Toast!

4^th July.

The day after my son, Colin’s, birthday. Rowena and I went to the hospital to hear the results of the Fine Needle Aspiration of the Level 1 Lymph Node, which was by now the size of one of those flying saucer sherbets that we used to buy http://www.treasureislandsweets.co.uk/products/Flying-Saucers-Sweets.html - but as hard as a gobstopper.

“I’m not going to beat about the bush”. She says. “It’s cancer”. She says. But not as we know it. Bugger. It’s not a lymphoma then. Neither Hodgkins nor non-Hodgkins. It’s some form of SCC – but we’re going to have to rip your tonsils out to find out more. But Dr. Haloob was very nice about it.

Oh, and you’ll need an MRI scan to see what’s in your neck, and a CT scan to see what’s in your chest. Ah. Hmm. So, plenty of jelly and ice cream, then? “No. Toast!” “Eat as much as you can” Ah.

Technology. I had the MRI scan last Thursday down at QEII hospital in Welwyn. Life on Mars – it was like going back to the 70’s. The hospital felt unhealthy. But the scanning technicians were cheerful and the equipment was spanky. Flashing lights and humming – it must be clever! With the aid of bright yellow earplugs, despite the mighty roar of the magnets spinning around my neck, I dozed off a couple of times during the 40 minute scan. At one point they injected something to make the tissues glow – a pity it was on the inside only.

I had the CT scan today back at Lister – then went to play golf in the 28 degree sunshine. This hospital is busy, But it feels clean. The technician is from New Zealand and I wondered what she meant by a nick scan. Until she pronounced it properly – a neck scan, Today’s scan was by x-ray and was of the lungs and heart. This machine was just as impressive as the MRI. Whiter, The scan only lasted 15 seconds! But then there was another 15 second scan after they injected me with iodine. That made all extremities glow warm. And I mean all extremities.

Triathlon. I've been to work on my bike a few times – three 12 mile round trips. On Monday I swam for 6 lengths – couldn't do more – but today I swam for 16. And yesterday I ran for 1 mile.

So next up is the big one. Tonsils out on 23^rd. Then it’s toast and tenterhooks until 3^rd August when results are due,