Morning James

Pleased that you managed to join in with some of the festivities with your family and great that your wife was able to get you to your daughter's by wheelchair. My hubby and his sister both had colds but no complaints as we enjoyed cherished family time together.  No TV for four days (sister in law's was broken) and children's fun and laughter plus the dogs' antics (first time they had met - a huskie and a westie) made for a lovely relaxing time (for me).  Back to work tomorrow and am working NewYear's Day as I had Boxing Day off.  Never been a great New Year Eve person so am happy enough to be kept occupied and will visit Mum on the 31st to see how she is doing.

Thanks for asking about Hubby.  He managed very well ~(he has always been laid back and happy enough to just sit and watch/listen rather than chat) and he enjoyed having all his family around him.  His brother and sister did manage to shock us on Christmas Eve by announcing they are both selling up and moving together to the Isle of Man,hopefully by middle of 2014 butnothing could stop us enjoying the festivities and making memories.  We even walked  to the local park despite the cold wind.  Must say Iam also enjoying a quiet weekend - so all in all the best of both worlds as we say cheerio to 2013.

Take care James and nodoubt we will be chatting again soon (my internet link permitting - hubby talking to provider all being well on Monday as have had telephone line tested (very noisy landline) and no fault found with that so may be the router/wiring!!  Off to make myself a coffee as have finished the housework for today and hubby needs a refil to his milkshake now that he has had his breakfast cereal

Sending peaceful thoughts and hugs to you and the family for 2014  Jules xx.

Hi grandadbob14

I have the same problem with my husband, he thinks by not talking about it helps me in some way!  I want to scream at him, I need support and to be able to talk about it, my friends  have been very good, but I feel the place that I should be getting support from is my husband

Well Hello Bonjovifan

                        I am really pleased too meet and hear from you we have so much in common it seems, the only difference is that because i find travel and any motion of any sort then my friends do not talk to me about my condition either. But i know the feeling that you said that you had of grabbing partners head and scream TALK TO ME ABOUT THE CANCER i feel like this all the time but to no avail, never mind if you feel that you need to off load your pent op frustration then i am at hand and i hope that people here on this group are there for me.

   have a better new year now that you can off load  Grandadbob14  AKA  James

Thank you so much Jules

                            It is so good to hear that both you and your hubby enjoyed the festivities I suppose that he has found a way like me to hide any discomfort that he might feel untill such times as he is able to show them with out upsetting any one around him, I know that i have but the only problem is that then it catches up on you and really hurts, Hip Hip Hurray only eight days till my appointment then perhaps things will start to move and hopefully the pain will be better to control or they will perscribe me a better pain killing programme thank goodness that the Oncologist that will be there is one that i saw five years ago so knows my history , what is upsetting me is that if this is a reoccurance of my old cancer inmy neck then how have they missed it over this past five years and why are they dealing with that before my lung, "OH WOW IS ME" that was silly hope you and your Hubbt have a great New Year Here comes 2014 and hope its better than 2013.

                               Love and Huggs to you and Hubby from James XXX,                                                                                                                                      

Morning James

I see you are still counting the days till you get to your appointment - the waiting must be very hard when you are suffering so much pain and discomfort and being unable to share your feelings indoors.  We so far consider ourselves lucky in that my hubby's pain/discomfort has  been kept under control with his medication and his medical team with whom he has regular contact have been very quick to act (especially our GP) when he mentions breakthrough pain.  Currently the physio for his upper arm muscles has been quite effective too and he can once again get his hands above his head and he says he will continue to do them (sees this as his exercise!!).  General conversation has improved a little too so think perhaps he is slowly coming to terms with his non-work life (as most people who have to retire when they dont really want to would have to do).  He has been catching up with old friends and having all the family round him over the Christmas meant there was lots of fun and laughter.  These are the moments I cherish.  On Thursday he has our eldest grandson coming for a visit as our daughter has to take the baby for its next injection. Valuable one to one time for them both - suspect it will entail cars, snakes and ladders and connect 4 - still his favourites despite the new toys at Christmas.

My daughter and son in law are now trying to scrimp and scrape some money together as they need to replace the family car that had to go to the scrapyard before Christrmas (family helped a little with cash gifts at Christmas) whilst my son and his girlfriend are planning to spend money on their garden in 2014 (he put a pond in the back garden this year and now they want to sort the planting and veggie area, having finished all the decorating.  They have done well this year as have only had their own home since March and my son has now settled into a new job which he is really enjoying so am hoping the New Year will bring them much happiness.

As my internet access is still being affected by dodgy phone line (hoping to get an engineer out soon!!) will take this opportunity to wish you a better start to 2014 and to thank you for your virtual friendship.  Wishing y ou and the family peace for the New Year.  Jules xx

Hello Jules

           Well thrse are our favorate games at Christmas too I also like Draughts but the wife is a bit put out at that game as most times I win , but she wins most games of connect 4 I think her spatial sence is better than mine,we also play cards Rummy and the like, i am pleased to hear that your daughter is getting on so well as i say to our children the things they save for and get are things that you treasure more and look after more, as for my health the wait and countdown untill my appointment is taking over my life but it helps to hide the pain untill it breaks through then it is worse. Still not many days now OH HOW I WISH IT WOULD STOP how is your hubby well i hope send him my best wishes for a Happy New Year as i do to you.

                                                        All My love James XXXXXX

Happy New Year James to you and your family.

  I know how difficult the waiting is for you to get through before your appointment especially as your pain is causing you so much discomfort.  Having to hide away to protect yourself/your loved ones must be very isolating so do hope your Mac nurse visits again soon and maybe look at your dosage again.

  My hubby's pain has been well managed so far (keeping fingers firmly crossed) though he has had a cold over the Christmas period which obviouslly does not help.  Thankfully he saw the GP on 23rd Dec so had everything he needed and is due his next consultant check up at end of this month, just before we are due to go away for the weekend with friends.  It is at that time that no doubt I will find out exactly how he has been feeling (you can only guess so much) as we go together and I am allowed to ask my own questions and get answers which is helpful.  The main query this time will be to do with 'food amounts' as I am fully aware that his meals are getting smaller(if I put more than a childlike portion on his plate he leave it uneaten) and am putting this down to the cancer spreading and thus making it harder for him to eat decent amounts.  He thankfully tops up throughout the day with milkshakes and chocolate and his weight is pretty stable. I do know that even though he only managed three chemo sessions (over a year ago now)  his taste remains affected but he has recently begun to drink coffee again without any bad effects. Will see if his doc has any ideas to help other than anti acids but suspect this is one side effect that is going to deteriorate during his journey.

Well going into work later this morning and working till 5 (I was so lucky to have a good Christmas break  so dont mind at all, as it meansmy co-worker can spend the day with her family) so somehow have to alter my meal times to fit round an 11-5 workshift!!  Decided to get up at normal time (early!!) and have breakfast - large bowl of porridge and fruit - and then have an early elevenses (which will act as a lunch), then I can have my dinner at usual time in the evening.

Hope you had a peaceful New Years Eve and will chat again soon.  Virtual hugs.Jules xx

Hi Jules

            Well as you have said all my time at the moment is taken up with waiting for this appointment, but it is not going to come any quicker no matter what i do the pain does not go away and i dont feel any better so the time spent waiting is a waste of effort and i should be doing things to help to take my mind off the pain no hope i think. It is good to hear that your hubby is having not so bad time of it, and finding things a little easier this must make it so much better for you.

                                   All My Love and virual Huggs James

all

Hello Jules

                        Thank you very much for your concern about my pain and lack of control, I dont think of my self as very brave at all, but then again i suppose I have been doing it for so long, and yes you are very right i have made a big thing about the countdown to my appointment now it is so close it will I expect be quite a let down when it comes, but at least i will be able to get the pain under control at least too apart from the coughing  the pain has been caused by things  that i feel are more old pains made such as my shoulder and neck from my last Cancer fight and my back from an old operation too remove four discs which is really being aggrivated by the coughing, and my ribs from the area of my lung cancer again being aggraviated by the coughing, !! BUT OH I WISH IT WOULD STOP!! still not much longer Three days. I am so sorry to hear of your Hubbys  discomfort but I am sure that both you and he can over come it, inform him that i feel sorry for him about the Cough and regards and huggs to you.

                                love and vertual huggs james