Thursday 20 November 2014

Clatterbridge time again

Last Tuesday I had my 3 monthly scan and nothing had got any bigger which is a huge relief, so I must be doing something right. My consultant did say that the nodules that had appeared at the last scan where my Kidney was removed had disappeared, this also was a huge relief as he had played them down 3 months ago, I guess he didn't to scare me to much, which to be honest would have scared the life out of me if I had known something new was growing. Well that at least will keep me settled over my birthday, Christmas and New Year. The clinical trial I was supposed to be starting in October has now been put back till January at the earliest, due to red tape between the EU and the Pharmaceutical company in the US, I am quite pleased about this, as I do feel pretty healthy, and wasn't looking forward to starting a course of treatment during the winter, especially as this week is one year since I first went into Hospital, which as you can imagine gives me very mixed emotion.
 

Well that's all the medical stuff out of the way, so next week I am going on a road trip to Italy! I really am not sure what I have let myself in for, it started of as a day trip to Belgium, now it is two nights in Switzerland, two nights near Milan and a night in France on the way back, I am doing the driving and I have never driven abroad, and at this time of year, so I think I am a little crazy! 'He who dares wins!' as Del would say. It really is just a case of get off the ferry and head south, we have no where booked for the nights, so anything could happen, this maybe my last blog post, one thing is certain with Sarah it will certainly be an adventure, we come back on the 1st December on my birthday, so it will certainly be a contrast to the 1st last year, in agony in hospital!


Liverpool Water front

Talking of Sarah, bless her, she had told me to not go out last Saturday as she was sending a surprise present for my birthday, and didn't no what time it would be delivered, the surprise turned out to be her, which was rather amazing, so we had a trip around Liverpool Saturday and Sunday, Saturday night we managed to drink a very large amount of wine and nothing to eat, so were ever so slightly drunk, ooops!
Lime St

Warrington Central

Barley Mow
 

Sarah does drive me nuts at time and we do have a bit of an unusual friendship, but I love her to bits and do make the trip to Southampton once a month to see her, so it rather special that she came up to see me, especially as this was the first time she had been here when I wasn't in hospital.

Anfield

The Beatles


Thursday 6 November 2014

Raining Cats and Dogs

I generally walk into town to go to the shelter where I walk the dogs, along the way I meet a lot of cats who are quite friendly on the way out, but by the time I return, smelling of dogs, they run a mile!

Tia



I have got into the habit of walking the larger dogs as they seem to be the ones that get out least, they are certainly lively, one of them Bernie, is a big black shaggy affair who goes nuts once he is let of the lead, he charges you then at the last second turns, so his body slams into your legs, he hasn't knocked me over yet, but it will happen.

Bernie


Tia is a St Bernard, and is as nuts as Bernie, once of the lead they both chase me round the field, trying their hardest to send me flying! There are two other St Bernard's I have not walked yet, Kayla who is larger than Tia and looks just as nuts, and Teddy who is massive and will probably pull me along on my face, but I will have a go.

Tia up to her usual tricks

 

Monday 3 November 2014

Hearing Aid

This morning I went to have a hearing aid fitted, can't say I am very happy about it, hearing aids have always been associated with Aunty Doris and her infernal whistling! Its not that bad to be honest, very small and I have got used to it straight away. My hearing is really not that bad, just in some circumstances I struggle hearing people, so I thought I would give it ago.

South Wales
 
I have just got back from one of my jaunts south, was really good fun, South Wales and Hampshire. It was freezing cold in Wales, my friends are renovating an old house, so was not the warmest place, but was great to see them and be back in the Valleys, the house really is gorgeous, detached 4 bedroom and large walled garden all for a fraction of what they would have paid back in Sussex. After Wales I went to Andover and spent a few days with a fab friend and her partner, their house is the complete opposite, newly built so it is very well insulated, even with no heating on it was very warm.
 
Mr Tank
 
I was really very glad to get back north, while I did have a great couple of weeks in the south with some great friends, I have got into a bit of a routine now, what with dog walking most days and getting on with my photography and exercising daily. I have neglected the cycling in recent weeks, mainly because I have been walking so much, 7-8 miles a day, this includes walking the dogs. I can now walk most of the large dogs, and some of them are very large indeed, they are not difficult just very strong and a bit boisterous.

West Meon Station

Privet Tunnel
 
Whilst in Hampshire I went on an organised walk with the Railway Ramblers, this was on northern section of the long closed railway from Alton to Fareham and included visiting Privet and Tisted stations which are both now private homes, and very attractive ones as well. The following week I went back on my own to have a look at West Meon and Privet Tunnels, the south portal of West Meon tunnel was rather overgrown, it involved a lot of climbing up and down cuttings and hacking through the undergrowth, quite proud of myself as almost a year ago I was in hospital fighting for my life.