Saturday 7 May 2011

What a weekend! We gathered in front of the TV watching the royal wedding from about 9am on – we being Willa & me; Kate & Chris; Harry, Helen, Isabel (who at 9 has been a bridesmaid at least 2 or 3 times) & Gabriel (at intervals from his laptop games). On Saturday we read every word in the newspapers & looked at the photos & all agreed that it was an impeccable affair unsullied by anti-royalist considerations.














We were joined by Janet & Margaret on Sunday, when we visited a lovely bluebell wood near Needham Market. (See photos) This was yet another beautiful day typical of the unbelievable run of warm, sunny days we’ve had for a month or more (surely our summer season). Willa & I especially spent much of Monday watching breaking news of Bin Laden’s death, as we have continued to do daily. Indeed a memorable weekend, full of spectacular happenings as well as lots of joy & happy times together.













I had an MRI scan recently for something new that seemed to have developed; fortunately it was okay. But a regular chest x-ray showed a slight increase in the size of the original lung tumour, indicating that it is no longer responding to the protein-inhibiting Tarceva that I have been taking since last June.

On Thursday I saw Dr. Podd, who has recommended that I return to an intravenous chemo (gemcitabine) similar in effects to the vinorelbine I took for 18 months after my diagnosis nearly 3 years ago. These effects did not destroy all my quality of life, although they were not as easy on me as the recent Tarceva. (For instance, I didn’t lose my hair although it thinned considerably, & I was terribly tired ). Other good news is that the steroids are keeping the polymyalgia muscular pains under control. I may make 80 in October yet!

Willa is here for another month, during which there are possibilities of all sorts of excursions, including a visit to Manchester. So I hope to report on more jolly times soon. Please keep me in your thoughts & prayers.