No news for 3 months has been both good & bad. On my last cancer checkup 2 weeks ago everything was okay. However, there's something new to contend with since January: polymyalgia rheumatica, a kind of rheumatism affecting the muscles of the neck, back, arms, shoulders, thighs. It's quite painful, the cause unknown & the duration usually 2 to 3 years. It causes excessive fatigue (picking up a pen or getting on line on the computer is diffcult much of the time) & the treatment is steroids, the chief problem being finding as low a dosage as possible to relieve the pain without incurring too many of the steroid's numerous side effects (no fat face so far). I need lots of little rests throughout the day & have to take things a day at a time. There seems to be a lot of polymyalgia around these days, & friend in Needham has even organised a local support group, so I am not on my own.
The sub-zero temperatures & snow stopped about Christmas time, but it has continued to be very cold in the 5C/40F range with dismal grey skies & frequent hard frosts. Just this week, though, there was a real feeling of spring in the air, & today has been beautifully warm, so perhaps we will emerge from this awful winter after all. I'm sure that will help my mental as well as physical state.
I can manage cooking very light meals, trips to the grocery store by foot or in the car, evening meetings in Needham & bus rides to Ipswich for matinees at the Film Theatre or an exhibition. Recently I've had a few days in Manchester with Harry & family & also in Woking with Kate and Chris, which included some interesting excursions. Now that the weather is improving I hope to have more visitors (in addition to the faithful family who have kept coming regularly in all ditions)-- and Willa is flying in on 20 April for 6 weeks, so that will be a wonderful diversion.
A final thing. My old e-mail address of julanne@royarnold.com was changed over a year ago to julannelynnarnold@btinternet.com . I thought Harry notified everybody on my mailing list at the time, but recently I discovered some messages sent to the old address, which is no longer active, & some people have written about difficulties in getting through to me. So please check to see that you are using the up-to-date address.
A happy Easter to you all!
Saturday, 26 March 2011
Sunday, 12 December 2010
12 December 2010
It's been three months since my last entry. The highlight of the period was Willa's six week visit, during which we kept very busy here in Needham, where we celebrated my 79th birthday in October. We had a few days in Manchester, where we moved all round the city via buses and the Metrolink trolleys. Everybody laughed when I spoke of going to Rochdale, which has a particularly fine town hall with a higher tower than Manchester's and the original Co-op shop -- but we liked it, as well as the Imperial War Museum North.
Since Willa left I've been besieged with a plague of problems around the house (leaking roof, misbehaving computer and TV, electrical faults, broken window frames, etc). Also a number of physical ones, fortunately not to do with cancer, but very niggling nevertheless. I bashed my left shin and it's just healed up after being dressed with honey (yes!) for a couple of weeks. But at least everything on the cancer front was ok when I saw my oncologist two weeks ago.
The past few weeks have been desperately cold, bringing frost, snow and ice, and temperatures hovering on zero and below. It's warmer today -- about 10C/50F -- but another cold spell is forecast next week and who knows what for Christmas. It's the coldest weather I can remember since we moved to England in 1968.
It's hard to believe Roy died a year ago. I miss him most when I notice something such as this year's crop of quinces -- the best we've ever had -- and want to talk with him about it. As I've written before, Kate and Harry have supported me by visiting whenever they can manage on weekends, sometimes even on weekdays. And friends have telephoned, written cards, letters and emails and visited -- sometimes bringing meals and even bedding with them. Thanks to all of you for such loving support, which has helped me get through this year.
All the family are gathering here for Christmas and we are marking Roy's absence by having turkey with all the trimmings on the big day for the first time. I'm sure he'd have approved.
My very best wishes to all of you who read this for a happy Christmas and a good new year.
Since Willa left I've been besieged with a plague of problems around the house (leaking roof, misbehaving computer and TV, electrical faults, broken window frames, etc). Also a number of physical ones, fortunately not to do with cancer, but very niggling nevertheless. I bashed my left shin and it's just healed up after being dressed with honey (yes!) for a couple of weeks. But at least everything on the cancer front was ok when I saw my oncologist two weeks ago.
The past few weeks have been desperately cold, bringing frost, snow and ice, and temperatures hovering on zero and below. It's warmer today -- about 10C/50F -- but another cold spell is forecast next week and who knows what for Christmas. It's the coldest weather I can remember since we moved to England in 1968.
It's hard to believe Roy died a year ago. I miss him most when I notice something such as this year's crop of quinces -- the best we've ever had -- and want to talk with him about it. As I've written before, Kate and Harry have supported me by visiting whenever they can manage on weekends, sometimes even on weekdays. And friends have telephoned, written cards, letters and emails and visited -- sometimes bringing meals and even bedding with them. Thanks to all of you for such loving support, which has helped me get through this year.
All the family are gathering here for Christmas and we are marking Roy's absence by having turkey with all the trimmings on the big day for the first time. I'm sure he'd have approved.
My very best wishes to all of you who read this for a happy Christmas and a good new year.
Saturday, 11 September 2010
11 September 2010
My visit to the oncologist on 27 August brought the good news that my lung tumour has responded to the new medication begun in June. Also, a reduction in the dosage of the medication seems to have almost eliminated its unpleasant side effects. So I have been feeling better and stronger. It was two years ago – 10 September 2008 – that I was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and just months to live, and here I am writing away!
It’s been a reasonable summer. I went to London for a couple of special lunches – David Gadsby’s 80th birthday and a gathering of Roy’s Durham friends – and I’m off on Sunday to Kew Gardens with my local horticultural society. I’ve had lots of guests for the day, and as we have taken the house off the market I continue to have plenty of room to put up people overnight. Either Kate or Harry has been here for a day or so every weekend, so I’m being well looked after. And Willa arrives next week for six weeks, so there will be a burst of activity then!
It’s been a reasonable summer. I went to London for a couple of special lunches – David Gadsby’s 80th birthday and a gathering of Roy’s Durham friends – and I’m off on Sunday to Kew Gardens with my local horticultural society. I’ve had lots of guests for the day, and as we have taken the house off the market I continue to have plenty of room to put up people overnight. Either Kate or Harry has been here for a day or so every weekend, so I’m being well looked after. And Willa arrives next week for six weeks, so there will be a burst of activity then!
Monday, 23 August 2010
23 August 2010
Harry is running the Run 10K event Heaton Park on October 3rd and is looking for sponsorship...
http://www.run10ksponsorme.org/harryarnold
http://www.run10ksponsorme.org/harryarnold
Saturday, 7 August 2010
7 August 2010
The last few months have been beset by a number of health problems -- some old and some new, some serious and some just troublesome -- which have consumed most of my little energy. Not that I have ceased to get about, but everything has had to be planned carefully so as to use the least energy. Kate and Harry have been more attentive than ever, and one of them has been here virtually every weekend since June. Friends have flowed in regularly for everything from a cup of tea to an overnight stay or even longer -- doing the catering and dealing with any problems on my checklist while here. I've also had two weekends in London working from a base at Kate's home in Surrey: I attended a friend's 80th birthday lunch one Sunday and finally managed to get to a building I've been trying to visit since before we left Wimbledon (Marble Hill House in Twickenham, an important Palladian villa)!
New medication begun in June for the lung tumour has had positive results but unfortunately has brought every possible unpleasant side effect on the list, and these are chiefly what have preoccupied me over the summer. I see my consultant at the end of the month for my next check-up.
The best news is that Willa arrives on September 17th for a 6 week visit, staying until just after my 79th birthday. So here's to a happy interval until a happy birthday!
Thanks for all your emails, all of which I read and cherish even if I don't reply to them. Getting to the emails on my computer is, for some reason, a somewhat complicated process, so I dread approaching the machine if I'm not feeling in top form -- hence my infrequent responses.
New medication begun in June for the lung tumour has had positive results but unfortunately has brought every possible unpleasant side effect on the list, and these are chiefly what have preoccupied me over the summer. I see my consultant at the end of the month for my next check-up.
The best news is that Willa arrives on September 17th for a 6 week visit, staying until just after my 79th birthday. So here's to a happy interval until a happy birthday!
Thanks for all your emails, all of which I read and cherish even if I don't reply to them. Getting to the emails on my computer is, for some reason, a somewhat complicated process, so I dread approaching the machine if I'm not feeling in top form -- hence my infrequent responses.
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
8 June 2010
I'm hijacking Mom's blog again to let you all know that I'll be taking part in Race for Life again this year. I'll be walking/jogging and occasionally running the 5km (3 mile) route with my friend's Tracy and Emma on 20 June in Guildford. We'll be trying to better last year’s time of 47 minutes.
The race is in aid of Cancer Research UK. Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading independent organisation dedicated to cancer research.
For full details please go to
http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/tracydriver3
The race is in aid of Cancer Research UK. Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading independent organisation dedicated to cancer research.
For full details please go to
http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/tracydriver3
Monday, 31 May 2010
Monday, 31 May 2010
During the past 3 months I've had a number of new health problems, none seemingly major but all decidedly unpleasant, mostly gastro-intestinal except for dizziness & vertigo that did not respond to the usual medications. On 21 May I saw my oncologist for a routine 3 month checkup. An MRI scan at that time showed no spread of cancer to the brain, which was a great relief, but revealed some marks of restrictions to the blood supply to the brain. Then a chest x-ray revealed that the original lung tumour has grown a bit & is no longer responding to the chemo I've been on every 2 weeks. So now I'm on a new drug that I take in pill form once a day, along with a number of other pills to deal with the side-effects. It will be a month or more before we'll know about my response.
At the moment my most obvious problem is the dizziness, which restricts my movements from left to right or when bending down or holding my head backward. And I'm not supposed to drive. Bearing all this in mind, I've decided to back out from the purchase of the apartment in sheltered accommodation (the contracts are just being drawn up) & remain at 77 High Street. I don't know how long I'll be able to take care of myself on my own, much less how I could possibly do what's necessary to make the move in the first place. Recently, between the two of them, Kate & Harry have been here with me almost every weekend, & Kate has occasionally commuted from London on a weeknight. Roy's sister, Janet, & her friend Margaret have just done well by me by providing tlc for 2 weeks.
I'm still up & about the house & garden & able to walk up the street to the newsagent & grocery store plus just across the street to the butcher & bakery. Harry is driving me up to Manchester for a few days this week (it's his college's mid-term break), which I'm looking forward to. This all sounds terribly depressing after all the up-beat news about my health ever since the original tumour responded so positively to chemo about 16 months ago. At least I had such a long settled spell, even if Roy's death cast a shadow over the final third of the period. And the verdict isn't in yet on my latest treatment. So wish me well!! Also remember that I still have our usual accommodation for visitors, who are more welcome than ever.
At the moment my most obvious problem is the dizziness, which restricts my movements from left to right or when bending down or holding my head backward. And I'm not supposed to drive. Bearing all this in mind, I've decided to back out from the purchase of the apartment in sheltered accommodation (the contracts are just being drawn up) & remain at 77 High Street. I don't know how long I'll be able to take care of myself on my own, much less how I could possibly do what's necessary to make the move in the first place. Recently, between the two of them, Kate & Harry have been here with me almost every weekend, & Kate has occasionally commuted from London on a weeknight. Roy's sister, Janet, & her friend Margaret have just done well by me by providing tlc for 2 weeks.
I'm still up & about the house & garden & able to walk up the street to the newsagent & grocery store plus just across the street to the butcher & bakery. Harry is driving me up to Manchester for a few days this week (it's his college's mid-term break), which I'm looking forward to. This all sounds terribly depressing after all the up-beat news about my health ever since the original tumour responded so positively to chemo about 16 months ago. At least I had such a long settled spell, even if Roy's death cast a shadow over the final third of the period. And the verdict isn't in yet on my latest treatment. So wish me well!! Also remember that I still have our usual accommodation for visitors, who are more welcome than ever.
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