Ditch-crawler moves smoothly into second half of radio therapy…

Yes, I have reached half way, well, I have gone over the line now by a couple of days!

It feels good, I feel good and most of all, Christobel is so, so, pleased. Bless her cotton socks (or should I say, many coloured legs, which she favours! But, bless her, she is feeling as tired as I am, and those that continue to offer support, I am most grateful indeed.

A few days ago I cleaned out the forward bilge on Whimbrel and then the gas stowage. After coats of primer, stripe coating and a final overall coating, both are much more presentable.

Forward bilge…

Another important area: with a drain line (and valve) it gets wet when sailing hard!

I had to obtain more paint – red, as you can see – but found that the red bilge has been ‘done away’ with by the more common paint manufacturers. This means that at some time in the near future Christobel and I will have to come ashore for a period and hard clean, scrape, sand, and re-coat in something different. Grey most likely. Why do ‘they’ do this?

My thoughts run along doing areas ‘clear’ of the bilge proper in stages, afloat…

Hey ho!

Yesterday, with tide times not conflicting with the all important hospital run, I got away for a sail. My good ship mate didn’t come: independent therapy is good for both, but afterwards Christobel said she’d rather have come along: it was glorious!

Sailing back into Smallgains Creek. The Genoa was dropped nearer to mooring and boat sailed in under mainsail. Lovely.

The mainsail had its first airing under sail since being serviced by Wilkinson Sails.

But this is more about radio therapy: I feel an ‘old hand’ now … I have ‘got over’ the lateness of being called in sometimes … for this means that another has needed more time to be treated. One soon realises that ‘your’ condition isn’t the most severe!

The problem with being called late is that it was ‘drummed’ into us men at a pre-treatment briefing that we had to arrive READY to go. That is, with a full bladder. So, added time is like trying to squeeze another half pint in before actually going – but you can’t! It is bleeding well stressful…

The empathy of the staff though exceeds all expectations (whatever they are) and a smiling face asks if all is okay, are you alright (No, I’m in pain actually…) and if you need to ‘go’ leak a little and drink a little more… I have had to do that twice!

Ah, but when you are called. Bliss. You move into a ‘waiting zone’ and as the previous patient comes out you go in. The greetings from a duo or sometimes a trio of smiling caring faces causes an immediate relaxation sensation coursing through ones inner self: once on the ‘slab’ it would only be 10 minutes before the relief would come!

I admire the band of (mostly) happy ladies at Southend, they’re a Godsend, from whatever religion they adhere to, and I bless them all, ‘cos they raise my spirits…

Enjoying a pint down at The Billet, in Old Leigh at the end of a week of treatments … cheers!

Link to previous blogs…

Ditch-crawler settles into his radiotherapy sessions…

 

Leave a Reply