Twitter Says This Is True

I've no idea. But if it is, it's blown my mind....

"If our sun were the size of a white blood cell, the Milky Way galaxy would be the size of the continental U.S."

How small are we? Will do an update blog later on this morning.... J x

Twitter

"Just how hairy was the person who invented a shampoo called Head & Shoulders?" Tee hee. J x

The Lights! The Lights!

My switches are switched and working. The lights are out but somebody's home.... J x

And We're.....

.....back on the trial. I know, I know.  But let's temper our annoyance with process and procedures and left hand/right hand, NHS bureaucracy etc etc with the sheer unadulterated joy of (as at this precise instant in time) being back on the damn thing and therefore having some hope of.... what? Not really sure but I feel hopeful. And that's a good feeling and I'd like to stay with that for a little bit.

In other good news the chest infection has cleared up and so we're also back on my rapid steroid detox programme although it's even more rapid than it was before. So I need to be a bit careful and keep an eye on my body's reaction to the withdrawal. Likelihood is I'm going to feel tired and lethargic (I'll add in irritable, they didn't say irritable but I know what I'm like when I'm tired and lethargic) but hopefully no worse than that. But, discretion being the better part of valour, I've decided not to go to Swansea for the weekend as I'd originally planned just in case it does go beyond tired and lethargic. Better to be up here and close to The Christie in case we do need any interventions of any sort.  Dad understands and is just really happy that I'm back on the trial (insert usual disclaimers about not knowing yet whether I'll get new drug). On current plans and assuming the detox works we could be looking at randomisation on Monday. But then we also need to re-do all the tests that are now out of date for the trial - CT scan (will be a last minute call on a cancellation), blood tests (hundreds) and lung function stuff. Oh you can just imagine the arrangements to be made and forms to be filled in.  

I've also lost more weight and so carer in chief has now started nagging about drinking more Ensure Plus. That's fine. I can do that. 

And I'm going to stop there for now. May report later (although there's football to watch and possibly cry over). J x

Oooooh look at the time.....

...... Cagney & Lacey. :-) J x

Lovely Day

Sunshine. Always does one good to see some sun. Shining a light into those dark corners and illuminating things (such as an heterosexual past apparently) that one had tried to put behind one - but your dark secrets always find you out..... :-) Only joking Jane, good to have you aboard the Lewis Cancer Support Wagon, feel free to make as many or as few contributions as you like!

I'm pleased to report that the antibiotics seem to be doing the trick (yes, I'll make sure I finish the course) and my chest infection feels a little less chesty and a little less infection-y..... Still taking it easy though as instructed by the Carer in Chief.

Watched all 3 episodes last night of 37 Days. What a superb programme. Absolutely fascinating. No idea why I've become a bit of a WW1 fanatic of late but the BBC seems to have done a great job in bringing together a disparate suite of programmes in various formats looking at the whole thing from diverse viewpoints. Well done Auntie Beeb, I say.

Dad seems to be doing OK back in Wales and, all things being equal - such as a clean bill of health and permission granted to travel, I shall pop down to see him next weekend.

That's all. J x

The Upside

.... to an enforced confinement is that the BBC are re-running Cagney & Lacey in the afternoons..... Just saying. And the road sign "Entering Queens" still makes me smile. J x

Clinic Feedback

So turns out the reason I'm feeling so rotten is that I have a chest infection and thrush in my mouth and throat.  So I'm on a 7 day course of antibiotics, 7 day course of anti-thrush medication, plus mouthwashes and other stuff.  And in the meantime I'm to stay on my current dose of steroids and stop the weaning process.  Looking forward this probably means my place on the drug trial will be in jeopardy but there's not a lot I can do about that. We need to clear up the infection. So in addition to taking the medication for 7 days I will also be taking it easy for the next 7 days and not getting out and about as much as I have of late.  May well allow me to catch up on some paperwork at home and some other clearing out I've been meaning to do for ages.

Saw Orlando last night at The Royal Exchange. Fabulous play. I urge you to go and see it if you get the chance.  I may well try and read the book now too. Suranne Jones is a really good actress but she was well supported by her fellow actors. And the writing was really good. I loved it.

That's all. J x