My husband and I have a continuing joke about doctors, nurses, medical professionals - they’re all 12 years old. It’s funny how we never see ourselves as ageing, we just are confronted by it in comparison to the youth of the professionals we see. Sigh.

It’s good to get on with your treatment plan, John. You will be tired, so just rest when you can. Let’s assume that the spot on your liver is a benign cyst. I know it’s hard to be in a situation in which you have little control; you just have to remind yourself every day that it is necessary right now, but not forever. You will get there. We’re all wishing you the best.

Laurie

Hi John,

Thanks for the update. I'm over here praying for you.  Keep the faith your going to.get well.  🙏

@john68  ... maybe "older" is a symptom too! Haha!  I'm glad to hear you are managing & being managed well John.  I think about you so often. Yes, we do live in an age of fabulous technology & smart brainiacs in the medical field out there.  I am forever grateful too those smart people as well. These well trained specialists know what works.  Stay confident & as strong as you need to be.  Bcuz of your posts, it prompted me into action as well. I was having some mild symptoms that I was ignoring, my bad, so, I am still waiting on an appt. with a GI Doc! Thank you!! 

You just keep doing the best you can & hanging in there.  Get the rest your body tells you it needs & hey, you might as well eat some NON mushy Butternut Squash too...lololol!!  Sorry, but, I can't remember if you're retired or not... another symptom of "older" maybe! Lol! 

Have a good day John!!! 

John, it is good to hear from you; thank you for getting us up to speed. May your treatments and diagnoses go well - like you, in my experience the medical people did change courses a couple of times according to how lab and scans looked. Yes, there are very young-looking people running all these machines! However, they looked smart and competent, and I felt confident while wondering how old they were and where they learned to do all these things. The radiation was fatiguing, but that did pass. Thinking of you! ❤️ LL

Hey John ,hope you are hanging on in there ,thoughts and prayers are with you and gratitude for giving me the encouragement to get the surgery I was putting off .

@john68 I've been thinking about you, John. Thank you for updating us, and I hope that you've been able to relax in some nice weather!

Re: young doctors. It seems like everyone these days are "kids. But when I was a kid, every doctor seemed "old". Whether that's just our perception or not, I've already had to switch doctors a few times due to retirement, so maybe docs these days are "for life" 🤣 

Hey there Folks, Once again friends my dear ole Acy breaky heart is being a pain in the arse!! Well not me arse that’s to weird but you know what I mean. Plus and get this I had my first ever blockage 🤗. So for 6 days I have been in hospital. All back on track now as I write waiting on Lorraine to lift me. All this is keeping me from the chemo stage of my treatment which has been cancelled dear knows how many times. So next week we try again. Blockage I have put down to the tablets. The pharmacist is going to take a look and adjust. Also lunch has arrived, baked potato and beans. It’s the biggest spud 🥔 I have ever seen!! I don’t know if I should eat, climb or give it a name and take it home on wards up upwards. Cheers for the 👂😃👍🙏

@john68 you sure have been having a rough time! It’s not fair! I’m sorry to hear this, but glad that things are getting back on track now. I know it’s frustrating that your chemo has been delayed once again, but it really sounds like your healthcare team is on top of it, and that is so important. Patients are called that for a reason 😕. I hope Lorraine is taking care of herself as well as yourself. She’ll be glad to have you home.  Thanks for updating us.

Laurie

Thank you Laurie, what I want to do posting here is to record the journey so that any one reads and sees the unnecessary journey I have taken will take the surgery sooner than later. Plus all the support here is really helping me. 🤗

JOhn, you will be so happy to get home, and Lorraine to have you there. Wow, six days …. What tablets would have caused a blockage? In my experience I certainly agree with Laurie, that patients are called that for a reason - the waiting and planning and consulting were things I had never thought about, or about the world of specialized medicine and all the people who work in it. Do you know if they are planning to do your chemo intravenously, or by tablet?

Did you show that potato who is boss?

@john68 Oi! You can't catch a break, eh?

Massive spud and beans? Does this hospital take dinner reservations? I'm in!

John, I'm sorry for these setbacks, but as @tigerlily said, your healthcare team seems to be doing a wonderful job looking after you. Hugs to both you and Lorraine.

Hey John , thinking of you and Lorraine,  It makes all the difference having great support ,

I honestly believe I would have given up years ago only for Sheila ,

Hopefully you can get the chemo going soon ,

Should also thank ye for the great swimmer ye sent our way 🙏, too soon ? 

Anyway ye are always in my prayers and Sheila's,  She is always praising you for sharing your story and giving me the push to get the op ,

Forever grateful 

Tony and Sheila in the Cobh of Cork 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/kAPNJnvsR8pZ25JB9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/moLkNV1hsFkzRwS88

Hey Tony many thanks for the spectacular photos. And as for the swimming it’s great to see the results for Ireland. I think both sides of the border are delighted 😃 

@john68  ... and your journey continues with added curve balls! Keep ducking them John!!  

I'm sorry to hear you're going thru all that too. Our tickers are tricky little guys but they are also very resilient. It's good they are taking all the precautions & it sounds like you're in great hands John. 

Know I am praying for you & your family as you deal with all the issues you're facing. Thank you for keeping us as up to date as possible. 

Hang in there, we need you here too! 

John,

I just read this whole thread. I don’t know how I missed it. I know I haven’t been on here much lately, and feel so bad for not knowing what has been going on. 
I am so sorry you are going through all this. You are getting so much love and good advice from everyone here, which is a sign of how much you have impacted everyone on this site, myself included. You were one of the first people to reach out to me and offer encouragement 6 years ago. ❤️

You are such a strong person, and your humor in dealing with the crap that life hands out will serve you well. And I am so happy you have such a supportive wife by your side. Tell Lorraine how much we all appreciate her for taking care of you!!

This was a good reminder to me too. Since my ostomy was due to Crohn’s, I never really think about cancer, but I should. I’ve been having some other health problems, besides my ostomy issues. Getting older really sucks!!  And you are right. When did they start letting teenagers practice medicine??

I’m wishing you all the strength you need!!  You have such a positive attitude, which I admire so much. And that old heart of yours should have several years left in it. 

I smiled when I read that you won’t use that luscious head of hair!!  (When people don’t post pictures, you have to imagine what they look like). 😉

You and Lorraine take care of each other and stay strong. 

Hey John ,hope you're doing OK 

Yes,  Tony & Liza, I just came here to ask about you too John... how are you doing?

We are all concerned & thinking of you. It's okay if your not up to checking in, just know you are missed & that you are in our thoughts & pprayers.  Stay as 💪 strong as you can. 

Hi John,

I just wanted to tell you I’m thinking of you and hoping you are well. 💕

Sending all best thoughts and wishes to you, John; I think of you often. Take care and know that your friends here are pulling for you.

Hi John - just hoping that you’ll feel well enough soon to check in here. You’re a big part of VO, and all your friends here are wishing the best for you. Take good care of yourself, and when you’re able, let us know how you’re doing.

Laurie