Over the last few days.

I am a bit slow to up-date the blog due to feeling a bit tired and generally feeling in a lot of pain.



Thursday saw Norma and I traveling up to Preston for my PET scan (see footnote about scans later).



Journey was fine easy to get to hospital quite central really.



The suit in the hospital is very plush, friendly staff, big TV, free drinks.



So the PET scan process, you are taken into a private ward, just you and the nurse, you are injected with a radioactive mix by the nurse, who then stands well back and informs you that they will be back in an hour, I played and my mp3 player and just dozed.



The nurse returned about an hour later, I was now ready to go into the PET scanner, at this time I noticed that all area's were clear of people, the nurse keeps her distance very little contact, I understand why, if you work with radioactive substances, some of it must linger, so the less contact you have with the patent's the less chance you have of becoming ill or infertile.



You lay down on the bed area then into the machine you go, I will write later on about scanning machines.



After the scan is over you go back get changed pick up a drink and head home.



Oh! some things I could not do, sit down on the seats in reception (only the purple seats) not allowed within a meter of other humans, no children sat on my lap, steer well clear of pregnant ladies etc. all this for a minimum of 24 hours.



On Friday, I nipped into work for a couple of hours to do a bit of admin, in a part of the building away from humans, then on the bus up to North Manchester General Hospital for my MRI scan, this is the second MRI scan I have had here as the first one only looked at my colon, now my liver and lungs are being investigated.



Norma was not with me as we thought this would be OK as it would be just a quick scan.



The nurse informed me that I would have to be injected with a dye that will enhance the images being taken, having been injected in both elbows the day before, my veins did not want to play, so after a few attempts I ended up being injected through the fleshy part between the thumb and finger, it was sore and I normally can stand pain.



Scan went OK, I got dressed then left to get the bus. From then on things get a bit hazy, I was on at least 3 buses, some going the wrong way and so I have been told by one of my neighbors that I was quite 'out of it'. To be honest how I got home I do not have a clue, I even visited B&Q and bought some goods, how I did it I have not a clue.



Since getting home I have slept a lot in naps lasting a couple of hours but not really getting a full nights sleep, I am getting used to this now. I have been in a lot of pain and generally fed up with myself.



I as yet have no appointment to see my consultant (Cancer Crew) but am sure that they will be calling me during the week.



Scans. My second cousin is going through a bad time at the moment, she is only a young lady with a 4yo. On Friday while I was having my scan she was having hers and we have spoken about our experiences, so with this in mind let me tell you about the different scanners.



PET / MRI scanners, these are big machines which your full body is enclosed within, both ends remain open but you very enclosed. In both our cases we were strapped down with things holding you still, some people may find this very frightening, they are also very noisy.



CT scanners, just like a polo mint, not very deep, you can see all around you, hardly feel enclosed at all.



Traa dy liooar.

Saturdays Cancer Test

Do not forget to read the older post's to see what has passed to get to this point.

Today Saturday, I am just back from the hospital after my big cameras up the bowel into the bowel, fist camera was only just inside the rectum and this showed up as being a cancerous growth, leading to this weeks MRI scan then the CT scan and finally today's Colonoscopy.

I was sedated but not put under, fully aware at all times but still need to be under observation at home for 24 hours, handy Norma has been trained as a nurse.

While I was waiting I took a turn, nearly passing out, this was put down to low blood sugar and soon passed.

The observation took place about 90 minutes ago and I am passing a lot of wind and had a bit of blood earlier but at this time I feel good. i have an empty bowel after not eating for a couple of days and having had a major laxative treatment.

At this time all is good.

Had a good natter on skype last night with my Sister Lynn and Family back home on the Isle of Man.

Oh! met my consultant today and he carried out my examination and he seemed to indicate a good result, lets see what the MRI and CT scans deliver. Happy days.

Traa dy liooar

XXX

Cancer test's, cancer in the news and on TV, Michael Jackson

Please do not forget to read the older post's for the journey so far;

Right it is Friday the 26th of June, I started writing this blog nearly 3 hours ago, but due to the laxatives and not quite making it to the loo in time it has taken me a while to even get this far. LOL.

So I am taking laxatives ready for my Colonoscopy which will happen on Saturday at about lunch time, I expect to be in for a major part of the day due to being sedated and not really in a fit state to do anything on Sunday.

A week from now I will know exactly (I hope) what the plan of action and time scales will be.

A couple of years ago my Sister in law Sheila and another Sister in Law's partner Gary both were receiving treatment for cancer's. It was then that I noticed an up-surge on Television and in the media in general that Cancer's profile seemed to rise. Is it just my imagination or is it all happening again? Cancer research UK http://www.raceforlife.org/ Farrah Fawcett dieing of a similar cancer to my own etc, it just seems to be everywhere, or is it just me aware or it again.

Michael Joseph Jackson died yesterday of a reported heart attack, only 50 and so much talent, I will miss him but his music will live on.

I was speaking to my Great Nephew Albert on Skype last night, his Mum and Dad were around, what a thing this technology is, earlier in the week I had spoken to a great mate Alan over the webcam / skype and Alan was saying it was not that long ago that to have a conference call, such as we were having would have cost thousands to set up, now a cheap webcam and a microphone and sign on to something like Skype which for what I want is free and away you go. Marvelous. So much better than a telephone call, I saw our Jeanette's and Helmuts new piano while talking to Albert.

Thank you all for mailing me and writing on facebook it is great to receive your communications, keep them coming.

Traa dy liooar.

XXX

The test's go on.

Please view older posts to catch up with the story of my journey with cancer so far.

Wednesday up-date; just had my CT scan. will explain the details in a later blog but it was an easy bit. I am meeting my Cancer Team on Friday the 3rd of July at 10:00am when all the results should be in. The big Colonoscopy is Saturday lunch time no food for a while in the lead up to the camera to the bowel, I will be sedated for this one.

Thank you all who are sending me emails of support and well wishes, please keep them coming they help me.

You can get me on skype now my account name is adrian.howarth1 come and have a chat, although I must admit I may get a bit tired and not answer the call.

Last Friday saw me going through a lot of ups and Downs, sorry if I have not replied to the many texts and emails what with the pain and work I am only now just getting time to do a bit of blog time.

So Friday I went into work in the morning but left around lunch time, work is very understanding and supportive. I first had to go to my GP to pick up the script (prescription to you) as my pain killing medication has been changed, I am now on opiate based pain killers, they are really good.

All my travelling I must point out is being done on my £4.00 first day bus ticket, unlimited travel for a day on any bus and did I need it.

After I pick up the script, i catch the bus over to the hospital, took about 10 minutes, nice trip.

As per instructions I arrive early so my personal details can be taken down at the MRI scan suit at the North Manchester General Hospital (NMGH) I notice that there are quite a few people asleep in reception, this is due to the fact that i quickly find out that they have been there for hours, we have a delay due to a traffic accident at around breakfast time, I hope the people involved get better. The patience of some people though is very poor and their attitude discusting.

After a good few hours wait and yes I did fall asleep along with the rest of the waiting crowd, bit of drool trickling from the left side of my mouth and a twitch while snoring, do not know if I passed wind but when I woke up I noticed that a lot of people had disappeared.

Adrian Howarth, yes it is my name they are calling, here we go then I said to myself and everyone around me smiled, probably thanking God for the smelly old git being taken away so they can breath fresh air again. LOL.

Time for my MRI scan, I am asked to get down to my underwear and slip into a robe, nice. i then lay down on the trolley, some what I can only describe are protective plates are laid down one on my chest / stomach area and the other over the pelvis area, these are strapped down so they do not move, you then get rolled into the room with the MRI scanner, this is a very big machine, for some reason I notice that it is made by General Electric I just threw that in, the trolley is lined up and clamped to the machine heavy are protectors are placed on you these incorporate a headset for music, you are given an emergency panic button in case you need assistance, the people in attendance then leave the room and the scanner then swallows you up, it is quite an enclosed experience, the machine is noisy and it re-positions you every now and again.

One of the funny things is the music that they play, I can only describe it as trance but it blends with the banging of the machine, I fell asleep, which surprised the attendants as they admitted later, they said it is a rarity, what with all the noise but I must admit I have been dog tired recently. I had no after effects from the MRI scan, well I do not think I did, read on.

After the scan I left to get the bus home from outside the main entrance to the hospital. The 156 bus came along, Alan the driver who is one of the regular drivers on the route says hello, I show my £4.00 ticket and then sit down for the 10 minute or less ride home, now I have never been on this part of the bus route before so do not know which way it goes, I become suspicious when after about 15 min we are still heading away from Manchester, well to cut a long story short the bus does a figure 8 route and the cross over point is the hospital and I sit on the bus for over an hour just to get back to the hospital to start doing the bit of the route I need to be on to get home. Bummer :O)

So I get home, tired, sore, hungry as I had not had anything to eat for about 20 hours and nothing to drink for 9 hours, worse of all I needed the toilet.

Norma and I have our dinner, Norma nips to the 24 hour chemist to get my new painkillers, I eat a stick of liquorish that Sue at work suggested that I eat to help my bowel, Norma brings me the painkillers I take one then all hell breaks loose.

I go to the toilet in agony, I do not know what triggered it, painkiller, Big Mac with Mac flurry, Liquorish, My stomach / bowel erupts, the pain was the worst that I have experienced in my life, I am crying, moaning thinking I am going to pass out. Norma can hear the noises and is very worried, she admits she was wondering about calling an ambulance or just driving me to A&E.

About an hour I spent in the toilet off and on, till the pain eased and all of a sudden all pain was gone, I can only imagine the cancerous tumor had created a block and nothing was getting past it easily, so in the end either the painkiller relaxed me or the liquorish worked, either way the pain just disappeared.

The great news is that the pain that I have been in for months now has also lessened, I do not know if it is the painkillers or what but I feel really good. So good that I do not care if my sleeping cycle is screwed up, the pain that I have been living with night and day has gone for the time being.

I have two more tests in the coming week and lots of pre-medication to take the CT scan is at 7:15 on Wednesday night and the Colonoscopy is at lunchtime next Saturday, I am being sedated for the Colonoscopy and have warned work that I cannot be in work on the Sunday, the information leaflet that comes giving instructions has warned me that I will be poorly for about 24 hours after the Colonoscopy. :O(

Going forward I have bought and installed my new web cam http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/webcam_communications/webcams/devices/3056&cl=us,en
Nifty piece of kit, good performance.

I have also signed up for Skype and anyone who wishes can contact me my account name is adrian.howarth1 download Skype for free and make free Skype to Skype calls / video calls http://www.skype.com/intl/en-gb/download/skype/windows/

I will make another blog entry as soon as I have something interesting to say, I hope this entry made you smile in places.

Traa dy liooar

Adrian