6 months since my last post, it’s time to update.
This week I got back the results from my April bone marrow biopsy. There have been no Leukaemia affected blood cells detected since January. But the important tests are the bi monthly bone marrow ones.
At diagnosis 85% of my blood producing stem cells were affected by the mutation which causes my type of Leukaemia. By December it was 3%. Unfortunately, between Liverpool Royal, and Guys, in London, they lost my February sample, so I’m ru
It's 9 weeks today since I was first admitted. I'm feeling much better. Still in Liverpool.,. Treatment going well. Drs pleased.
I've .three more days of chemotherapy before I'm discharged for 2 weeks on 29 November.
Returning to IoM on 2nd December.
Then on 14 December I start phase 2. That is four blocks of 4 weeks chemo twice per week with each block separated by two weeks break. So that's until end May.
The really good news is that apart from 5 days induction to phase 2,
Well here we are back home after Paul has had his op in London. He now looks good, no skull deformity and is feeling good. I have to say that all the years of paying health premiums have paid off. I am ashamed to have not stayed with the NHS, which I support,and believe in passionately, but the care he got privately was really superb.
He has been given the go ahead to fly by end of January, so his ski holiday is on. The Walton skull plate was synthetic, but the London plate is titanium, will
More health worries and silly Spanish stories
Well this is intermittent, but I never meant to make it into a diary. I am surprised at the number who read, especially with my appalling spelling. I promise I do spell check work matters. I just haven’t got an IE spell check configured for the forum posts, that and losing a couple of teeth has given me a slight lisp, which has upset the voice recognition software.
So no I have not applied to be AG or Deemster. Nor do I wish to stand for election i
Well it has been an eventful 3 months. Paul went to Walton and had his plate fitted. It was a plastic affair, not titanium, so no looking forward to setting off body scanners. In and out in 4 days. I went to Spain and finalised the farm and season prepared the apartments
I got back 30 April.
& days later Paul was at deaths door again, air ambulances to Walton. Infection had set in the plate was rejecting and pressure was building up inside his brain. He lost all co ordination and sta
Paul continues to make good progress and to stay dry.
What will I have to blog about indeed.
We have builders in at present, I am taking the opportunity of adding bed rooms and bath room so we will end up with 3 receptions including a more defined dining area,a room downstairs which can be used as either a bedroom as we get older or a reception, with a walk in shower added to the cloaks and upstairs a new office for Paul and 4 large doubles all en suite.
Spain is done but the website
After admission to Nobles and air ambulance transfer to Walton neurological centre on two occasions with ten days, the second under life threatening circumstance, Paul has made a very quick and seemingly full recovery from his three cerebral haemorrhages and two seizures.
I spent the weekend with him. He has had visits from lots of friends and family
He has asked me to thank all of the people who have asked about him, thought about him and prayed about him. I too have had messages of sup
I spent all yesterday with Paul
He has been moved from ITU to a high dependency ward.
He should move on to an ordinary ward Friday or Monday when they stop the blood pressure drugs
He is tired, but cheerful, fully compos mentis, and quickly recovering movement on the left. (he can lift and keep both left arm and leg in air for 30 seconds)
His speech is unaffected.
He is hooked up to all sorts of monitors and on drip lines for drugs and fluids. He is eating normally. His head
not very eloquent, I know
I have commented upon my partners drinking and its effects on me and us from time to time
My last visit to Spain was railroaded by a drunken weekend so i went alone, nothing memorable apart from 36 hours storm tossed in the Bay of Biscay and I will post about that another time.
The Farm is finished, I have paid rates and I have a permanent electricity connection. The booking web site is in beta phase and we are nearly all go
The drinking got really out o
Just back from Spain
we now have the bolletin and the cedulla, nearly there.
Of course nothing goes smoothly, both the water and electricity have decided I need a new metre and that the electricity will need to be under grounded from the nearest sub station, 100 yards away, for which I will have to pay, water wants to re route the supply so it is in the road rather than under my garden.
We shall see how long that takes.
The place is really super, just one problem we have develope
Ever since I can remember I have been interested in the theatre
I saw my 1st opera aged 8. Saddler's Wells Touring doing Wagner's epic with the ghost ship. Flying Dutchman
It was at the Opera house Blackpool. a roll of drums a change of lighting and the ship appeared out of nowhere on stage. I was hooked with the possibilities of what you could achieve with gauzes and lighting back and front
I never really acted, but I did start backstage at the gaiety and of course in those halcyon
First, I do not do face book
Second I tried to do Friends Reunited
Third I am fascinated by how many people expect to have dozens of friends
I have recently had a time of reflection. My partners drinking and bizarre behaviour worsens and I am often on my own or in contemplative mood.
Recently I visited family and friends in the UK, and as a result some other older friends have contacted me
I have had odd reactions from them and my own reactions have been strange to analyse
The work is done, the division of the land from seven years ago is finished digitally and mapped and the lawyer rang me to say she had the new catastral reference.
I do not believe anything so I asked her to scan and e-mail. The town hall have registered their half of the plot in my name and are charging me rates on their office, so no go for the completion certificate and boletin and permanent supply.
I complain and wait. A new plan with a different catastral number arrives, it is my pl
I think I have told you of the trouble we have had with electricity in Spain.
Well we have had more
We still only have a temporary supply. It is linked with a small building works permission. It was for two years originally.
last December I reminded the lawyer, who is sorting out the lack of a reference catastral or rates number, which is why we have no rateable value and no ability to have a full supply, which is a regional, if not autonomnal, matter and an administrative mistake, t
Well I woke up this morning to the news of Jade Goody's death. She was brave for the last few weeks of her short life. Who would have thought that the idiot loudmouth ignoramus from BB would have come so far
I also awoke to the news a that a baby had had its life support removed by Court order and died
Both Jade and the baby have touched peoples lives, parents, family and the wider world
I wanted to share some memories of people who had touched me
Mark who died of Aids. He was a
Well it has been 6 months since I last blogged. I only ever intended it to be occasional, and so it is.
I have been a regular reader of Tom and Barbara’s blogs. I want to just say to Barbara that I hope Tom is in that better place and that you do meet him again. Thank you to both of you for enriching o my life.
Well off I went in September to my uncles funeral. Lovely do, beautiful flint church with thatched roof, a vicar who knew the man he was eulogising and a congregation where I, and my si
Well this last couple weeks has been a heavy time. I have been working, almost over time. I start a four week trial on 13 October and there are acres of papers and files. Nearly there but not quite. I am enjoying the cut and thrust but it does remind me of why I stood to one side.
On the family front I got news that my uncle by marriage died in September. As most of you will know I am adopted. My adoptive parents were each only children. I have an adopted sister and a niece and nephew. I fou
I am a fan of the IOM. I have a motor home. I belong to a motor home forum. I always push the IOM as an ideal destination. Here is my guide for a recent visitor (July 2008)
Hello
well you may miss the scooter festival and you definitely miss our national day 5th July, but held on 7th, due to the week end, but you hit race week for the Southern 100 motorbike races.
Arrival day I suggest you stay on the Marine Drive just south of Douglas (along South Quay and then up Douglas Head Roa
I know these entries are sporadic. I am amazed any one ever reads what I have to say. Anyway I felt the need for a catch up, today, now. No idea what prompts it, but here goes
I have not been out to Spain very much this year, been busy at home and I have had jobs to do. I have a four week trial starting 13 October so lots of preparation and I have been working for a client in Bulgaria on and off.
I have had a coupe, of short Spanish trips, suffice to say that all is done now apart from s
Well here we are, Spring 2008. Just back from 10 days in Spain. The farm is now finished internally and I have an improved but still temporary electricity supply. The apartments are now open for the season with their new decor, kitchens and bathrooms. Bookings are good.
Over summer the outside of the farm is being done up, a decking around the pool, a shade veranda on both patios and a pool solar heater and cover and finally a Jacuzzi. Then that is it.
I hope over space of next six month
About two years ago I decided I no longer wished to work 60 or 70 hours per week. I decided to work from home, restricted hours, on a few matters for a very few clients. I also decided to buy a farmhouse in Spain.
I have been working part time from home now for 2 years. I have all the technology including satellite internet to allow me to work any where in the world.
Yesterday I got the small works consent to allow renovations at the farm house I bought in Querol Catalunia in July 2005.
Well, here we are again. Thursday 3rd January. I get out from under the covers. I check the radiator, still warm! Good. I go into the bathroom and turn on the shower. The water runs cold, very cold. No sign of it getting hot.
Deep down realisation sinks in. I’m in Spain, in the farm, on my own, with no gas for heating or hot water and an intermittent supply of electricity that trips if I plug in the kettle. I had made the two 35kg gas bottles last a week. The Gas company, despite many calls
Well in July I was feeling I was on the downward slope to enjoyment of my Spanish dream
I now feel even nearer
Two years ago my partner lost driving licence, Drink Drive. So I have been driving up and down to Spain on my own. Now has new shiny licence and passed test so can share the load and drive all other vehicles.
We have a fleet. motor home, smart to tow behind, I have a Disco 3 to tow the trailer then there is a Citroen in Spain so we don't have to hire, an Audi TT for fun, a F
I'm off tomorrow to have work done on my motor home.
I use it as a mobile office and for getting too and from Spain. It has all the toys including satellite broadband.
I bought it about a year ago, my 50th to me present.
Have had lots of work done since then. The attitude of suppliers is amazing. There are some good ones and some really bad ones. The main dealers are worst. The whole business is over charging, overcharging, overcharging with poor service. They all send their sales te
I have a C3 Pluriel parked in my garage space in Spain.
It is great in the sun, roof down, and handy for nipping around. It also pulls our trailer, but it is cussed
On our November trip the car would not start. Garage man started with jump leads. We asked should we follow him to garage and get new battery, but he told us to drive around. After an hour we stopped in a side street. The lights went off, proof the battery had not recharged. Sighing we reached for the door, it wouldn’t open.
