suzeanna

I didn't really stock up on anything apart from Chappie for Candy! My voice has gone down a level today, but at least I'm not croaking. I do feel awfully tired though and that's saying something as I'm usually pretty tired anyway thanks to the dreaded tablets. Candy looks as if she's gone through a hedge backwards, I'm hoping that my grooming lady might still be working as she works from her home and collects and delivers dogs. Failing that, we bought some dog clippers which may or may not get rid of some hair at least. One negative about Candy, she hates being brushed and especially hates her ears and feet being fiddled with so it could be interesting! I don't want to get cross with her or scare her so if she hates it, I'll give up the idea.

Don't know if you and Ruby drink anything alcoholic, but a nice long bath and a glass of wine might make her feel better. She's bound to be stressed even if she's good at hiding it! Not surprised she was knocked over, staffies are hefty little devils. I don't feel too bad at present but it seems to be worse the next day. I've got the weekend off at least. Much more traffic in Sheffield today, and a lot more people walking.

Nice one Jazz! I bet the lady was overwhelmed, Blackmagic. Lovely thing to do for her. Eve, if you'd asked me yesterday how things were going I'd have said ok. Today, not so much. Owl, my daughter found a blackbirds nest in their hedge. One day there was one egg, next day two, third day back to one and now none at all. Magpies?

I mowed the first bit of our very long grass this morning, then left it to do something else. Went back and the mower made a very nasty noise and pong and didn't go. Oh dear..I've broken it! No, thankfully I hadn't. Philip turned it over and there was a big chunk of damp grass clogging the blades, he fished it out and now it's fine. Phew! One expense spared. Just had my third radiotherapy, I was chatting to the lady radiographer and she was saying how much more smoothly all clinics are running now that they are being led by nurses and technicians, rather than the doctors! She said they may be clever but....and left it at that. I got a text on my mobile this morning, informing me that I am a vulnerable person and as such should stay indoors until June 30th. Bit late guys, I had the letter weeks ago and as I have two more appts at Sheffield and then Chesterfield, that isn't going to happen!

Is this the neighbour with the dogs who bark all the time, Marion? Our neighbour's daughters and grandchildren have been going round to their place every since the announcement of lockdown, some folk just don't care. Glad you are getting help sorted Griff, about time too! Two of my treatments down, three to go. They changed the time of todays and tomorrows to 7.10 pm, it was great! Barely any traffic through to Sheffield and straight into the car park, plenty of disabled spaces. Neck is very stiff at the moment due to the strained position I have to keep my head in, but a little glass (or a bigger one) of pink port that I had for my birthday from my daughter should help relax it! Port from Porto, no less..they got it on a cruise when they called there.

Shame no one will remember the hand signals that were used in the past Owl..they'd probably just think you were making rude signs at them! It's amazing how much you want to move when you are told you absolutely must not. No sooner had he said keep completely still now, than I got a terrible itch on the side of my nose! Got a painful neck now as I had to have my head turned. They've changed the times for my treatments tomorrow and Thursday, they were meant to be early afternoon, now they are both 7.20 in the evening. Hopefully that will mean quieter traffic in Sheffield.

Had my scan this morning, then saw the oncologist. News was rather worse than I expected, though saying that a bit of me was thinking it could be. I have soft lumps all up the side of my neck to under my ear, and they are a spread of the cancer. This means that instead of the radiotherapy targeting the hard lump, which is very near the surface of the skin, so the rays won't need to go deeply, they will have to do the other lumps too which are deeper. He explained that however careful they are there will be some overspill of the rays, so I may find it affects my windpipe and gullet. I may well have trouble swallowing, and my voice will change. This shouldn't be permanent and should improve after a while after treatment. Also sore skin, swelling and extreme tiredness. I was just contemplating this little lot when he asked had anyone discussed my aorta? Erm..no...should they have? Apparently I have dilation of the aortic arch, which is gradually become more pronounced on every scan and he was amazed that I haven't been referred to a vascular specialist, so he's doing that. Oh goody. Oh..forgot to mention our morning panic. Got all sorted, got in the car, Philip turned the key and zilch! Flat battery. He hurtled next door, knocked and got the poor neighbour out of the loo, and her son out of bed so they could bring their car round and jump start ours! Thankfully the traffic was light in Sheffield so I got there in time. I have the treatment tomorrow and every day this week and next Monday. As you can imagine I'm rather cheesed off. He did make it clear that it's palliative treatment, it's not going to fix things. There was some good news, the scan I had at Chesterfield the other week shows everything else is responding to the Anastrazole, he's baffled as to why this part isn't. He does make me smile though, social distancing isn't in his remit, arm straight round my shoulders when I went into his room. He did put gloves on to prod the lumps though.

I've never heard of that, Blackmagic. Is it something he will grow out of? Jamie is very bright, he could do things online when he was four that his mum couldn't and he can read and write better than his sister. His behaviour is difficult though..he's now scared of flying things and refuses to go out of the house! When they used to go shopping he wouldn't go through the automatic opening doors if they were already opening for someone else. His mum finds him very hard to cope with. Our little cocker Candy had obviously been illtreated before we got her, if you picked up anything that looked like a stick, she hit the floor and shook. She still howls in her sleep sometimes, after three happy (I hope!) years with us.

We had a quarter of crispy duck with pancakes and hoisin sauce, lemon chicken, and chicken fried rice. Oh..and a pancake roll for Philip. Which doesn't mean I ate all the rest!

Enjoy your takeaway, Jazz. Mine on my birthday was lovely! Yes, crows are clever, so are magpies. Can't believe how ccccold it is after yesterday. I've put the flipping heating back on.

I know it probably seems like forever Yantan, but you've only had them..erm..a week? or is it two? I'm losing track of time! Everything must be so new and scary to her, it's going to take some time to desensitive. If she's as bad in a month and you really are at the end of your tether about it then you might have to make a decision. Keep him and let her go back to rescue or let them both go. Hopefully it won't come to that but I for one would completely understand it if you did. We fostered a golden retriever about fifteen years ago for IRR, we were just meant to assess her for a new home, not to keep her. She wasn't housetrained and I got nowhere with it for the two weeks we had her. I was getting desperate, however thoroughly I cleaned, the smell of wee lingered! She came in season so they took her somewhere else to be cared for until she could be spayed, and she got a lovely home with another of her breed at a stables, where she could pee where she wanted! I'm wondering how many companies will keep staff working from home, even when they are cleared to go back. Philip is a systems analyst for BT and they are all working from home very smoothly, having meeting on Teams and Skype if needed. He's rather pleased that it's working well, as if there comes a time he needs to be at home all the time either for me or if I've snuffed it to look after Candy, it won't be a problem. Is your grandson autistic, Blackmagic? My youngest one is and he flies into awful rages if things upset him, he's only six at the moment and if he keeps it up as he gets older, it could be dangerous. He's pushed his twin sister down the stairs and he hits her, and his mum. He does leave his older brother and his dad alone though. He's broken two tv's throwing things at them in a temper.

Yes Karen, fab idea if you are young and healthy and totally inconsiderate of anyone else on the blooming pavement. They will be on the pavement on their cycles and scooters because there are too many potholes in the roads to ride on them safely!

I can't help wondering how long exactly the Government think the present situation is going to last. Grant Shapps was saying they are putting tons of money into making more cycle paths, and widening pavements, because people will have to walk and cycle more as the public transport system will only be able to carry 10 percent of what it normally does because of social distancing. Really? Have you lot any idea how long doing that will take? Road workers aren't the fastest in the world. It might work in the cities and big towns, but I can't see my husband cycling to Barlborough from here, there are some very big hills! Or are they planning to give us all electric cycles?

I haven't met someone famous, but I was mistaken for someone well known in Greece! We were in Kos, and as we were walking past restaurants people were smiling and waving at us. I thought they were being friendly, though it did seem a bit over the top. We asked a young lad..about 12 year old..if we were on the right track for the beach and he said "You are on Big Brother!". Erm, no...I'm English not Greek, why would I be on Greek Big Brother? I don't think he was convinced though and we kept getting attention when we went into the town.

Owl, Philip said sometimes a blown bulb can cause indicators to do strange things. Hopefully it'll be a quick and not expensive fix when you can get somewhere. To be honest, if the car place is open, and a lot of garages are, that should count as an essential journey if you need your car to get to a doctor or go shopping. My mother actually lost three of her brothers, the two in the Merchant Navy and another who was giving his daughter a driving lesson. She lost control of the car and crashed into a lamp post and killed him. The youngest of the Navy ones, Billy, was only 24 and his wife was three months pregnant so his son, like you, never did know his father. How are you feeling today, Jazz? Better I hope? I've got something weird going on with my skin on and under my boobs, it's peeling off in sheets. Not the way you peel from sunburn. We think maybe I'm turning into a snake, and sloughing.

Not many people who aren't his progeny can say that, Owl! My mother lost two of her brothers in the war, both in the Merchant Navy. My father was in the RAF..invalided out after being wounded. My godmother..the one who was in the SOE..said she went out for a couple of drinks with a Polish airman. When she said goodnight he unzipped and clamped her hand on his...you know what. She firmly removed it and told him that in England, we shake hands! My daughter lives in a small square of cottages and they were having a drinks and nibbles party today. She texted me earlier and said she's going to have an awful hangover tomorrow. I texted back and said why, what had she been drinking? She replied if you can think of it, we've been drinking it! oh dear...

I gather staffies are known for it, Yantan...although our lurcher didn't do badly on the farting stakes.

You'll need the heating on Sunday Jazz, it's dropping to 8! I should do my hair Eve, my roots are very noticeable, but they weren't lying when they said treat your hair very gently on the hormone tablets, it's shedding like you wouldn't believe and they say be very careful about colouring it. Turban, anyone?

Keep in contact with the GP if you can Jazz, don't let things get too bad. Yes Griff, I think it does affect the skin. Rather like a bad sunburn apparently. We have an exciting hour planned..going to wash and wax the car! We really live the high life!

No, not had radiotherapy or chemo..the radiotherapy would have been too close to my heart, and they couldn't balance the chemo with the chemo tablets I already take. This should be interesting..if that's the right word.

It did clear here, not longer after I said there was high cloud. I got a phone call at about 5.20, from the support radiographer at Weston Park. She asked lots of questions about how I was feeling, coping etc. and then gave me the details about treatment. I'll have the CT planning scan at 9.30 on Monday, then an appt with Dr. Sivoglo at 10 ( or later, knowing him!) to sign the consent paper. Then it will be radiotherapy on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and the following Monday. All at different times, annoyingly. Good thing Philip's company are very good about him taking time out to take me there. I must confess to feeling nervous..ok, mildy petrified. The woman who phoned remarked on it being my birthday yesterday and said she hoped I had a hangover this morning, a birthday isn't celebrated properly without one! Also said I should use the whole weekend as my birthday weekend and have another drink. Thought they were meant to try to keep us off the booze, not on it! 🙄

Glad you are still with us Jazz. Owl, I can cope with sarcasm...I'm just as likely to give it back...but what I can't stand is hypocrisy. A lot of people round here are nice as pie to someone's face then anything but nice about them behind their backs and I just don't get that. If I don't like someone I either ignore them or I'm icily polite, I certainly don't act as if they are my best buddy. Thought it was supposed to be hotter today than yesterday, but there's quite a bit of high cloud. Just as well, as I'm going to have to mow the grass at the front before people start thinking big cats are hiding in it!

Sounds as if you had a very interesting walk, birdwise Owl. Bet Wispa was over the moon to be going out again! Griff..it's next Monday I go to the hospital for the scan to prepare for my radiotherapy, can't say I'm looking forward to it. Everyone, make the most of the warm weather. It's going to drop to 8 on Sunday, and Jon Mitchell even mentioned snow! Any tender plants will need covering up, and I hope no birds have hatched yet or there'll be a shortage of food for them. Jazz, good news at the moment but do be vigilant. Don't be afraid to call again if you feel you are getting worse at all. Had a lovely Chinese takeway, I'm sure she gives us more every time! She says she thinks a lot of the takewaways are planning to reopen soon, not that the ones round here ever closed. Managed a video chat with my son and the children, although the connection kept breaking up and Jamie (6 year old twin with autism) only managed to tear himself away from Minecraft for a couple of moments.

Thanks for the birthday wishes. I've been relaxing on my new sun lounger, eating chocolates! Not very healthy, but never mind. My daughter and son in law came over..we stayed a distance apart in the garden, but neither of us or them have any symptoms of anything so should be fine. Hopefully will be seeing my son and his family on Messenger later. Glad the little girl is ok now Blackmagic.

Jazz, do ring for an ambulance if you feel you are getting worse, someone else can care for the dogs. It's very unfair of the surgery to treat your friend like that Griff..especially looking at what GP's earn, they could pay her out of their own pockets and not notice it. Some people with no symptoms at all are testing positive for the virus, it certainly does seem to affect different people In different ways. Odd how so may black and ethnic minorities seem to be badly hit too.I wonder if it's something to do with their blood type? They get sickle cell disease which the Caucasian races don't get.