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.