ensuitepilgrim's Blog

Wednesday 16 th March

I share this beautiful quotation by Carlos Castaneda from The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge so others can be inspired. My hope is you will share the words that move your heart, your feet, and your spirit along The Way.

“For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length–and there I travel looking, looking breathlessly.”

Not too breathlessly, I hope.

The day began very promptly, but the nurse explained that a blood test was required – I explained that I had a test two days previously; she informed me that the test had indicated a lowering in the platelets,ie, the bone marrow was struggling slightly, and that might mean a postponement of today’s treatment.
As I ‘m doing this post “live” , so to speak, I ponder the knock-on effects of a postponement.It emphasises the fact that it is very difficult to make arrangements, whether for a brief holiday, or a concert, engaging with relatives & friends…
A plan was scuppered yesterday, after a call from the Hospital to book me in for a Scan on May 16th!

Senior Nurse just came across to tell me they are going ahead.
Good news, bad news…
“Good” – no prolonging the treatment.
“Bad” – missing a gloriously , sunny day,outside, the only view of which is partially blocked by a tree I loathe – Lleylandi.

Whilst I wait for the current Saline solution to drip through,I thought I should share the quotation, sent to me by the wonderful, Holy Family School Staff:-

” WHAT CANCER CANNOT DO”

“Cancer is so limited….
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendship
It cannot suppress memories
It. Cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit”

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

And so now at 10.00, treatment proceeds hiccup- free!

Hannah insisted I borrow her I-Pad, today, in order to pas some time watching a Movie, ( I don’t use mine for film or video ).

I chose “blind” and found myself watching “DJango “, a Quentin Tarantino film.
No danger of falling asleep whilst watching this !
Set in pre civil war, Southern USA; it follows the unlikely ( understatement) partnership of a Black slave and a German , self- style Dr, who is actually a Bounty Hunter.
Not the sort of film I should be buying my popcorn for.
Blood, guts, bullets,dynamite and four letter words abound, but the dialogue is great.
The soundtrack was uneven: atmospheric in places, two Turkeys out of the “Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Riding Through the Glen” ,Songbook.

Lunch was a delicious Egg Mayonnaise & Cress sandwich on Brown bread….
Memories from over 50 years ago of smoky, railway platforms,poised with my notebook in hand; ideally, Crewe Junction….it’ s not a guilty secret!
I love steam engines to this day.

Pity the ending was even more corny than the normal Hollywood fare.
The treatment seemed to drag on this afternoon,possibly bigger dose of Chemo.
Given drugs and dates for final sessions in a fortnight; hope the platelets build up, in time.

PHOTO FOR HOLY WEEK

<img src="https://ensuitepilgrim.blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/20140416-094043

Promptly into the Oncology Suite @09.15
Hooked up to first drip by 09.30

Not long before Mac came in and we passed the time very quickly until he left for home and lunch at 13.00
We covered the Pistorius saga in South Africa, resignation of Tory minister over fiddling expenses – not a Press campaign?
Well one of her responsibilities is looking at Press accountability, so there may have been some mileage, there
However, what got everyone’s’ goat was her 30 second excuse for an apology to the House!
Inevitably we got around to Sport and were discussing the merits of the most recent Premiership manager sacking at Norwich, when the Nurse who was changing my drip interjected and we discovered, much to Mac’s delight that she was a Blues supporter!
He found even more common ground when she told us she was engaged to a Villa supporter – Mac’s daughter Jennifer, a Blues fan is married to a Villa supporter.
Speaking of whom, we really enjoyed attending the Baptism of grandson Isaac, on Sunday, last, at Holy Trinity Church,

We’d also discussed the possibility of walking the Via de la Plata Caminho, from which I had to withdraw,next month, in late September of this year.
That would be three months after any surgery, hopefully giving time for convalescence and working towards fitness.

“Once you choose hope, anything’s possible”. ~Christopher Reeve

Also, I could change my existing flights, albeit with fee, to September.

Having finished the Guardian Cross word, it was a quick sandwich and Hannah arrived to tell me about her morning with grandson,Jude in Kings Heath and walking in the Park.
Daughter-in-Law, Vickee had to return to school today after her year’s maternity leave, only for three days because term ends on Friday, but to a school that failed its Ofsted Inspection yesterday!
This is a school that was last judged to be “outstanding”; a school that sadly has been subject to Governor problems linked to the Islamic Radicalisation “Trojan Horse” scandal, exposed by the Sunday Telegraph.

Never thought I should ever praise The Telegraph!

So, drove home, felt a little weary, but revived after a slice of Hannah’s amazing fruit cake and my ninth cup,of tea.

Same tablet routine, 3 days each of Steroid & Nausea prevention.

Feel fine and have plans to both weed the Strawberry patch at the allotment, tomorrow and construct a Strawberry Box at home from a recycled carnet and bin liners, lining it with pieces of polystyrene to reduce weight , compost and about 8 Strawberry plants.
Will place it on the Insect House at the bottom of the garden,; will post a photo, if I remember ……

Then a visit to see Grandson Jude.

Friday, my sister Penny is visiting me, which is great and she is bringing me some Perennial plants from her garden – a welcome addition.

A quietish weekend in prospect, taking it easy and drinking lots of fluids, with two FA Cup Semi-finals to watch, followed by the Liverpool V Man City possible Premiership decider on Sunday….saving the best to last.

“Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart and you’ll never walk alone”.

Just to repeat myself…not for the first time…This Cancer Caminho is to put it in perspective…but also give hope to fellow sufferers.

Received a touching message and Mass Card for my recovery, from Holy Family Staff; always the greatest group of professionals you could ever wish to be alongside….Muchas Gracias.x

I shall post the HF message on next update.