Wednesday 28th June
My blood tests were excellent this time, with the liver function a 'normal' 17! No-one seems to know what it actually means: maybe the healthy part of my liver is coping well with the chemicals and the tumour is being zapped? That's what we hope. After next week's session I'll have the scan which will see if the chemo really is working.. this will be a little nerve-wracking as the alternative seems to be stopping the treatment and leaving it to Nature, with pain killers! So, scan on the 10th and see the oncologist on the 17th for the results.
Anyway, all went well today. The line went in first shot, which is always an encouraging sign. It was raining outside so we felt happy in our little room. Geoff worked and I dozed (well I did not sleep well the previous night and it is very soporific having all sorts of stuff pumped into your right arm for five plus hours). Oddly I have not have what Phil calls my 'chemo high' this time; my liver area feels tender and I just feel tired.
Thursday 29th
A good night's sleep sorted that out and I really enjoyed a good natter over a pub lunch with two friends today.
Friday 30th
We packed quite a lot into my week off so it was fortunate that I felt much better than I did during my previous break. I only had one attack of liver area pain, on the last Monday evening, when we were actually staying up in London for Geoff's Fellows Dinner at Kings. Took a painkiller and had a nap. I thought a walk would help so pottered down to Burger King to treat myself to the cheese burger which I had been fancying for weeks. I took it to Trafalgar Square to enjoy while watching the tourist world go by... very disappointing, and I binned the chips.
We did, however, both enjoy High Tea at Browns Hotel on Tuesday afternoon, before we drove home. The service was impeccable, the dainties abundant and delicious and the ambience of the tea room charming with wood pannelling and comfy seats.
Of course we earned this after a day at the British Museum, which was packed with tourists avoiding the rain. We particularly wanted to see the delightful Hokusai (Old Man Crazy to Paint) exhibition, he who planned to live until at least 110, convinced his skills would be at their peak by then. He 'only' made 90 and it is hard to imagine he could have got much better.
The previous day we went to the Queen's Gallery to see the Canaletto Exhibition, which was also excellent and much less crowded. George 111 in the early 1760s bought up the huge collection of his honorary consul to Venice, Joseph Smith, who patronised Canaletto and his contemporaries whose work appealed particularly to touring ex-pats. So the royal collection has a wonderful range from the large canvas views, to smaller lively depictions of antiquities to delightful drawings.
Of course our main expedition was to Amsterdam for three nights, where we were hosted by Thalys and the Dutch Navy. We stayed at the new Movenpick which is right on the water next to the Cruise Terminal. So we had great views of the water, islands and ferries. And on the last evening, I watched a terrific thunderstorm with lots of dramatic lightning. The first day was really hot so while Geoff was conferencing I spent time, of course, at the Rijksmuseum, renewing acquaintance with some of my fav paintings in the beautifully spruced up warren of galleries. The main improvement is the decoratively glassed in big courtyard, providing meeting and eating places, shops and ticketing, and of course what is most usually needed, dry and warm access to galleries. Far too much to see in one go but an interesting challenge.
In the evening we had a very jolly and boozy canal boat cruise for our group of about 40. Everyone in Amsterdam appeared to be out enjoying the exceptional weather so the scenes were very lively in the light evening. For our starter we moored at an old and very exclusive hotel where we were given a delicious selection of fishy dishes, including raw herring prepared before us. For our main course and pud, another character hotel, and more excellent food. Good thing my appetite was functioning that night! And all surrounded by the endlessly fascinating canalside towers, churches and very variable old houses and warehouses. Like Venice, many buildings are sinking as the supporting timbers are rotting so they lean, sideways like drunks or sometimes forwards in a tottering way!
The following day Geoff went off on a long day's tall ship trip and visit to the old Dutch Naval College for presentations and receptions. I enjoyed a leisurely visit to the flower market (mainly bulbs these days for tourists), some cheese tasting (good strong cheeses, a world away from Edam) and sitting outside a coffee shop, eating pancake and drinking iced tea, watching the world go by and writing postcards. Very relaxing.
Our return journey was a near disaster, as the airport was solid queues and barely controlled chaos. And when it was time to board our plane, we were informed that several planes had been damaged by lightning the previous day and our designated plane was smaller..so 40 people had to be put on a (much) later flight. Of course our names were on the list (no idea how they choose). We did get lucky, though, by playing the chemo card, and were given the last 2 seats on the plane, in business class! Bonus!
Enough of my reminiscences. Will try and write more often and more briefly.
My blood tests were excellent this time, with the liver function a 'normal' 17! No-one seems to know what it actually means: maybe the healthy part of my liver is coping well with the chemicals and the tumour is being zapped? That's what we hope. After next week's session I'll have the scan which will see if the chemo really is working.. this will be a little nerve-wracking as the alternative seems to be stopping the treatment and leaving it to Nature, with pain killers! So, scan on the 10th and see the oncologist on the 17th for the results.
Anyway, all went well today. The line went in first shot, which is always an encouraging sign. It was raining outside so we felt happy in our little room. Geoff worked and I dozed (well I did not sleep well the previous night and it is very soporific having all sorts of stuff pumped into your right arm for five plus hours). Oddly I have not have what Phil calls my 'chemo high' this time; my liver area feels tender and I just feel tired.
Thursday 29th
A good night's sleep sorted that out and I really enjoyed a good natter over a pub lunch with two friends today.
Friday 30th
We packed quite a lot into my week off so it was fortunate that I felt much better than I did during my previous break. I only had one attack of liver area pain, on the last Monday evening, when we were actually staying up in London for Geoff's Fellows Dinner at Kings. Took a painkiller and had a nap. I thought a walk would help so pottered down to Burger King to treat myself to the cheese burger which I had been fancying for weeks. I took it to Trafalgar Square to enjoy while watching the tourist world go by... very disappointing, and I binned the chips.
We did, however, both enjoy High Tea at Browns Hotel on Tuesday afternoon, before we drove home. The service was impeccable, the dainties abundant and delicious and the ambience of the tea room charming with wood pannelling and comfy seats.
Of course we earned this after a day at the British Museum, which was packed with tourists avoiding the rain. We particularly wanted to see the delightful Hokusai (Old Man Crazy to Paint) exhibition, he who planned to live until at least 110, convinced his skills would be at their peak by then. He 'only' made 90 and it is hard to imagine he could have got much better.
The previous day we went to the Queen's Gallery to see the Canaletto Exhibition, which was also excellent and much less crowded. George 111 in the early 1760s bought up the huge collection of his honorary consul to Venice, Joseph Smith, who patronised Canaletto and his contemporaries whose work appealed particularly to touring ex-pats. So the royal collection has a wonderful range from the large canvas views, to smaller lively depictions of antiquities to delightful drawings.
Of course our main expedition was to Amsterdam for three nights, where we were hosted by Thalys and the Dutch Navy. We stayed at the new Movenpick which is right on the water next to the Cruise Terminal. So we had great views of the water, islands and ferries. And on the last evening, I watched a terrific thunderstorm with lots of dramatic lightning. The first day was really hot so while Geoff was conferencing I spent time, of course, at the Rijksmuseum, renewing acquaintance with some of my fav paintings in the beautifully spruced up warren of galleries. The main improvement is the decoratively glassed in big courtyard, providing meeting and eating places, shops and ticketing, and of course what is most usually needed, dry and warm access to galleries. Far too much to see in one go but an interesting challenge.
In the evening we had a very jolly and boozy canal boat cruise for our group of about 40. Everyone in Amsterdam appeared to be out enjoying the exceptional weather so the scenes were very lively in the light evening. For our starter we moored at an old and very exclusive hotel where we were given a delicious selection of fishy dishes, including raw herring prepared before us. For our main course and pud, another character hotel, and more excellent food. Good thing my appetite was functioning that night! And all surrounded by the endlessly fascinating canalside towers, churches and very variable old houses and warehouses. Like Venice, many buildings are sinking as the supporting timbers are rotting so they lean, sideways like drunks or sometimes forwards in a tottering way!
The following day Geoff went off on a long day's tall ship trip and visit to the old Dutch Naval College for presentations and receptions. I enjoyed a leisurely visit to the flower market (mainly bulbs these days for tourists), some cheese tasting (good strong cheeses, a world away from Edam) and sitting outside a coffee shop, eating pancake and drinking iced tea, watching the world go by and writing postcards. Very relaxing.
Our return journey was a near disaster, as the airport was solid queues and barely controlled chaos. And when it was time to board our plane, we were informed that several planes had been damaged by lightning the previous day and our designated plane was smaller..so 40 people had to be put on a (much) later flight. Of course our names were on the list (no idea how they choose). We did get lucky, though, by playing the chemo card, and were given the last 2 seats on the plane, in business class! Bonus!
Enough of my reminiscences. Will try and write more often and more briefly.
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