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 ... 😳








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