A brief health update:

My latest PET scan in February did not show any sign of spread of my throat cancer.   However, it is still “lurking”.   I have a constantly fluctuating vile taste in the top left corner of my mouth (where the robots went in) which despite some pretty radical dental surgery refuses to go way.    All departments and specialists are baffled and the latest “scape goat” seems to be “nerve damage”.     We shall see…….

Silly Bugger Time:

Meanwhile a few weeks ago the sun came out and I decided to trim back some dead wisteria that had been bothering me for some time and took my very long ladder outside with some pruners and loppers.     Finished pruning and gave the dead bit one final tug, lost my balance and fell about 3 meters into a flower bed narrowly missing Paul, one of our gardening team” who I had asked to “foot the ladder” – a premonition perhaps….

Long story – but fractured my elbow and cracked a few other bones incurring mild concussion along the way.    Paramedics and an ambulance ride to Derriford to spend 6 hours being triaged and scanned in the corridors and admitted for surgery the following morning.    A 3-hour op and they wired my elbow back together – A general anaesthetic and a total numbing “block” from shoulder to fingertips.   However, as they were wheeling me back to my ward my mattress became deflated and wouldn’t reinflate.   They had omitted to put the “gates” up on the sides of the bed, so my arm flopped off like a very heavy cucumber, ripping out the wiring and compounding the fracture even more.   Sent me home, local anaesthetic wore off and mega ouch factor kicked in!!!    A week of opioids and then another 3-hour op while they reset the bones and installed plates and screws that should be enough to make airport metal detectors take note.   Home same day and pleased to report that a week later the sling has gone, bandage gone and am virtually pain free now.   Lots of exercises and physio stuff and just must remember not to try and lift anything heavier than a glass of water for 6-10 weeks while the bones heal.   Cutlery and buttons are somewhat of a challenge but and my left arm and hand are going through a steep learning curve !!

Memo to Self:   No more ladders – We don’t bounce anymore !!

Hopefully I will be travelling to somewhere sunny in the not-too-distant future so will resume blogging as and when…

Meanwhile at Flete springtime is almost here after my first English Winter without major travels for ages. Never Again !!!!!

Many Thanks to Char & Liz who have got me through the past few weeks of nightmare and continue to do so Love you both !!!

And Max who has held my paw throughout and is now sleeping it off !!