Well yesterday was Valentine’s Day. Barbara and I have never gone in for these so-called special days. It seems to me that just about every day in the calendar is dedicated to someone, something or some event. They are nothing more than money making rackets though as far as I am concerned. Barbara and I buy presents and pull surprises whenever we feel so inclined. These days, every day I wake is a joy and usually full of surprises. Mind you, I did once have a rather special Valentines Day back in 1968 in Liverpool when I was at school which I will tell you about later.

Now then, I went to the hospital last Wednesday for my usual chemo treatment. I might not have done so if I had known what lay ahead of me. The chemo treatment went as normal. After chemo I was looking forward to going home when the nurse decided she needed a doctor a doctor to look me over. This was arranged and the doctor came and decided after consulting with another doctor that I didn’t look to clever and needed a scan in order to confirm what he thought was wrong with me. I was informed that if the scan confirmed it, I would become an emergency patient and flown out to Liverpool onboard the air ambulance that day. This came as a great shock to me as I felt fine. Anyway I did become an emergency patient and I was carted off to a ward and told to wait for the arrangements to be made. An hour later I was downgraded to just an urgent case and would fly out on the patient transfer flight the next day. Very good I thought, treatment has not even begun yet and I must be getting better. I asked the doctor what exactly they intended doing with me. He said “Radiation at Clatterbridge.” I explained that that was impossible as I had had radiation treatment last July and they would never agree to radiation again so soon in the same place. No one was listening to me though and bless my soul within an hour I was upgraded to a full emergency air ambulance patient again. Not to worry, it didn’t last long as within another hour or so I was not going anywhere. The doctor came in and informed me that he had spoken to Clatterbridge and they would inform the specialist who was due over to the Island the next day and he would decide the treatment. I was then left for the night in peace not knowing really what was to become of me. I still did not know whether I was to be sent to Clatterbridge the following day or not. I lay in bed worrying about Barbara. What on earth would she do? How could she come to England on a minutes notice? What would happen to Skipper and Orry our parrot, not to mention all the other birds? About 11 p.m I drifted off to sleep only to be woken at 11-30 to be given a sleeping pill! The following morning I woke, dressed and lay on my bed still wondering what was to become of me. The doctor turned up mid morning and informed me that I was going nowhere. Clatterbridge was not an option because of my because of my earlier radiation treatment and the fact that I had only just had a chemotherapy cycle. If only he had listened to me yesterday. The Specialist had arrived on the Island to see other cancer patients and after looking at my scan he decided that he could get to the bottom of my problems over here. My brother arrived mid morning and together we observed the general goings the ward until lunchtime. At one point, an unattended bed came crashing threw the ward doors and crashed in to one of the nurses cabinets at the far end of the ward. The porters followed close behind put didn’t seem too put out by the affair. I will tell you more about my stay in Nobles Hospital at a later date.

Well to finish off for today we go back to that Valentines Day. I was telling you about at the beginning I was at school in Liverpool and took myself off with a mate one Saturday afternoon to watch Prescott town play a football match. Prescott won the match 5-1 as I recall. The Prescott striker was named Eddie Valentine and he scored three goals and we all went home delighted.

Until next week then people, I am still soldiering on the banks of the Silverburn River.