We're All Going on a Summer Holiday

Under doctors orders (Dr Davies that is) - we're going on holiday - tomorrow!
- although the NHS isn't paying - unfortunately!
We're going to Gaucin in Andalucia. (That's in Southern Spain before anybody asks!)
Gaucin is one of the Pueblos Blancos (white villages) that sit high in the mountains about 20 miles up from the coast.
We found what looks to be a nice play to stay - Molino del Carmen - a converted olive mill right in the heart of the village. We're staying in the Smugglers' Suite.
I'm really looking forward to it but to be honest, I've really enjoyed planning it all and I think I'll miss that once it's all over and done with. All of those months of sitting around in the house, surfing the internet, bidding for stuff on eBay or playing Sporcle is nowhere near as good as booking flights, hiring cars and finding places to go once we're there.
Apparently, it's even possible to go to Tangiers for the day - how cool (or hot) would that be?

So the car park at the airport is booked, the flights are booked (Ryanair - Edinburgh to Malaga), the money's been exchanged, the car is hired (Hertz - Volkswagen Polo or similar), the accomodation is booked (see above) and all systems are good to go!
Take off at 12:55 tomorrow.
YIPPEE! ! ! !
OR . . . as they say in Spain . . .
JIPPEE ! ! ! !

.

Plus Ca Change . . . .

And we're off!
And we lost! (PL, that is.)
14-17 to Newton Stewart.
Did anybody think it was going to be easy playing in this division?
However - it wasn't all bad - in fact, for me, it was all quite good.

It was a bit strange being back behind my microphone and to be honest, just a bit emotional.
Apart from a couple of training matches, I think it was the 6th December since I've made any announcements - that's 38 weeks! And it's passed as quickly as Usain Bolt with his pants on fire.
Thanks to Fraser and others who stepped in for me while I was 'away'.

Sitting in the stand after being away for so long, I found myself thinking about too many daft things and what might have been - but all my rugby pals were there and it was great to see them all.
It's really good to be back - and another milestone is chalked off.

A Bolt of Lightning

Well the great Summer of British sport is over and the highlights for me have been Usain Bolt breaking the world records to win both 100m and 200m at the World Championships and England winning the Ashes.
Who says Test cricket is boring?
The lowlight was of course, The Lions losing the Test series in South Africa but all this means is that it's time to move into Winter sports mode and the rproper rugby season starts next week.
Following relegation last season, PL will start their National League Division 2 campaign at home to Newton Stewart.

Good Guys and Bad Guys?

A couple of Cancer patients have been in the news.
I have something in common with one of them and absolutely nothing in common with the other (except for the obvious).
The first is BBC TV racing and sports presenter Clare Balding
- she has just been given those magic words - 'All Clear' - after receiving successful treatment for thyroid cancer. That's great news because I really like her and hope she stays clear like me. (26 days now since I heard my Doc say 'All Clear'). Stay lucky, Clare.

The other patient is the Lockerbie Bomber - Abdelbaset Ali Al Megrahi. He's been released on compassionate grounds by Scottish Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill because he has terminal prostate cancer and only has three months to live.
This has sparked great debate on whether or not he should be released at all and if any behind the scenes deals were done to aid trade and industry between Britain and Libya in the future. He dropped his on-going appeal against his conviction, seemingly to expedite the process that would see him re-patriated under the prisoner transfer agreement between the two countries.
That means that we'll probably never know if he actually planted the bomb on Pan-Am 103 or not. There seems to be plenty of doubt in the minds of many people - except if they're American. President Obama and Hilary Clinton are no' happy. I think they're going to stop speaking to us Scots.
Ach weel - we'll just have to get some new pals.
A correspondent to The Times summed it up brilliantly
- "Our showing compassion has nothing whatever to do with what he is. It is to do with what we are."
John Graham-Hart, Aug 09.

I wish there had been less celebrations and no Saltires when he got off his plane though.

.

Of Mice and Men and Machinery

The East Lothian countryside is changing once again.

On the rare occasions when the sun's out, the golden colour of the crops is so bright that it hurts your eyes.

This is the signal for the farmers to get their skates on and their combine harvesters out to get the harvest in before any more rain comes along to spoil it. All of the rain we've had means that their costs also go up because they have to dry the grain before storing it, otherwise it will rot and will be worthless.

It's not just oilseed rape, wheat and barley that's getting harvested though - this picture was taken near Morham, just south of Haddington and it's grass that's being cut here. Presumably it'll be used for silage to feed the animals throughout the winter.

As the grass crops get cut, it's also a great time to spot wildlife. There's plenty of hares, buzzards and especially kestrels hovering high above the verges looking for unwary mice and voles.

Also, I don't think I've ever seen so many weasels running about on the roads than I have this summer - they always look very busy and give the impression that they're up to some mischief or other.

If you don't know how to tell them apart from stoats, well . . . . it's easy.

- They're weasily recognised and stoats are stoatally different!

.

Razzle Dazzle and All that Jazz

Tonight we did something jazzy.
After eating at No.12 Quality Street, we went to see the Scottish Jazz Allstars at North Berwick.
This is part of the Fringe by the Sea series of concerts and events that now take place annually as a sort of satellite part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
For the first time though, the famous Spiegeltent had made the trip down the coast and was erected by the harbour, near the Seabird Centre and this was where the concert took place. It was a packed house and a fantastic venue for this type of thing, although the organisation of the bar could maybe have been a bitty better.
Joining the Allstars for the gig was the legendary Scottish folk and blues singer, Tam White.
The whole event was brilliant and I hope the Spiegeltent is brought back next year.

I think it's quite a feather in North Berwick's cap to host events such as this and they need to blow their own trumpet (and trombone!) a bit more to ensure that the event goes from strength to strength.

Boots, Bats and Odd Shaped Balls

The rugby season has started again.
Well . . the pre-season to be exact. PL had their first friendly game on Saturday - against Lismore.
They're a division or two below us so it would be a nice'n'easy warm up - right?
WRONG!
We managed to hold on for a draw. It looked like we were just a wee bit rusty. I'm sure things will be fine once the season starts for real. (My fingers are crossed behind my back).

And just as the rugby season starts, I'm playing cricket!
And just as I'm about to play cricket . . . . the heavens open to show that the first week in August is not the time to play Summer sports.
The cricket match was part of an Atos Origin Family Fun day. We did eventually play and it was good so maybe next year we'll play again - in June!

Old Faces - Good Pals

It's been a week of reunions.

On Tuesday, I went back to The Vu for lunch - this time with Les.

I haven't seen him for ages so it was good to catch up with all his news about his back to the future life as a student. I hope it goes well for him and Elaine who has had more than her own fair share of troubles recently. All the best to the Fultons.

On Thursday, it was a GRAND reunion of all of the old folk that I used to work with. Fordie organised it and we went to LEERIE's of all places.

What a great night was had by all and it was especially good that Graham Dumble was able to come along for a wee while. I first met Graham in 1978 when I started working and in those early years we went through a few scrapes and japes together. A whole load of water has flowed under a whole load of bridges since those days.

Another huge surprise was in store when Allan Welch turned up! He now lives in Spain and while he didn't exactly fly in just to come to my night out, it was great to see him.

So as we settled in for the night, it was as if we had never been away. Morton was sitting by the window, Graham and Liz (both have hair much shorter now than 30 years ago), Denis and Linda, Soapy, Fordie, John, Smiggy, Clarkie and Liesl - all recycling the same old stories that we've told for years.

Plus ca change . . . . . . nights like this show exactly why it was worth getting better!

Thanks to everybody who managed to come along.

.

Fish Suppers, Poems & Philosophy

It's been a quietish weekend by our standards.
As Liesl, Mum N and me all had pretty rubbish birthdays in January and February, Mum C had offered to take us out for a meal to belatedly celebrate them and the good news from earlier this week.
So we took her up on this offer and threw in a run in the car as well.
There was a 'window in the weather' so at about 4pm on Saturday, we set off for Eyemouth. As usual though, we took a fairly tortuous route via Carfraemill, Coldstream, across the border to Etal before heading north to Eyemouth via Chirnside.
Etal was good - Tillside CC were playing cricket and the pitch there has a perfect setting.
And the meal out?
- A sit in fish tea at Giacopazzi's. Easily the best chippy on the south Forth coast.
We more or less came straight home after that with the exception of a slight detour to St. Abbs and then Pease Bay.
Everybody had a great time - another success.

I'm assuming the good news from Tuesday has sunk in by now but strangely there's still no feeling of real elation. Maybe it's for the best.
As Kipling once said:
"If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same . . . .
. . . . Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it".

Then he went off to make some exceedingly good cakes.
Talented man, Mr Kipling.

Rain, Rain go to Spain

What bright spark called the Cabbage White Butterfly the Cabbage White Butterfly?
Why didn't they call them the Japanese Knotweed Butterfly?
Or the Jaggy Nettle Butterfly?
Or the Dock Leaf Butterfly?
That way, instead of ravaging my cabbages, they might go and eat some of the weeds in the garden.
Everything else in the garden in rosy though.
Except for the roses. They've been battered by the daily monsoons.
Why isn't Global Warming called Global Soaking?
Next year, I think I'll try growing rice.

Time to book a holiday, I think.

The Day After the Day Before - 2

I'm still numb and I'm still stunned. And I still can't quite believe it.

I feel great though.

Looking back and remembering the cough, the weight loss, the CT scan, the bad news, the blood tests and transfusions, the inhalation treatment, the chemo, the burning face, the canulas, getting home but having to go back in and worst of all - the fear . . . . it all seems so far away.

I also have to remember the good bits - old pals geitting in touch, the support from family and friends, the good people you meet, the good people who treat you, the gifts and cards, the good news and getting to be Jan's 'Website of the Day'!

It's very surreal but it's real.

We did it!

Well done us.

The immediate plan is to go back to clinic in two months - just to see the Doc to let him check me over and get the usual blood tests. Then, in about six months, I'll get another CT scan.

I expect that'll involve more nervous waiting and stuff but for now, let's start living.

.

An Amazing Day

The waiting area at WGH is very quiet. It's lunchtime and it seems to be the time between the morning and afternoon clinics - we're early and the girls on reception are still on their lunch. So we wait. We're good at waiting. Well, practice makes perfect.
Eventually, I get weighed - 83.9kg - exactly the same as the last time that I was there. Okay - I know it's too heavy but it's better than the 68.9kg it was a few months ago!
Then it's the obligatory blood sample, then through to the final waiting area. And we wait.
Not for very long though - Dr Davies calls us in even before I'm half way through the crossword.
Will he have a "good news & bad news" technique?
Nope - there's no need.
He calmly says - "There's good news. Your PET scan was clear".

How are you supposed to react to that?
There are probably no rules but for what it's worth, I shook, tried hard and in vain to hold back tears, looked at the Doc in disbelief, looked at Liesl to check that I'd heard right and wondered how this could be?
My PET scan was clear.
Six months to the day after a doctor had stood at the end of my bed and told me that I had cancer, another doctor is sitting across a desk from me and is telling me that I no longer have cancer. Each piece of news is equally hard to believe. Each piece of news is equally frank. Today's piece of news is something else though. It's amazing. It's truly amazing.
It's hard to speak and find the words to say thanks and to ask Dr Davies to pass on my thanks to Dr Farquharson when he sees her.
Dr Farquharson, you're the best.

So we leave - thinking about clicking our heels but realising we're too tired and drained for that.
There's a call to make before we leave the hospital though. To Shelagh. She was first to be called with the bad news in January so it's only right that she's first to be called with the good news today. And she's as pleased as we are - it's great to see her running along the corridor from her office and that's when I realise what it's going to mean to everybody. It's amazing. Have I said that?

Most, or probably all, families get hit with cancer at sometime or another but I think ours has been hit harder than most over the years. When it's an older person then I suppose you've got to take it on the chin but we've lost too many that were around the same age as me or even much younger. So for Chrissie, Pauline, Nan, Charlie, Nessie, Moira and many others who were all part of Team Craig, I hope, for the moment at least, that I've got one back.

The calls and messages go out. To Mum Naismyth, Shona, Eleanor & Andrew, Moira & Jack, Greg, Karlynn & Iain - and the reactions are just the same. It's brilliant news.
No call or message to Mum though - we'll go in to tell her.
And she's overwhelmed when we get there. It's been a crap week for her so far but this has lifted the gloom just a bit. It's amazing.

Tonight, we went to the Golf Inn for a celebratory meal - Liesl had liver. How ironic is that?
I have to admit that I feel a bit flat. I don't know why because I know that I should be looping the loop and I'm sure I will tomorrow. Today's been a day to remember. In fact, it's been six months to remember.
The jokes will return tomorrow but for now my PET scan was clear.
The non-hodgkin's lymphoma has gone.

And it's amazing.

.

It's in the Post

If truth be told, I was hoping that Dr Davies would have called me with the scan result sometime on Friday but realistically I thought it would have been today. However, it's a well known fact that like watched kettles that never boil, watched mobile phones never ring.
So I admit that I was more than a bit surprised when there was a letter waiting for me when I got home tonight (been at a rugby committee meeting) asking me to come to a clinic at 13:30 tomorrow. This would normally be ok news but there's no doubt that I feared the worst. My thinking was that as he had said he would phone me, I was guessing that's what he would have done if he had good news for me. As he wanted to see me face to face, well . . . . . .
Maybe I'm thinking too much. Maybe my glass is half empty!

One more night of waiting but I don't feel like going to work tomorrow - maybe I'll work from home for two hours.

Breaker Breaker One Nine - Do You Copy?

Here we go then. I’m petless as I pitch up for the PET scan, so it’ll have to be me. As suspected, it’s a mobile scanner housed in the back of a lorry parked in one of the back car parks at WGH. The reception area (in the building) is not exactly salubrious either and I have to interrupt the guy as he eats into his micro-waved curry. Maybe he passes it through the scanner to heat it up? If I were him, I’d be making sure that I had a good look at the pictures to see what was in it. It looked to me as if it had more than lymphoma!
After the customary questions, it was into the truck. The two men in control were more technicians than nurses. In fact, one of them was more like a trucker than a technician.
It’s a strange place. A wee area at the front where the computer screens are, two beds up the left hand side (a sort of ‘drawer’ pulls out from the side of the lorry to give the extra room) and the scanning loops are down the middle.
As Trucker 1 (Rubber Duck) showed me in, he suddenly realised that Trucker 2 (Pig Pen) was depositing a spent nuclear fuel rod into a lead lined bucket and I had to hurry past to the safety of the I.T. section. Once the Geiger count had subsided I went back to get a needle in my arm before being shown to the bedrooms. Rubber Duck explained that when he came back he would work very fast to minimise his exposure to the ‘stuff’, and sure enough, he soon returned with a wee metal box from which he took an impressive looking steel syringe and scooted the sugary, syrupy isotope into my arm.
It was all very James Bondesque:
“Do you expect me to talk, Rubber Duck?”
“No, Mr Craig, I expect you to glow in the dark – hee hee hee!”
Then he was off – I’ve to lie down for an hour. No eating, chewing or talking on the phone. Just as well because I’ve no food or gum and my phone’s in the car.
10-4 good buddy!
True to his word, he was back in an hour. Time to go through the hoop(s).
It’s just like the CT scanner except that there’s two loops and this time my arms were held in place by my side so that I couldn’t move. You don’t have to hold your breath – that would be a bit impractical because it’s going to take half an hour. And off I go, back and forth a couple of times at first like a mechanic on one of those bogey things they use to get under cars. I expect this was just to get the aim and focus right and then it came to a standstill for four or five minutes before moving me up another two inches or so. This stop start pattern continued for the full half hour and all you have to do is keep concentrating to make sure you don’t move.
It was Pig Pen who came in to apologise for the fact that it was such a long scan (?) and that was it. I was shown out of the back door, tripped on the stairs and became something that fell off the back of a lorry.
I head for the interstate A1 towards Shaky Town – keeping an eye out for Fuzzboxes, knowing that another long, nervous wait over the weekend lies in store.

Stay tuned good Buddies. I’ll keep you posted.
Ten-Four and Out.

Producing the Goods

Today started off with the first strawberry of the Summer (well, half a strawberry each, to be precise) and it was delicious!
The rain's been falling in near Biblical proportions over the last few days and it's helped rest of the garden no end. The experimental wild flower patch in the problem shady bit at the back of the house has filled up nicely and a few flowers are starting to open.
When we got home, we burst open the first pea-pod of the season. It made a satisfyingly loud 'pop' as Liesl cracked it open and the peas were as juicy as anything.
Any Blog readers thinking of coming round and robbing the rest had better think again. The razor wire and attack dogs are in situ to ward off any marauders!
We had a Tesco £9.00 tea tonight - Gruyere and pancetta tart with salad. The salad was boosted by our own mixed green (and peppery) leaves from the salad bowl on the porch. If we had remembered sooner, we could have dressed the salad with our home made raspberry and basil vinegar. And later tonight, we'll maybe have a home made sloe gin from the 2007 vintage!

Very soon, once the beans, tomatoes and tatties are ready, we'll be able to open a produce stall on the Green.

Signed
Tom & Barbara.

ps - A nice lady from the PET scanning unit phoned this afternoon and I'm booked in for 16:00 on Thursday. Apparently, I get injected with the radioactive isotope, then I have to lie down for an hour to let the stuff circulate and then it's into the scanner. A two loop system this time and it takes about half an hour. I'll keep you posted.

.

Blue and Buzzin'

The East Lothian countryside is changing again. The bright, harsh yellows of the oil-seed rape and daffodils in Spring are being replaced by ripening crops turning golden and these are occasionally interspersed with patches of scarlet as poppies push through to make a dramatic impact.
After flowering, the rape is actually quite a scruffy crop and remains so until it is harvested once the tiny seeds are ready.
Replacing it in the spectacularity stakes has got to be the fields of blue linseed that are becoming more common and look great from a high viewpoint. They also provide a great source of pollen for thousands of bees and there's quite a buzz if you're near one of the fields.
We've also noticed that some farmers seem to be planting the margins of other crops with linseed - presumably to encourage the bees and other wildlife.
These pictures were taken just north of East Linton and give a wee taste of what it's like.
I like it - it's kinda cool!

Another Maiden is Bowled Over

No news has come n the post about my PET scan, so as predicted, another waiting game has begun.

It was Davy and Linsey's wedding today. They got a braw day for it and the evening reception at the Royal Musselburgh was excellent. The bus home was a bit of a laugh, except for the bit where the driver under cooked a bend and we nearly ended up on the beach!
I went to see Preston Village Cricket Club today - and they won for the first time this season!
Well done to the Villagers.

The Annual Grand Day Oot!

It's Mum's birthday today - happy birthday Mum -
and as usual, we're off on the Grand Day Oot.
This year the magical mystery tour is headed for Loch Katrine and a cruise on the steamer 'Sir Walter Scott'. The SWS is no longer coal fired - it runs on recycled chip fat!

First stop though is Bridge of Allan for a nice breakfast at a pavement cafe - it was really hot (the weather, not the breakfast, although that was good too!). A few shops later and we're already behind schedule so we have to abandon a stop at Aberfoyle and go right on up the A821, The Duke's Pass. It was just as well we got there early because the efficiency of the ticket office leaves a bit to be desired and despite having booked and paid for our tickets online AND printed the vouchers off, we still had to wait for 20 minutes to get them transferred to a receipt. That meant that we were among the last to board and there were no seats left but as the cruise only lasts an hour, it wasn't too bad and you get a much better view from the rail.

I had hoped to see some wildlife like eagles and ospreys but there was absolutely nothing to be seen. The views were good though - especially the four peaks of the Arrochar Alps at the west end.

After the cruise, we had lunch by the pier and from there, we drove north to Killin and then along the north side of Loch Tay to Kenmore where we squeezed in a final shop at the Court Yard before closing time.

Onwards to Aberfeldy before finally turning south and homewards via Crieff and Auchterader where we had our tea in a braw wee Italian Cantina.

Thirteen hours after leaving Port Seton, we were home again - now that WAS a Grand Day Oot!

Grumpy Old Men

Met up for lunch with old mate Phil today - we went to The Vu which is in the hills above Bathgate. It was Phil's idea - I had never heard of the place, despite the fact that it's only about four and half miles from my work and it was really good.
It's years since I last saw Phil, so it was a good catch up. I suspect we're more like Jack and Victor nowadays but in the olden days of the hockey club we like to think that we were more Ronaldo and Rooney!

Big Steps and Wee Steps

Finding Out Day has arrived at last and not a moment too soon. However, as you will see, it didn't turn out exactly as everyone had hoped.

It started out ok with a trip up to Haddington early this morning. I always think that Haddington is at its best at this time of day, with everybody going about their daily business. It's a bit like Trumpton.

In the afternoon though, we're off to the clinic and this time, for the first time, we get to meet Dr Davies.
And the news from the CT scan is . . . . . . . . . . inconclusive!
This time there is some good news and some as yet undetermined news.
The fact that my general health and well being is good, is good news.
My kidney and everywhere else is (still) clear from lymphoma, so that is also great news.
However, my liver, which was always the worst affected area, still has a 'mark' on it. Dr. Davies explained that this might still might be an area of lymphoma that hasn't gone away BUT he also thought that it could be some scarring caused by the chemo treatment. Both are real possibilities and he just doesn't know. He knows that we would have wanted to hear him say 'all clear' but he can't do this until he's sure.
So, no need to panic but to find out for sure, I've got to have a PET scan. (I'll need to get a pet first!!*)

A PET Scan means drinking some radioactive isotope which apparently sticks to any lymphoma which then shows up on the scan. So, if the scan's clear, I'm clear.
I read in the paper today that Russia and America have agreed to reduce their nuclear arsenal. I hope Gordon Brown doesn't join in - I may be surplus to requirements!

Dr Davies promised that the scan would be within two weeks and that he'd phone me as soon as possible afterwards with the result.
(He also explained that a further liver biopsy may also be required.)

OK - it's disappointing but it isn't the end of the world and it certainly isn't the worst news I've had this year, so it's just a case of staying positive and patient for another two weeks or so.

On the way home, we look in at Archerfield, where Gary Player is having a pro-celebrity golf two day tournament. We saw Dennis Taylor, the snooker player and commentator and Martin Bayfield - best known to me as a 6' 10" England rugby player and Radio 5 Live commentator but probably more famous to younger viewers as Robbie 'Hagrid' Coltraine's body and stunt double in the Harry Potter films.

To cheer ourselves up a bit, we went to the Castle Inn for our tea. Things are looking better already!

* - Acknowledgement - Chic Murray - c1972. Thanks, Chic.

ps - my website of the day is Optical Illusions. For no other reason other than I think they're good.

'

Sea World Adventures

It's been a long wait so far but a good weekend helped to pass the time.

Preston Lodge had a Club day on Saturday which meant training at 10am (for me, 'training' means 'watching'!), then a clear-out of the storage area under the Pennypit stand, then down to The Thorntree to watch the third and final SA v Lions Test on the telly.

The training looked good from where I was standing but the highlight for me was a pod of about 8 dolphins that swam past just about 50 yards offshore. They were jumping and tail standing and everything. Dolphins in the 'Pans - amazing! The world's gone mad.

The clearout of the stand was also a great job well done, so well done to Euan and his band of merry men who helped out.

To top it all off, The Lions won - 9-28! A good performance and a deserved consolation victory.

All in all, the day was a complete success.

We went out for tea - we tried to get into The Rocks at Dunbar. It looks really nice but unfortunately there wasn't a table available until 9pm - a wee bit too late. So we went to The Bayswell Hotel instead. Unfortunately, their bookings were running late too so we got sent upstairs to a dining room, rather than in the nice conservatory. The view was as good as the food though. Lobster for me and grilled sea bass for Liesl.

Sunday morning - down to North Berwick for the rolls and papers but as it was a braw morning, we got a coffee and croissant and sat in one of the seafront car parks.

It's quite busy with people unloading boats and kayaks and filling them with loads of water and provisions. They're going to paddle around the Bass Rock and it'll take them about four hours.

Good luck to them - sounds quite good!

Hope they look out for the dolphins.

Roll on tomorrow - Finding Out Day.

.

Testing Times

The Lions lost the second Test in South Africa on Saturday. Disaster!

It looked like they were going to get a draw which would be the least they deserved until Ronan O'Numptie had a rush of blood to the heid and gave away a daft penalty after the hooter had sounded. Morne Steyn bashed it over from about half way and the series is lost.

Today was the day of my final CT scan. The one that will reveal all or hopefully nothing.

I seem to be getting better at drinking the contrast stuff and find that I'm way ahead of schedule - it was nearly finished with still half an hour to go. I had to slow down a bit.

The trouble is, that when you add this litre and a half of liquid to the litre of water you have to drink on the way in . . . . it doen't half make you burst! That's the point though. For some reason, your bladder has to be full.

The gowning ceremony was a good bit better today. The Chief Nurse of the Gown Chamber left me two, with strict instructions as to how they were to be applied. The first, as usual, goes on backsides foremost and the other goes on top, 'housecoat' style (according to the CNotGC). This is much better with zero chance of a wardrobe malfunction.

Anyway, everything goes according to plan and now it's just a case of waiting until next Tuesday for the result.

That seems a long way away and I'm counting the days already.

.

It's Showtime! Not Just a Load of Bullocks!

Back in the dark days, when I had too much time to think dark thoughts, there were certain things or events that I thought I would miss due to illness, treatment or worse. One of the major events on our annual calendar is the Royal Highland Show. It's always the first day off that we schedule each year and I reckon that this could be my 35th show.

And it's today! And we're going! For the full day, as normal, 8.30am until 8.30pm. I should never have doubted it.

This is a real milestone, one that I had definitely written off for this year and it's a bit tough to keep emotions in check as we go through the gate. We're here and it's going to be great.

Now - Iain Munn can't see the attraction of the Show and thinks it's just cows and tractors and for some unknown reason, American style cattle auctions (!?!?).

So, if you're like him, let me enlighten you.

There's a huge Food Hall with lots of sampling and products to buy.

There's a shopping mall with . . . . well, everything from clothes and jewellery to furniture and carpets.

There's an outdoor leisure area - shootin' and fishin' or eatin' and drinkin'. (Try the freshly smoked Arbroath Smokies.)

There's a Forestry and Eco area - birdlife, wildlife and conservation. See the loggers climb the 90m poles or carve a golden eagle from a tree stump with a chainsaw.

There's a garden design and equipment area. Buy a shed or a patio or anything to put in either.

There's two big craft tents - full of very high quality and sometimes very high priced handmade items from wrought iron and fused glass tables to paintings and jewellery and clothes and hats and handbags and shoes and toys and . . . . the list is too extensive to mention.

There's cars and bees and goats and chickens and sheep and fruit and milk and supermarkets and horses and pipes and drums and sniffer dog displays and ferret racing and falconry and a 4x4 course.

Oh aye - and there's cows and tractors too!

And did I mention that the Queen and Princess Anne were there today too?

It's been really busy - more than 45000 people were in today and I learn later that one of the three big banks dispensed more than £1m out of its cash machine.

That can't all be going on cows and sheep can it?

It really was great to be back. We didn't stay until 8.30pm - the weather closed in so we left at 7pm. Early for us but long enough today.

Roll on next year - and make sure you don't miss it.

We'll be there on the Friday.

.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho . . . . .

Being back at work hasn't been so bad.
I haven't really done anything constructive - just tidied up my email inbox and it's taken three days to get past all of the new security on my laptop. Also, I've only been in for about four hours on each of the three days so I've had a fairly gentle start. I got told I've to make an important presentation to the NHSS customer top men in a couple of weeks though. So that'll be easy!
It's been good to see everybody and everybody seems very pleased to see how well I'm looking.

Open and Shut Case

One of the benefits of having been off at this time has been that I've been able to watch the midweek afternoon games that the Lions have been playing. It's been quite good, if not spectacular rugby. On Saturday, they lost the 1st Test by 26-21. A good comeback after getting dumped on in the first half.

It's the Monday morning blues again. This time for real.
As well as the prospect of going back to work tomorrow, we're getting new windows today which means that I can't go swimming. I've been swimming just about every morning last week - it was my new routine in an effort to try to get a bit fitter and I really enjoyed it. I went to four different pools in four days and in my view, Dunbar is the best. Not least because of the hourly wave machine!
Today though, the window man cometh. It's not entirely new windows - just the bottom sashes in the three living room windows. The old ones were rotten - very rotten - and wouldn't open.
The fitter was done by lunchtime and at last, after about seventeen years, we've got windows that work. Cool. Literally.

While the window guy is busy, I get my schoolbag ready for tomorrow.
Not so cool.

Food, Glorious Food

As it's the last free day of my last full week, I take Mum out to lunch.

We go to Merryhatton Garden Centre first, because there's still a few pots to be planted up, but then go to the cafe at Fenton Barns to eat. It's quite good there although a party of eight lady golfers got in just before us so service was a bit slow. The folk that run the place are 'foodies' so things are just a wee bit different. My advice is . . .give it a try.

Digging for Victory

I've been thinking about going back to work. No, really!!
I've really been spinning it out for too long and although Dr.Shand and Dr. Shepherd both said that I should remember how ill I had been while in hospital and that I was entitled to some 'me' time, I feel that I'm ready to go back. So I've decided - it'll be next Tuesday, the 23rd, five months after diagnosis. That's plenty long enough. I must admit, it's tempting to stay off for longer but I've got to get back into some sort of routine. It's a pity the final CT scan and result won't be done by then but the scan's not been scheduled until 30 June so that's too far away. If the scan shows that I need more chemo then we'll deal with that issue at the time.
My manager, Johnny and Lisa from HR are very supportive and I'll be going back on a phased return.
10-4 for only three days in the first week.

So . . . . better get the garden sorted!
The veg patch is looking quite good and is stocked with carrots, cabbage, onions, beetroot, peas, beans, pak-choi, turnip and radish. Oh aye - and there's tatties in the sacks. It's just like The Good Life!
My time on the skive han't been entirely wasted.

.

Still on the Right Lines

A week on from the last clinic and here we go again - back to WGH but this time it's to see Dr. Shand in the GI clinic.
Same routine though - everything's looking good and my weight's pretty much back to normal and the chemo seems to be keeping my UC in check, for the moment at least. The plan for that is still to be decided because he explains that it's possible that the chemo may make some longer term physiological changes and that the UC may be better in the future. We'll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, some new tablets are to be prescribed - DEFINITELY no more azathioprine!!
Once again we chat about what might have been if I had come off them earlier but hindsight's a wonderful thing so there's no point in looking back - just forward to being better.
I'm even spared a blood test today!

With all of that good news and good will, we decide to spend the afternoon in Edinburgh. It's in the paper today that the first of the new tram tracks has been laid. This must be good news for the citizens of Edinburgh because the whole place is a mess at the moment. Roll on 2011 when it's supposed to be finished (if there are no more delays and nobody goes bankrupt) and then maybe you'll be able to turn a corner without the road being closed. The wee woman who speaks on our new Sat-Nav has a sore throat because she always has to tell us about one problem or another!

Dr Davies, I Presume - Wrong!

Today;s the day to go to what will be a regular haematology clinic and to meet Dr. Davies for the first time. He's been on a six month sabbatical to Australia which is why Dr. Farquharson was looking after me.
However, when my name gets called it's a lady's voice and even though I've never met him, I was pretty sure Dr. Davies was a bloke. Sure enough, this was Dr. Shepherd but there's no need to worry - she knows all about me. I seem to be quite famous in the cancer departments of WGH!
There's not much information for her to pass on to me though because I haven't had any scans or anything since chemo stopped. She checks me all over and asks the usual questions but everything's still positive so the next step will be a CT scan as planned. There's not much to add really. It's all routine - keep taking the tablets and keep getting better.

Hitting the Right Note

We've got a new car! Hooray!
It wasn't meant to be here for another three weeks or so, but the boys in Sunderland must have been working overtime.
And it hasn't come a moment too soon. The old one's needed to be jump started twice in the last three days just because the ignition was left on for 20 minutes or so. That's not the main reason we've changed it though - the 75000 miles on the clock after only three years were also a major factor.


So, after lunch at Livingston with Karlynn and Jim, I picked up Liesl at 4 o'clock and off we went to Bilston to pick up our brand new, cafe latte (beige), Nissan Note with optional extra Nissan Connect.
This is the best bit. It gives you sat-nav, iPod dock, all your music goes on a storage stick and best of all, a bluetooth phone connection. It's great. Oh aye - and the boot's quite quirky too.

We test it out by taking it on a run to Peebles and celebrate with fish and chips beside the river. It's a braw night and a braw run in a braw car. We're sorted!

Chemo 6 - They Think It's All Over?

Here we go then - Chemo 6, the final chapter.
Way back whenever, the 15 weeks or 18 weeks that it was going to take to get the end seemed a lifetime away. And here we are, in just the blink of an eye. It's a bit scary that a real, proper illness can get treated so quickly. I think I expected that treatment would last for months and months and I know that's still a possibility but this could be it. How cool is that?
If it really is the end, I'll probably look back and think that I got off pretty lightly with no major side effects apart from my baldie heid - and I quite like that!

And so, we just go home, feeling a bit deflated if truth be told. It kinda feels as if we're on our own now but of course that's not true. As well as the hospital backup, there's no forgetting the might that it Team Craig.
We'll be ok - chemo or no chemo.

.

The Wensleydale Heifer

We're back from our break and it was great - just what the doctor ordered but unfortunately, he wasn't paying.

We stayed at The Wensleydale Heifer - a pub with rooms in the village of West Witton in Wensleydale (obviously). We were in the Four Poster room and it was quite nice ( a wee bit dark) but the highlight of staying here is definitely the food - especially the seafood.

Each night, there's three different menus to look at - A la carte, daily specials and the lobster specials. How can you go wrong?

It's quite unusual for us to be having dinner in the place that we're staying - we usually just go bed & breakfast then drive around (sometimes for hours) in the evening to find somewhere to eat. This is better because it means we can get parked up at 6 o'clock or so and then have a wee snifter in the bar before dinner. Much more relaxing.

Apart from the pub, we spent our time driving round wee villages and stopping off at craft shops and galleries. Tom-Tom, the sat-nav man took us off the beaten track a bit so some the highlights were:

- the villages of Stanhope, Grassington and of course, Middleham (we had a nose around Patrick Haslam's stableyard)

- The Ribblesdale viaduct

- Lunch in a pub while a wake was going on (surreal but true)

- Brymor Farm Ice Cream Parlour

- Tennant's Auction Rooms - There was to be sale the next day so it was good fun looking around the hundreds of lots - some apparently junk, others not. This saleroom regularly features on Bargain Hunt and Flog it! and we even saw Rodney Tennant.

The whole trip was great (apart from the weather on the way home) and has been a welcome diversion from hospitals and chemotherapy.

.

Yellow Peril and Daftness

Cancer's no longer the top health story in the news.

Swine flu is the thing that's on everybody's lips - especially if they've just come in from Mexico!

Joking apart - I need to take note of this sort of thing because it's still important to keep infection free and if there's going to be an epidemic (or will it be a pandemic - what's the difference?). . . . . . it's time to be vigilant.

The flu isn't even making the top headlines at the moment. That honour's going to the MP expenses scandal. This has to be the first time there's been a story in the Sunday Telegraph that's worth reading. And how stupid are they? The MPs, I mean. You have to wonder sometimes.

Back in the real world, the real world's looking no' too bad at the moment. This is one of the best times of year for East Lothian. The daffodils and oil-seed rape make a golden patchwork across the towns and countryside. It's spectacular and it's a good time to be off work to see it.

And there's something else to look forward to

- we're off for a wee break to Yorkshire tomorrow. Hooray!

.

Chemo 5 - Nearly There

It's all very much routine.
I know the staff in Area 4 and most of the 'customers' are weel kent faces now. Even the time is coming down - about three and half hours today. That's as good as it gets.
I'm even confident that nothing major is going to happen to me after the dosage that we don't have to rush straight home anymore. We can stop off at M & S. What a treat!

The days after chemo are also pretty standard. I feel lousy for a few days (it used to be 2-3 days but now it's more like 5-6) and then I pick up and I'm generally fine for the next two weeks.
Ulcerative Colitis is also under control, thanks to the chemo. A plan is still to be devised as to what the future treatment will be once chemo has stopped. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Last night's tea was a triumph - Arbroath Smokie Risotto. Except I couldn't get Arbroath Smokies so made do with smoked haddock instead. It was still good though.
Cheffy Tip of the Day:
Have the risotto with a good crisp, chilled bottle of Sancerre or Chablis.
Then, if the risotto turns out to be rubbish, all is not lost. You've still got a great bottle of wine!

.

This Sporting Life

The rugby season's over and it hasn't been great.
PL finished bottom of the league and were dumped out of the Bowl yesterday by Edinburgh University.
Scotland finished fifth in the Six Nations table but Ireland won the Grand Slam which was quite good.
There's still the Lions tour to South Africa to look forward to - maybe they'll fare better.

So, onwards and upwards - we're thinking about getting a new car. I'll need it for the far away trips to Thurso and Inverness next season!

Also - as well as the Lions Tour, there's Twenty20 cricket, Royal Ascot, the Ashes, Wimbledon (will Andy do it?) and The Open all to look forward to this Summer.
I wonder when I'll go back to work? Sounds like I'll be too busy to work!

.

Art for Art's Sake

Today I felt fine and we decided to have half a day in Edinburgh.

We went to the National Gallery of Scotland to see the 'Turner in Italy' exhibition. It was really good - he could paint a bit you know.
This one's 'Rome from the Vatican'.
The whole place is good - especially the coffee shop - and worth a visit.

.

Lucky Sevens - Lucky Us

Today, it's the Melrose Sevens.

Preston Lodge get two free hospitality tickets from Kukri, our kit supplier and the Committee have asked me if I would like them as a special treat.

Yes, please!

It's not that easy a decision to make as it's our own Sevens tournament today as well but it will be a good day out and just what we could do with given the news this week.

And the famous Fijian sevens star, Waisale Serevi, is making a farewell appearance, guesting for one of the teams. In his prime, he was the best, but today . . . . well, I'm no' sure he would make it into PL's second seven. It was good to see him though.

It was also a fantastic social occasion where Toffs and Smurfs and us mingled seamlessly in the crowd.

Although it was a braw, sunny day it got very cold later on and we left before the end. Instead of coming straight home though, we went for a run through the Border countryside, down past Selkirk and then over the hills to Peebles where we got fish suppers and ate them on a country road just out of town.

Runs in the car like this seemed a long, long way away in deepest, darkest January.

Another milestone is chalked off the list.

.

Chemo 4 - And The Half Tme Score

Chemo 4 - you know the drill as well as me by now.
This time there's added spice because we've to tell the nurse to beep Dr Farquharson and she'll come down and give us the lowdown as to what's going on inside me - the result of last week's CT scan.
After about half an hour, I see her in the 'wee room' looking at the computer but then she disappears. Obviously, I'm not her only patient and she's a very busy lady. About an hour later, she re-appears in Area 4. My Chemo stuff is flowing in so it's just a case of waiting patiently. And nervously. And frightenedly. (That's probably not a proper adverb but you'll know what I mean.)
At last she arrives - as bright and breezy as ever. She's had a look at the scan . . . . and the news is . . . . :
Kidney - CLEAR!
Liver - MUCH REDUCED!
Everywhere else - NEGLIGIBLE!
I'll just repeat that:
Kidney - CLEAR!
Liver - MUCH REDUCED!
Everywhere else - NEGLIGIBLE!

All in all, it's as much, if not more than we could have hoped for at this stage.
It's incredible - this stuff really works.

What a relief. That's an understatement. It's all very emotional and even needed some high fives. We thank the Doc and then she's off again to save someone else.

This is actually the last time we'll see her in a professional capacity because Dr Davies is returning from his sabbatical and she's moving to pastures new. It doesn't seem enough just to say thanks for what she's done but it just can't be put into suitable words.
Thank you, Dr Farquharson. Despite the circumstances, it's been a pleasure meeting you and you've been brilliant.

After Chemo, the news is out. The Mums, Shona, Greg, everybody is happy and great messages and phone calls come flooding in.
This has been a great day - a Red Letter Day - the exact opposite of 21 January.

Now, I know it's only half time but least the n-hl knows that it's got a game on its hands. I reckon that the score is maybe 13-10 to us. (It got two early tries before we knew we were in the game but we've come back strongly and a late drop goal has given us the lead.)
And now it knows what it's up against! Team Craig are going to be no pushovers.
Bring on the second half.

.

.

It's a Scan-dal

The days, weeks and months are rolling in and I haven't written a book or decorated the house but I have started to do some light work in the garden and greenhouse.

I asked Dr Farquharson if I'd be able to play the piano after my Chemo was finished and she said "Yes - of course!"

That's great, I said, because I can't play it at the moment.

Boom Boom!

- Nobody saw that one coming.

Anyway, today is the half time CT scan. It's been two weeks since Chemo 3 to give it the maximum chance to work and I'll get the result from Dr F when I come in for Chemo 4 next week.

Because I was so ill when I got the last one, I can't really remember what's involved - except for the aniseed drink. A great big jug of it!

Actually, it was ok. I kept up a steady pace of drinking a small amount each time over the hour and finished it off just in time. Then I had to get stripped and put on on of those daft, back to front gowns - try tying one of those to preserve your dignity when you can't feel your fingers!

Then it was into 'the chamber'.

I had forgotten that you get a further injection of 'contrast' and that it gives you a warm flush - especially in your bladder. It feels like you've wet yourself - weird! It's amazing how quickly the warm feeling circulates around your body. I could feel it in my ankles within a few seconds.

All we have to do now is wait nervously for (over) a week to find out what progress, if any, we've made.

It's funny how the Doc came in with the bad news within an hour and a half of the first CT scan but I have to wait eight days for any potential good news from this one. The machinations of NHS Scotland are hard to comprehend sometimes.