Link to my story so far:
Ditch-crawler muses on prostate results whilst enjoying a windy day within the Walton Backwaters …
During last month I had a three monthly blood test and a visit to my oncologist … I can honestly say I was a little daunted by the hospital visit: I have little or no way of knowing how things are other than that I’ve had little in way of any reaction to the radio therapy treatment which ended in mid May.
Broad open skies near Bradwell
A week before my hospital visit we did just short of an eight mile walk taking in another section of St Peter’s Way … walking has kept me going as well as sailing, of course – my wife and family too, obviously! We generally walk anything up to twenty miles each week. I haven’t been able to reach the peak distances we were doing a little over a year ago: energy levels are still lower.
A happy skipper…
Walking on the southern side of Great Baddow near Chelmsford.
I heard with a little disbelief during the autumn about Rod Stewart’s ‘battle’ with prostate cancer. His wife announced that Rod had been given the ‘all clear’ from the disease. Few knew anything about this, but apparently Rod discovered that he’d got this problem some three to four years ago. The ‘all clear’ would tell me that he finished his treatment two years ago.
I would like to talk to him: it would have been good if he’d been open about it … his saying to men, ‘get tested’ is something many would take notice of for many of us have ‘grown up together’ through his music.
Then a BBC breakfast TV presenter (Bill Turnbull) came out with a documentary about how he is dealing with prostate cancer …
All of a sudden, all over the media and on adverts there are warnings to men, yet, still surgeries are not offering tests to men!
The waterfront down in Old Leigh by the Belton Way Boat Club … when on a autumn wander…
A family visit took us into the border lands between Kent and Surrey. On the way home we came back down the old A225, a very scenic road passing through pretty villages dotted along the Darent Valley floor. At Eynsford we stopped for a walk around and found a cafe serving a very tasty soup.
The ford and bridge beside a converted mill below Eynsford’s Saint Martin’s church.
My appointed day arrived and I trundled off to the hospital with my good mate in tow. Appointments were running an hour and a quarter late!
I was eventually called and in came my oncologist … towards the end of the meeting he asked about my ‘elections’ as Christobel began to ask what, I swung into action, realising what he’d meant in a slip of the tongue: my response (rubbing her knee and saying how good she was) caused Christobel much embarrassment and the poor ‘old’ doctor shook his head, whilst rubbing his brow.
It was a happy meeting. My PSA level has dropped to 0.06 and I have been placed on a six monthly testing regime. Other medication will continue for the planned duration into the middle of 2020.
So, with happy hearts we left the hospital feeling on top of the world.
It is important to keep a positive mind on these things. I’m sure the attitude I struck upon at the beginning has helped enormously. I’m thankful to for the dedication and shared trust with the treatment department too. It is a ‘no holds barred’ situation with NO secrets!
So it was onward with a lighter feeling into the autumn.
On a visit to Faversham to pick up a new dinghy cover I popped into Alan Staley’s shed for a natter…
The Edith May
On the way home we dropped into Lower Halstow to drop off a book … lunching at the convivial Three Tuns. I couldn’t resist a visit to the dock where the Edith May has been stripped for winter.
On a recent Sunday, with bad weather in the outlook forecasts, we skipped the last service before Advent and went off for an early morning sail and communed out there on the water…
Early morning reflections on the lower Thames…
It was a quiet sail, at first, then a breeze set in and we romped along, homeward bound…
During this period we have also completed the last section of the St Peter’s Way on the Dengie Peninsular. On part of the walk, we followed the higher ‘reaches’ of Asheldham Brook which eventually flows out onto the sandy wastes between the Crouch and Blackwater.
What passes for a raging torrent in Essex…
Then, as autumn came to a very damp end for many across our country, I said to Christobel that it was a good time for an ‘over-nighter’ to the River Medway. Times of tides made Queenborough reachable before dusk … she declined (!) so I went alone … she later regretted this!
Sailing in Twitch back to Whimbrel at sunset after paying my dues…
A pint (or two) in the Admiral’s Arm was enjoyed…
Next morning dawned foggy, I departed two hours after my planned time!
Outside Queenborough harbour the sun sparkled and in the Medway the fog bank was clear to see…
I enjoyed a cracking sail back across the Thames, dropping sail outside my creek and continuing straight into the mooring.
We’re now in the meteorological winter and to celebrate I offered a friend a sail … the ‘poor’ chap hasn’t had use of his own vessel this year and has now enjoyed his fourth sail this autumn. It is the least I could do.
Down the setting sun…
It was an enchanting late afternoon sail which came to an end as the evening drew in.
Ghosting home…
It is moments like these that drive home the blessings of the world around us and the sanctity of life and the need to preserve what we have…
A sublime moment…
Yes, the world is a better place at this end of 2019 than it was in the last one. I have much to be thankful for.