Aboard Dignity (Lagoon 420) Blog

Goodness me. A lot has happened since I was given my ‘freedom’. First and foremost we’ve been out and about at least once or twice per day. This has had a great effect on moral and my slowly returning strength and fitness. The physio has given up hassling me since she tested me climbing the stairs and had to ask me to slow down. She was worried about me but I think the reality was she couldn’t catch up (she’s more into directing weak patients than climbing stairwells methinks.)

I have been to see our new home. It was bigger than I expected although the room measurements from the rough plans were accurate. Taking up where Helen took off the pictures I took were more closeups than distance shots so I could get detail on things. All looked good.

Big blow when I returned to the hospital that day (Thursday) as it turned out my laptop had been stolen from my room. Much ado since then with insurance companies, police, hospital security and replacement firms. I’m not satisfied with the current replacement by a long shot so it looks like there could be some pain ahead.

Fortunately most of my data is in ‘The Cloud’ now so data loss is contained. I believe I have a backup of all our travel pics but I’ll only know that when I get home.

Helen and I have probably visited all the furniture shops on Tottenham Court Road and have some ideas, some firming up. There is a 2-3 month lead time on sofas which will need some Xmas planning.

Online research has continued in earnest with some things now paid for and ordered (vacuum cleaner, main TV, telephones) and others more or less decided and ready to order soon after we move in (fridge freezer, mower, hedge trimmer, garden tools).

We’ve had a few loans of beds offered which will take the edge off things while we work out the bedrooms which we want to complete soon but nice to have the pressure taken off us.

Back to my health. All my counts continue to improve. I’m still on treatment to deal with the decreasingly obvious side effects from the first round of chemo. Prof Linch has been monitoring my progress while he’s been on holiday and rumours are beginning to build that round 2 of the main fight begins in around a week. I continue to be keen to get moving on the real reason I’m here as the last MRI showed the ‘shadows’ have reduced but not gone and I can feel the neurological effects in my micro-balance.

Bring it on.

Docs were in this morning. Health improving still. Next round of serious chemo still probably a week or two away but for now I get more time out from hospital. I can go and see our new home. We can do some tourism. Today is Superman Day. Oh real Joy. Furlough each day from hospital (until 6pm infusion each day) while I continue to build for round 2 which I’m keen to start. Bring it all on.

I did. I submitted Helen and my UK tax return this weekend. I had more excuses to postpone which I used with glee. Friends visited on Saturday (we went out for Sushi nearby) and Helen and I have been out another two times this weekend looking at sofas.

Sunday was filled with Wimbledon and Grand Prix. Andy Murray played a fine match. Helen’s sister Betty and her daughter, our niece Emily, arrived just in time to watch with strawberries, cream and champagne. Our John was here too. As much as I pleaded with the nurse, I was not allowed any alcohol. Oddly enough I’ve not had a drop in nearly 2 months and feel quite good about it.

Healthwise I feel better than I was first admitted. I’m still fighting liver and lung issues triggered by the first round of chemo. This will probobaly stay improving until the docs feel it’s a good time to resume the poisoning.

Today, when Helen gets here, we’ll go out, have lunch and this time it’s bedroom furniture. Incidentally, we’ve almost picked something. I subscribed to Which? and am getting much better reviews. We want a decent mattress for our bed and there is a very economical foam memory foam mattress by SilentNight which we’ll almost certainly get for ourselves. Not a lot for the hours of research but it’s slow and steady that will win the day here – and pass the time.