I met quite a few interesting people during my walk along the 2000 year old Hadrian’s Wall 10 years ago.  On Day 3, Chris and I were accompanied by our friend Dave Taylor, we noticed a couple heading up the hill that we were progressing down.  We also couldn’t help noticing the male of the duo was continually stopping to talk to others on the way down, and we were no exception.  Interestingly, his wife kept overtaking him at these points not saying a word. He got chatting to me and Dave and we worked out he was Irish.  I think his wife waited for him up the hill for around 15 minutes!

We discussed where we were all from and he confirmed to Dave and I that he was indeed Irish (in the military you learn accents pretty quickly). He also spoke pretty fast but fortunately Dave and I had been trained to receive morse code at 1000 words per minute (exaggeration!) and were able to handle it!  He also waxed lyrical about his house on the West coast of Ireland claiming that he would be able to see New York if it wasn’t for the earth’s curvature.  Again, that got Dave and I thinking as we had both been trained to work out line of sight radio paths taking the earth’s curvature into account (I know, how ‘geeky’ am I!). I can’t remember why but we got onto the subject of The Netherlands and he then claimed that most Dutch companies were run by Irishmen!  We had no evidence to dispute this claim and although it was difficult, we managed to extricate ourselves after 15 minutes of this slightly strange one way conversation as we needed needed to get to our planned finish point and the rain was getting heavier!  He had great ‘craic’ though!  I love Irish people and I know they like to tell stories – but this guy was really good at it!

And another odd meeting the following day……

On the evening of the next day, Chris and I met two ladies in our lodgings.  I couldn’t help noticing one of them appeared to be a bit abrupt. This continued during the evening meal where we got talking about my 3 month old blog (awareness opportunity).  I mentioned my daughter was proof reading them at the time.  I was a bit taken aback to be told by the abrupt lady whom I had only met 10 minutes earlier, that I must be stupid because I get someone to proof read my blogs before publishing. 

I’m a lot mellower nowadays but I do know one or two people who (shall we say) would not have been anywhere near as calm as I was about this situation.  I found out later this lady was autistic and we then went on to have a really nice chat and meal.  I’m glad I didn’t react in a different way and have since taken the time to find out about something I don’t understand – this site is helpful if you are similarly inclined.  Thus my message title – ‘Things are not always how they seem‘.

You could make the same mistake about other illnesses where things are sometimes not quite how they seem.  Take Neuroendocrine cancer as one example.  It is uncommon and some of its symptoms can mimic ‘run of the mill’ problems that a lot of people face from time to time.  It’s the great pretender.

It can be diagnosed by accident during invasive procedures for something more common. It can also be found during incidentally during checks for other illness where cancer isn’t initially suspected, for example exposed via a scan – and even then it may not lead to diagnosis of the correct cancer until further downstream. This scenario might even be the end of a long chain of vague problems – perhaps over years. Neuroendocrine Cancer forum and patient support sites are jam-packed with stories of years of alleged misdiagnosis.

The right awareness can lead to speedier diagnoses and save lives (ronnyallan.net)

When I look at my own experience, I would appear to be somewhere in the middle and the way in which my cancer was eventually diagnosed leads me to think I had a bit of luck including winning the postcode lottery – but following a period of ignorance on my part (A.K.A. a lack of awareness and feeling of invincibility).  If you remember, I nonchalantly told my asthma nurse I had lost a ‘wee bit of weight’.  That could have gone two ways ………… fortunately she sent me for a blood test and here I am now.  If you want to read or hear more about my cancer diagnosis experience, check this blog.

Diagnosis – I’m no longer in control (ronnyallan.net)

Ronny Allan: My Diagnosis and Treatment – Neuroendocrine Cancer

Thanks for listening to my rambling memories.