The Final Taxi

This isn't a post that is easy to write but dad was determined to keep the blog going right to the end.

After a long and restless night, dad passed away peacefully at home this morning.

The chemo blog enabled dad to offload his thoughts on dealing with cancer, but has also helped to keep you all in touch with how he was. Your support throughout has helped keep us all positive right to the end.

Lauren, Sharon and Ian.

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It's all a bit of a blur ...

Lauren again.

I've taken over blog writing again, the breathlessness has got worse, dad had several visitors, hallucinations started again, appetite completely gone, sleeplessness nights, kind of sums up the blur of the past couple of days.

Currently waiting for the district nurse to come out to assess dad to see If there is anything they can do to help with the breathing.


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Seems like a long time

And lots will have happened. That will have mainly been doctors Macmillan nurses and Occupational Therapists. All very boring. So let's go with what I see as the highlights of the last couple of days.

Sharon has been sleeping in th front room with me. I am sure it is not very important to you, but to me it has been really comforting and re-assuring. She can get my breathing and heart rate down to a normal relaxed state with a 5 minute hug. None of the drugs do that.

We seem to have got the balance of the morphine free pain killers right. I haven't had any of the intense pain attacks recently and my hip is comfortable unless I do something stupid.

We have mastered using the wheelchair to go to the loo. This makes it easier for everyone and doesn't take me an hour to recover from. Sharon needs some manoubering lessons or the chair needs better wheels, but we haven't damaged too much.

Had another excellent foot massage from Aud yesterday and Sharon had a brief lesson. Sharon has been doing them anyway, but I am looking forward to her improved technique. It really does get the blood flowing in the lower leg, wish I had started them 18 months ago when the Vinchristine first started to hit them.

Right enough of this blogging, ought to at least pretend I have had some sleep.
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Bed didn't work

Went off upstairs (much effort) and thought we had got the magic electric bed somewhere near the angle of the recliner. The distance between the back riser and the knee riser is all wrong though and after an hour I was in agony and couldn't breath. Took some oral morphine substitute. We had a play around and thought we had it better, but at about 4:00am I moved back to the recliner. Slept there until 5:30 then dozed through to 8:30ish when Sharon appeared with medication. So back on the recliner all day. I did struggle up to the bathroom to test the new toys and shower. Bloody hard work and took ages to recover.
I admitted to Sharon this afternoon that I think it has finally beat me. I am trying to fight and say strong but for the first time since it all started I don't feel like I can beat it. Even with the Oxygen at 4 litres an hour I feel breathless. Simply stumbling to the toilet leaves me breathless and takes ages to recover from. I have no appetite, if I do eat it is a struggle.

I will carry on blogging whilst I can.


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Children in need.

You lay on the sofa having a good/bad day with a terminal prognosis and Terry Wogan still manages to find people in a worse state than me. Shed a few tears and donated a few pounds. You should all do the same.

My GP has been in. She bought me a nebuliser. I put saline solution in and it creates steam/mist. It is supposed to ease the tightness in my chest and I think it did for about an hour, but it all tightened up again. Think I will try it again tonight, she said I could use it 3 or 4 times a day.

The adjustable bed has arrived, along with a hand rail and seat for the bath. I haven't tried them yet, job for tomorrow.

Have had periods of sitting on the sofa hugging Sharon and feeling good, then within 10 minutes I have felt down, miserable and out of breath. The Oxygen nose specs make a noise all the time and the full face mask is hot and horrible. With the nebuliser I have to wear both.

Was going to write more blog but nurse Sharon has just started a foot massage with frankincense and grapefruit oil gotta go....................
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Average day

The exertion of climbing the stairs to go for a wash resulted in a long sit down on the loo with a plastic bowl. Would have filled the bowl, but there wasn't enough inside me to do so. You probably didn't need to know that, but I felt I should tell you to give you an understanding of how bad things have got.

Fairly quiet day, my brother rang for a chat. I love being in touch with everybody, but chatting use up oxygen so I had to have a rest after the call. I had my laptop out to clear my emails. I was going to write some Auto Biography, but I was knackered so I watched an Elvis Costello documentary instead.

So I dozed most of the afternoon, had some risotto for tea and then visiting time started. The Kings turned up to do some removals, I have a hospital bed coming tomorrow. Then Andy looked in, really good to see him, than Lauren and Ian turned up. Was nice to have it busy, it meant I didn't have to say much and it keeps me busy.
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Latenight Blogging

Fell asleep on the sofa, so I haven't blogged. Sharon woke me up about 11:25 to take the evening cocktail of painkillers. Now wide awake watching tele and blogging.

District nurse came this morning she is happy with everything. She will leave it until next week to come again unless we call them for something.

Brian had been to see Andrew at Enstone, so he called in. We spent an hour or so going through my scriblings so far for the Auto Biography. Must type some more up.

I have managed to eat a slice of fruit toast, some pommebear crisps and some cheese. Not the worlds most nutritional food, but it's in and it's stayed in. My digestive system has been very loud with rumbles and groaning.
Mike came to see me after he had finished work at Vision. Really nice to see him. He had bought his laptop with video of his rally car out in south wales. It's a beast when you consider it is home built as a cheap fun car.

Fiona turned up whilst he was here, so for a while the talk was just high level chat. I need a more in depth discussion with Fiona about funerals. Let's hope she has time to pop back.

Falling asleep on the sofa has upset my body clock. Guess I will be awake for a while.
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Health professionals today.

Macmillan nurse and an occupational therapist today.

Spent last night downstairs on the recliner, went to sleep watching Tokyo Drift, managed to wake up and switch it off though. Slept from 12:15 through to 6:15 and then dozed for a couple of hours. Got up about 8:45 and dragged myself up the stairs. It was hard work, my lungs were really struggling.
Glynis(who used to work at John Matchetts) came round about 10:15, great to catch up with her.

After she had gone Mandi, the Macmillan nurse came in to see me. I had told her I wanted some straight answers and I got them. It is highly unlikely that I will get any better, the oxygen, blood clots and wobbly leg are here to stay and will get worse. We have reviewed all my pain killers and discussed the side effects of morephine. As a result she has got the GP to prescribe an alternative to morephine, oxycontin that will have the same pain killing effects without the side effects. Let's hope it works.

This afternoon the Occupational Therapist came in to offer loads of aids. We are having a riser for the toilet, a hand rail by the shower, a step to get to the bath, a seat in the shower nad a walking stick. I have asked for a basic un-tuned one I can then tune and customise myself.
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Went to bed and ......................

I started off in bed last night, built a mound of pillows to get the same angle as the recliner chair and it all seemed good.  But within half an hour it had all fallen apart and I was uncomfortable, I re-arranged but couldn't get it right and about 1:45am I gave up and Sharon helped me move to the recliner where I got a good 6 hours sleep.

Got up and just about managed to get upstairs for a shower.  My GP rang just before I got in and asked if it was OK to pop round , she arrived just as I was drying myself.  She has put me on some anti-biotics just in  case I have a chest infection, upped the dose of Gavapentin pain killer alongside the slow release morphine, she was a little concerned about my hallucinations and doesn't want to increase the morphine.  I have to say, I have felt less pain today, felt more tired and been a bit queezy.

The GP left and I got dressed and sorted and went downstairs.  Rob turned up, great to see him, he wants to help, and I am sure we will find things he can help with.  Had a good long chat with Rob and he 'looked after' me whilst Sharon walked Lucky and made several phone calls.  He also coped with me throwing up, well beyond the duty of friendship.  So there you go Rob, you have already helped.

Karen and Kevin turned up just as Rob was leaving, I was getting tired by this point and I am sure I wasn't the best of company for Kevin whilst Karen and Sharon went to the post office and Sainsbury's.  Kept going all afternoon with a couple of dips.  Then Rebecca turned up as well, but I kept going.  Great to see Rebecca, her caring personality always lifts me.

So it has been a busy day, as well as all the visitors an over bed table and air mattress were delivered and loads of other things have been achieved, well done team.  I was worn out and dropped into a morphine induced snooze late afternoon.  Couple of weird points where I had a conversation about non-existent loaves of bread, but that's morephine.

Lauren and Ian have just called round to check we are alright :-) which we are.  Think I am going to sleep on the recliner tonight.

Never had such a good bad day

Had some more great visitors today and went out in Ian's car.

We had said on Friday that we should make the time to do. It hurt all the way, but we were out abut half an hour so I can do reasonable runs out.

Not sure where to sleep tonight. I tried to go to bed but couldn't get to sleep and ended up On the recliner in the front room. Physio and Doctor told me not to sleep in chairs, but if that's where I am comfortable, that's where I am sleeping.

Thanks Frances, Chris, Jude, Bella and Sam great to see you and sorry Simon but we were tired, we don't normally both fall asleep on the sofa when you call in.

Nearly time for bed. I wonder where bed will be????
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Bad night, but great day.

I struggled through the night, the tumour was grinding on my bones and I think I may have lost some of the background pain killer when I threw up. Anyway I did get a few hours sleep here and there in between thrashing about in pain. Unfortunately I kept Sharon awake as she was worried about me and is in charge of dispensing my morphine.

Today we have changed to the slow releases morphine which are 10mg and mean I am on morphine all the time and if that doesn't overcome the pain I can top up on oramorph. Going to start the stronger laxatives tonight as the current ones aren't working.

We were both up reasonably early but I couldn't move much until Sharon reminded me I was expecting visitors. Lucky, the world's coolest dog, has come to stay and Graham and Pat were making the trip from Stoke to see me.

Lucky turned up about 10:15, I was still in bed, but up by the time Graham and Pat arrived around 11:00. We had a pleasant time chatting, eating a light lunch and drinking coffee. Lucky enjoyed laying on the floor cushion snoring.

The day was topped off with a visit from Andy, who was on his way home from Vision and bought chocolate. There will only be a couple in the box I fancy, but I am sure there will be plenty of help with the rest.

Hope tonight is better.
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Not much to report

Fairly sleepy day. Had a shower, went back to bed, got up before lunch. Lauren has re-arranged her work hours so she can be free Friday afternoons. So she came round to keep an eye on me whilst Sharon popped into town to sort out bank accounts and do some odds and ends. She is such a good girl.

We finally got confirmation from the hospital that I didn't need to go to an appointment at 4:00 today, they would call me instead. Dr Pratap rang about 7:15. I reported all my new symptoms and changes but she made little comment. She has discussed me with the doctor at the hospice and there may be a radio therapy option that could offer some pain relief. I showed great disinterest and even less when she said it has about a 25% success rate. I don't think it is an option we will be pursuing. We have left it that she won't be seeing me in clinic unless I ring and make an appointment.

So, it looks like I am in the care of my GP, my Macmillan nurse and the hospice.
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New post on the auto biography

http://gwautobiography.blogspot.co.uk/

A Good Bad Day

Felt OK first thing.  Woke about 5:30 am but went back to sleep.  Eventually decided to rise about 11:00.  Showered and got dressed and a pain spasm hit.  Dosed up on morphine and rode it out.   John and Geoff had both said they would pop in to see me, which means plenty of good motorsport chat.  John  turned up first and I was still upstairs at the end of the morphine.  We chatted for a while and eventually I summoned up the energy to get going.

I know Geoff through Land Rovers and John through classic trialling, but after introducing them to each other I discovered they have shared friends from the past. Had a good chat about trials cars, greenlanes and life in general.  They have both offered any help and support they can give, ranging from a phone chat to a lift through the deep snow we are promised to get to the hospital. It is so good to be surrounded by good friends.  Both asked if I was up to receiving visitors and I told them both, real friends like them are always welcome and I can always tell real friends to go home because I am in pain/tired/nauseous or what ever.

Sharon and Lauren were supposed to be going to the theatre in Oxford again, but I was a bit nauseous and sleepy and whilst I was asleep Sharon decided not to go and sent Lauren and Frances.  I told Sharon on Monday that there would come a time when she had to make decisions without me, I thought she might have got the first one rights and left me at home snoring and puking with Ian.  No, she made the right decision, she would not have been happy sat in the theatre having left me at home in that state.

Another real friend called in for a cup of tea, Chris.  He had been playing violin with Glyndebourne on tour in Norwich and was on his way to Oxford, but he found the time to call in and drink tea and chat.  He has promised to call in when passing.

After I was sick, I felt a lot better.  I bet you all wanted to know that.  We have got the doctor to prescribe a stronger laxative as I have run out of room to eat anymore.

Andy was working at Vision today and rang me and passed me round the A team who were on duty.  Great to catch up with them and they miss my smiling positive attitude.

Ooer

Had a really good day. Woke up about 8:15 and was raring to go. Took my medication and the morphine kicked in. So I dozed until about 11:15 and then showered and got up

Aud and Ken came down to see us and I kept going. Aud is a qualified masseur, so I had a foot massage and Sharon had a back massage. We invited them to stay and eat with us, I tried to help the chopping with Ken in the kitchen but the pain started. Interestingly I noticed early, got flat out in the recliner took some oramorph and it didn't develop into anything more than a twinge. We enjoyed a team effort vegetable biryani.

After Aud and Ken left Simon turned up. I was in pain and realised I hadn't had any afternoon paracetomol. Got those down me with the dose of oramorph and dozed on the sofa whilst Simon chatted.

So I have been busy all day, not had a pain attack and kept going. Roll on tomorrow.
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Another day, more pain, more sleeping.

I did 5 hours un interrupted sleep last night and then dozed for a couple more hours. Was feeling pretty good, the different pain killers were making an impact. They have changed the feeling to a dumb ache rather than its previous sting.

After showering and dressing the big pain kicked off. I dosed up on morphine and stayed in bed. Penny turned up, as expected, and had to watch me thrash about and mutter through the morphine. She does a good line in nursing though, so she has been added to the standby carer list.

Spent the early part of the afternoon in a morphine mist. Got up about 15:30, Lauren called in and sat with me whilst Sharon went to the building society. I am putting all my accounts into joint names to make things easier in the future.

Also had several phone calls, emails and facebook messages offering help and support. Thanks to all of you. We will be making use of your offers.

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Motorsport it!

I was discharged from hospital with a folding backrest, that, I hoped, would enable me to sit up in bed whilst Sharon slept.  A quick test on arrival home said it would work if I was under 5'4" and weighed less than 10 stone.  Even extended and modified, it seemed unlikely to work for Sharon and me in bed together, but it had to be worth looking at for use on my own in bed as I have been trying to sleep with about 7 cushions.

So Andy had a quick look and Cornermotorsports went to work to produce this.

It comes complete with a Land Rover Station Wagon Rear Badge.  Does the job.

My GP, Dr Lourenco was here for about 45 minutes this morning.  We went through all the pain killer options and I think Sharon is clear on what I can have and what we should do if they don't work.  Have decided to start the Gabapentin tonight and she has left me a prescription for Dymazopan, lets see how it goes.

Sharon and I chatted and cried about music, format and speakers for my funeral.  The hospital chaplin got me thinking about it and it is starting to come together in my head.  Couple of other people I need to speak to, but it is getting there. 

Had another pain attack an hour or so after she went.  I got up, had a shower sat on the bed to put my socks on and away it went.  7.5mg of Oramorth overcame it and I then slept up until Mandi, my Macmillan nurse, turned up about 3:00.  We had a very productive session with Mandi, establishing what support will be available and how we access it.  We also completed my advanced care plan, which should keep me at home as long as I can be treated there without causing Sharon and Lauren too much stress.  We are all agreed that is the best place for me and we will do all we can to achieve it.  Mandi is in full support.

Another one that was all going so well.

Up at a reasonable hour.  Abluted, I have even got my bowels moving a bit past all the morphine.  I know you probably didn't need to know that, but it is the chemo blog and it is about my health/lack of it.  So I was feeling good and listened to The Strypes album.  Fances and Oliver came round, was good to hear a bit about Oliver's trip to NASA and I look forward to seeing pictures and hearing more.   Made Frances 'OOOO' and 'Cor' a bit by going through some of the pictures I have started collecting for the Auto Biography, which I will write some more of next time I feel good.

About 15:45 we decided to make the wheelchair and gas bottle expedition over to Mum's.  All went well with organising and loading, Sharon nearly tipped me out down one of the kerbs but we will get the hang of it.  Then whilst at Mum's the pain started.  Now, if I can't sit in the wheelchair without going into severe pain getting out and about is going to become a BIG issue.  Decided to come straight home, dosed 2.5 mg of morphine before leaving and Sharon pushed me home, by which time I was in agony.  Straight up the stairs and onto the bed.  After 30 minutes the morphine still wasn't kicking in, so I had another 5mg.  Sharon rang 111 to get advice on how much morphine I can use and what alternatives there are.  Lauren turned up as expected and she held my hand whilst Sharon was on the phone.  Eventually, either the morphine kicked in or the pain went, I don't know which.  In the middle of it all I had to sit on the loo again and hoped that this might give a clue as to what causes the pain, but no such luck.  Slept for a bit to get over it and then got up and eat a very small roast lamb dinner, feeling pretty good again by 7:30 pm.

My Macmillan nurse is coming tomorrow, we have lots of questions for her and hopefully my GP will be doing a home visit too, so there will be lots of painkiller questions for her.

If I can't cope with the wheelchair across to my Mum's I will have to go to my hospital appointment on Friday by ambulance.  Not a thought I relish.

Pattern Emerging.

Felt good. Got up. Dispatched Sharon and Lauren for a haircut and Ian turned up to babysit me (which he did an excellent job of, he can come again).

Showered, got some clothes on and made it to the sofa. After a while the pain and the cold sweat set in so I went back to bed. Ian joined me, not in bed you fools, upstairs and did an excellent job of measuring the morphine, had he not been here I would have been drinking it from the bottle.

He also took the phone calls and txts from all the people checking I was OK without Sharon, thank you all. Everything calmed down again in about an hour and we moved in front of the tele to watch a DVD about Tony Pond lapping the Isle of Man TT circuit with an average speed over 100mph in a Rover Vitesse. Awesome piece of driving.

My brother and his other half turned up mid afternoon and we sat and chatted about new houses, moving house and many other things. Really nice to see them again. Sharon and Lauren got back about 5:30 and joined us. Norman and Lesley left and Lauren and Ian went home to test their newly installed gas cooker.

Simon turned up for a cuppa and a chat. Sharon cooked us up some sweet and sour chicken and rice. Everyone has gone now and we are on the sofa having a hug. Some people want so much from life. I am pretty happy with what I have got. Who could ask for more than a loving family, caring friends and a daughter who's boyfriend makes excellent lemon tea.
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OOoooooUuuuuuuucccccchhhhh!!!!!!!!

Got up mid morning after Sharon and I had breakfasted together and felt really good after a shower. Decided to go and tidy up my outlook inbox and switched on the office computer. Sat in the chair about 5 minutes, my leg started to go numb and twitch, so I moved back to the bed, but it was too late. Another BIG pain attack which took about 2 hours (and loads of morphine) to get over.

I have been fine since. We had our oxygen installation checked and got answers to some technical questions. Also found out that we can visit anywhere in Oxfordshire and take the condensor with us. Watch out Oxfordshire.

Had a long chat on the phone with Mark. Really nice to catch up. Would quite like to see him, not sure that between us, we can be well enough to do that.

Andy called in to visit, really nice to see him. I don't think I have ever seen him sit in a chair so long and not fall asleep. Must have been the noise Sharon was making with the iron.

Sharon also cooked a fabulous lasagne for tea, which was just what I fancied and Lauren joining us made it even better. Would have liked a large glass of Chianti with it, but I am not sure how the other drugs would get on with it.

Since then I have laid on the sofa laughing at Friday night comedy with Lauren. Spoken to Simon on the phone and not moved much at all.

Bit concerned about the pain attacks. If they are bought on by sitting in a particular position will I be able to sit in the wheelchair or a car? I liked Andy's solution, borrow his American camper. Sharon didn't seem to keen to drive me round in it. Shame really as it has its own on board generator so we can take the oxygen machine..........
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It was all going so well, and is again now.

I know many will have seen the pictures already on facebook, but I have to share this with blog readers.  Here is Martine's Tribute to yesterdays great escape from Chateau Churchill

Some people are clearly too talented with a sharp knife.  Must be all the nipe and tatty peeling.


Started today off fairly well with a bit of a lie in and a shower.   Lazed around in my new suite with Sharon popping in for a hug between jobs.  She went shopping whilst I was still snoozing and we had pain au chocolate and lemon tea as breakfast in/on bed.

Lauren was round by lunch time as she has an ICT test tomorrow for her NVQ.  The past exam papers we have found say it isn't an ICT test at all, it is a how to work Microsoft Office test.  She has just suggested as she left this evening that she tells them she will only be able to do the test if they supply an Apple Mac.  We went through the questions and updated her knowledge of Excel absolute addressing, values, formats and stuff.

Penny, Ray, Elliot and the dogs came over to see us, they had been to do Mum's shopping and spend some time with her then called on us for a cuppa.  Really nice to see them, Elliot always makes me smile.  He seemed a bit shocked by my oxygen tubes and hacking cough, but took it all in his stride.

Sharon, prepared biryani for tea for about 7:00.  I went upstairs for some drugs and a survey of the bathroom about 6:30.  Came down with Lauren about 6:45 and went straight to a dinning room chair.  After a few minutes in the chair I was uncomfortable and moved to stretch out on the sofa.  Then some one got hold of my tumour, my left hip and my left leg and put 10,000 volts through them.  I have never felt pain like it.  It hurt more than my car crash, more than any sporting injury I have ever inflicted on myself and more than I ever want anything ever to hurt again.  I thrashed around, crawled up stairs and thrashed around more.  It was agony.  Sharon rang triage, they assessed me and said they would ring back, I got worse, Sharon rang them again.  They said to take more Oramorph pain killer, call the emergency doctor service, get limb function checked, get them to see if nerve blocker was required.  I took more Oramorph and that took the edge off enough to stop me writhing about and to calm my breathing back down.

It was really weird, I was flat out on the bed, my toes were spasming, my knee was bending and my foot kicking, but it wasn't me doing it and I couldn't feel a thing from my thigh down.  I my groin and hip the pain was excruciating. The emergency doctor turned up and I was so relieved to find it was one of my old GPs who has retired and just moonlights a bit.  I needed a friendly face and some caring words.  He examined me, and concluded that the tumour had trapped the nerve group that operates the leg against my hip bones in my groin.  The relaxation of the morphine and the thrashing about had freed them back up.  He checked me over and we chatted about what to do if it happens again and things settled back to normality.

By 9:30 pm I was back downstairs and tucking into biryani with a nice bit of carrot cake to follow.  Lets hope that overcomes the morphine's constipation impact.

In Some Ways The Best Night Ever

And in some ways the worst.

We got home from Château Churchill with Lauren doing the getaway driving. She was on the speed limits all the way and we avoided the end of Oxford rush hour by going the back way. It still used the oxygen bottle up to its red reserve mark on the dial. That doesn't make the range on one bottle much then.

Ian was at home and cooking tea, little bit of steak and a few chips. Bliss. Lauren and Ian have been fantastic support. They have cooked for Sharon and had snuck round to install a telly and square round the front bedroom for me and my Oxygen. We had discussed the fact that I could live upstairs in the front bedroom with the bathroom on hand and Lauren and Ian just made it happen. At the moment I can do the stairs, as long as I take it gently, but I don't want to be running up and down them all day.

I went to bed in the double bed with Sharon. We played around with the back rest and I thought it would be fine. However, about an hour after we went to bed I had to move to the front bedroom. I know it sounds mad, but I was scared in the dark, the anxiety was making my breathing shallow and that was affecting my oxygen levels. I stood up for a while, then sat on the bed and then sat up in the bed, soon felt better. I left the bed side light on and have dozed pretty well all night.

I guess I will get used to the oxygen system and sleeping with it on, but in the dark last night it just scared me. I was anxious about getting tangled in the pipe, the 'nose specs' falling out and Sharon getting bashed by the bed frame. It is never dark in hospital, there are always lights in the corridor and outside the window. At home, last night, it was DARK.

On my own, in the front bedroom, with a bedside light on I felt safer and dozed a good nights doze. That also meant I wasn't bouncing around next to Sharon, so she had a fairly good night too.

So, some good, some bad and things will get better.
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Home Safely

Lauren made a great getaway drive and when we got home Ian had steak and chips ready.  I would say much better  than hospital food, but that's not much of a compliment.   On the sofa, tele on, wifi on.  Bliss.

Getting an escort from the resistance.

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Escape Vehicle Ready.

S+L have just arrived. New wheels ready to go.
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The Moon is in the right phase.

It is all coming together. Transport is about to leave Myrtle House armed with the wheel chair and oxygen. Nurse Cassie has got the contraband from Pharmacy and secreted it in her cupboard. Once darkness falls the plan will activate. Chemoman is returning to base. Escape from Château Churchill is go. All stations stand by in case assistance is required. Codeword Morphine. Response word Clot.
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Update to plan update.

Oxygen installed. Just the pharmacy process to overcome now. Anyone know what the moon is like tonight???
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Plan update.

Oxygen Engineer is due at home between 2 and 4 pm. Proff Hassan is coming down to see me sometime today. Escape to Myrtle House may well be on. Plan is to use tunnel B and dress like local Polish in blue polo shirts with G4S logo. I have been up all night dyeing and embroidering. If we can make it past the car park barrier we should then have a clear run to Kidlington and from there we can use the cover of the hedges to Myrtle House. Let's hope there aren't any NHS checkpoints and the air ambulance isn't out hunting for patients.

Not sure who is getting out with me tonight, hope it is Lauren or Sharon. Andy's evasive driving skills are better, but he can't find the car park.
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Morphine

This might be a bit of a ramble as it is 4:25 am and I am enjoying the cocktail or Oromorph and Paracetomol. I think there may be future similar blogposts I seem to wake up at this time.

The troops mobilised yesterday, and if all goes to plan I will be at home in my own bed tonight. All seems to be dependent on an oxygen installation engineer and, of course, The Churchill Pharmacy. Wouldn't it be ironic if I managed to motivate so many people into helping me achieve my aim and pharmacy declared they have run out of paracetomol so I can't go home.
It looks like I have reached a major milestone in this cancer process that I was dreading. I think I have probably driven my last drive. I would have liked to have known it was coming and done it in a planned way, I might have been a bit more larey. I think it is appropriate that my last drive in 500Tie was me doing a motorsport aquaintance (Wayne LeBailey) a favour. He had been running as course opening car in Jersey in his fabulous MK1 Escort when it dropped a valve. He appealed, by the wonder of facebook for anyone travelling near Brackley in the UK to take it to www.pug1off.com Sharon and I were still on Jersey when he appealed so we met up and I bought it back for him. Being too pathetic to lift a cylinder head out of the car I ran it over to Brackley in 500Tie. A fun drive under blue skies.

The final drive looks like it will be the drive to Oxford last Tuesday to go and see West Side Story. A sedate pootle, 4 up, in Sharons Alto. It's a great little car but it really let's you know you have passengers.

I have loads of ideas for the AUTOBiography, I just want to get home and get writing/dictating.

This Oxygen business could have a huge impact if I have to think inside NHS boxes. An oxygen condensor is being installed at home. This will have a pipe on it that will allow me to move around the house. I then get 2 portable bottles to go out and about. A portable bottle lasts 90 minutes. I think there is a 48 hour leadtime on bottle delivery.

So let's start with an oncology visit on Friday.

Travel time to Churhill 1 hour.
Waiting time and appt. 10 minutes to 3 hours.
Travel home. 1 hour

All goes well, 2 bottles, clinic running late, 4 bottles. Fortunately it is a Hospital so they can plug me into their Oxygen main when I arrive, so it's just 2 bottles.

I asked about popping to Dorset to see Frank. "Oh no problem" said the respiratory nurse. "You give us a couple of weeks notice and we get an Oxygen Condensor installed at his house for you". Then of course there are the 6 bottles for the journey there and the journey back. I wonder how much that costs the NHS then? And with the way appointments work and my health is, how do I plan 2 weeks in advance?

Lauren and I did a bit of research yesterday and found portable Oxygen Condensors that will deliver the 4 litres I need and cost between £3k and £4k. Discussions will be taking place with Macmillan asap. I will buy the bloody thing and Macmillan can have it for others when I am gone.

Right my battery is getting low (on the blackberry) and I really ought to go back to sleep. The drugs from 10:00 pm are wearing off. The coughing has started and I can feel the pain coming back. Next dose 6:00 am.

Morning Blogreaders. OiOi.
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Things are moving along.

Had a meeting with a doctor, the palliative care nurse and my ward nurses. The doctor seemed a bit shocked at my determination to get home, but once she got over the shock she bought in and everything is underway.

I have demonstrated to the physio that I can walk up and down a flight of stairs. I love the way the physiotherapist's uniform is designed to look like athletics gear and they get jobs like making sure old gits like me can make it upstairs to the bog.

Occupational therapist has just been in and talked about stuff to help at home. Looks like a pee bottle and a frame to keep me upright in bed are top of the list. She offered me a perching stool to use in the kitchen and bathroom but I said not to bother as I have one in the garage I use sometimes when working on cars. She is also getting the paperwork for a blue badge. NO ANDY YOU CANT TAKE ME EVERY WHERE WITH YOU TO MAKE PARKING EASIER!

Expecting the respiratory nurse to come and see me. If she can sign it off before 6:00 today the oxygen can go in tomorrow, otherwise it will be Thursday.

Things are looking up.
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I stand corrected.

Attacks of double vision work just fine for speeding discharge. The nurses had a bit of a panic and chased the oncology registrar to come and see me sooner rather than later. The oncology registrar saw me whilst the oxygen is full on and the paracetemol still working and I dismissed everyone of her objections to letting me out with my carefully thought through replies. In the end she resorted to saying that the system can't get oxygen to me at home quicker than 24 hours.

So we are aiming for discharge tomorrow.


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Just seen a man in the bathroom.

I just glanced in the bathroom mirror whilst dressing after my shower. What I saw made me look again. This is the first time in all this cancer malarky that my self image has had a serious update. Until this morning I have always seen the same happy go lucky, fairly strong and active Graham. Today I saw a tired elderly looking bloke with slightly grey skin struggling to stay upright next to his portable oxygen supply.

This has just been compounded by an attack of double vision whilst the nurses were changing my canular dressing. This is evidently a symptom of oxygen depletion and I am now back on the oxygen mask instead of the nasal specs as the mask can deliver more oxygen. Situation to be reviewed in 30 minutes, but vision is back immediately and I feel a lot better again.

Unfortunately I don't think this going to help with me getting out sooner rather than later.

The nurses wanted to cheer me up this morning so they made balloons for my oxygen stand.
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Scan Results

Dad said I needed to make sure everyone new it was me that was posting, but I'm fairly sure my lack of grammatical correctness will give away that it isn't dad!

Dad started to get a pain in his chest after coming back from his scan, which around half an hour ago he decided he better tell the nurse about. She came in to do an ECG and told us that they had found a blood clot when they scanned him. She said that she thought a doctor would come and talk to him soon but in the mean time she was going to give him another injection of heparin and put him on a higher oxygen level.

I feel that even though the news isn't good news at least now we know what we are dealing with and that there is some hope of being able to do something about it. Fingers, toes, arms and legs crossed that the injections do some good.

Lauren

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Update

Microblogged with a facebook status yesterday but I know some blogreaders don't facebook. So here is an update for everyone.

Finally gave in on Sunday and rang the oncology triage service. The breathlessness, sore chest and tiredness hadn't got worse but they hadn't got better and I needed help and an answer.

Triage said it would be best for me to come to Hotel Churchill, they didn't have any of the oncology ward en-suite singles with the spa break option so I started off in the triage assessment area and have ended up on Blenheim Ward with the head and neck injuries.
The triage doctor said it was one of three things.

1 an infection
2 a blood clot on the lung
3 the cancer getting worse.

My temperature and sounding of my lungs seems to have eliminated the infection. They have put me on a blood thinner in case it is a clot, took a chest xray last night and have promised a scan today. Usual observations going on. Macmillan palliative care nurse came to see me, I explained I really don't want to be here and the only thing they are doing is giving me oxygen. Got to thinking and researching, I can by a blood oxygen saturation monitor for about £20, I bought a blood pressure monitor (the same as my GP uses) for £30. Andy has big bottles of welding oxygen. Me being at home ringing in my observations has to be a better way.

If they notice something when they observe all they do is ring The Registrar. If a really big emergency occurs suddenly I am a bit nearer help, but the oncologist told me this morning that things don't change suddenly with cancer. So they choose to keep me in one of their expensive beds when I could be at home eating decent food and watching decent tele hugging my wife on the sofa.

Here is another weird NHS thing. Caffiene isn't good for us. So every 2 hours I get offered tea or coffee! If you ask the eastern european delivery agent if they have herbal tea she says "ah you want tea". However my nurse and the ward housekeeping manager work together like The A Team and have been down to the staff canteen to get fruit teas and some biscuits. The biscuits came with a selection of chocolate and vanilla sponge fairy cakes sealed in plastic wrappers and use by dates of mid November. I wonder which health giving gas they are sealed in to make sure their diabetic contribution isn't lost with age?

The nurse has just been in to see what type of cannular I have as Xray want to know before they scan me. I can guarantee the porter will turn up at the same time as Sharon.
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When will the good day come...........

Have spent most of today asleep. I had a really bad night with coughing and breathlessness. It is a viscous circle, you are breathless, you get a coughing fit and can't breathe, which leaves you breathless. Every coughing muscle I have aches. The only way I could break the cycle in the night was to go and sit in the bathroom with a bowl full of hot water steaming.

I did get up for a shower mid morning, but it wore me out and I went back to bed. Then my brother rang and I woke up for a bit, but that wore me out so back to bed. Eventually got up about 4:00, fell asleep in front of the rugby. I have eaten a bit, but not much and I am starting to feel tired and cough again.

HoHum
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No better physically, but lifted mentally

I have felt pretty grotty all day today.  I got up and had a shower, then had to go back to bed to recover from the effort.  I left a message on Dr Pratap's answerphone about 9:30 and she rang me back around 12:30.  Had a great conversation and established that I get a break from chemo from tomorrow until Friday.  We talked about the breathlessness and the blood results from yesterday.  I am not anaemic, which is good news, but they may have found a chemo drug my body won't tolerate.  The toxicity will make me breatless and tired.  So we are stopping tomorrow, seeing what happens next week and reviewing next Friday at the appointment I already have.

I hope I feel better.  We can then look at reducing the dose and other strategies.  I also got  a copy of the letter from my oncologist to my GP.  It doesn't tell me anything I hadn't already heard but seeing it all together and reading the tone makes it sound even worse.

We popped across to Mum's and Sharon went and did her shopping whilst I went through some boxes of photos looking for pictures for the Auto Biography.  I have found a few and Sharon is sat on the sofa looking for interesting stuff in our photo albums.  I haven't felt like writing today though.

Bad days too many

This morning I was tired and breathless. As I go to bed I am tired and breathless.

In between I have slept on the sofa, spoken to my Macmillan nurse and been to my GP. Sharon was very concerned about my breathlessness and tiredness. She read the chemo side effects leaflet and was concerned I might be becoming anaemic. So I rang triage at The Churchill. Jo was very helpful and instead of the 'get straight in here' I expected she said to ring the GP, get them to listen to my chest and take bloods and talk to the oncology registrar if they were concerned.

Rang the GPs and got an 18;10 appointment having explained it all to a very helpful and understanding receptionist. Sharon gave me a lift, but an accident had closed the road so I had to walk the last bit.

The doctor needs some patient care lessons from the receptionist. It wasn't my usual GP, she said there was no point taking blood as there was no one to take it to pathology and she seemed to have no understanding of how the oncology triage system works. She wanted to know why they hadn't taken blood when I phoned them earlier! Blood over the phone, there's an idea.

I told her I would take the bloods over to pathology. She complained my veins were too small and then had to go in both arms before she got enough. I had to remind her she was supposed to listen to my chest too. She did that and then offered me some antibiotics. I asked if she thought I had an infection and she said no, so I declined the antibiotics. She said it makes some people feel better if they get some antibiotics.

The walk across to the pathlab left me exhausted and sore. Sharon picked me up from there and we went home. For tea.

I have added anothe post on http://gwautobiography.blogspot.com but I am not sure if this link will work posted from my blackberry.

Hope tomorrow is better.
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For Jimmy and Sue

and anyone else who enjoys reading my drivel.

http://gwautobiography.blogspot.co.uk/

Yuk, Yuk, Yuk

This new chemo is slaying me.  Sat around all day yesterday doing nothing much.  Went out in the evening as we had tickets for West Side Story in Oxford.  I thought the walk from the car to the theatre and up to the circle was going to finish me off.  Feet and legs were numb in the cramped seats of the circle, fortunately I got to stand up through the interval.  You could get DVT up there.

The performance was brilliant.  I have always liked West Side Story, good tunes, good story and meaningful content.  I was a bit surprised that they finished with Toni being shot and there was no musical finale.  The MD ran straight from the pit to the stage and they all took curtain calls but the orchestra were packing up and on their way to the pub.  I used to go to West Side Story when it was the late show at The Arts Cinema in Cambridge.  A group of us used to go when it was a good film rather than late night horror.  Saw Easy Rider several times, Duel once or twice, West Side Story several times and many obscure foreign films and American B movies.  West Side Story often became a 'sing along' performance as most of us had been to the pub before hand.

Today I have been feeling grotty.  Didn't rise from bed until around 11:00.  Walked over to Mum's.  On the way there I was beginning to wonder if I was going to make it, breathless, sore and woozy headed.  Sat down with her for half an hour and took a very slow trip back.  Had hoped to take the carb off the Skoda and start stripping it, but just the effort of finding the tools and taking the wheels off the engine cover was beyond me.  Shame really as Ian was looking forward to double driving the OMC autosolo on Sunday at Silverstone, but I think we are too late for an entry now and there is no way I will get it done or be in a fit state to drive competitively if the chemo carries on like this.  I do hope things get better.

Good weekend, bad Monday

We had another great weekend in Dorset. Went straight down after my hospital appointment. Was a fairly good trip, even if we did hit Salisbury rush hour.

Lauren and Ian came down much later and had booked the Weymouth Premier Inn. We all breakfasted together at Sharon's Dad's. We were planning to go into Weymouth but the newspaper were predicting crowds of 15,000 for the beach moto-x. So we went to Lyme Regis instead.

I like Lyme Regis and we walked all the way along the prom from the town to The Cobb. We called in at the amusements, there was no table football table so Ian and I were forced to win a game of 2 a side air hockey instead. We also stopped in a cafe for cake an hot chocolate. I am fed up of green tea, no sugar and loads of green veg. The scan results show the tumours have still been growing after a couple of months of strict diet. So I have taken the advice of my oncologist and am eating what I fancy. I fancied hot chocolate and apple and fig cake.

We walked back and the girls went up the hill for a look at the shops and Ian went to get the car. I had reached my limits of exertion. I get very sore internally if I walk too far and very breathless if I go too fast or uphill. The steroids were also getting to me with some bursts of tunnel vision and feelings of anxiety. The vision thing I can do nothing about, the anxiety I know is the steroids and my brain is strong enough to deal with it.

We got back to a typical Frank roast dinner followed by pumpkin pie, apple pie and treacle tart. I just had apple pie.

Sharon and Frank wanted to watch Match of The Day, so I went off to bed and left them to it. The steroids also upset your sleep. It is a bit like caffeine, I slept, but never very deeply and only in short bursts.

Sunday was wet and miserable. Frank had organised a family lunch at the Victoria Inn. It was pleasant, well priced, pub grub. The company was excellent, the conversation fun and we were the last to leave around 4:00 pm. We called in to see Tess and Ian before popping back to Frank's.

I came home with Ian and Lauren as Sharon has meetings today with solicitors and social services about the will she is executor to.

I woke up at 8:00 this morning and took my chemo. I was planning to get up about 9:00 and take my steroids with breakfast but that plan went wrong. I thought it was just gone 9:00 when Graham T rang me, but when I came off the phone it was gone 10:30. I felt very sick, so I guess the steroids do help combat the impact of the chemo. Lesson learned, take the chemo, eat, take the steroids.

Feeling a bit better now, don't know what I fancy for lunch, don't feel like doing very much. I am cooking chicken and chorizo paella for tea, Lauren and Ian are still waiting for their cooker to be delivered.

I know facebook friends saw the picture yesterday, but I think it is good enough to share with all the blog readers too.

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Jersey and Oncology

Sunday was the usual Jersey Rally recover and rest day. We hung around the hotel all morning showing people the pictures I had taken, drinking tea and catching up with friends. Then we popped down to say bye to Martine, Chris and the boys in the ferry queue. Chris' car looked very sad with it's blistered paint and melted brake master cylinders. It appears the master cylinder had sprung a leak and dripped onto the exhaust manifold, causing a small fire. Fortunately, being a rally car, it had plenty of extinguishers and Martine was nearby with more extinguishant in her car.
We went for a drive from the ferry and explored some of the south coast bays and headlands. Had afternoon tea half way up St Ouen's Beach. Then we went back to The Merton, which seemed very quiet with most of the rally crews having flown and ferried out or gone home on Jersey. We decided to take the easy option and eat in the hotel restaraunt. At £20 each it was OK, but nothing special.
On Monday we went to The Durell Conservation Trust. Sharon is a member and that meant we got free entry. It wasn't the greatest of weather for animal watching, but I could have spent all day watching the Gorillas and Orangutans. The Gorillas are huge, muscular and so gentle. I am sure they could kill you if they wanted to, but they look like they could hug you to death too. After the zoo we worked our way along the North coast and ended up in the Cafe at St Catherine's Breakwater for fish and chips. Watching the sea is so relaxing.
After a trip into St Helier, Tuesday was a bit more south coast, including the War Memorial and a walk round St Aubin with luch in the gallery Cafe. Then we drove up the West coast and across the North, stopping at viewpoints, bays and headlands. It is like a coastal geography field trip all in about 20 miles. We ended up back at St Catherine's Breakwater, walked half way along and back, watching the sea. a drink in the Cafe to warm us up and back to The Merton. We ate in the hotel 'American Diner', Jersey Joes. Here we found another table footbal table. It is a good job we didn't discover it when we arrived on Thursday as we would have put our life savings in it and not gone out. I beat Sharon 6-4 and then let her have another 5-5 draw.
Wednesday was an early start so we could breakfast, pack and get out of the room by 10:00 am. We then explored some more south coast ending up back at the War Memorial looking at how rough the sea was. It wasn't going to be a good crossing. 500Tie ended up in the bows, on a ramp again and the crew were puting 2 straps on every car because, and I quote, "it's going to be rough". I didn't think it was too bad, I have had worse Sunday crossings in the past, but it did rattle everything of the shelves in the duty free shop and send people bouncing from wall to wall as they walked about. We got off the ferry in Weymouth, got something to eat and were home about 11:30 after a blast across the Dorset and Wiltshire countryside and onto the A34. An MGBGT with a 120 bhp engine, a moonlit night and open country roads. Bliss.
Thursday was spent recovering, doing some shopping and feeling like a wreck. Enjoying yourself is so much hard work!
Today I have been to see my Oncologist. She was armed with blood tests and scan results. I asked her at the very beginning "is there any good new" she smiled her caring smile and said "No". The pazopanib chemo therapy is having no impact according to the scan. The side effects are so risky and damaging that it is best to stop it if it is having no effect. So it has stopped. So we are now going to try Cyclophosphamide. I think this is going to have more of an impact as it comes with steroids. Regular readers will know how much I love steroids. Fortunately this steroid isnt dexmath, so maybe the impact won't be as bad. Dexameth does my head in.
The scan also shows that the tumour in my kidney is growing and there are 4 traces of cancer cells in my lungs. My liver function is back to normal, but there are cancer cells showing in my liver as well. Like she said, No good news. Today is the first time I have really felt I can see the end. Until now I have felt fine, the chemo has been bearable and I have still been hoping I can beat it or a miracle will occur. When I came out of the Churchill today I felt very flat and very sad.

I don't think it had been helped by the pharmacy experience. Dr Pratap said I could go round to pharmacy and pick up the new chemo drugs. The conversation went like this:
"Hi, Graham Whiting, Dr Pratap has just prescribed Cyclophosphamide for me."
"Have you got anything with your Hospital number on it?"
"Yes, here is a blood test envelope"
Pharmacist taps computer and looks at screen. " That isn't ready yet"
"OK, how long will it be?"
"Do you know the process?"
"Does anybody?"
"That was a question"
"OK, no I don't know the process"
"Well the doctor is supposed to make you aware of the process"
"OK, maybe you need to tell the doctors that they need to do that"
"We will, your prescription has only just been written, it needs to be screened before it comes to us and we can pick and dispense it, that's the process"
"OK, how long will that be?"
"I don't know, I don't know when it will be screened, I don't do the screening"
"OK, who does know that and where can I find out please?"
"You will have to wait whilst I phone and find out"
"OK, but I don't have long to live and I like to make the most of what I have left, how long will it be?"
"Take a seat."
5 minutes later
"I have contacted my colleague, it will be screened and with us in about 20 minutes and available about half an hour after that."
Sharon and I went and got some lunch and went back an hour later, the prescription was ready for collection. Why do I need to know the process? Why is it her colleague's fault or the Doctor's fault? All I want to know is how long will I have to wait? Why are all the pharmacists so anal? Everytime I have been delayed at The Churchill it has been Pharmacy who have held me up. Search back through the blog and see the Pharmacy issues.

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Great Weekend

What a great few days.  We travelled down to Dorset Wednesday evening and stayed at Frank's, got up early and on the ferry from Weymouth to Jersey.  We were at the front of the ferry queue and 500Tie ended up at the top of a ramp in the bows of the vessel.  I asked them to strap her down as steep slpes and 35 year old handbrakes aren't a good mix, evenin flat calm.  It was a good crossing with only one rough bit.  Martine, Chris and the boys joined the boat in Guernsey with both their rally cars and it started to realy feel like it was Jersey Rally time.

Off the boat, checked in at The Merton and then took a drive up to the cafes of Gorey.  I hadn't eaten all day and Sharon hadn't eaten since breakfast so we were starving.  Had excellent curries in Louise's Cafe.  Popped back to The Merton and then went up to Scrutineering at The Jersey Showground.  Scrutineering was the usual chaos with lights being 'adjusted' and Andy scraping tthrough noise testing.  I helped sticker the cars with the rally sponsors stickers and it felt just like the good old days.  Both cars straight through scrutineering and Sharon and I celebrated by having chips for supper from the catering van.

Fairly slow start to Friday, everyone else had gone off early, but we enjoyed a bit of a lie in.  We had worked out where the stages ran and picked a spot just up from The Showground we could walk in to and watch.  Must have been a good choice as the official video cameraman chose the same spot.  Unfortunately there was an accident in the stage during the first run and we didn't see the second half of the first run as that and the second run were cancelled.  That meant we stood for an hour and three quarters in the cold without seeing a car.  But it was worth it.  We walked back to the car and then drove back down to Gorey via the first of the night stages where the roads hadn't been closed yet.  We drove it in the light and it scared me.  At one point there is a three wire fence at the side of the road and then a 200 foot drop to the sea.  I suppose in the dark you can't see that.

We had planned to eat and then go out and watch some of the night stages.  But, after a superb meal, we came out of the restaurant into torrential rain and howling gales, so we decided an early night was a better idea.  From all reports, we made the right decision.  I put the cover on 500Tie in the car park, but when we came down Saturday morning it had blown off and, luckily, was on the floor in front of the car.

We were up at a reasonable time and drove up to Greve De Lecq.  The stage here runs down the hill to the coast and then off back up the hill and you can see loads.  The sun was shining, the cars were flying and all was great.  There is also a cafe with a table football table, I was 4-1 up when I stopped using my midfield and Sharon scraped back to a 5-5 draw.  My wrists aren't as strong as they used to be, I can still slap a ball all the way down the table from my full backs, but it doesn't rattle the glass anymore.

We called in to the service area on the way past.  Whilst we were there Dan came in with what he said was a bent rear hub pin.  He had in fact bent the entire rear beam and the boot floor.  The service boys burst into life, I passed spanners, hammers and nuts, but we were beaten by the clock and couldn't get the damaged repaired before they ran out of time and had to retire.  Shame really as Dan was flying and in 3rd place when he retired.  It was really frustrating to be there, but of so little use.

Our spectating point for the afternoon stages was great for parking, but not so great for viewing.  It was a 90 degree left hander, but you couldn't see the approach and could only see them leaving from half the available space.  Was still fun though.  We saw Andy through once, but he didn't reappear.  I texted him and he called to say they were sat in a field at the side of the penultimate stage with a broken driveshaft.  Another great shame as he was in 4th place and only had 5 miles to the finish.  That's motorsport.

We went straight back to The Merton for a break before the Awards Dinner and a drink.  The dinner was great, so many familiar faces and close friends.  I managed to last until half past midnight, but Sharon tells me I was in bed and asleep by the time she put the light out.  It had been a long, hard, enjoyable day.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the weekend.  I would have loved to have stayed up all night on Thursday helping Ed and Chris fit a replacement engine to Chris's car.  I would have loved to have been in the service area for every service panic.  I would have loved a few pints on Saturday night.  But I can't do any of those, so I have loved just being here, the company and watching the stages.  Chris and Martine have had to get an extra baggage allowance on the ferry home for their trophies, so some of the rally family had some success.  Highest Placed Lady, Highest placed Guernsey Crew, First in Class.  Not bad considering Chris had no engine at 6:00 pm on Thursday and the car caught fire on the way to the ferry this afternoon!

The Insurance Industry Strikes Again

We are going to Jersey this week.  Nothing is going to stop me.  I was going to go uninsured.  Regular readers will remember that earlier in the year Sharon and I were going to escape to Barcelona until we found out that my travel insurance would cost more than the 4 days in Barcelona would.  Several companies refused to cover me and at that time I didn't have a terminal prognosis.  We decided to go to Cardiff instead, it's got sea, culture, a castle, mountains and everything else Barcelona has.

Just for a laugh, and because I am curious, I started looking for travel insurance for 7 days in Jersey.  I answered all the questions honestly on about 15 different specialist insurer websites following links from Macmillan and Cancer Research UK.  More than half immediately threw up a response of cover not available.  Those that did produce a quote ranged from £1900 to £2500.  None of them listed Jersey or The Channel Islands as a specific region, so being reasonably good at geography I went for European cover.

Whilst laying in bed this morning deciding if it was going to be a good day or not, my mobile rang.  It was Sophie from Insurance Choice, who had refused to cover me online yesterday evening.  She thought she might be able to help.  She started talking about cover and it became obvious she didn't know of my terminal prognosis, so I told her.  She went quiet, said she was sorry to hear that and then said "I think we have a company who will cover you, what is the best quote you have had so far?".  I told her £1900, she said she would have a look round and if she could significantly reduce that she would ring me back.

About 20 minutes later she rang back, she thought she could get cover for around £200, she needed to check some details of destinations and health, which she did and said she would ring me back.  She rang back with a quote of £43.  I said "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is".  She agreed and then explained why it is so cheap.  The insurer she had found who will cover me considers The Channel Islands to be in the UK, so to them, this is domestic travel insurance, all the online quotes would have been giving me European cover.  She has emailed me the policy and I have looked through it, emailed it to Sharon and she has had a look and it all looks good.  Waiting for Sophie to ring me back so I can give her my credit card details.

So, once again the insurance industry confounds me.  Cost reduced from £1900 to £43 with a few phone calls and some clarification.  Lots of effort put in by a brokers sales person to sell me something ridiculously cheap compared to my first quote.

I think today is going to be a good day.

Sorry I haven't blogged

It has been a really busy week.  I have been busy getting the Skoda ready for The Edinburgh Trial, which was yesterday.  Unfortunately we had to retire about a third of the way in with a blocked carburettor.  I took it off and cleaned it out, but by the time I had done that the course closing car had passed us and we had to retire.  After cleaning it we got her going again, I drove round the car park twice and all seemed well.  Then we loaded up with the intention of heading for home.  Got two hundred yards and she died again, I have no idea where the muck is coming from, it appeared to be grass seeds. I could understand that in the air side of the carb, but how do they get in the fuel jets and past the two inline filters?????

Had a phone call from Dr Pratap on Friday evening at the end of her clinic.  My blood results from this week show that my kidneys still are not working correctly.  I have a scan booked for Tuesday so she can have a look at what is going on.  She wanted to see me this Friday, but we are off to Jersey for a few days, so we have agreed to meet on 18th.  I doubt it will be good news.  The pazobanib isn't having any immediately apparent side effects, but it didn't last time either.

We went to Banbury Canal Day today.  As I wouldn't be able to walk into town and back we decided to go on the bus.  Sharon sat next to an elderly lady who was happily singing outloud.  Then on the way back Sharon sat on a seat that was soaking wet with who knows what.  The joys of public transport.

Not sure what technology I will be taking to Jersey, so blogging may be a bit sparse for the next 10 days or so.  If anything exciting happens at the PET scan on Tuesday I will let you all know.

Results from yesterday

NO	DRIVER	PASSENGER	CAR	CC	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	Total	AWARD	Place
62	KEITH PETTIT	PETER CUBBENS	AH SPRITE	1275	21	10	12	6	5	54.00	AUTUMN CUP-OVERALL WINNER	1
41	DAVE HARVEY	AUDREY HARVEY	IMP	915	23	16	9	4	4	56.00	BEST IN CLASS	2
26	DON SKELTON	HELEN SKELTON	A7	750	24	10	12	9	4	59.00	BEST IN CLASS	3
61	ADRIAN TUCKER-PEAKE	ANDREW TUCKER-PEAKE	MG F	1796	24	14	13	9	4	64.00	BEST IN CLASS	4
75	RICHARD IRVINE	OLIVER IRVINE	LIEGE	998	29	13	11	9	5	67.00	BEST IN CLASS	5
42	RICHARD TOMPKINS	JANET TOMPKINS	IMP	915	29	17	14	10	6	76.00		6
71	KEITH OAKES	ALLAN OAKES	DUTTON	1600	36	17	16	8	4	81.00		7
12	COLIN REID	GEORGE REID	GOLF GTI	1780	33	13	17	12	10	85.00	BEST IN CLASS	8
63	ANDREW TUCKER-PEAKE	ADRIAN TUCKER-PEAKE	MG F	1796	32	20	212	8	7	88.00	BEST NOVICE	9
22	IAN WEBB	JON YEELES	A7	747	34	21	16	13	8	92.00		10
73	ALLAN OAKES	KEITH OAKES	DUTTON	1600	38	18	21	10	6	93.00		11
16	TREVOR CLARKE	ANGELA JONES	KA	1598	38	14	17	13	12	94.00		12
45	DAVE SULLIVAN	PETE EDEN	BEETLE	1200	29	24	17	13	12	95.00		13
82	MARK ENDLEY	GINNY ENDLEY	TROLL	1700	35	19	17	12	12	95.00		14
44	GRAHAM WHITING	LAUREN WHITING	SKODA	1289	31	17	19	11	19	97.00		15
72	CHRIS JOHNS	NEIL CAMPBELL	BUCKLER	1172	36	16	23	20	8	103.00		16
43	PETE EDEN	DAVE SULLIVAN	BEETLE	1200	34	25	25	13	12	109.00		17
51	JONATHAN TOULMIN	PAT TOULMIN	X 90	1600	38	23	22	18	11	112.00		18
21	NIGEL GLOVER	MARTYN WILKIE	A7	747	40	35	17	22	15	129.00		19
15	NIGEL WHITEN	SUE WHITEN	KA	1300	53	30	23	14	12	132.00		20
14	PAUL DAVEY	JONATHAN DAVEY	ROVER	1798	42	34	29	16	12	133.00		21
46	LAUREN WHITING	GRAHAM WHITING	SKODA	1289	43	36	30	14	10	133.00		22
24	FRANK VAUTIER	NICK TAYLOR	MG TA	1350	40	37	31	18	23	149.00	ALLEN TROPHY - BEST MGCC	23
11	JONATHAN DAVEY	PAUL DAVEY	ROVER	1798	49	37	31	17	16	150.00		24
23	GRAEME WATT	SAMUEL&PETER WATT	A7	750	45	37	34	32	31	179.00		25
25	MATT JOHNSTON	HANNAH WOOD	A7	747	25	RETIRED						26
74	DAVID MONTGOMERY	JAMES SALMON	BUCKLER	1172	49	18	RETIRED					27
76	JAMES SALMON	DAVID MONTGOMERY	BUCKLER	1172	46	11	RETIRED					28
81	IAN NUTE	HEATHER NUTE	CHANCER	2000	37	21	RETIRED					29

Frank Vautier, who won the award for the highest placed MGCC member in an MG has been racing and driving MGs since the 1970s.  Lauren beat him.  I am really proud of her.  If you look at the scores for each round, she also beat me in round 5, I'm not so proud of that :-).