Hi and welcome to the forum which I hope you will find supportive.  My story is more that of my late husband as I joined when he was diagnosed and the support of the forum for nearly three years during his illness helped me considerably.  Since he passed away in January 2015  the virtual friends I made here continue to chat and show me kindness just by listening to me rabbit on!!

You are more than welcome to post on my thread but it may also be worth starting a thread of your own and perhaps mentioning the kind of cancer you have in the title.  This way others who may relate to your own personal journey can respond and I am sure there are many who will definitely understand the sleepless nights along with all the emotions you go through as you undergo treatment and wish you all the best with your treatment plan and hope you have family and friends who can also be there for a support network. Jules

Hi All, very cold in cheshre but a fantastic sky had 3 good walks with RIA and fed about 150 gulls must be bad on the coast  our local fields are full of gulls .Aldi shopping tues need some bird feed and perhaps a bottle of highland earl .Regards for now keep warm ,george .

Hi Brian

I do hope that Mrs B's check up yesterday went well though bet you were both glad to be back in the warm afterwards.  It was quite a chilly day here but remained dry so after going to the gym I was able to go on  my walk to the Farmers' market and came home with some lovely freshly baked artisan bread and local cheese.....needless to say not  exactly a healthy eating day ha ha.  I know the weight will be up a little when I have my assessment later today but in this colder weather it is a lot harder to 'be good'!!

Just waiting for the workforce to arrive and then will go down and visit Mum.  Thankfully the  tiling in the bathroom is now complete (he worked all weekend) so the plumbers are back today to continue.  Who knows by the end of this week some normality may well have returned.  Both the plumber and the tiler went to school with my daughter  so have had a few trips down memory lane as well as catching up with their growing family news over the past  15 yrs or so.Made me feel my age I can tell you.

Best regards to you both.  Jules 

Hi George

Yes pretty chilly over the last few days in Middlesex too and still have a tiny amount of snow lying in the garden but with temperatures on the rise agan no doubt that will go today.  We get a few gulls round here but they do not drop into my garden (yet!!).   With a 'lido' just a couple of miles away they make that home, more so in the winter months.

It is wonderful that  you and little rascal Ria are enjoying your walks and the wildlife.  I am visiting Mum this morning and  having coffee with a friend after lunch which will keep me out of the way of the workmen before doing my two day work shifts Wed/Thurs. 

Enjoy your tipple after the Aldi trip. It will warm the 'cockles of your heart' my forum friend.  Jules

Hi Jules,Busy time comming, up at our local hospital tues have had a problem in the bowel for weeks it as taken 6 weeks to get a app but it looks like the right man ,and whyenshawe is the best place for me I have had 5 operations in there over 20 years .Not going to be a  nice time for anne she is more worried than I am .Sons Mrs is taking me and will stay with me all the time .As for today had two great warks with RIA and dinner with our eldest Beverley .Regards for now .george .

Hi George

Hope Tuesday's hospital trip goes well for you.  The waiting period gives Ann more time to build her concern though I am sure she is used to you taking it in your stride bless you both.  Hope Beverly is keeping okay too.Do let us all know how you get on if you get a moment between your strolls with ever faithful RIA. Enjoy your weekend.  Jules

Hi George, 

Just a quick post to wish you well for tommorrows hospital op. Hope you are soon back home with your wife and Ria, Brian

Hi Jules, 

Hope you enjoyed your weekend and that your renovations are soon finnished. Something to look forward to.

Have had a busy day. First thing took Mrs B to sugery for another blood test. Then fired up my older back-up laptop and found there was a queue of updates waiting Have been working on this on and off all day and still only the first one going through. Have mowed the front and back lawns. the front was easy but the back one was so wet it made it very hard work. Have also boiled a load more chips ready for freezing. I spray then with oil then put them in a big freezer bag. They cook very nicely in the air fryer. Have also done my frozen chestnut in there and they were the best I have had yet. Also this evening will start work on a 40 page A4 folder as I am putting a load of wood club photos in there so we can take this to our shows to show people the variety of work that our members undertake. Plus did the hoovering for Mrs B.

We do have a nice display of primroses in our back garden curtesy of our local birds. Plus our new fortsythia is coming into bloom. The lilac in the front garden is alsoin bud now and the leaves on the cherry tree are also just opening up. Spring must be nearly here. 

Hope your visit to your mother goes well tommorrow. Also your visit to the gym.

Take care, sending kind thoughts to you and your family, Brian.

Hi All .The day went well lots of poory people there ,the staff were just fantastic as always he gave me a good going over and said the lumps were not anything to worry about but right in the bowel he wants a Computed tomography done soon as possible.So will just have to wait and get nurse Ria to look after DAD.. He did say there was a small lump like a hernia on my belly ?.But time will tell he wants me to my GP over  some pain in my neck .,regards to all keep fit and warm  george .

Hi Brian,

You have been a vey busy boy the last few days. I too managed several hours in the garden over the weekend and lawn is mowed/edged and borders weeded. I also moved one of my bird's feeding stations.  The daffs are still coming through and the front garden has a good show of the miniature vesions in bloom though with the workman's rubbish piling up around them!  Today or tomorrow should see this collected and it will look a lot better then.

Bathroom just awaiting a couple of bits (shower dial replacement being picked up  today) and cupboard doors and then  they will be back to finish off.

My daughter and grandsons were down for a few hours yesterday as they already broken up for Easter.  They were going to their old school at the end of day to see old friends and apparently there were lots of hugs going around.  I will see them all again Easter Monday all  being well when the all the family meet up for a pub lucnch followed by a walk.

Mum once again slept through my visit but there appears to be little change and she is comfortable and still having her meals. I continue to enjoy the gym and will be back there on Friday once my two work days are done and dusted.

Wishing you, Mrs B and the family a peaceful and pleasant week. Jules

Hi George

Pleased to hear you were well looked after during your hospital visit and hopefully you will have not too long to wait for the appointment for the computed tomography and fingers crossed your GP can help with your neck pain.  I am sure Ann was pleased to have you back home and the lovely RIA too.  Take care and keep enjoying your strolls.  Jules

Hi George

Pleased to hear you were well looked after during your hospital visit and hopefully you will have not too long to wait for the appointment for the computed tomography and fingers crossed your GP can help with your neck pain.  I am sure Ann was pleased to have you back home and the lovely RIA too.  Take care and keep enjoying your strolls.  Jules

Hi,Jules,Had a shock today got a letter from nhs telling me they have made a  apointment for me to have a flexible sigmoidoscopy on sat 7th april at 3pm.I do not need this one at all and it is from endoscopy unit .So I have tried to cancet that one ,confused .com.regards george 

Hi George,

How annoying to have the wrong kind of appointment come through.  Good job you have your wits about you (you sound far from confused,com to me) and hopefully this will all  be sorted and the correct scan appointment will soon follow. 

Wishing you, Ann and the family a pleasant Easter though the weather here is not looking too  bright. Will make the most of any gaps in the rain and have a family pub lunch on Easter Monday to look forward to.

Stay warm my friend.  Jules

Hi.Jules. Spoke to Mr Baraza,s clinic lady and she said I do have to go through both test,s they need a full picture of just what is going on in my bowel,but i have no pain there but lots a pain in my upper spine,and that is down to Cervical Spondylosis or neck Arthriits as the case may be.But the last few days Anne,s left knee is a mess swollen and sore she can hardly wallk at all .And off her food I am doing her a fishermans pie she likes those  so I hope she will eat it .We are putting down to our age she is 82 I am nearly 85 come july .Well thats me for today .happy easter regards to all .george

Happy Easter to you and Anne  George.  Sorry for late response but notifications not getting through to me at present....some pesky rabbit gremlins may be!

So you have to have both tests but at least now you know why and good they are keeping an eye on you. Poor Anne, no fun having a painful knee and with the Easter break a delay in getting it looked at too.  You made my mouth water with the thoughts of that fisherman's pie so hope she was able to manage some and that she will soon be feeling better.

Would have been my  hubby's birthday tomorrow (67).  I am going out to a pub lunch in Worburn with the children/grandchildren tomorrow and we will raise a glass (or two).  As it is dry here at the moment am planning on going to the Farmers'Market after visiting hubby's resting place this morning and with a bit of luck will enjoy a freshly cooked lunch from one of the many stalls.

Take care of yourselves. Happy Easter Day.  Jules

Hi Jules,Back into hospital at 10am tomorrow for the big scan I am full  of dye  and stuff ready to go

But as I have said in the past the team looking after me are fantastic Anne was in today for 5 hours having scans etc on her knee it is a mess but she had our Bev with her looking after her .Regards for now speak soon .regards george .

Hi George

Poor Anne; that was a long day for her at the hospital but lucky to have the company of your daughter Bev (hope she is keeping well too now).  Really hope the scan shows what is going on with her knee and she can receive quick treatment/relief.

Wishing you all the best for your scan appointment today and no doubt you are taking it all in your stride and keeping the staff happy too. I can still remember well the time my Dad was in hospital just before his bypass and we arrived for visiting hours to find him making toast in the nurse's kitchen because he said they did not have time and he was bored!!!!  Such a character and I think they missed him when he moved hospitals for his op ha ha.

Do let us know how you both are when you have a spare moment my friend.  Hugs from Jules

HI Flower.I think all went well with the scan just have to wait now for the results from the lab ,yesterday I went to our local blood clinic in Altrincham hospital they took some blood so again waiting for results .But its all down to diverteculites ? or something hole or pockets in the colon/bowel.Anne is a bit better we did the big shop this morning at our local tesco she used the trolly as a walker and she did well ,the swelling is down a bit but still in pain .And as I said we are both waiting for results for blood and such.As for weather up here in timperley very cold but  dry had RIA out twice  and two more to go,she is on water  tablets and has to wee a lot to take the urin away we are both on the same tablet but I have to pay for hers .Well that is it for now regards  to all ,george anne and ria .

Hi George,

Just back from a short break and glad to hear that the scan and blood tests are done and dusted.  Waiting is frustrating but hope the news is good for you when the results come in.  Pleased that Anne is showing progress and fingers cross the pain/swelling clears up fully soon.

Weather in Middlesex slowly warming up and it seems the next few days could be a bonus at this time of year.  I am hoping to get into the garden after visiting Mum tomorrow (lawn really needs mowing now) but here is a shot from my trip which can far outweigh anything I could produce  ha ha.  Take care.Jules

Hi Jules,

Hope you enjoyed your long weekend trip. Well done to you for ticking another box. Thanks for sharing your great photos. 

Since Monday I have laid several paving slabs in our back garden  The turf I had to lift to make way for them was so heavy but I did it and have taken it plus sawdust and other rubbish to the tip as well. There was so much I had to make two trips but at least they did let me back out. Have also cut the hedge and mowed the lawns  so feeling rather weary now. Garden looks so much better now but just have a few gaps between the slabs whice I need to fill with cement so will try and do this tommorow. 

I also took Mrs B to a local farm shop/garden centre this afternoon and went through the country lanes. It was a lovely drive and with the car windows opens we could hear  the birds singing and saw lots of primroses decorating the hedgerows.and we both thoroughly enjoyed the drive.

This week is going by very quickly. Hope you mun was okay and did you show her your photos? Glad you managed to get your lawns mowed.

My china rose radishs are growing well now and nearly every seed I planted has come up so had to thin them out and cant wait for them to be ready. Havent been able to buy any for many years now.

Hope you manage to fiend some time to relax in your garden. Sending kind thoughts to you and your family, Brian.

Hi Brian,

It was a lovely few days away and so well organised; stayed dry throughout and beautiful surroundings.

You have been busy outside and do not envy you the lugging of paving slabs let alone the  turf removal but am sure you were shattered but satisfied by the time it was all done and bet it looks lovely too.  I never get tired of wandering round a garden centre but it is hard to resist the temptation of spending just a little too much.  I need compost for my new hanging basket and also more bird food so may well have to fit in a trip this weekend.  Have both blackbird and sparrows nesting in the ivy at the end of my garden and they are forever hungry.

Visited Mum though no response to my visit so did not get the chance this week to show my photos but as I have some on social media and am friends with the activity lady at the residential home she talks with Mum about them (though again no response back).  Must be so hard for Mum to be feeling this way though she is in no pain and still eating at meal times.

Glad you radishes are growing well and it will be great for you to taste them when ready.  Funny, I have never been a fan of any kind of radish and can only think must have been put off them at some point as a child.  It is one of the few things I dont eat as far as salad goes.

The evening before I went away my sister in law phone to let me know she had been diagnosed with breast cancer (very early and caught through Mammogram screening).  She  has her op next week and the consultant surgeon is expecting it to be straightforward.  Will have my fingers crossed for her.  He has told her that her planned visit over here in May should be no problem.  She is coming to stay with me for a week  mid May and then my summer holiday is booked in June when I will go to the Isle of Man and catch up with her plus my brother in law and his wife (have booked flight and a B&B so I can be independent and also, despite them having been there over three years there is still work going on with the house and that is not my idea of 'a rest'.

Spent this morning weeding and dead heading in the front garden as cannot go out as have a parcel due to be delivered.  Tempted to put a chair out there as cannot sit in the back garden as would not hear the bell (extension unit is useless ha ha).

Look after yourself and hope Mrs B and the family are doing well.  Jules