One week or so on I have yet to hear from the Hospital.  Still to be fair it could be caught up in the post and if it was urgent I think I would know by now.

The good news is that Ev has recovered well.  She has been singing with the Voices of the Isle of Wight during the busy Christmas Season and there have been no ill effects.  There has also been some weight loss and there is no doubt that she is very much on the mend.

Those of you who have moved house will know that it can be a tortuous business and our sale is proving to be just that.  The current delay is because the Investment Bank for the first person in the chain has only just get round to doing the necessary.  If you want to add in the fortnight shut down for Christmas and New Year nothing much is going to happen before mid January.  In the meantime Andrea and Martin have gone to a new Estate Agent.  They have been unimpressed with the existing one.

As this is likely to be my last post before Christmas I wish all readers the complements of the season.

I duly went for my appointment with Mr. Byrne in Southampton.

This was less than satisfactory because he was not able to access the pictures of my CT Scan.  Considering that I had been referred to him to see if the scar tissue had created hernia problems this wasn't all that good.  He did apologise and ask me a number of questions about eating, coughing and acid reflux. 

Mr. Byrne thinks that no further action will be needed but he will check the scan and write to me to confirm one way or the other.  I told him of our move to Derbyshire and that if action was needed I would prefer this to be done in Southampton where the staff know me. Under the NHS changes giving "patient choice" this shouldn't be a problem.

As far as our move to Derbyshire is concerned this is more likely to be in mid February.  It's important that Emily and Adam are in schools there by the end of half term.  House moves are they say the most stressful of our lives.  Hopefully this won't be too difficult.

In the meantime I made a flying visit to Canada to help celebrate my Cousin June's 80th Birthday.  It was a surprise party and I was pleased to be there.  Thanks to Cousin David and his wife Mary Anne for their hospitality and if any of you are ever in the Town of Prescott, Ontario you should stay at the Ashbury Inn on the River.  The hosts Bev and Lyle are wonderful and the Breakfasts are out of this world.

Finally I am pleased to report that at last Ev is feeling better after 5 weeks of a nasty chest infection.

A slight suprise awaited me in the form of an appointment at Southampton General Hospital.  Phone enquiries revealed that the scan showed I have a hernia.   I am due to see them on 12th December to find out if they want to repair it or leave things alone.  Dr. Cave thinks this may explain why I cough when eating.   I suppose if it was that urgent they would have sent for me earlier.  How this will impact on our move to Derbyshire I know not.

Speaking of the move, we got an acceptable offer within 5 days of the house going on the market.  However we are treading water a little bit as the buyer's survey has yet to be done.  Thus we have no dates yet on the move.

Ev got the results of the CT scan which showed everyting normal.  It looks therfore like a thyroid problem so it's back to the original referral.  Of more immediate doncren is that Ev has picked up a nasty cough from me and is not well.  She has been to the Doctor who has prescribed anti biotics.

Life is certainly not dull.

As promised, I am bringing you all up to date with matters medical.

Last Thursday I spent a jolly afternoon (having finished my Angel Radio show half an hour early) having a CT scan.  The procedure is that they stick a needle into your arm or hand so that they can put some saline through your body in order to observe what shows up on the scan.  One of the side effects of chemo is that it becomes progressively more difficult to find a vein that will co operate.  Thus it was that I spent 25 minutes whilst not one but two Doctors tried using needles so that the scan could take place.  Success came at the 5th attempt.

When I got home I started having difficulty passing water.  It was very slow.  As by now it was after surgery closing time, I rang the non emergency 111 service.  I was offered an appointment at the Beacon Centre but after my ghastly experience in January, I declined.  One of the duty Doctors rang me back and said if I could continue to pass some water it would be okay but if it dried up he would send a nurse to put a catheter on.  Fortunately by drinking plenty of water the moment passed and things returned to normal.

The good news was today in that the scan gave the all clear.  Evidently when I was operated on a hole was made in my diaphragm.  This has meant that the so called abnormality is nothing more serious than scar tissue plus a small piece of bowel peering through.  Dr. Cave assured me everything was fine.  I have another appointment in May.

If that was an example of the NHS working Ev's experience sadly showed the other side.  To cut a long story short almost 3 weeks ago she was told at the Hospital that they would be writing to the GP recommending a referral to a neurologist and an Opthomologist.  Having heard nothing we went to the surgery to find out what was happening and the answer sadly was nothing in that the GP hasn't heard from the Hospital.  Apparently delays of 8 weeks are not uncommon.  Presumably when the appointment is made it will be at the back of the queue.  In the meantime Ev, who hasn't been that well since July, is no nearer knowing what's wrong.  Very frustrating.

More when we know what's going on.  Oh and the House goes on the market later this week.

A lot has been going on since I last blogged.

I saw Dr. Cave last Monday.  I have over the last 2 months or so been coughing when eating.  The good Doctor suggested a chest x ray.  This showed up what she described as an abnormality.  She suggested a CT Scan and then another appointment in a couple of weeks to  discuss the results.  Dr. Cave didn't think it was serious since my blood tests were positive and my weight is holding up.  I'll report after I have seen the Doc after 15 October.

In the meantime poor Ev hasn't been feeling well.  She gets tired very quickly.  We went to see a specialist the other day.  After some discussion between the Registrar and the Head Honcho Ev is going to have a MRI Scan later in October. 

The timing of all this is never good.  The big news is that we are leaving the Isle of Wight sometime next year to go and live in Derbyshire.  We only came to the Island because our son in law Martin got a job here.  He is going to work in Belper.  It would be a nonsense for Ev and I to remain behind.  Exactly when this will happen we know not.  In many ways this is very sad.  For a start it will be an end to my shows on Angel Radio.

You may have read about the floods in North Yorkshire last week.  Two months rain fell in 48 hours in that part of the world.  Our caravan might have survived if it hadn't been such a wet summer.  The ground was saturated the water from the River Swale had nowhere else to go.  Our van was  flooded by about a foot.  Consequently the van was a write off as were all but ten vans on the site.  Thus on Monday we drove 300 miles to the site.  Tuesday saw Ev, her Brother Jack and her Sister in Law pack up all our contents to put in a nearby lock up.  On wednesday we drove back home .......phew.  The van was a sorry mess and the work force was waiting to rip the carpet out.  Caravan Insurance will ensure we get a replacement at today's prices.  Contents wise we escaped quite lightly.  We lost a vacumn cleaner, a double electric blanket and an inexpensive music centre.

It's a very sad moment for us as the Van had sentimental value.  However we are both still here and we shall be going to Topcliffe sometime next year but looking at the mess it may be some time before we can move in.

I went to a meeting of the Upper GI Support Group in Newport today.  It wasn't that well attended which could well be a sign that people are feeling better.  I hope though it does not put off June and Joya who have worked tirelessly for patients.

One of the constant themes is the cost of tarvel to the mainland.  Time does not permit me to complain too much about ferry fares.  The nature of the treatment needed for these cancers means that Regional Centres of expertise need to be created.  For us this is at Southampton General Hospital .  It is a £10 taxi ride each way from the Ferry.  You have the fare to pay in crossing the Solent(£9) plus car parking in Cowes(a further £7).  The patient can get help with fares but any carer who wants to travel must pay the full whack.

I had another acid attack a few days ago.  You learn to cope with it but it remains a thumping nuisance.  Other wise though all is well.

I know it's been a long time since my last post.  Honestly I don't know where the time goes.  I suppose it's a good omen that apart from one night I have been mercifully free from acid reflux.  If anything I am putting on too much weight.  Apart from that though I am feeling fine.

Last week on Angel radio, I met a splendid man called Gerry Davis.  He is 89 and if I am spared that long I would hope to be as lucid and entertaining as him.  In part 1 of our chat he talked of his days in 1930s London and his national service.  In November I hope to be talking to him about his long time in Africa.  The Isle of Wight is certainly full of characters.

What else?  First congratulations to Jack who got 2As a B and a C in his A Levels and has got into his first choice University Newcastle.  His hall of residence is within walking distance of both the University and St. James's Park.  Second Harry, our youngest Grandchild, has started school in Farndon. 

Speaking of schools going back which they have done it has been the signal for some fine weather.  Mercifully this should help to prevent traffic gridlock with the Bestival this coming weekend.

And with that I shall conclude whilst listening to Beethoven's Violin Concerto being played beautifully at the Proms.

Well for once I can report that I have had no acid atacks since my last report.  I am however not being complacent because you never know when such an incident will recur.

I have had for some time hearing problems with my right ear.  I was given a hearing aid in 2008.  I went to a Company called Amplifon who tested my hearing and noted it had got worse. He checked my ear and said it was clean.  That test was done for free and to be fair to the bloke he suggested I went back to tthe Hospital Audiology to see if my aid needed any adjustments.

I duly saw someone last week who said my ear was encrusted with wax na d therefore there was no point in her doing anything without micro suction.  For this procedure at the Hospital would involve an 18 week waiting list.  However my surgery could do it quicker.  So back I go to the Surgery and tell reception what Audiology have said.  The receptionist was adamant that a GP would first need to check that micro suction was necessary.  My protests that Audiology had already decreed it was fell on the proverbial deaf ears.  So later on today I have an appointment which I suspect will involve making yet another one for later.

Oh the joys.

Here I finally am on a Sunny Afternoon doing a blog entry and feeling quite pleased because 80 miles away in London it is pouring down on the Olympic Venues.

I managed to get through nearly two weeks at the caravan in Topcliffe without an acid attack.  This is something of a record.  I did this through building up the number of pillows at night time.  The break was just what we wanted as life for us both has been hectic.  I think you would call it an active retirement. 

Since coming back I have had one bad acid moment.  As I have remarked before there does not seem any particular reason why this happens.  Unlike when you are feeling sick I do not taste anything in my mouth of the food I have eaten.  To add to the mystery once or twice when I have gone to bed with indegestion fully expecting to wake up in the night struggling to keep the acid down I have slept peacefully.

On the positive side my weight remains constant and I am feeling fine.

More mext week

I confess. Having said I would post every
 week I am aware it's now 10 days since I last posted.  Apologies for that but you wonder where the time goes.

The only health thing I have to report is that on Saturday I had a recurrance of what I can only describe as a hot flush.  Though it wasn't very pleasant it passed fairly quickly.  Otherwise the extra pillow seems to be working with no attacks for a while now.

You may well have read something about this year's Isle of Wight Festival with mind boggling traffic jams.  The inquest has already started.  The local newspaper published a number of letters on the subject.  On the assumption that the numbers printed reflected overall opinion they were evenly divided between those who either wanted the festival axed or moved to the middle of nowhere or who felt the Island would suffer if the Festival would never happen again.

The Council have promised a full investigation into what happened.  Sadly this will be held in private.  I don't want to sound cynical but  it is a fact that the body responsible for issuing a safety certificate in allowing the event to go ahead is said same Council.  It would be one of those things if those who granted said certificate had to explain themselves in public.

One of the problems is the location of the Festival.  Seaclose Park is close to Newport Centre.  Visitors to the Festival have remarked how close it is to a heavily built up area .  The original festival of 1970 was way out of town in a remote part in the West of the Island.  Trouble is that these days there is a lot more heavy equipment to move about and there would be concerns about the suitability of some minor roads to take the big lorries(trucks).  Many people also go into Newport whilst the festival is on and spend money in shops, bars and restaurants.

Various petitions have been organised both pro and anti.  My guess is that when the dust clears the event will get the go ahead subject to a contingency plan should it be wet again.  It's perhaps worth remembering that the weather this year has been particularly unspeakable (it's raining agin as I type this).  Last week Tyneside endured traffic chaos as a month's rain fell in 12 hours.

My next Blog will hopefully be in the week beginning 22 July.

It's been a better week well not weather wise but with much less acid.  It's amazing sometimes how an extra pillow can help.  I have even slept better. 

Radio has been rewarding.  I interviwed one of the organisrers of an Island Jazz Weekend coming up next month as well as playing some great songs and talking to Michael Arnell, a real larger than life Island character.

I heard from the Hospital that my audio test will be when we are away.  Apparently if you cancel two appointments you are off the list and it goes back to the GP.  I did explain that in July and August people do go away but those are the rules.

In the meantime here on The Island it's festival time and hundreds of cars got stuck in the mud but the ferries kept coming.  Nobody could move anywhere.  Thankfully things have calmed down.

More next week.

I must apologise for the lengthy delay in posting on line. In part this was due to my tardiness but also because I was booted out of my blog, which can be a pain. The good news is that I am well. My weight has settled at 13 stome 10 pounds. I suppose I could do with losing a few pounds but certainly when I saw the Oncologist last she didn't seem to be worried. Alas I still have problems with acid reflux. We have been away and sleeping in beds other than my own perhaps haven't helped though I have had the odd attack when at home. When one of these occurs I have little choice but to get up and wait for it to clear. Ev has suggested taking some Gaviscon during the day. This does though need to be watched as the Gaviscon nullifies the other medication I take if I use it within two hours of anything else. Whilst this can be described as a nuisance I am happy to settle for my lot as the alternative is far worse. I hate to make this sound like I am a walking disaster area. Before the illness I had been given a NHS Hearing Aid. To be honest when the cancer was diagnosed my hearing was the last thing on my mind and I guess when things improved I had got used to not wearing one. The only thing was though my hearing has been getting worse which has not been fair on Ev. It has been at its worse in a room full of people all chattering at the same time. This is what somebody called the cocktail party syndrome. The other day I was given a free hearing test by a very man from Amplifon in Newport. He recommended I contact Audiology at the Hospital to see if they could install updates on my hearing aid. I promise to post on here hopefully once a week from now on.

I have just got back from two weeks in Florida. I had a wonderful time in the sunshine and I count myself lucky to be able to do this every year. The one blot on the landscape was the dreaded acid reflux. One of the medicines I am prescribed is Gaviscon Advanced. The idea is that I take it last thing at night after brushing my teeth.Being in a bottle meant it could only go into one of the cases. To cut down on weight I suggested leaving this behind and getting some in the USA. I got what was described as "extra strength." A Pharmasist assured me that this was the strongest available." Sadly despite numerous cushions and pillows I had two unpleasant attacks plus other instances where I woke up feeling the acid rumbling around. I don't think I had one undisturbed night's sleep. In contrast since getting back home I have had no attacks. The moral of the story is next year take the Gavescon and save weight elsewhere. It was nice to meet up with cousins who are Canadian and also have timeshare units at Berkshire on the Ocean. We also met up with some very nice people staying at the resort. Roll on next year. Oh and one final point we went straight through Immigration at Gatwick Airport.

No joy on the non emergency 111 number I am afraid.

However the good Dr. Cave has said my blood tests are showing up as "top quality." She notes also I have put on weight. I don't have to go back until October. This really is good news.

It's hard to realise that it is 3 years since the saga began. A lot of the details of the unpleasant moments are but a hazy memory. The way I look at it now is that those things have to be dealt with.

So on a sunny morning no negativity from me today.

Still no response to my complaints about the new 111 service. For those of you living off the Island this number is coming to a place near you. From my own experience I would treat all the claims of politicians over this with skepticism. This is just playing a numbers game. Yes they answered my call within their time frame but they put me through a lot of discomfort by a poor analysis of the presenting problem. I intend going public wit this but at the moment I am thinking how best to do this.

I did this week see the Consultant who did the endoscopy in January. To give him his due he apologised for what had happened to me and said I had been remarkably patient. The good news though was that he had found nothing untoward. I was given what was described as an open appointment should I need to see him again.

Otherwise acid reflux still rears its head every 2 weeks or so but there are no stronger tablets I can take.

Tomorrow is mothers day so if you are a Mum all the very best.

The wheels grind exceedingly slow but I have got a letter of apology(well sort of) from the Consultant who did the Endoscopy. He regrets that the Day Surgery could well have picked up on urinary problems and that A and E could have done better.

However I have yet to receive a response to my comments about the new 111 service. Medically trained staff there should have picked up what the likely cause of my problem was and pointed me in the correct direction.

My letter was sent on 1 February.

It would be nice to report that everything was now in order.

For the last 5 days I had started to notice that urinating was becoming harder. It felt like there was a blockage though I could pass water albeit slowly. In addition I was suddenly needing to go to the toilet.

This morning I went to the Doctor. Thanks to Ev who had kept a specimen bottle in the house I took a sample with me. Even I could see that the contents were cloudy. Anyway the Doctor was most impressed by this, did some tests and said there was a urine infection. She prescribed anti biotics to take for 5 days. In addition to that she sent my sample to the Laboratory to check if there are any ooh nasties lurking.

Apparently infections are quite common with the use of catheters. This is quite a price to pay for a check on my digestive system.

The results from the Lab are due in a week's time. I'll let you know the results.

Apologies for delay. Yeesterday was quite busy.

The District Nurse duly arrived as promised and removed said catheter. SHe also rang early afternoon to make sure I was able to urinate properly. I was instructed to keep drinking plenty preferrably water or Juice rather than tea and coffee.

I am pleased to say things are slowly returning to normal though having sudden urges to go to the toilet is a little disconcerting.

I have penned what I would call constructive criticism of my treatment at the weekend to the Island NHS Chief Executive. I shall let you know what response I get. I am still seething at what I still think was unecessary delay in being fitted with a catheter.

I'll also blog progress here.

There has been a breakdown in communications. The nurse is coming to remove catheter tomorrow morning. Will report again tomorrow.

This is the second time for me in writing this blog so here goes.

I duly had my "procedure" yesterday. As is their won't you have to report to Hospitals well before they put you under the microscope. Thus I got up at 530AM to have my pills as nothing was permitted to drink after 6.00AM. Our day ended at 2.00AM today. Quite a saga so here goes.

We got to the Hospital at 730 the appointed time. You could tell the day surgery unit does not normally function on a Saturday because the heating wasn't on. Anyway blood pressure etc. checked, I was ready for what was to follow. In the event I went into the operating theatre at 11.00. The procedure was very quick, a short jab with a needle and that was that. The good news is that nothing untoward was found except from a back up of phlegm which may explain the cough and occasional voice croak. The consultant said he would see me again in clinic in a few weeks time.

After tea and toast Ev took me home for about 2.00PM. I first noticed something was wrong an hour later when I tried to wee and found that nothing much was happening. At first I was inclined to think it was because up till then I had had little to drink. As Afternoon turned to evening it got worse.

On the Island we have a phone number for a non emergency but you need medical help fast. It's 111. I had interviewed the Manager of this line on my radio show and he assured listeners that the call handlers were medically trained.

At about 630 I rang said number and told the call handler what the problem was and that I had had anaesthetic that morning. She went away for a few seconds and then came back to say I should see a GP within 24 hours. Now on the Island the out of hours GP and Accident and Emergency are in the same building. I was offered an appointment for 730PM so off poor Ev and I went to the Hospital. We got there for 720 to find a room full of people all waiting to see one very overworked Doctor. In the event we found the system operated on a first come first served basis. Getting more and more uncomfortable we waited and waited. Eventually we got to see the Doctor at about 940. The 111 operator had filled in the details of what I had said accurately but the GP told us we had been referred to him incorrectly as a catheter would be needed and that was the job of A and E. He added that urine retention was one of the possible side effects of General Anaesthetic. Given that the call handlers are supposed to be medically trained you would have thought she would know to refer me straight to A and E.

By this time , it being Saturday, A and E was busy. The GP did tell us he would see what he could do given that I had been in since 720 and was very uncomfortable. We went back to the waiting room at about 950. Half an hour later we went through to the area and were shown into a cubicle. I could lie on the bed but Ev had to make do with an uncomfortable chair. However it was gone midnight when a Doctor came to see me. To be fair he was both pleasant and very competent. He took some blood tests to check if the kidneys had been infected and then applied the dreadful catheter with great care. We then had to wait for an hour till the results of the blood test came back. Thankfully all was clear.

Finally the leg bag was attached(the catheter had taken 60 mils of urine)and were were given a number of night bags to take with us. We left the Hospital finally at 1.45. The 4 hour waiting time was adhered to as A and E's clock only started when we went in there at 1020.

The District Nurse is coming in tomorrow to check the bag and hopefully remove it. If however I can't wee on my own she will have to come back and put it back on.

What a farrago. I'll let you know what happens.

The NHS works in odd ways sometimes.

The Hospital rang to say that they had had a cancellation. As a result I am to have a pre med this Saturday(21st.) and the actual endoscopy on Saturday 28th January.

For those of you who thought the NHS didn't do this sort of thing on a Saturday you are not alone. Hopefully this is just routine but I'll report back on 29th January.

I saw the ENT person yesterday.

He did a brief examination by sticking a machine up my left nostril(charming).

He wants to do an Endoscopy. This one though will be by general anaesthetic. It will involve sticking a steel tube down my throat(oh joy. He did say that he was probably being cautious but better that than missing something.

Apparently my throat is both tight and sensitive which explains both the dry cough and the difficulty in swallowing.

I have a 4 to 6 week wait for this and I shall keep you posted.

A belated happy newe year to all our readers.

Healthwise things have been more good than otherwise. I am keeping my weight up and am eating well. Thanks to Ev I am able to go out in winter with a warm coat, hat, coat and trousers. Speaking of which I did use to joke about older people wearing Long Johns. I can however understand the point. It does of course help that we are having at the time of writing a mild winter.

I did though have one acid attack whilst on holiday at Christmas for reasons I still don't follow. What it did do was produce an irritating dry cough which took me two weeks to shift. I did go to a Local Doctor in Cheshire who did explain to me that I should avoid taking Gavescon and the anti acid tablets within two hours of each other. Gavescon in fact nullifies the effect of the tablets if taken either together or within close proximity.

Tomorrow I go to the ENT Clinic and I'll post the results of that on here.