Seventh Chemotherapy Cycle

It's almost springlike this morning. The sun is out and it's a good deal warmer. The bulbs which Carol planted in the large round planter, and given her by her mum, seem to have survived the snow and are looking fresh and healthy. Even the Christmas tree, which was put out in the garden after the festive season, looks as if it's put on some growth. Whether it services until next Christmas is another matter. We can only hope. I think it might need repotting into a larger pot. We have an almost constant flow of birds to the bird-feeding station, so that seems a success. We must keep it topped up with food.

Carol had to be at the oncology department by 9.20 this morning. We were there well before that time and as a result we spent at least 40 minutes waiting. Carol had to have a bloodiest before the actual chemotherapy starts on Monday morning. She had another appointment at 4.30 in the Macmillan unit this afternoon but she decided to cancel as it would mean us coming out again, so I walked down the corridor and spoke to their receptionist but couldn't reschedule the appointment. We will have to ring the doctor's secretary to arrange a new appointment.

Very quiet in the oncology department. Few patients. But we weren't in there long.

We went to Waitrose for coffee and cake. You can generally rely on Waitrose for good quality coffee and cake. Well, one reason for going there is because we can have the coffee free as we each have My Waitrose cards. A good enough reason. Then we did some shopping, for Sunday lunch, as there's an offer on related to Mothering Sunday this weekend.

Alfie really is a fussy little dog. He has virtually the same food which we feed him every evening. Usually dry mixer with some meat in it. He eats the meat and the dry biscuit is left so he has something to eat if he's hungry during the day. He does pick at it on occasion. If we're having a meal, at lunchtime or whenever, he occasionally gets scraps. Not too much, as it's not good to over-indulge a dog with scraps. I broke up a biscuit which was left on the shelf in the lounge, which Carol left there. He poked it with his nose, but wouldn't eat it. If we give him some scraps he often asks for permission, leaving it and then looking at one or other of us for approval and may eat whatever it is.

There's a tin on the footstool in the lounge which has pens and pencils in it. It used to have Marks and Spencer shortbread in it for Christmas. Alfie has learned the trick that, if he stands with his back paws on the floor and his front paws on the stool and pokes the tin with his paw he will get our attention. He's got wise to the fact that, by sitting in our eye-line, in front of the television when we're watching something, we will get his attention.

I'm trying desperately to find stuff to write about in this post. I have to say that the last few posts I've written have been a bit repetitive. Going backwards and forwards to Milton Keynes hospital as we have over the past couple of months have become very similar so these blogs are similarly written. Just a thought before I hit the 'publish' button.

Macmillan Unit Appointment

On Wednesday morning we had an appointment at the Macmillan Unit at Milton Keynes Hospital with a lady from Citizens' Advice about benefits. Very positive and helpful. We have to ring a telephone number to start the process, and once that is done and the D.W.P. (Department of Work and Pensions) sends a completed application form we will have another appointment with the lady from C.A.B. to complete the application. It wasn't as bad as it might have been, having myself been through this process when I lived on my own in my flat in Bedford after my heart attack in 2006. Fortunately we managed to park the car in the regular car park. Just as well the appointment was early in the morning because, from experience, this can become very full later in the day.

When we arrived, a good deal earlier than we needed, we made use of the time by going into the Oncology Suite as Carol needed to have the P.I.C.C. line changed. Fortunately they weren't busy and a nurse did this in time before we went to the Macmillan Unit. The line has to be checked and changed to prevent any blood clots.

We picked up the stoma bags which had been left behind the reception desk and then left. As we walked out of the hospital it was bright sunshine, but earlier, when we got in the car at home, there was a smattering of what looked like snow on the car. Also, it was quite chilly and very likely there would be snow later.

Carol was determined to go out for a coffee somewhere, anywhere, so we drove to Waitrose at Oakgrove and had latte and a snack in their café. You get the coffee or tea free if you have a My Waitrose card, and we both have our own so we both get the coffee free, but you have to have something to eat it you use the café, which is reasonable enough. I had a Danish pastry and Carol had a custard tart. We then browsed the store and bought quite a bit, together with a free copy of The Guardian, as you also get a free newspaper if you spend over a certain amount, I think it's £10. They've redesigned The Guardian and changed the size from Berliner to Tabloid. I quite like the new size but I'm not sure of the new masthead. I don't think it suits a newspaper of the calibre of The Guardian somehow, but I suppose I will get to like it, with time.

Well, I think Carol enjoyed her morning out, even if it began at the hospital. We haven't been out for quite a while due to her illness. Being stuck indoors for such a long time is beginning to pall, as you can imagine, and the fact that it was bright and sunny, although cold, made all the difference.

Swimming At Nuffield Health

We haven't been swimming at Nuffield Health at Kent's Hill for a while. Mostly down to one or two factors, ill-health, for both of us, but mostly just life in general. But this morning we went. It has been a rather strange morning, weather-wise. Somewhat undecided, raining one minute and then the next, bright sunshine. Because Carol is on Half Term this week we don't have to get up early. Generally we're up by 5.45, drinking tea and watching Breakfast on BBC1. I think at the moment we might actually skip the news, what with terrorist attacks in Manchester and General Election stuff. I don't like it when either party leaders start making personal attacks. I'm not going to get into politics on here. Always a good thing to steer well clear of at the best of times, but at least it will be over in around 9 days. Thankfully our electoral system doesn't drag on relentlessly as it does in America, for at least a year. Ours is over in a matter of weeks. Then, regarding the Manchester terrorist attack. Why do the television companies and mainly the BBC think it's necessary to carry hours and hours of discussion and analysis of the subject? Particularly when a lot of the pictures are repeated and we've had the same bits of film shown in a sort of loop. Is it supposed to help the families and friends of the unfortunate victims of this outrage? I know it was awful, but, please, stop harping on about it and why do they insist on planting their reporters in places in and around Manchester and just talking endlessly about the tragedy? Enough is enough. Actually playing into the hands of those who were responsible and giving them publicity.

It was quite busy when we arrived at Kent's Hill and parked the car. You have to be careful where you park, as it's on a slope. I know our car has good brakes, but I don't like leaving it on a slope. Just keep thinking it's going to run away. I know it won't, but it doesn't help that I get the feeling that it might. There were a few people swimming up and down the pool as I walked in. Still managed to do around 20 lengths of the pool. Then into the sauna and then the steam room. Back in the pool for a further couple of lengths. Then some of the centre's staff started setting up for what I presume is called aqua aerobics. We got to the pool at the wrong time a few weeks ago and had to get out of the pool when all these people started doing these water-based exercises, lead by this woman who waved her arms around to loud music. Today one woman swimmer took one of the plastic steps and placed it in the pool. I think she was one of those people who was very particular where she stood (or sat) and wanted to make sure nobody else got her place in the pool. There's always someone like this in every group of people who meet, for whatever reason. They insist on sitting in exactly the same place, on the same chair, on a bus, a train, in a church, theatre or wherever. They get really upset if they can't. If someone comes along and alters their little bit of space, or wants to sit or stand where they've stood or sat for the past 30 years or so. Come rain or shine. A sort of territorial trait of some sort. Wars have been started over lesser things. Sad, really. But we sat in the jacuzzi and could see this going on and this particular woman wasn't backing down and insisted on having her step-stool left where it was. Oh dear, what a fuss.

We left to get dressed and then went to Waitrose, which is only a short distance from Nuffield Health. As we both have My Waitrose cards we can have free tea or coffee although you have to buy something to eat as well if you use the café. Not unreasonable I suppose. It's generally a very nice place to sit and eat, but when I'd paid for our food and carried it to where Carol was sitting amidst some nice upholstered  armchairs and sofas, I had to shift a load of dirty cups and plates left from a previous customer. Unfortunately not up to Waitrose's generally good customer-care, as it's generally spick and span and then the pastry I had chosen seemed somewhat under baked. Oh dear, things are slipping, sad to report. 

From Waitrose we drove to IKEA because we're looking at the possibility of replacing our sofa and my armchair. The one I chose a couple of months ago isn't the most comfortable chair I've ever sat in (which I am as I write this blog post.) There are plenty to choose from and in the end we've decided to order on line because it would be easy to let IKEA deliver the chair as it would be difficult to carry it home in the car. The place is heaving. I don't think I've ever seen it so busy. Mostly in the restaurant. I can see why, because the food is good and very good value. I have a feeling people go in there to use the restaurant and not necessarily to just buy furniture and household items.

More Creative Writing

I'm currently following a creative writing book written by Chris Sykes, very imaginatively entitled "Complete Creative Writing Course (A Teach Yourself book, 2014). I am working my way through the various exercises within this book. It is similar to the Futurelearn course I did some while ago called 'Start Writing Fiction.' As part of the course, I have to find a location and then sit and describe it, rather in the fashion of a painter would paint a landscape, but, in this case it's in words. Not as easy as it might at first appear. I did my first one sitting in the Waitrose café. I chose that one because I had to go there for some shopping and also you can have a free coffee or tea if you have a My Waitrose card. Today I have done the second one, but this time, it was at the Ouzel Country Park at Woughton, and just off Chaffron Way. It has been a more or less perfect sunny day, although the day started off foggy, but this cleared by around 9.15, so it seemed perfect conditions for me to attempt this second exercise. It was no good it being wet or windy, or even very foggy. I spent around 30 minutes on the exercise and I think it went relatively well. I did a similar exercise as part of the FutureLearn course and on that occasion, I went to Sainsbury's cafe.