Friday, 2 October 2009

Update Friday 2nd October

It is with profound relief that I can confirm that the answer is indeed 42; no, not the answer to life, the Universe, and everything; the fact that I did indeed pass my driving test 42 year ago today :-)

Anyway, with that out of the way, I can tell you the outcome of my appointment with the oncology consultant today. In essence, he had in front on him the scans from Bristol, together with the recent CT scan done in Exeter. In comparing the two he could tell that there are been no rapid change in activity within the brain; equally, there is quite a lot of oedema present, and this would account for my recent period of unwell-ness and its control by steroids. It then becomes a question of deciding which are the most active areas of cancer, and focusing treatment on those. It is true to say that my right leg is most troublesome pain-wise, but this is manageable with drugs and by limiting activity. I asked the consultant how he saw the disease developing within my brain, and he surmised that at the present rate of development I would expect to experience function loss (mental capacity/movement/sight/taste) possibly leading to drowsiness and coma, and that this could take place over the next two to four months. Like other consultants he was keen to emphasise that this estimate could be spectacularly wrong in either direction.

We asked his opinion about the Gamma Knife option at the Cromwell and he would not commit himself except to imply that he would probably decline the procedure were he in my position, subject of course to the fact that I haven't been there and had the specific diagnostic MRI that they use prior to surgery.

Year end

The turn of year seems like a good target to have completed any handover of responsibilities that I have on behalf of the village, so if you think you are aware of anything that I'm doing for the community please let me know in plenty of time. I'm aware that the website needs a handover to Ian Wallace, but other tasks are fairly small.

I hope you will understand that Christine and I will increasingly turn our attention inwards, so apologies if we seem less than usually responsive.

Ta-ta for now.

George

4 comments:

  1. Thinking of you George, if u or Christine need anything however large or small we are only a phone call away, with love to you both Kev, Sue, Chloe and Kayleigh xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kev at al,

    Thank you for the kind offer. I hope we don't need it, but it's good to know you are there. George and Chris

    ReplyDelete
  3. Will say a special prayer tomorrow morning George. Love to you both. H x

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi George!
    i dont really know what to say , You are both always in our thoughts !!!
    and as with all your other friends , if there is anything you think of that we could do to help in any way just ask - mum goes to sainsburys every monday just send me a list and il give it to her
    and im a dab hand with the hoover , dyson , henry , what ever you have ;-)
    Big Hugs
    Danielle
    xxxx

    ReplyDelete