A bl**dy awful week

It all started with Jade and her collapse. Little did we know that the saying 'things always come in three's' was to prove correct. As far as Jade was concerned we continue to see an improvement but we're not out of the woods yet with her head tilt still very noticeable. No more walking in circles though, and jumping off the boat was no longer a problem. The antibiotics seem to be doing the trick  as her appetite was now back to Labrador mode but the cunning madam had got wise to the tablets spitting them out at every opportunity. I now have shares in Pate cause I'm getting through loads of the stuff just trying to get them down her throat! So that was the first of our awful week. The second was me coming down with Diverticulitis again. This is a horrible disease leaving one doubled up in agony. Standing is painful, sitting is painful, lying down is painful in fact there is nothing to do but suffer. I first noticed discomfort on Monday but tried to put it to the back of my mind. I changed my diet eating white bread instead of wholemeal, cutting out fruit and veg and drinking clear liquids. Unfortunately this didn't stop the disease and by Tuesday I was doubled up in pain. I keep an emergency supply of antibiotics just for this eventuality so started them immediately.  By Wednesday the fever started and I had to let Ian go on his own to see the consultant. And that leads me to number three in our awful week. Baring in mind I was very ill and couldn't really think straight I was totally devastated when he returned to say the cancer was back. This time in his prostrate. I lost it and broke down completely. Why why why....... after everything Ian has been through, 2 operations, losing half a shoulder blade, being told he may lose an his arm if the tumour in his armpit starts growing again, going through radiotherapy and 2 lots of chemotherapy and all the uncertainty over the last 6 years it just doesn't seem fair. We now wait a MRI scan to see if the tumour is contained in the prostrate or has spread to other parts. Nothing can be decided as to treatment until we see the consultant mid March so with our Northern Lights cruise coming up in less then 2 weeks, we are going to make the most of that experience. I will just say that the biopsy on the tumour showed it to be a low grade and normally on an older man ( over 65 ) the treatment is to wait and see. With Ian only just into his 60's, the possibility of some sort of intervention is more probable. Having done some extensive reading on the net I now feel a bit more optimistic and with the other tumours on his back and under his arm still showing no more growth, I am keeping positive.

So on a lighter note:-