12 April 2009 - The First Anniversary

On 12 April 2008 Deb and I visited Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield. Deb had been to our GP with headaches and he had referred her to Dr Mazibrada a neurologist. He sent her for a precautionary CT scan when the tumour was first diagnosed.

6 April 2009 - Appointment at QE Hospital - AT LAST GOOD NEWS

6 April - Garden Frederick Road - Before the hospital
visit

Deb had her third MRI scan since the radiotherapy on 30 March. This visit was to find out the result. A stressful time especially after the poor result of the last scan. Deb has been on edge all last week. If that was possible, the difficulty she has staying asleep has got worse. Sam and Kate came with us to the hospital. We all expected bad news and further tumour progression. However we were all proved wrong. For the first time since Deb was first diagnosed; a doctor actually gave us good news. The grade IV parts of the tumour had not got any bigger. This is great news. Either the tumour has stabilised following the radiotherapy or the change in the chemotherapy regime to a continuous dose is having an effect and slowing the growth.

Deb had another blood test and the results were OK. The red blood cell count was a little lower than normal but not enough to affect the chemotherapy and Dr Sanghera confirmed we would continue with the daily dose as before. He also confirmed that the liver results were not a problem. He has also suggested that the GP does the next set of bloods in 2 weeks time. I liked the fact that he said this. It means he feels more relaxed about Deb and is happy not to see her for a month. This means we can relax too. Go and see friends or book a week away perhaps.

Next scan arranged for 2 months time. Lets hope things stay as they are. In this case no news really is good news.

4 April 2009 - Zoe and Elizabeth's visit to Grandad and Deb

4 April - Ash End House Farm, Nr Tamworth - Zoe and Elizabeth get to stroke the chicks

1 April 2009 - Visit to Church House Barn

Liz and Chris' barn conversion - Richard's Castle, near Ludlow Shropshire

If you fancy a great holiday break staying in the Annex - I can recommend the walk up around the church and up to the common or along the Mortimer Trail into Ludlow - go to the website:

http://www.churchhousebarnludlow.co.uk/

or contact

Chris & Liz Smith

Church House Barn, Richards Castle, Nr. Ludlow, Shropshire SY8 4ET

Tel: 01584 831160

27 March 2009 - Unfastening the ties that bind

27 March - HSE Offices, 1 Hagley Road, Birmingham - last day

10 March - Drinking Glen Garioch from my quaich

10 March - My team in Aberdeen took me out for a meal at the Silver Darling (the Aberdeen equivalent of the Fat Duck I guess) and presented me with a quaich - a Scottish friendship cup for drinking whisky. This was all totally unexpected. I felt very emotional that people who I have only worked with for about 18 months (and remotely managed so our relationship was not a close as it should have been and neglected because of what's happened to Deb) should have bothered to do this. I asked them why they felt I had been a good manager and they said they liked me because 'I followed procedures'. Well that's that then; 35 years of honing skills and knowledge and I have just about learnt 'to follow procedures' Hah.

19 March - My team at Bootle (well most of them) took me out for a drink at lunch time and gave me two books about the offshore oil industry by Paul Carter : Don't Tell Mum I Work on the Rigs She Thinks I'm a Piano Player in a Whorehouse and This is not a Drill Just Another Glorious day in the Oilfield. I didn't ask them if they thought I was a good manager. Eddie had already told me he thought I was a waste of space cause all I did was follow procedures.

26 March - My farewell presentation in Aberdeen. My boss said a few kind words. I had said I did not want a gift and asked for contributions to Brain Tumour UK. The whip round had raised £186 - excellent.

27 March - My last day in the Birmingham Office. At lunch time went out to the Apres Bar with friends who I had worked with throughout my career in HSE. Deb, Kate and Jason also came. A sad, nostalgic occasion. Now I was leaving I realised how big a part of me work was. But there is now the future. A blank canvas to be filled with clear bold strokes of colour.

23 March 2009 - Appointment at QE Hospital, Cancer Centre

25 March - Back garden Frederick Road - Deb and I with the dogs

23 March - Appointment with Dr Sanghera. Interim appointment to carry out blood tests.

Blood Tests

Deb is now on continuous chemotherapy. Remember this is a drug which targets all cells that are growing rapidly, not just tumour cells but also the bone marrow and the lining of the gut and lots more. So blood tests are now on a fortnightly basis to ensure that despite the effects of the chemotherapy Deb's has enough white blood cells to fight infection and platelets to stop the flow of blood should she start to bleed. Also this time Dr Sanghera had asked for tests to assess liver and kidney function. Unfortunately the blood analysis machine was not working and the tests had to be sent to the main hospital lab. This created a two hour delay and we left before the results were available. Rang Fred the next day to get results. He said bloods were OK but liver test was raised. This can be a problem - the chemotherapy drug is metabolised by the liver. Fred consulted Dr Sanghera who agreed we could continue with the temozolomide but we would monitor the liver function at future tests.

Clinical symptoms

Deb has been having a lot of back pain and has felt some weakness in her left side - particularly when going up and down stairs. . Dr Sanghera examined her and said the effects were not due to the tumour. The steroids can cause osteoporosis and he suggested a bone density scan. Deb is still feeling low since the poor result of the last scan. We have not heard from the psychologist attached to the Cancer Centre and Fred agreed to chase this up.

21 March 2009 - Zoe's Birthday Party

21 March - Abingdon - Zoe riding her bike (pink) - almost

21 March - Abingdon -Zoe blowing out the candles on her cake at her 5th birthday party