Day 193

Apologies for not writing this last night. I got back last night from second Baby Sitting night(the story was Ben 10 since you ask). I was very tired. As is often the way with these things having gone to bed and dropped off to sleep, I woke up early at I guess around 430. If you've ever done that and started getting annoyed with yourself for being unable to go back to sleep you will know what I mean.

I do try in this blog not to sound too negative. There is much to be positive about. I am up and about. I can drive safely. I am not obsessed with personal things taking a lively interest in the worlds of current affairs and Sport. Going back to just before my operation I recall the Anesthetist telling me that in the days and months ahead I would need a degree of mental toughness. To that I would add patience. People who have been through this tell me it takes well over a year to get back to normal. It's less than 4 months since I had my operation.

Now the sharp among you who know me will be waiting for the however..... and you would be right. The cough is back with a vengeance. It is an irritating dry one that is just persisting. Certainly the V shaped pillow is helping in that when I do wake up I no longer have that horrible mouthful of acid and bile. My GP and the Oncologist tell me that there is no cure for this other than to take bot the tablets and Gavascon and as I said in previous paragraph be patient.

We are promised 60MPH winds this evening and tomorrow. Provided it is not too wet it will be fascinating to walk to the Esplanade and have a look at the sea.

My Radio Guest was David Ball the Chairman of an organisation called the Island Games. In 2011 some 4000 competitors will be coming to the Island to compete in a variety of sports ranging from Athletics to Archery. The guy is on the look out for volunteers. Both Ev and I are keen to help.

Day 192

Winter Weather is really starting to kick in. It's wet and chilly out there.

Tonight I was in charge of Emily and Adam as both their Mum and Grandma were out for the evening. The Children are very good really and went to bed as requested at the proper time. Emily has reached the stage in her life where she prefers to read books herself. Adam still likes a story read to him. Tonight his choice was Aliens like Underpants, which I had not come across before. Very funny it was to.

On the food front, I had some Spaghetti with liquidised Bolognaise Sauce. I am delighted to report I was able to eat this no problem. Spaghetti seems to be okay I guess because it is very thin and easily digestible. Not only that but I had a piece of cake and later a small chocolate bar. What I shall have to do is go back to sort of diet I was following when I left Hospital.

I weighed myself this morning and have lost a further 3 pounds. I now weigh some 3 stone plus less than when I went into Hospital. Bearing in mind that my GP said I could lose some more weight some weeks ago this is okay but I am starting to get a little nervous about being under weight. I should add that the current loss is most likely because of what I am not eating rather than anything more sinister.

I got an e mail from Joya telling me that she is talking to two Gastroenterologists to see if they will check to make sure eating difficulties are caused by scar tissue rather than anything else. She will let me know when this is likely to be.

I have often written about the importance of having something to aim for. My next one is looking forward to Christmas and New Year. Nothing is going to spoil that.

Day 191

I spoke to Joya this morning. She said that she would speak to someone from the Southampton Surgery Team and would get back to me. I wait with baited breath.

The problem I am concerned about is that I am struggling with some foods that two or three weeks ago were not causing me any grief. I hope Joya is right when she says that it will be some new scar tissue. I did have a problem with constipation for a few days but that seems to have sorted itself out.

Otherwise everything is heading in the right direction. I had a Magician as my guest on Angel Radio. David Randini(his name) was excellent. He was pleased that the atmosphere was so relaxed. My view on the role of an interviewer is to let the guest speak rather than making it all about him or herself.

More tomorrow.

Dayys 187 to 190

After some setbacks in recent days, it's nice to report some good news. I spoke to the Upper GI Nurse(Joya) who assured me that what I was experiencing was nothing unusual. Evidently as the wound from the operation heals so a new layer of tissue forms. This reduces the size of the reduced tube through which food and drink flows. It is nothing more sinister than that. The Hospital would want to do an Endoscopy first just to confirm nothing more sinister. I can have a small corrective operation to stretch the tube. This could happen more than once. Joya has asked me to keep a record of what I am eating and the degree of difficulty caused. I shall report on progress here tomorrow.

We had a very good weekend celebrating Harry's Birthday. His older Brother and Sister(Jack and Lucy) did sterling work in looking after him at the party. As this date had been a target for me following the operation, the event made a solid impression on me. We are returning at Christmas which should be fun.

Day 186

First the good news. Last night I had an uninterrupted night's sleep. That's two in a row. I feel much better for that.

I did my second Angel radio show today which went very well. My guest was Neve Cullum who is one of the Directors of the United Kingdom Sailing Academy(UKSA). UKSA is a charity that does much good work mainly for younger people from the Island, mainland Britain and across Europe. Neve spoke well and it is an organisation of which the Island in my view should be proud. The show itself is on around Lunchtime and it occurred mainly to Ev that I would need something to have for a meal or snack whilst I was there. So I took a Cup a Soup and some Cheese Quavers with me. That all went well.

Sadly this evening I couldn't manage any Pasta. This follows struggles I have had with Salmon Fillets and Salad in recent days. I am awaiting an e mail from the Oncologist and Joya has asked that in the meantime I don't change any medicines I am taking. I am keeping my fingers crossed. In one sense arguments here about the European Union and Afghanistan that have been raging across the media have proved to be a welcome distraction.

Speaking of distraction we are off in the morning to celebrate Harry's Second Birthday. When we get back on Monday I shall let you know how it went.

Days 183 to 185

Sorry for not doing this blog for last two days. The Decorators have just finished so we are starting to get our house back.

This blog is an attempt to describe how I am feeling at any given time. I am relatively ignorant of the effects from cancer but I have read enough to know that most people experience setbacks along the way. I have been experiencing two of them.

When I left Hospital I was given some Lansoprazole. These Capsules are designed to combat reflux acid. I was told to take one a day. When I saw the Oncologist and told her I was still coughing she suggested I take two a day one in the morning and one at night to help combat the cough. I was concerned that I had been taking two a day when the original idea was to take one. I decided therefore to see if I could manange with one. This turned out to be a bad move. I have had some bad nights waking up with acid and bile in the mouth and coughing. Last night I went back to two a day and had my best night for some time. It must also have been of great relief to Ev not having her night's sleep disturbed by me coughing. We shall see what tonight brings.

The second concern has been that I have been experiencing when eating the same sensations as took place before I was diagnosed. This applied to things like Salad, which up until now I have coped with well. I am assuming this is a temporary blip. Apart from one occasion when I could not stop coughing whilst eating, I have not been sick.

I have sent an e mail to Joya about both problems and hopefully she will come up with some good advice.

I don't want this blog to be entirely negative. On Sunday Afternoon I did a two hour stint as part of the Hospital Radio Charity Halloween Music Weekend. On Tuesday I did my first show back on Angel Radio. It was great to feel so welcome. As I suspect many of you know getting back to my Lunch Time shows was a goal for me and I feel a great sense of achievement. It is also a great relief that I am driving, organising ferry tickets and so on which means I am leading a normal life.

Things will improve of that I am sure.

Days 173 to 182

Welcome to the first post for a week or so. I had planned to do this on Sunday but the decorators were still in. It's a bit of a mess at the moment but I am sure it will sort itself out.

We had a good week. The journey North was fine as we set off early in the morning. By Friday Afternoon the jams on the route we had taken were pretty bad. Coming back on Saturday we were held up by an accident on the M1 but made thew ferry fine. It's still a long long way.

We saw the RSC Production of As you like it, which we both enjoyed. It was nice to visit the Theatre Royal once again. Otherwise we visite two couples who are old friends and saw Ev's two brothers. The village hotel did a very impressive firework display.

Healthwise everything went okay apart from the night time coughing, which happens some nights but not others. It's a matter of trial and error.

It's going to be a busy week as we are off to Grandson Harry's Birthday Bash in North Wales at the weekend.