No "T" words mentioned at all - the continuation thread

candlelight_2013

Well it is a scorcher again today, and excellent drying weather. I love drying washing in the sun, it smells lovely.


Polly, no I had difficulty with the tablets before the op, it is great now I can see everything without having a white film to look through.


AOT, are you still reading along, if so, how are you?


I have just cooked some chicken breasts sprinkled with tarragon and salt and pepper. We will have these cold this evening with a lovely salad and some fresh crusty rolls.


Lyn, I can't believe Zebra is starting school in September, where has that time gone? Tell me about him, is he tall for his age, is he looking forward to school? I hope Ruthie takes a photograph of him on his first day in his uniform. They grow up so quickly, and hopefully you will be able to see more of them both when you move.


Bye for now xx

TravellingAbuela

Here I am again like a bad penny, you'll be sorry I found you!! We are back from the GP and I just feel we are back where we were 5 months ago. When the sickness and inability to eat/digest food erupted from nowhere in March my immediate thoughts were that it was connected to his tumour. We got an urgent appointment with Mr TA's Oncologist at St James and he didn't think it was the cancer causing it. He said it sounded as if it was connected to his Peripheral Neuropathy. (Nerve and muscle damage) His Neurologist (different hospital) was quite cross about that and said it wasn't connected. He needed to see a Gastroenterologist.

That's when the GP appointments started. Each one we saw having different ideas about the cause and possible treatments. Gastroparesis was a possibility one said. Various nutrishakes etc prescribed and anti-sickness pills before any food or drinks. Meanwhile he has lost 3 stone and is as weak as a kitten. GP this morning went over last week's Endoscopy report and confirmed all well with that. He thinks the Neuroendocrine cancer is the cause. That is what I suspected in March! Nobody could be so unfortunate as to have all these different problems without there being some connection. Anyway he is due his CT scans in Leeds next Monday and GP feels sure this will reveal the cause. But of course we will see the Oncology consultant for those. I shall be absolutely dreading that appointment. I just feel drained and am at the point where I could sit and cry if I thought it would do any good!

Today's GP (just seen once before along the way) was lovely. Didn't rush us, listened to everything I had to say etc. and was the most caring one we have seen. He told him to stop the Oramorph which isn't helping much and has prescribed some stronger slow release patches which should ease his pain. Also prescribed some of the high calorie nutri shots which I requested ages ago and for some reason we couldn't have them! I just hope he can tolerate them and we can get his calorie intake up to a weight maintaining level.

If I had known what lay ahead when he was given the cancer diagnosis 5 years ago I think I would have thrown in the towel there and then. Anyway I will shut up now and thanks for listening! I think I just needed to get my head round everything. Take care all xxx

ps Donkeys!! They are not the sweet natured animals people believe! When we had our two sheepdogs I used to take them up to the moors every day, cutting across farmland on the way. The two donkeys there were a nightmare and if they were out and spotted us they charged after us menacingly - me and the dogs had to do a good impression of Roger Bannister to escape them! I never knew I could run so fast!

candlelight_2013

Oh goodness TA, it seems you were probably right anyway.



When you live with someone with a serious illness you tune into them daily and know when things are not right. I am sure you are like me, I read up on the illness, I go to every medical appointment because I know he wouldn't ask questions, and I query anything I am not sure about. Your DH has several conditions, but you have said all along that you felt sure this was connected to the cancer.


We have said before haven't we, what big strong men they were in their youth, and it is heart breaking to see them ill and weak. We are all here for you, we will support you and let you rant as much as you need, and I think you have more than your share of worry. We can't say it to our men, but my goodness you can say it to your friends here.


I am sure your son and daughter realise how ill he is, but if you need help ask them. I know we try to be independent, but sometimes we need help, and it does them good to know that we are not super human.


Take care my lovely, I am glad the GP was kind, you certainly don't need anyone to be short with you.


xx

LaineyT

Oh bless you TA, you must feel like a dog that is chasing its tail, the answer is just out of reach if only the next appointment could just solve it...my heart goes out to you it really does. I am pleased that the GP today at least had the time to listen to you and fingers crossed that those high calorie nutri shots do the job and put a bit of the lost weight back on Mr TA.
Sorry but I did giggle at the mental image of you doing a sprint across the moors with your dog’s, closely followed by two menacing donkeys, clearly they are not the sweet, gentle creatures I’ve been led to believe!

[Deleted User]

My little Zebra is a tiny little bean sprout, he's a skinny Minnie and all legs and the most gorgeous head of red gold hair. He's as bright as a button and is streets ahead of most of his nursery class educationally as mum and dad have both been keen to let him go forward at his own pace and he's been doing phonics and working with numbers for well over a year now. He was so very keen to go to school that he wanted to go when he was 4 as he thought his school life would start on his birthday bless him. Now the reality and closeness of time is here he's realised that he won't be going to his beloved nursery any longer and he's become quite unsettled and very up and down emotionally. He'll go in duck to water though when the term starts and I'm sure he'll find his feet very quickly, he's a social child and likes people both adults and other children. He's a pickle and the smaller one is white blond and a really chunky monkey, so laid back and accepting and almost but not quite shy, he takes his time before you get a smile. He loves books and will take himself off up the garden to sit on the decking to read his books for an hour at a time, so total opposites in character but very similar to look at, and I love them both to bits.....doesn't show does it? xxx

scottishminnie

Afternoon all. Nice to see the friendly faces again and some new posters too.

It's been a tough few months on a number of fronts but I'd rather not dwell on that. I'll just look forward I think.

We've had a break in the weather up here. Was damp yesterday and heavy drizzle just now. Means I may not need to run the sprinkler later though. Hubby has mastered the art of moving it while it runs without getting wet however I am hopeless so it has to be turned off, repositioned then turned back on or I end up like a drowned rat:)

I'm working from home (so manic I couldn't waste an hour and a bit getting to the office and the same back) however I've had a jetting cancelled so I get 30 mins for some lunch which is a bonus.

Been jam making here - my rhubarb has finally decided to spurt so I made rhubarb and ginger jam and the last of the blackcurrants were picked on Saturday and are now in jam too. I'll give most of it away as we are working through previous years stocks.

I "found" three bags of sliced apples in the freezer so I must use them up too very soon. My apple trees look quite laden and to my delight the Macintosh red trees which we planted also have fruit. I didn't expect anything this year and it's only 2/3 on each of the 3 trees however I'm very excited. Mac reds are my favourite Apple. They remind me of my childhood.

I'll read through the posts later and catch up on what everyone is doing. I'm sure lots has happened since I was last around.

pollyanna_26

candlelight_2013 wrote: »

Oh goodness TA, it seems you were probably right anyway.



When you live with someone with a serious illness you tune into them daily and know when things are not right. I am sure you are like me, I read up on the illness, I go to every medical appointment because I know he wouldn't ask questions, and I query anything I am not sure about. Your DH has several conditions, but you have said all along that you felt sure this was connected to the cancer.


We have said before haven't we, what big strong men they were in their youth, and it is heart breaking to see them ill and weak. We are all here for you, we will support you and let you rant as much as you need, and I think you have more than your share of worry. We can't say it to our men, but my goodness you can say it to your friends here.


I am sure your son and daughter realise how ill he is, but if you need help ask them. I know we try to be independent, but sometimes we need help, and it does them good to know that we are not super human.


Take care my lovely, I am glad the GP was kind, you certainly don't need anyone to be short with you.


xx

I agree with Candlelight and you have come to the right place to off load , ask questions or make us laugh at the donkeys .


A few things come to mind .


You mention different GPs . Todays seemed pretty much on the ball . Is he a regular member of the team ? Your husband is allowed a named GP which he will see on an ongoing basis apart from holiday cover when there will be a backup .
It means someone is totally in the picture and saves explaining to different faces .


For appointments bullet lists are good . I keep a diary which is solely for dds appointments , meds and logging good and bad days . If a med is raised , changed or a new one added in I make a note on the day it happened .
Making a list and printing a copy for hospitals , drs and any other clinics etc when you're due somewhere cuts through all the time spent trying to explain things and hoping you haven't forgotten something .
Since I started doing this things work better and I don't have loads of stuff in my head the night before when I should be sleeping .


The dairy I use is an A5 Busyb mid year . Current one will run out at the end of August and the new one is here waiting to fill up again .
The advantage of mid year is you can enter appts for the following year in advance .
I keep the diary in a strong plastic pouch with the Bloods book . PPC . meds lists and diagnoses and wherever I go it goes with me .


You may already do these things but thought I'd mention them .


I couldn't search the book on line apart from general stuff near the start . I bought it in desperation and did find a good point to work from . I hope the fortified drinks will help make a difference . I imagine you've tried soups , we packed everything we could into homemade soups and it seemed to help trigger the appetite .
Take care love

polly x

[Deleted User]

And now you've come back too SM what a wonderful week this is starting to be, so very pleased to see you here too my dear friend, welcome home to you as well. It begins to feel like the good old times again xxx.

pollyanna_26

It certainly does feel like the good times again Lyn . I'm still a bit bemused about a chat between us brought Candlelight back . I may change my user name to Mystic Meg . I expect we need more than a repeat of summer of 76 and Candlight popping up to justify it though .
It's lovely to hear about the pickles . I hope you can move with no further glitches . It will certainly be far less tiring than having to do the long journeys . You need all your energy to keep up with them .


A warm welcome back SM . I think the last time we spoke we were either talking of beloved cardies with a dye run or the wonder of skirts that swish . it seems like a long time ago now .


Your meal sounds lovely candlelight . I hope you both enjoy it . Gosh if you're threading needles just imagine life after the 2nd eye is sorted . I'm aware of the waiting lists but it will happen .


TA Hoping the ct scans will finally show exactly what is going on . It's good the gp has replaced the Oramorph with patches . There should be better maintained pain relief . DD is far less in need of the Oramorph at present although she has the Zomorph still .


I know you're upset worried and totally drained but when you see the Oncology consultant bear in mind he is just another person and not some sort of higher being . If you can prepare in advance it will take a lot of the stress out . The only way to get some sort of joined up thing happening is to be open about the worries and mixed messages . I know you protected the family and are probably still very mindful of your husbands feelings but don't keep things locked away that worry and upset you . You wont be the first person to make clear the worry and confusion of the situation . If it makes you feel any better dd , myself and our gp actually dumped the Rheumo consultant and she now has a lovely one near home .
polly x

fuddle

Candlelight! It's true, you're back!! You have been very much missed. I did wonder if we would ever get to share your company again but now you're here it's like you've never not been.

Welcome back lovely lady.