Hair today...gone tomorrow, and other medical mysteries.

Due to popular demand (well okay, actually one single request) this is Steve here again, blogging from a "new" venue. New, as in we haven't been in this precise location before, but not so new as in "we're back in hospital". Pipon Ward is situated in-between Rayner Ward and EAU, so we've walked/shuffled/trolleyed/wheelchaired (??) past it more times than we care to remember, but it is considerably more spacious, Jill has a bed next to a window (that opens and has clear glass!) and a proper cup of hot black coffee. Bloods have been successfully taken...and all before 09:30. How good are we? It seems recently that nothing seems to be achieved before at least 10....let's just say we spent much time getting prepared last night, and got up really early this morning.

The reason for the blog title is this.....chemo may no longer be on the weekly menu, but that doesn't mean that the side effects of the previous treatments have stopped. As regards Jill's hair, it's making a determined effort to part company with her head....and seemingly more so of late. I guess we'd hoped it might have "hung on in there" (so to speak) but if the last few days are anything to go by she will be challenging me for the title of "baldest Luce family member" in the next couple of weeks. Weirdly, I had a Facebook reminder this morning of a photo of Jill swimming at the Ecrehous 6 years ago today....she was wearing a bandana....yes, honestly, it really is that long that we've been battling this bloody disease.

The other part of the blog title is "medical mysteries".... and, the only reason I added it is that, it transpires that creating the amount of lymph fluid that Jill has been doing recently is very rare apparently. Just another medical quirk that is Mrs. B. J. Luce. It's not surprising that we see so many medical specialists....Jill seems to be a "test case supremo"....there's always something in her diagnosis that someone has never seen before!

As I type the rain is falling steadily outside. It's lovely to have a "fresher feel" to the air, but what a day to start the very much needed consistent precipitation! Those poor Battle of Flowers workers from all corners of the Island have spent the past months getting ready for today....it's pretty unlucky. I know that things are set to improve greatly this afternoon, but moving everything down to the park is a monumental task, and this weather isn't the best start. As with so many other Islanders, I've been there, done that, and got the T shirt. It's not quite the same when you find yourself at Millbrook, tired, wet and cold with work still to do of your float following the big move from wherever you were building. Anyway....from what I've seen on the Internet, there are some top top floats again this year....and I'm sure everyone will have a great time once the sun comes out.

Medically, this week has been okay.....actually I think things have improved slightly as the days have gone by. Yesterday Jill and I made an exciting visit to M&S at St. Brelade for clothing and medical supplies. I was ecstatic as our reader might expect. We managed to visit every floor (there are 3) and "browse" around to make sure there wasn't something we hadn't looked at. When I asked, I was informed that "browsing" is an absolute necessity. What's all that about? Surely you just make a list, find the things on the list, pay for them and come home? Apparently not!

I knew it would happen, but no sooner had I listed a few of my favourite female singers I would remember some others I should also have added. One in particular, Diana Krall....the Canadian jazz singer/pianist. There's no doubt that her blonde hair and sultry singing voice have an effect (!!), but it's her jazz piano playing that really gets to me. As a child I can remember seeing Oscar Peterson at the Opera House....yes, really. It had quite an effect in me, and even since then I've been an jazz enthusiast....piano especially. (As an aside, and he isn't a jazz player, but did you know that Diana Krall is married to Elvis Costello?.... Elvis Costello and the Attractions were another live act that I saw at Fort Regent....we had a bit of a purple spell back in "the day"....I also remember Nick Lowe and Rockpile.....Nick is another stalwart of the British pop scene....how come we don't see as many of them any more?) Finally in today's musical update I better mention yet another artist I've seen live in Jersey, another top jazz pianist, and another true Brit.....Jamie Cullum. Not only is he a great jazz musician, but he also has a really successful weekly show on Radio 2 showcasing jazz, hip hop and blues.....well worth a listen, but, If you get a chance to see him live then don't miss it.....

The rain has eased off outside now....our consultant has been....bloods have been taken....and (as soon as the results come back) we expect to "get draining". We've brought an overnight bag, but we're really hoping we won't need it. Certainly the intention of everyone in here is to "get us out" asap.....and I can't say I blame them. As I said previously, things haven't been too bad this week.....I'm not sure that the stomach pressure hasn't continued to build at the same rate recently....but, as Jill says, we need to probably do something today otherwise we will almost certainly be back in our "it's late Friday night, let's go to A&E for a visit" mode tomorrow. Too risky....

I think I'll leave it there for now.....if things start to get drawn out later today then I may well blog again, if only to relieve the boredom! However, I'm staying positive.....with luck we will be heading home well before this evening, the sun will be out, the traffic light and un-congested, and St. Martin will have won the Prix d'Honneur. Okay, so I'll settle for two out of four.....




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