Sunday 31 March 2019

A NEW CANCER CLINIC - URGENT

Could I really have mouth cancer too!  

Like most of us taking particular medicines I have suffered with oral thrush. Sadly this has gone on way too long and despite my doctors trying various methods of getting rid of it the problem still persists. Now I did not realise quite how dangerous this could be, that it could be a sign of mouth cancer.  I do now for sure.

On seeing my doctor for the fifth time with this issue she AT LAST decided to take a swab and send it off to be analysed, as well as making me an urgent appointment for the oral cancer clinic.  I was shocked as to how quickly things moved. Saw doctor on Monday and my appointment is for lunch time on Friday!  I wish they had moved as quickly over the years I told them I knew my problem was NOT asthma but something else - sadly too it took a specialist in  Spain to diagnose my IPAH. Anyway Friday is not too far away and we will see how I go.  Just in case they blame it on the inhalers I take I have missed them out totally for the last two months. I have tried their medicines, tried my own, baking powder and lemon, plus sea salt, cordosyl, all to no avail. My mouth looks a mess with a large odd shaped patch to the right of my tongue.  I do not drink, smoke or take drugs other than those prescribed by my doctors so what the trouble is we do not know. I pray it is not cancer but at least if it is I will go in and fight it with all I have got.  Just feeling a little shell shocked right now.

Bye bye Aunty Audrey

Yes as many of you know I attended two funerals in two days.  The first was supposedly for my Aunty and this should have been the last one.  Sadly my silly brain told me that the funeral was a day earlier than it was.  So as I said we ended up at one to talk about the life of somebody called Shirley.  Never heard of her but I know a lot about her now.  I know she died from blood cancer, that she smoked a lot, drank a lot and worked in a chippy as well as a local pub.  She was a good friend to many and was always around to lend a helping hand. She loved her pasties and also karaoke!  At the end of the funeral we were invited back to partake of a funeral tea.  Obviously we did not do this.  We moved so quickly when we were allowed out and shuffled off to our car to disappear into the melee of those leaving.  

To anyone wondering who we were it would have seemed we were very deep in grief as I have to say, and I am sorry about this but I laughed so much when I got to the car I was dabbing my eyes they watered so much, anyone seeing me would have been sure that my grief was deep.  Now  am not making fun of Shirley, not at all, I am making fun of ME and my stupidity. Colin was not amused at all. The tale did go down well the following day though when we did it all again for my lovely Aunty Audreys' funeral and it did cause quite a few peals of laughter.  Her funeral was lovely and was well attended by her loving family. Sadly she was the last of the sisters and brother on my moms side so that era has come to an end.

Fascinating

As you know I  have been fitted with a device in my pulmonary artery that registers the rises and falls of my lungs .  It is working well and I was delighted, - well maybe not quite the correct word but rather pleased to see it really does show well our pressures.  I had a terrible day on Thursday.  A true ph day though I did all I could until 10.00 am when I just had to go to bed - how I hate those days - and I just KNEW that my pressures were up. Sure enough Alex rang me to say that they had risen on the Thursday so it does prove how our pressures are up and down with no apparent reason.

We talked to Alex and asked if there would be any merit in my taking my pressures at different times.  Say one month, first thing, one month lunchtime and one moth evening so we could also see if pressures rose much from morning through to evening.  He said there could be some merit in that but for now we would see the trends as I take them first thing.  He asked if I had a step counter.  Yes I do but mine is one that I only wear when I leave the house to actually walk steps.  I see no merit in having one on all day that counts each step to the loo, or making a cup of tea.  As my specialist once said our hearts are not really working much doing this so it rarely counts.  My hubby, who wears one all the time, a good one supposedly has on many occasions had two thousand on the clock when he wakes up.  Driving over to Whitby he clocked up a few thousand just sitting in his car seat.  I also heard of a lady who clocked up 17000 sitting down and knitting!  Anyway he wants me to have one so will pick the one he wants me to have and  shall dutifully wear it.  I will still rely on my trusty hip one for exact walking steps though.  

Garden

At last the time has come to try to get our earthy moulds to resemble a garden.  Colin is working diligently using a machine that throws out stones and leaves the earth nice and sifted.  For parts of the garden I want to use some of the soil with the stones in, such as the rockery.  I have been heading off to our local nursery and buying many plants and shrubs, much to his annoyance.  He is right, we are not ready for them yet but my enthusiasm is great and I just could not resist them.  So now I have plants growing in big pots, some just nestling against our walls sitting in trays of water, such a task now to make sure they do not die before I can plant them out!  My seed potatoes are "chitting" as I type this so should be able to plant them out in the not too distant future.  I aim to plant a Victoria plum tree as it is self propagating and also they are my most favourite plums of all time. Izzy has been promised a cherry tree and so I also want to plant an apple tree.  This too must be self propagating.  Does anyone know of a really nice english eating apple that does not require another tree close by.  I know cox is one but we are not so keen on those, an odd one yes but not a tree full!! 
Colin is also making a raised bed to try to keep away the slugs.  I want to grow runner beans and other veg.  Let's hope all turns out well and that this all comes to fruition.

Holiday  Cruise

We managed to get our insurance for this cruise at a very reasonable sum for the three of us.  I never omit to tell all when talking to their operators as one slip up could mean they do not pay out.  So we are insured to go and now just waiting for our "slot" on the ship. Izzy is very excited and she is not the only one. We LOVE cruising and as this one does not mean any flying it is an added bonus particularly as we now have a large suitcase to take with us containing the computer pillow used so that my pressures can be monitored even on holiday.  Thank goodness no flying.  I would not trust it in the hold as it must be very valuable and also not belonging to me makes it even more precious.  

Before then though we aim to get off for a few days in our motor home, how we LOVE these break aways. We dare not book anything until after Friday when we see what the cancer specialist has to say about my mouth. Honestly what with the pre cancerous polyps, and now this it seems like something is out to get me.    

Izzy

We are to have Izzy Saturday and overnight so decided to take her to get her hair trimmed, with her moms agreement obviously.  I also wan to buy her some new school shoes.  After that we are meeting up with Colins' son and his family to spend some precious time together. We aim to go into Hebden Bridge as our grandson wants to try the BEST scones ever that are sold here. Served with clotted cream and jam he is really keen! So we shall have a very jolly time and I dare say I too shall just have to have a scone. It is a real treat and not something we do every day so  don't feel guilty.  We never know what is around the corner for any of us so take enjoyment where you can, when you can, that is my motto.   

Right must go, we have a man coming to see about a little painting that needs doing outside.  The huge posts, metal that hold up our front porch and our back terrace need to be painted for the first time and we want somebody who will really do a good ob, hate he thought of having to redo them too soon. So Colin is cooking tea which we will aim to get eaten before this guy arrives.  So I love you and leave you as the saint goes.

Thanks for reading my rambles.  I will let you know what the specialist says about my tongue as soon as I have news myself.  I am really hoping is is just a precautionary note and all will be well.

Please comment if you wish - i love them or at least click like to let me know you have read this blog.

Warm love to each of you.

Carole xxx

2 comments:

  1. Oh, Carole, I hope the results come back negative on that swab of your tongue. Sending you all the best wishes I can muster!

    I have an Omron step-counter, and it works well. Faithfully, it records steps only when I move. I wear it in my pocket all day - from the moment I wake up, until I have my evening shower. On not-so-good days, I can barely register 3000 steps. On good days, when I get in my one-hour walk, I can register up to 8k to 9k steps. When I hit 10k steps, when there's a blue moon ;) - I do a little happy dance!

    Have a great holiday cruise <3

    Much love,

    Pat Goh

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thinking of you, Carole! There's always something, isn't there?

    ReplyDelete