Having got through COVID unscathed and having slowly learnt how to manage my lifestyle, I was prevented from showing my gratitude to “Queen's” by further problems unconnected to the cancers. Problems which crept up on me unexpectedly. At first I thought I had a pinched a nerve because I had soreness and pain running down from my hip to my feet, legs and hands. It had happened before many years ago and things like this, although they take time, often go away on their own accord. Over weeks then months things got worse and my feet and legs started to swell alarmingly and the pain, especially at night, was excruciating. I was having to manage on one hour sleep a night. I also started to lose my appetite again to the point I was eating nothing at all, I couldn’t even face the sight of food. My weight which I had slowly built up to ten stone plummeted to a little over seven and a half stone. I now weighed less than I did at the end of my cancer treatment. More worries for Pat who was frantically trying to get me to eat something. Having been free of doctors and hospitals for some time it was annoying that I now had further problems which I needed help with. Dr. Rhandhawa had long retired so it was off to see Dr.Garcia.
As usual a blood test was needed, which showed an alarmingly low level of vitamin B12. I am informed that people who have been through major operations are rather prone to this deficiency but whether this was the cause of my loss of appetite has never been determined. Dr. Garcia gave me a crash course of B12 injections, which have continued at intervals since. The swelling has been reduced and the pain has mostly gone, just a degree of numbness and some discomfort remains. Whether I am stuck with it evermore I do not know but I am managing it in the same way I’m managing other aspects of my life. It isn’t preventing me from my daily walk or doing any of my household duties or my garden.
As far as the eating problem is concerned, it solved itself. Unbelievably I woke up one morning and the first thing I thought of was “I fancy a chip butty”. Slowly but surely my appetite has returned but not enough to get me much past the nine stone mark. What next? Who knows, it could just be old age. Obviously Peter Pan or Cliff Richard I am not.
The truth is that one never gets over cancer even if they have been cured. It still dominates, not only your life, but of those closest to you. Like mine, Pat’s life will never be the same as it was and the trauma and anguish we both suffered will never leave us.
The debt that I owe to the people at Queens hospital can never be repaid but I want to give something back and that is why I am carrying out my charity walk. At 81 years of age this will possibly the last chance I get to fulfil what I believe is an obligation, so I’m giving it my all.
Please donate via my JustGiving page
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