Hi Jules and Hope,

Thank you both for your kind messages. What a change in the weather at the moment, not a cloud to be seen.

Brother-in-law saw the specialist yesterday and didnt seem happy with their local doctor. In fact he told them he was going to phone him personally. They were told he is to have the hormone injection on Monday (nearly three weeks after he should have had it) So all in all they were quite pleased to get things rolling.

Hope you both have a great weekend and look forward to talking to you both again soon. Best wishes, Brian

Hi Jules,

So pleased you had a great weekend and enjoyed your time away. It will have done you both good especially you for you have been working so hard at work and have face the added stress of not knowing how your husband was feeling. So pleased to hear your specialist is so good and that she made arrangements for your husbands medication to be available before you went away. They do say a change of scenery is as good as a rest. It must be so frustrating for your husband not being able to do things he used to as I found out when I broke my bone last year and was confined to the upstairs for three weeks.

Brother in law saw the oncologist on Friday and he was not happy with the local GP. Brother in law has got to see a bone specialist as well now for he has cancer in his hip joint. If he has a fall this could easily break so has to very careful. He was told he may need a hip re-placement. His oncologist also phoned his GP and has sorted things out with him. Would like to have been a fly on the wall when that conversation took place. Brother in law has today had his hormone injection which is nearly three weeks overdue and was also still being prescribed a tablet which he should only have taken for a short while. He was told to dump the rest of them. Sister in law again reiterated I seem more knowledgeable than his GP and has thanked me for the information I have given them. My wife seemed very relieved it has at last been sorted out.

I hope your visit to your mother goes well tommorow and that you are able to hold a two way conversation with her when you tell her about your weekend trip.

Anyway I have rambled on enough, take care and am sending best wishes as usual, Brian.

Hello Jules Im so glad you both enjoyed your time away and that you took photos to look back on I was a little worried when you said hubby was gasping for air as my Tony was put on home oxygen and portable to take out although that was coming to the last year of his illness.Tony was diagnosed in Oct 2010 and passed away Feb 5th 2013,bless him he had to have his lung drained 3 times a week to start with district nurses came in to do that eventualy he didnt need this done thank goodness ,he never complained and didnt want to know any details about his illness ,I found out as much as I could via Dr and mc millan nurse ,he was so brave .The weather here in Cornwall is realy bad I have never seen rain or heard wind like it it seems to be non stop I havnt been out with Rusty yet but must brave this weather soon he needs walk he dosnt mind the rain .I bet the time away recharged your batteries.and time with friends will have done you both good and I expect you will be back to work soon .Take care Jules hope to talk soon ..Susananne x

Hi Jules,

Welcome back,so lovely to hear from you.

I am glad to hear you had a great weekend, despite the weather!!!! hasn't the wind been awful, and despite your husbands condition and the fact that he doesn't dance, so many men of our generation don't. Or if they do you wish they didn't !!!!!!!LOL. !!!!!!!

It sounds to me like your husband put a lot of effort into the weekend so that you could both enjoy it.

Good friends and fun times to be rememberd with photos. Lovely.

Back to reality tomorrow, but for the rest of today enjoy.

My husbands Birthday today so off to bake a cake for him now I have finished cleaning.

Better make some cakes for when Ava brings her Mum and Dad up on Thursday.

Haven't had chance to see if feet are webbed, boots firmly still in place. LOL.

hugs

Annabel. xx

Hi Susananne

Yes I have no doubt there will be more difficult times ahead although the people I have had contact with so far (mesothelioma sufferers) have so many differing symptoms/time scales (from 3 months from diagnosis to still living reasonably 7 years on!!) that I am learning to take things on a day to day basis.  Hubby suffers slight breathlessness when going uphill though still manages two full flights of stairs (our bedroom is in the loft space!!) every night and his breathing returns almost to normal once he has sat down for a few minutes.  His consultant said this has been down to his general health (pretty laughable for a 40 a day man!!).   Its 2 yrs next week since formal diagnosis and so far so good as he has not needed any drainage procedures or hospital inpatient care but has had very good consultant/gp support (ongoing) and now has a district andcommunity nurses (on his consultant's team) to call  as and when he feels necessary and they are also monitoring his pain relief from time to time. Like your Tony he does not complain about his illness but I know his biggest frustration is not being able to work and that is the cause of much of his sadness. He popped into his workplace last Monday and though the driving left him tired he was so pleased to have been able to help guide them through a problem.  They keep him in the loop from time to time (his boss was his former apprentice and they have a special bond which has led to continuing personal support to us both so we are very lucky).

I too will be very happy when the weather improves (we were like Peter Pan and Wendy in the hotel car park - huge umbrella was a definite mistake as it made it harder to walk just a few yards to the reception desk - so much for trying to protect my newly cut hairdo!!)  At least it gave us something to laugh about later when we chatted to our friends about it.  We already have front garden full of crocus and snowdrops with daffodils in bud and tulips growing - I am surprised they have not been washed away.  Today however has been dry (frosty start) and have got my washing dry and ironed so not all bad.  Tomorrow is my  normal day off so I return to work on Wednesday but am facing two days of travel nightmares as tubes are due to go on 48hr strike so will have longer walk and then have to get a  bus into town - hey ho.  Hopefully you and Rusty will soon be enjoying the delights of St Austell walking for pleasure again soon.  Have been there many times in years gone by as many of our holidays were in Cornwell (the last one down your way was to Mevagissey where we stayed at a B&B which is now owned and run by the manager who used to run the store where I work) - he finds it less stressful cooking breakfasts for guests that he did in retail!!

Well thats enough rambling by me.  Had better check that my meat has defrosted so I can start sorting the plans for dinner.  Hubby polished off double scrambled egg and a pint of milk for lunch so perhaps the steroids are having an impact on his appetite as he ate better at the hotel as well (though that could be down to a better chef than he has at home).

Take care of yourself my virtual friend and thanks again for taking the time to chat to me.  Its really appreciated. Jules xx

Hi Brian

So pleased you were able to help your sister and brother in laws with some much needed information/advice and I do hope now that its been sorted out with his doctor they will be able to moved forward with his treatment on a more even keel.  I thinks its so important to have trust in those that are helping you with your illness not matter what you are suffering from.  Peace of mind can help the body and certainly helps with the stress.

Hope  you will be able to see your grandchildren this week and your cheeky youngest enjoys more stories by his grandad.  My hubby is going to the hospital with our daughter on Wednesday to hold the  baby whilst she has her bloods taken (follow up to check that her iron levels are okay following difficulties at the birth).  She has a cold at present and though my hubbymight prefer to postpone  the trip but as he says you can pick a cold up anywhere and he wont let that stop him!!  I think the driving at the weekend was the most tiring aspect (though no complaints from him) as today he has been napping quite a bit but has not needed the extra pain relief  yet so that it  a good sign.  Alsothe steroids do seem to have helped with his appetite a bit.

Will let you know how visit to Mum goes (I have learnt to expect nothing and be pleasantly surprised if I get feedback - maybe thats my protective shield coming in to play!!).

Sending peaceful thoughts.  Jules xx

Hi Annabel and happy birthday to your other  half. Bet he will enjoy the cake - made my mouth water just reading that bit.  Hope you have a lovely time with your daughter, son in law and Ava when they visit and it would be an added bonus if the wind/rain would let up. Today has been dry in Middlesex so got my washing dry and ironed (does not take long to get back into the 'norm'  once more.  You are right that hubby made a really big effort to enjoy the weekend as best he could (am sure the extra steroid medication is helping which is what the consultant planned when she arranged for him to have the drugs prior to us going away) but so far since being back he has not needed the extra pain relief (we have to keep a diary note of when he needs it so that when the community nurse calls in it can be monitored (next due in a week to check all going okay with new meds).

Look forward to hearing all about how Ava is getting on (bets shes gorgeous) and hope you are taking some time for yourself when you finally shed your boots.  Chat again soon.  Jules xx

Hi Jules,

So glad to hear you and hubby had a well deserved break, sounds like you both enjoyed yourselves.  Will keep fingers crossed that hubby's new medication regime goes well, hope you didn't have too much washing/housework to catch up with today on your day off work.  Hope x

Hi Brian,

Good news that your brother-in-law has a specialist that is finally getting things rolling; must be a relilef for the whole family.  Take care.  Hope x

Hi Hope

Good to hear from you.  Hope you enjoyed the weekend too.

  Dry here so got all washing and ironing out of the way this morning and had a pretty lazy afternoon (hubby snoozed most of today (playing catch up as he only had one nap all weekend!!).  He basically  has  been awake for meals but think the weekend was worth its weight in gold. Not only did I enjoy being waited on (selfish I know) but 'illness' was not on the menu (nor was healthy eating with two four course evening meals and full English breakfasts -yummy) and it gave us some really good time with friends.  I was the winner of one of the Saturday evening games (came away with a soft toy -monkey for anyone over the age of 12 months - hubby says I just qualify).  I also had two winning raffle tickets so have a beautiful slate cheeseboard. I gave my other winning ticket to someone else on our table for them to pick themselves a prize and 'he' came back with perfume for me!!!  As I am not a perfume wearer will make sure it finds a good home as did not like to hurt his feelings.   Next year they are thinking about holding the weekend away in Spain so who knows!!  The whole evening raised over £1000 for Diabetic  Charities so money well spent.

Take care and sending hugs.  Jules xx