Historian Ian Campbell and representatives of local pharmacists and Age Concern plus an interview with the new Director of the Island Hospice.

Finally we have just got back from 2 weeks in the Algarve with Christopher, Gillian, Harry and Gillian's parents where amongst other things we celebrated my 70th birthday. This coming Sunday(the 9th) the rest of the family is coming to the Island for another celebration.

I am a lucky guy.