That title pretty much sums up my total repertoire of the french language - duly confirmed when I asked the shop assistant at Le Clerq if she spoke french !! Whoops
It is so lovely here, France I mean, although Center Parcs is fairly good too.
I can see why it's so popular with young families, mine would have had a brilliant time here on holiday ( if they'd had the chance !)
Anyway, we are out and about in the Loire region seeing the sights and sometimes sampling the local fayre, not just staying in the resort, although so far we've 'enjoyed' swimming, the spa, cycling and crazy golf.... And that's just a small taste of what's on offer.
I thought St Martin was quiet, but it's unbelievably quiet here, and since the thunderstorm last week ( knocked out the TV ... English Channel only affected apparently) it's also very DARK, as some street lights affected too. Made for some especially difficult riding on our late night cycle tour as my bike was the only one without lights that worked, ( since remedied by a bike swop).
Checked in once at home, not asking about the 'girls' as best I don't know , but little do the boys know I have a spy in the camp, so they can't get away with their all night parties.
Only two boys at home as the eldest is touring Canada, appears to be in the Rockies now, and only one encounter with a grizzly so far..
Ok, so less holiday frolics and more information.
I am due to start radiotherapy on the 29th September , yes, I know it's a Thursday but they begin whenever there's a slot. They have tried very hard to accommodate me for late Monday and early Friday sessions so I can come back to Jersey for the weekend.
This does mean that mid week ' appointments ' are a bit all over the place , but you have to go with the flow I guess, and be grateful for small mercies.
I actually finish a week later than I thought 9th November, but better that they try to blast IT out of the water so to speak than pussyfoot around.
Bex is flying over with me next Thursday morning so I can take two large suitcases, and I hope that I can get settled into Chelsea Cloisters ( apartment block 7 minutes away from the Marsden ), not a nunnery like some of you may think.
Huge amount of money, that I would rather have spent on a holiday(!) but it is far better that I stay somewhere close to the hospital and is half decent so I can leave stuff there, and friends/ family can stay over on sofa bed if need be .
I have to think that this is far better in the short term to have six weeks of disruption than have six long months of chemo and all the side effects that brings. It will, however be extremely hard to not be near my home ( dogs) and family, when it's all the normality that I crave in day to day life.
The thought of feeling very poorly, with possibly nausea, tummy problems etc etc is playing on my mind, and difficult to get my head around. Plus the fact that it gets worse after treatment has finished!
I mean heaven help me, my netball, badminton, racquetball and tennis will suffer terribly - never mind anything else!!
Oh, and I've signed up for dog gun training classes on a Sunday afternoon... I'm still working on the recall, so a fair bit of work to do just yet.
So , not Jersey french tonight but ...
Bonne soirée
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday 19 September 2016
Wednesday 14 September 2016
Jersey to London (in one easy step)
Tuesday morning arrives and I'm up by 6:15am, showered, had breakfast and overnight bag packed.
Jessie decides that today is a good day to have one of her 'episodes' of trembling and lethargy.
TH arrives just after 8am, loads two dogs and gibbering middle aged woman into his car.
Arrived at the airport in good time for a 9:55am flight.
No problem through security ( except a toiletries check - that's happened twice now - my air of total calm persona doesn't 'wash' with these guys).
Cash machine worked, another plus, and so I settled down to wait for the gate number to be called.
The screen showed there would be a delay of 15 minutes - not too bad. Gate number came up and we dutifully filed through security and waited again. After twenty minutes we were told that the plane that had just arrived had been hit by lightening and consequently would need a engineer to look at it, and that he was on his way (!) and would take about twenty minutes to arrive.
A later announcement claimed it would take about an hour and we were offered a refreshment voucher back in the departures hall. Again we filed out and queued , fortunately I knew someone on flight and we chatted to pass the time.
Just as we arrived at the desk they called us to the gate again- our flight was ready to board.
Onto the plane and waited for take off slot. Pilot was very apologetic and said we would make good time and be around 40 minutes in the air.
Flight wasn't totally smooth , too many thunderstorms brewing, flew over Brighton and the pilots voice ( once again extremely apologetic) came across the tannoy. Unfortunately there was no slot for us to land , and we would have to hold for 25 minutes!
Back on land I joined a very long queue for a train ticket, to hear that sadly there had been a ' body' on the track and this had caused major delays and disruption to the train network.
Squeezed into the aisle of a packed southern train, made for a pretty unpleasant trip into the city- however I overheard a man say that at least our carriage had air conditioning, unlike the previous one, which was 'baking'.
Worked my way to the underground and two easy tube stops saw me arriving at the hospital two hours late for my clinic appointment.
Husband had called ahead to explain and apologise, saying I was on the delayed flight and would be there as soon as I could.
I had lost the chance of having a CT scan, but had a blood test and saw the registrar and later the consultant - found the facilities desk, collected my key for the accommodation , went to pharmacy and picked up my tablets ( wonder if I'll get them through security this time?).
And so ends the first day.
Thankfully the hospital can fit me in a scan today although 3:30pm makes it tight for time to re trace my journey back to Gatwick, particularly as I have just heard the news that due to staff shortages there is an amended service on the Gatwick express.
Still very hot and humid here, fortunately there is a large fan in the room to push the warm air around, and as I have a walk to the tube station I'd rather it be warm than pouring with rain like some parts of the country . ( yes, I could take a taxi, but I'll have been siting or lying down most of the day !)
Off to the hospital shortly for first set of kidney tests at 9 am- I have to say that despite all the set backs yesterday I was reasonably together last night, even managing to take a walk to find the accommodation I hope to be staying in later this month, and to check in with the local sports centre!
The bit I did have a belated wobble over was signing the consent form. I appreciate that the side effects won't be pleasant , and that I may or may not experience all or just some of them, but it was the more permeant damage that I could end up with, most noticeably the bowel.
There will be damage to the kidney too, and the fact that the tumour is high up will affect the stomach, definitely a good chance of nausea, and possibly ulcers. The tablets I have been issued are the same as I had with chemo (psychologically not good) and they come with side effects too!
Of course bladder and liver are in the firing line as well, and the icing on the cake is a minuscule risk of spinel damage....
Leaving the hospital I just felt cross, cross It was happening to me, and angry that it will be months before I feel well again, and then a high possibility that I will be left with permanent damage.
And then when I'd calmed down and eaten and thought a bit more, why shouldn't it be me? What makes me so very special ? I should be grateful that these amazing people can offer me this medicine as without it my life would be considerably shortened - and so it's just another challenge that life throws at you.
This last paragraph feels particularly poignant as I watch the incredible Paralympics and feel nothing but awe at the adversities so many of them have to overcome on a daily basis.
À la préchaine!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Jessie decides that today is a good day to have one of her 'episodes' of trembling and lethargy.
TH arrives just after 8am, loads two dogs and gibbering middle aged woman into his car.
Arrived at the airport in good time for a 9:55am flight.
No problem through security ( except a toiletries check - that's happened twice now - my air of total calm persona doesn't 'wash' with these guys).
Cash machine worked, another plus, and so I settled down to wait for the gate number to be called.
The screen showed there would be a delay of 15 minutes - not too bad. Gate number came up and we dutifully filed through security and waited again. After twenty minutes we were told that the plane that had just arrived had been hit by lightening and consequently would need a engineer to look at it, and that he was on his way (!) and would take about twenty minutes to arrive.
A later announcement claimed it would take about an hour and we were offered a refreshment voucher back in the departures hall. Again we filed out and queued , fortunately I knew someone on flight and we chatted to pass the time.
Just as we arrived at the desk they called us to the gate again- our flight was ready to board.
Onto the plane and waited for take off slot. Pilot was very apologetic and said we would make good time and be around 40 minutes in the air.
Flight wasn't totally smooth , too many thunderstorms brewing, flew over Brighton and the pilots voice ( once again extremely apologetic) came across the tannoy. Unfortunately there was no slot for us to land , and we would have to hold for 25 minutes!
Back on land I joined a very long queue for a train ticket, to hear that sadly there had been a ' body' on the track and this had caused major delays and disruption to the train network.
Squeezed into the aisle of a packed southern train, made for a pretty unpleasant trip into the city- however I overheard a man say that at least our carriage had air conditioning, unlike the previous one, which was 'baking'.
Worked my way to the underground and two easy tube stops saw me arriving at the hospital two hours late for my clinic appointment.
Husband had called ahead to explain and apologise, saying I was on the delayed flight and would be there as soon as I could.
I had lost the chance of having a CT scan, but had a blood test and saw the registrar and later the consultant - found the facilities desk, collected my key for the accommodation , went to pharmacy and picked up my tablets ( wonder if I'll get them through security this time?).
And so ends the first day.
Thankfully the hospital can fit me in a scan today although 3:30pm makes it tight for time to re trace my journey back to Gatwick, particularly as I have just heard the news that due to staff shortages there is an amended service on the Gatwick express.
Still very hot and humid here, fortunately there is a large fan in the room to push the warm air around, and as I have a walk to the tube station I'd rather it be warm than pouring with rain like some parts of the country . ( yes, I could take a taxi, but I'll have been siting or lying down most of the day !)
Off to the hospital shortly for first set of kidney tests at 9 am- I have to say that despite all the set backs yesterday I was reasonably together last night, even managing to take a walk to find the accommodation I hope to be staying in later this month, and to check in with the local sports centre!
The bit I did have a belated wobble over was signing the consent form. I appreciate that the side effects won't be pleasant , and that I may or may not experience all or just some of them, but it was the more permeant damage that I could end up with, most noticeably the bowel.
There will be damage to the kidney too, and the fact that the tumour is high up will affect the stomach, definitely a good chance of nausea, and possibly ulcers. The tablets I have been issued are the same as I had with chemo (psychologically not good) and they come with side effects too!
Of course bladder and liver are in the firing line as well, and the icing on the cake is a minuscule risk of spinel damage....
Leaving the hospital I just felt cross, cross It was happening to me, and angry that it will be months before I feel well again, and then a high possibility that I will be left with permanent damage.
And then when I'd calmed down and eaten and thought a bit more, why shouldn't it be me? What makes me so very special ? I should be grateful that these amazing people can offer me this medicine as without it my life would be considerably shortened - and so it's just another challenge that life throws at you.
This last paragraph feels particularly poignant as I watch the incredible Paralympics and feel nothing but awe at the adversities so many of them have to overcome on a daily basis.
À la préchaine!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday 8 September 2016
Thursday 8th September
I know you'll be pleased to find out we finally made it back on the rock Monday afternoon, thank goodness!
A quick update on this weeks events...
I ended up calling the Marsden as I hadn't had a date for the scan next week and I needed to book flights (amongst other things).
Two days and a fair few telephone conversations later and details have at last been finalised.
Flying out Tuesday 13th for a clinic appointment at 12:45pm, to be followed by a CT "planning" scan at 2pm. Staying overnight in London, and then kidney blood test and scan on Wednesday morning, last flight back home Wednesday night.
Ive got masses of pictures I want to post concerning the last few weeks but I'm having real trouble retrieving them from the depths of this PC....
A quick update on this weeks events...
I ended up calling the Marsden as I hadn't had a date for the scan next week and I needed to book flights (amongst other things).
Two days and a fair few telephone conversations later and details have at last been finalised.
Flying out Tuesday 13th for a clinic appointment at 12:45pm, to be followed by a CT "planning" scan at 2pm. Staying overnight in London, and then kidney blood test and scan on Wednesday morning, last flight back home Wednesday night.
Ive got masses of pictures I want to post concerning the last few weeks but I'm having real trouble retrieving them from the depths of this PC....
Monday 5 September 2016
Monday 5th September
Well, after a particularly busy spell over the last week, I have been trying to find time to update this blog, and now the perfect opportunity has just arisen.
We are on our way back to Jersey from a fantastic weekend in Cornwall at my friends daughters wedding. Unfortunately the pilot has made a bit of a 'rookie' error.
We were informed before setting off that there was fog in Guernsey ( where we had to stop en route to Jersey) but that we were going to attempt to land. If however we couldn't we would fly to Jersey and Guernsey folks would have to get a later flight .
First error made, should have flown straight to Jersey! We circled Guernsey twice, couldn't land , were told we were going to Jersey, took a long time messing around ( technical flying terminology ) again, but of course by this time the weather had worsened there too, so there was nothing for it but to return to Exeter!
Happy days!
Ok, so an update on the recent Marsden visit last Tuesday.
We had a very long chat with the registrar Dr George - can't remember his surname, who explained a lot of what they thought they could do for me.
The PET scan shows that fortunately there only appears to be one area of tumour, and they need another CT scan to work out a radiotherapy plan . There maybe some evidence that the original site is a little larger than before, so rather than a short condensed blast of radiotherapy (ie over one week for five days) they think that 25 fractions ( that's what you call one dose) would be better, and in more of a spray so any surrounding areas are also targeted.
This does mean that overall a better job would be done, but they need a scan to work with, plus a kidney scan. As the tumour is wrapped around my renal vein, there will probably be damage to my kidney, but they will try to minimise that, as I need those kidneys for later chemotherapy ( which is more than likely in the future, but let's not go there yet...)
Therefore I have to go to the Marsden on the week of the 12th for a few days to get these scans done, then it should take two weeks to write up a 'game plan' meaning I hope to start my treatment on the 26th September .
As yet I have no dates other than a clinic appointment on the 13th, I had hoped to have some dates by the end of the week, as plans need to be made, hopefully they'll be in the mail today , and at some point I'll actually get home today!
AB stayed in Jersey looking after naughty dogs, playing tennis ( in the sunshine) with friends and generally slacking on the job front, while we made our way to Cornwall.
Apparently the day we went off to London and left her in charge was an eventful one. It started well enough, her ( and the dogs ) getting a lift from TH to enjoy a gentle cliff path walk, and possibly stopping for light refreshments on the way.
The sun was shining and it was pleasant enough, the dogs charging around and doing what dogs do. A mere ten minutes into the walk, Beanie recognising fields that she had absconded in before, sprinted off into the blue yonder.
Five minutes passed, then ten, twenty, forty five and still only one glimpse of a black and white blur foraging for elusive pheasants in the distance .
So much for the walk, TH and AB fed up ( well, I would have been ) took the two remaining dogs back to the car, and luckily bumped into someone they knew. Explaining the situation to him , he said he would keep an eye out for a small very naughty springer.
To cut a long story short, he did find her and kindly bought her back, although she was in a terrible state, filthy, panting, covered in grass seeds and burs.
Meanwhile AB and TH had been to his mums for some well needed refreshments, it's fair to say I wouldn't be surprised if he never had any further dealings with THAT dog, Jess meanwhile was beautifully behaved , and if she could talk would have apologised profusely for her sisters errant behaviour.
Back home and dogs bathed, the job of unpicking half the field from Beanies fur began , luckily able to go outside as the sun was shining so the girls could dry off at the same time.
Whilst AB was getting stuck in the task of sorting out Beanie, she was suddenly aware of Jess tearing past in the shrubbery chasing a huge rat.
Now whilst AB spent all of her working years dealing with stroppy teenagers in the education system , and has had a fair few challenges to deal with, she doesn't have an over fondness for four legged hairy rodents .
Resignedly she approached the now inert rat , fortunately the dogs were leaving it well alone at this stage - realising the damage had been done, or the fact that they smelt the poison that had been put down a week before to try and sort out the unwanted squatters , which were hiding under our granite trough and feeding on the compost bins .
Gingerly she scooped up the rat , having to use the garden fork , not the spade she had been searching for, making the job a little trickier, and deposited it on top of the nearest compost bin, an ironic gesture.
Mentally exhausted and by now very hot and bothered and in desperate need of a swim she decided to change into her costume, ready to head off in the direction of the sea to cool off and calm down .
Just at that moment Bex arrived home, and AB had to relive her somewhat stressful 'day off'. As they were chatting they heard a shout from the garden . Upon investigation they saw a lady that always stops and says hello to the dogs, and has a particular affinity to Beanie, leaving her biscuits at the gate if she's not around etc, gesticulating wildly while shouting and pointing to another large very dead rodent lying on our garden path.
Apologising and thanking the lady for drawing their attention to it, AB once again said she would deal with it.
Waiting for the lady to go about her business AB, still wearing only her costume picked up the fork ( quite a sight) and while Bex stood in the road checking that no cars were passing she lobbed the rat into the field, or at least she attempted to, but javelin never being her best discipline missed as the rodent fell off the fork...
By this time, Bex was telling her to hurry up, not wanting to be caught with her aunt stood in the road and undecided whether she was more embarrassed by the distinct lack of clothing attire or the mutilated dead rat on the end of a fork.
It's fair to say she had a very long swim in the sea to recover, and Bex went to lay down in a darkened room!
Back to today , and having arrived at our original destination of Exeter we were told to disembark and make our way to arrivals, but before we could we had another announcement to say that actually it looked like it was clearing in Guernsey so we were going to wait, and hopefully try again.
Ten minutes later and despite having refuelled we had the news that the fog had come down again, so we all piled off - and with a various hand signals and whispered covert messages began Operation 'Countdown' .
We had a head start over the other passengers by being first off the plane, the men walked smartly to the departures hall flight desk while we waited for the bags, deals were done, money was passed and hands were shaken.
Giving up on Exeter we jumped in a large taxi and having booked a flight , are making our way to Southampton, where at least there are more flights to chose from and who knows by then the fog may have cleared ....
Watch this space ... 😳
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
We are on our way back to Jersey from a fantastic weekend in Cornwall at my friends daughters wedding. Unfortunately the pilot has made a bit of a 'rookie' error.
We were informed before setting off that there was fog in Guernsey ( where we had to stop en route to Jersey) but that we were going to attempt to land. If however we couldn't we would fly to Jersey and Guernsey folks would have to get a later flight .
First error made, should have flown straight to Jersey! We circled Guernsey twice, couldn't land , were told we were going to Jersey, took a long time messing around ( technical flying terminology ) again, but of course by this time the weather had worsened there too, so there was nothing for it but to return to Exeter!
Happy days!
Ok, so an update on the recent Marsden visit last Tuesday.
We had a very long chat with the registrar Dr George - can't remember his surname, who explained a lot of what they thought they could do for me.
The PET scan shows that fortunately there only appears to be one area of tumour, and they need another CT scan to work out a radiotherapy plan . There maybe some evidence that the original site is a little larger than before, so rather than a short condensed blast of radiotherapy (ie over one week for five days) they think that 25 fractions ( that's what you call one dose) would be better, and in more of a spray so any surrounding areas are also targeted.
This does mean that overall a better job would be done, but they need a scan to work with, plus a kidney scan. As the tumour is wrapped around my renal vein, there will probably be damage to my kidney, but they will try to minimise that, as I need those kidneys for later chemotherapy ( which is more than likely in the future, but let's not go there yet...)
Therefore I have to go to the Marsden on the week of the 12th for a few days to get these scans done, then it should take two weeks to write up a 'game plan' meaning I hope to start my treatment on the 26th September .
As yet I have no dates other than a clinic appointment on the 13th, I had hoped to have some dates by the end of the week, as plans need to be made, hopefully they'll be in the mail today , and at some point I'll actually get home today!
AB stayed in Jersey looking after naughty dogs, playing tennis ( in the sunshine) with friends and generally slacking on the job front, while we made our way to Cornwall.
Apparently the day we went off to London and left her in charge was an eventful one. It started well enough, her ( and the dogs ) getting a lift from TH to enjoy a gentle cliff path walk, and possibly stopping for light refreshments on the way.
The sun was shining and it was pleasant enough, the dogs charging around and doing what dogs do. A mere ten minutes into the walk, Beanie recognising fields that she had absconded in before, sprinted off into the blue yonder.
Five minutes passed, then ten, twenty, forty five and still only one glimpse of a black and white blur foraging for elusive pheasants in the distance .
So much for the walk, TH and AB fed up ( well, I would have been ) took the two remaining dogs back to the car, and luckily bumped into someone they knew. Explaining the situation to him , he said he would keep an eye out for a small very naughty springer.
To cut a long story short, he did find her and kindly bought her back, although she was in a terrible state, filthy, panting, covered in grass seeds and burs.
Meanwhile AB and TH had been to his mums for some well needed refreshments, it's fair to say I wouldn't be surprised if he never had any further dealings with THAT dog, Jess meanwhile was beautifully behaved , and if she could talk would have apologised profusely for her sisters errant behaviour.
Back home and dogs bathed, the job of unpicking half the field from Beanies fur began , luckily able to go outside as the sun was shining so the girls could dry off at the same time.
Whilst AB was getting stuck in the task of sorting out Beanie, she was suddenly aware of Jess tearing past in the shrubbery chasing a huge rat.
Now whilst AB spent all of her working years dealing with stroppy teenagers in the education system , and has had a fair few challenges to deal with, she doesn't have an over fondness for four legged hairy rodents .
Resignedly she approached the now inert rat , fortunately the dogs were leaving it well alone at this stage - realising the damage had been done, or the fact that they smelt the poison that had been put down a week before to try and sort out the unwanted squatters , which were hiding under our granite trough and feeding on the compost bins .
Gingerly she scooped up the rat , having to use the garden fork , not the spade she had been searching for, making the job a little trickier, and deposited it on top of the nearest compost bin, an ironic gesture.
Mentally exhausted and by now very hot and bothered and in desperate need of a swim she decided to change into her costume, ready to head off in the direction of the sea to cool off and calm down .
Just at that moment Bex arrived home, and AB had to relive her somewhat stressful 'day off'. As they were chatting they heard a shout from the garden . Upon investigation they saw a lady that always stops and says hello to the dogs, and has a particular affinity to Beanie, leaving her biscuits at the gate if she's not around etc, gesticulating wildly while shouting and pointing to another large very dead rodent lying on our garden path.
Apologising and thanking the lady for drawing their attention to it, AB once again said she would deal with it.
Waiting for the lady to go about her business AB, still wearing only her costume picked up the fork ( quite a sight) and while Bex stood in the road checking that no cars were passing she lobbed the rat into the field, or at least she attempted to, but javelin never being her best discipline missed as the rodent fell off the fork...
By this time, Bex was telling her to hurry up, not wanting to be caught with her aunt stood in the road and undecided whether she was more embarrassed by the distinct lack of clothing attire or the mutilated dead rat on the end of a fork.
It's fair to say she had a very long swim in the sea to recover, and Bex went to lay down in a darkened room!
Back to today , and having arrived at our original destination of Exeter we were told to disembark and make our way to arrivals, but before we could we had another announcement to say that actually it looked like it was clearing in Guernsey so we were going to wait, and hopefully try again.
Ten minutes later and despite having refuelled we had the news that the fog had come down again, so we all piled off - and with a various hand signals and whispered covert messages began Operation 'Countdown' .
We had a head start over the other passengers by being first off the plane, the men walked smartly to the departures hall flight desk while we waited for the bags, deals were done, money was passed and hands were shaken.
Giving up on Exeter we jumped in a large taxi and having booked a flight , are making our way to Southampton, where at least there are more flights to chose from and who knows by then the fog may have cleared ....
Watch this space ... 😳
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Mid flight
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