Wellhiem Loc: Sunny England.

I'll start off with a brief summary for anyone who's interested and may have missed my other post. Back at the end of March, I started suffering from some persistent back pains. Because of staff shortages and the Easter bank holiday, I was unable to get a Doctor's appointment until 20th April. This is not usual and I would normally get an appointment within a couple of days and could still have got one almost immediately if I'd thought it urgent. Anyway, the appointment came along and by this time I had developed a bit of a lump on my right shoulder blade. Again, if I had thought this was a problem, I could have been seen sooner. After taking a look, my Doctor weighed my and to my shock although I usually weigh about 10 1/2- 11 stone, (about 70 kilos), I had gone down to 7 stone, (about 50 kilos). I was booked into the hospital for blood tests and an xray for the following Monday. Over the weekend, the pain increased like you would not imagine. At about 3am Monday morning, I decided that something was seriously wrong and phoned for an ambulance. A quick trip to hospital, blood tests, xray and a CT scan. A few minutes later the Doctors returned and told me I had a tumour that was dangerously close to a spinal nerve and I would have to lay flat on my back and not move my head. I was transferred in this position to the main hospital where I received radio therapy until on the Wednesday morning I was told I could raise my head, and in the afternoon I could start to move around. As I had been taken in at a bit of a rush, I hadn't taken much with me, basically just my cell phone which I've never really used before for anything other than an occasional phone call. Once I realised I was going to be kept in overnight, I phoned my daughters and my brother. They asked, as they would if there was anything I needed. I asked for a little light reading. My brother turned up with five books on quantum physics, I kid you not. I have no problem reading that stuff, but it's not hospital reading. When my daughters arrived, they bought some more suitable books and one of their Kindles. Obviously at the time, being stuck flat on my back I was unable to read anything. Anyway, I gave my daughters my credit card and PIN and asked them to get me some pyjamas. Having inherited my sense of humour, they got what could only be described as "age inappropriate" ones., i.e. action heroes, Pac man etc. This did raise a few smiles and as that can only be a good thing, I decided to see if I could get some more in case I had to return at some time. I Googled "Kid's pyjamas in adult sizes". There are some bloody weird niche websites out there. All the staff at the hospital were amazing. People here don't go into the medical profession because they want to be driving a new Lexus by the time they're 30, they do it because they want to make a difference. Well, to be honest I suppose some do it for the money but they don't stay in the UK, and I suppose some from the US do it for altruistic reasons, but then go into the third world. So all in all we tend to get the short end of the deal.

Anyway that's the summary of what's gone before. Bottom line now is that it's cancer, probably lung, but that's yet to be confirmed. As I said in my other post, is that I'm sure that some people here will have either gone through a similar situation, or knows someone who has. Any questions, please feel free to ask and I will try to answer as honestly as possible. I said in the title of this thread that I would praise the NHS. I cannot praise them highly enough. Of course things aren't going to go 100% as planned, and sometimes you may have to wait before you're given what you've asked for, but don't complain because the put the wrong amount of sugar in your tea.

I've had a lot of good wishes from my fellow hogs, some of whom I have disagreed with quite passionately and may have resorted to personal comments in the past. I would like to thank everyone for their thoughts.

As to the elephant in the room, The prognosis. I've been told to hope for the best and plan for the worse. Here's my thinking on this. I have always known that one day I will die in a zombie apocalypse, unless something else happens that kills me first. The zombie scenario has always been very unlikely to come to fruition. It's now just a little less likely. Nothing else has changed. I won’t be spending quite so much time here in the attic in the future, I’m going to be out with the cameras. Life’s too short and none of this stuff we discuss here really matters. Even if it did, we’re not going to solve anything by insulting each other’s mothers. I’ll still be popping in from time to time and I may post a few pics. Meanwhile thanks for all your best wishes and your prayers where applicable. It really is appreciated.

Doddy Loc: Barnard Castle-England

So sorry to hear you are in hospital Wellhiem. I do hope the Doctors are successful in treating you and that you are home shortly.

Wellhiem Loc: Sunny England.

Thanks. I am actually home now. I guess I should have mentioned that.

Kraken Loc: Barry's Bay

Hope for the best Wellhiem we are all thinking of you.