HELP - NEW HOME WANTED FOR A GOOD DOG

Flynn, a good Jack Russell

When Bertie and Flynn reached puberty they started to fight with one another. Real fighting. To the death type fighting. We have tried an animal behaviourist - no good. Flynn has been neutered in an effort to establish him in a more submissive role. All to no avail.

Our only resort now is to re-home one of the dogs. We have decided that Flynn will be the one to go. We would like him to go to a good home. So before we take him to a Dog Trust Re-homing Centre we wondered if anyone knows anyone who would like a good dog. He is 11 months old and used to a family environment. He has been injected, wormed, chipped and neutered. He is warm and friendly (if a little yappy) and loves walks in the park. FREE to a good home!!!

16 November 2009 - Appointment at QE Hospital

Visit to QE for blood test and to see Dr Sanghera, Consultant Oncologist.

Blood tests were OK and another month's chemotherapy prescribed. Dr Sanghera asked how Deb had been and she mentioned that lately she had been feeling more breathless which she had attributed to putting on more weight. The doctor did an oxygen saturation test and found this was a little low (reading was 94, normal level about 97). He was concerned that the breathlessness and lower then expected oxygen levels may be due to a clot in the lung (blood clots are a possible side effect from the chemotherapy). As a precautionary measure the doctor thought that Deb should have a CT scan of the lungs to rule out the possibility of a clot in the lungs. Deb was admitted onto a ward at 12.00 but didn't have her scan until 5.30. It was too late to get the results that day and the hospital (as a precautionary measure) gave Deb a blood thinning agent and wanted to keep her in overnight. Deb remembered the last time she was in hospital overnight when she had come out the following day with Noro virus and decided she wanted to go home (She had to sign forms saying that she had discharged herself against medical advice). We returned the following day - the scan was fine, there was no clot. But because she had been given a blood thinning agent (as a precautionary measure) she had to have another blood test to make sure her blood was the right consistency before she could come home.

In brief - everything remains the same. Chemotherapy continues.

Deb will have a further MRI scan in about a month's time. Next consultant's appointment: 14 December.

Reduction in steroids to 2mg per day still going well. I think Deb is sleeping a bit better and is less 'jittery'.

13 November 2009 - Getting up to date

Our cottage at North Huish, Devon

Another fine day on the beach at Burgh Island, Devon

I know, I know. I haven't posted a blog for a couple of months. Its our new kitchen - its taken over my life. Do we need a separate oven and hob? What type of sink? What are the disadvantages of solid wood worktops? Where do I source the fridge/freezer? Its never ending. But it is all coming together and next week it will be fitted - anyway that's the plan

In brief, to bring you up to date:

1. 2-9 October - Holiday in a cottage at Horth Huish, Devon. (Awful weather. Cottage good. Overall 6.5 out of 10)

2. 12-17 October - Wall between kitchen and dining room knocked down, downstairs loo extended to form utility room - all preparation for the new kitchen.

3. 19 October - Deb's monthly trip to QE Hospital to have blood tested and see consultant. Saw Dr J Sheriff, Senior Registrar not Dr Sanghera. It was agreed that Deb could try again to reduce steroids from dose of 3 mg per day to 2 mg. This has proved a success. Deb had 2 weeks of alternating days of 2 and 3 mg and then moved permanently onto 2 mg. She has not had any severe headaches or other symptoms as with previous reductions in steroid levels. If she continues to be OK on this dose she may try for a further reduction in the new year. Blood test results were good and Deb is prescribed chemotherapy and preventative antibiotics for a further month.

4. 26 October - Further meeting with Dr Mheera Shah, Psychologist. Most of her patients have had cancer and are recovering. So they have a goal, an end point. For instance a woman with breast cancer may have had her breast removed and Dr Shah would work with her to get her to accept this and feel good about her body again. With Deb it is different. She is not going to get better. This disease is permanent. So all our chats with Mheera are about strategies to make life a bit better. Still we both come out feeling it has been a useful experience, so it must be doing some good.

5. 2 November - Took over an allotment with Patrick my friend down the road. Have started to dig it over. Had our first harvest -potatoes left by the previous owner. Now looking for about 4 tonnes of good manure.

6. 10 November - In a bid to stop the dogs killing one another, took Flynn to the vet's to be castrated. Afterwards, he (can I still call him 'he'?) looked forlorn and sorry for himself. A red sore looking empty sack where his balls used to be. Up to date (one week later) this has not worked. Dogs are still at each others throats.

7. 11-12 November - Visited Sam in Scarborough. As part of his degree course he had designed and installed an installation in Scarborough Museum. A touch screen enabled you to access information on various exhibits - charms used in witchcraft. He wrote the software, added the pictures and sounds. Saw Sam's lecturer who was impressed with what he had achieved.