Well, the day has arrived, retirement - my very last day of full-time work - 26th September 2009.
I started work on the first Monday in September, the 5th I think, 1963 - 46 years ago as an apprentice electrician at the London Electricity Board! My last act at work is nicely circular! fitting a thermostat to the heater in the office WC.
The start of my retirement is not quite what I had planned - but that's life!
A week and a bit in from the news and we are beginning to come to terms with what it will mean - we saw the Stoma Nurse yesterday and whilst she allayed some of our fears and uncertainties, the reality of a bag - for life!! bugger Waitrose!! is no more appealing!
Intellectually I know 1000's of people lead perfectly normal lives with this inconvenience but emotionally I have some way to go to accept it - I'm expecting a call any minute to say my notes were mixed up and I'm OK! Got the CT scan on Monday and then we are all set for the 20th Oct.
Tuesday we're off to Crete - burglars reading this please note - take the TV and all the attendant gubbins in the cabinet in the living room PLEASE!
It should be warm in Vamos, about 26, though it's always warmer there than the same number here? If you'd like a look at where we are click - http://www.crete-escapes.com/crete-villas-vamos-oleander.htm.
Will try to do an entry from Vamos if the magic broardband mobile dongle works there.
Saturday, 26 September 2009
Friday, 18 September 2009
The story so far
I've had bladder cancer since 2003 and had regular checks by flexible cyscoscopy. Sometimes they've had to zap the odd patch and once, early on, I had some chemotherapy, but I've got away with it so far.
In July 09 I had a routine check and it looked as though it might have migrated from the bladder into the urethra. They had me back in a few weeks later for biopsies and then x-rays. We met with the Consultant on 16th September. He didn't mince his words, the tumour was in 3 sites and it had become aggressive - I asked if it had been drinking? (not really! Zannie would have killed me there and then!) in short we only had one option - removal of the bladder, urethra and prostate - and soon!
I haggled for a stay of execution so we could go to Crete as planned on the 29th September, but instead of till April which, until then, was the plan, till the 13th October - he agreed and set the operation for a week later - 20th October 2009.
So we're off on the 29th, Ben and Rob & Suz are coming out from 6th - 13th so we can have a real family holiday first.
Watch this space!
In July 09 I had a routine check and it looked as though it might have migrated from the bladder into the urethra. They had me back in a few weeks later for biopsies and then x-rays. We met with the Consultant on 16th September. He didn't mince his words, the tumour was in 3 sites and it had become aggressive - I asked if it had been drinking? (not really! Zannie would have killed me there and then!) in short we only had one option - removal of the bladder, urethra and prostate - and soon!
I haggled for a stay of execution so we could go to Crete as planned on the 29th September, but instead of till April which, until then, was the plan, till the 13th October - he agreed and set the operation for a week later - 20th October 2009.
So we're off on the 29th, Ben and Rob & Suz are coming out from 6th - 13th so we can have a real family holiday first.
Watch this space!
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