Surgery is risky but so is driving a car

Surgery is risky but so is driving a car

I enjoyed reading an article written by Dr Eric Liu entitled The Complications of Surgery. In his article, Dr Liu, himself a surgeon, explains that surgery comes with risks, and patients should be made aware and be able to discuss these risks with their doctors. This got me thinking about my own experience which goes back to the autumn of 2010 when I first met my surgeon. At that time, there were a few articles about whether surgery or 'biochemistry' was the best treatment for certain types, grades and stages of Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs).To some extent, these debates continue, particularly…
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Neuroendocrine Cancer – don’t break my heart!

Neuroendocrine Cancer – don’t break my heart!

Neuroendocrine Cancer has certain unique features whereby tumours can produce one or more symptoms which are known collectively as a syndrome.  Neuroendocrine Tumours secreting excess amounts of serotonin, can be accompanied by Carcinoid Syndrome which if not diagnosed and treated early enough, can lead to an additional complication known as Hedinger Syndrome (often known as Carcinoid Heart Disease (CHD)). However, very late diagnoses can present with CHD already in place. Excess serotonin, a hormone released by NETs into the bloodstream seems to be the prime and lead suspect for causing thick ‘plaques’ or fibrosis tissue within the heart muscle and damage to…
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Please flush after use!

Please flush after use!

In the past couple of years, I've read so many stories about the quite natural act of using a toilet (.....some more repeatable than others).  I think if there was a 'Bachelor of Science degree in Toiletry', I might pass with First Class Honours. I jest clearly but it's strange that such a routine activity for most can actually become quite scientific in the world of Neuroendocrine Cancer and other ailments which might be described in some scenarios as invisible illnesses. I also found myself smiling at the fact that flushing is connected with the toilet and a type of red warm feeling in…
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Chasing normality

Cancer isn’t always a one-time event. It can be a chronic (ongoing) illness, much like diabetes or heart disease. Cancer can be closely watched and treated, but sometimes it never completely goes away. The cancer may be 'controlled' with treatment, meaning it might seem to go away or stay the same, and it doesn’t grow or spread as long as you are getting appropriate treatment. Sometimes the treatment shrinks the cancer, but the cancer is still there – it doesn’t go away and stay away – it’s not cured.  More people are living with cancer than ever before and the ratio…
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The C Word

'The C Word' or 'The Big C' - the subject which must not be discussed.  Or is this now an out of date phrase?  I read a useful article a month ago where the author debated where we might be if, 50 years ago, we were as open about cancer as we are now (there, I said the word).  Nowadays you cannot turn a page in a newspaper without seeing a story of sadness, inspiration or medical science progress. Certainly the latter has played a huge part in reducing cancer mortality rates and sending more people into remission. We now have much…
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No Fear

No Fear

Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on pinterest Pinterest Share on whatsapp WhatsApp Share on email Email It's that time again, every 6 months I need some checks. I've done the specialist blood test (Chromogranin A - CgA) and the 5HIAA and am waiting on my CT scan appointment. It's also time for my annual Echocardiogram. I then see my Consultant and he delivers the news.I positively look forward to my tests and I cannot wait to get into that scanner! 'Scanxiety' isn't in my dictionary.  Why? Because testing is one thing that's going to keep me…
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Do you suffer from NET Brain?

Do you suffer from NET Brain?

The acronym 'NET' (NeuroEndocrine Tumour) can be advantageous to NET advocates and organisations because it occasionally attracts readership from outside the Cancer community when links are accidentally found by 'surfers'.NET just also happens to be a common truncation of the word 'Internet' or 'Network'.  The vast majority will realise the irrelevance (to them) and move on but 1 or 2 might just hang around and take a look.  Bingo - we have spread a little bit of awareness!However, these unintended awareness opportunities are not confined to 'NET'.  According to my blog statistics, other than my name, the most common search phrase which leads to my blog…
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Surgery for NETs – Chop Chop

Surgery for NETs – Chop Chop

At the end of 2014, I was feeling pretty good celebrating 4 years since my first 'big' surgery in 2010. It prompted me to write an article Surgery - the gift that keeps on giving. In that particlar article, I really just wanted to say I was grateful for the early surgical treatment and as I was just about to spend another Christmas with my family, I was reminiscing what a wonderful gift it was at the time. Other than some detail of the surgery, I didn't get too technical, I just wanted to generate a thankful and festive mood. However, a recent private message from…
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Turning a negative into a postive

Interesting piece in the news today and there's an amazing story behind it.  The "Lung Cancer Breathalyser" is not a new technology but following the death of his wife from advanced colon cancer, inventor Billy Boyle has produced something good enough to have been accepted on a trial basis by the NHS. If successful, it has the potential to save thousands of lives. Lung Cancer is a big killer and the survival rate at Stage 4 is around 5%. Let's hope this invention works. When I was reading the article, I immediately recognised his wife as a blogger I was following and who…
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Lanreotide – Four more years

This post has been superseded by the following: Lanreotide: it's calling the shots - click here. Lanreotide:  10 more years please! - click here. Lanreotide vs Octreotide - click here. Original post: The UK general election steps up a gear this month and social media is playing a huge part in the debate leading up to 7 May 2015.  In the USA, the different parties are busily working on their candidates ready for 2016. It appears that politicians worldwide, are keen to exploit all areas of communication to eke out votes from the young and old who now use social media on a scale which makes…
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Intelligent patients – just what the doctor didn’t order

    I'm extremely pleased and honoured to have been selected as the first guest contributor to feature in the Carcinoid Cancer Foundation's blog site! I've been following these guys since I was diagnosed.  They have been serving the Carcinoid/NET Community for over 44 Years and they are in my opinion the largest and most respected Carcinoid Cancer organisation on the planet. The Carcinoid Cancer Foundation began as the ‘Carcinoid Tumor and Serotonin Research Foundation’ in 1968 when the NIH fund for rare cancers was terminated. The name was changed to the Carcinoid Cancer Foundation in 1995. It is a non-profit…
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Disobedient Objects

My wife and I were in London recently and we took the opportunity to visit the world-famous Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in South Kensington.  A particular display caught my eye entitled "Disobedient Objects" and I immediately thought it had a scientific sound to it.  Imagining a set of everyday objects which somehow didn't behave as you would expect, it sounded great fun so I wandered in.  How wrong I was, it was actually an exhibition examining the powerful role of objects in movements for social change.  The term 'disobedient' was used as these objects were designed by grassroots social movements mostly for use in street protests.  These ranged…
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Well done NHS!

Well done NHS!

I've been reasonably lucky with my health over the years, suffering only the usual common ailments. I was slightly asthmatic as a child but this seemed to disappear when I left school going straight into military service. They say an army marches on its stomach... only partly true but the military did look after my health with regular check ups. I think the only medical emergency I had in my 29 years in that wonderful organisation was being knocked out in boxing training aged 16! When I left the military in 2001, I was fortunate to benefit from free health…
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The Mother of all Surgeries

The Mother of all Surgeries

My plan for this week's blog was to continue with a surgery theme using the story of a lady who had what was described as the "Mother of all Surgeries" after being late diagnosed with a very rare and advanced type of appendiceal cancer. With NETs, surgery is a topical subject as not everyone will be able to have it and some might not even need it. Check out my blog "to cut or not to cut". I suggested in a previous blog that 'Surgery is a gift that keeps on giving' and that is probably true for many cancer survivors. However, I then added that NETs were…
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End of the year but not end of the mission

Hope you all had a nice festive break?  Chris and I had 3 separate dinners making sure we made the most of our extended family base.  We decided to join in the Christmas jumper fashion statement which seems to be vogue this year - thus the picture!  At least we got to wear them 3 times! Now that busy period is over, I've had the chance to reflect on the last 8 months of blogging and look forward to my plans for 2015. I created this blog site on 29 Apr 2014 mainly to document an 84 mile charity hike across Hadrian's Wall - a…
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Neuroendocrine Cancer – not an exact Science

Neuroendocrine Cancer – not an exact Science

UNDER CONSTRUCTION I've been interested in science since my school days and seem to remember it being separated into Biology, Physics and Chemistry for study and examination purposes. Biology wasn't on my radar and as I found Chemistry boring, I focused on Physics which seemed to be more 'modern' and exciting. Curiously, at the beginning of my Open University degree course some 25 years later, I found the Biology and Chemistry modules of my foundation year the most enjoyable part of the whole 6 year study.  Different teaching methods? different teachers?  Perhaps, but I suspect some maturity was involved plus a hunger for new knowledge. I seem to have caught the learning bug again since…
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Tobacco and Cancer: A smoking gun?

I've never smoked so I'm reasonably confident my own cancer experience is not related to this type of personal lifestyle.  I did, however, grow up in a world where smoking was widespread and a generally accepted behaviour. We now know that smoking causes more than four in five cases of lung cancer. Lung cancer not only has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers, but is the most common cause of cancer death in the UK.  Shockingly, most of these deaths are preventable, by giving up smoking in time or not starting at all. Smoking also increases the risk of at least 13 other…
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Neuroendocrine Cancer – early diagnosis, not early misdiagnosis?

Orginal post - 25th Nov 2014. The papers and social media seem to be full of awareness and early diagnosis articles this month.  This coincided with World Neuroendocrine Cancer Day on 10 Nov and Pancreatic Cancer day on 13 Nov.  Social media was, therefore, buzzing with messages from organisations supporting and advocating for both of these cancer types.  These issues also made it to the conventional media outlets of newspapers, radio and television.  Last week I watched a clip from the UK national news, where 7-year survivor of Pancreatic Cancer Ali Stunt was telling the nation about the top 3…
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Awareness, Awareness, Awareness

When Tony Blair swept to power in 1997, he said:  "Ask me my three main priorities for government and I tell you education, education, and education".  His approach of repeated word emphasis has been copied and recycled by many others replacing the words with something to suit their own message.  I'm now guilty of similar plagiarism! One of the key aims of my blog is to spread awareness of Neuroendocrine Cancer and I'm very pleased to be part of the 'worldwide team' doing my bit to help. I started blogging in Apr this year mainly to support a sponsored walk but it…
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A Commitment to Fight Cancer

I was a spectator at the Bournemouth marathon on Sunday 5 Oct 2014.  I was there to shout for my old army friend, Steve Davis, who was running 26.2 miles for PLANETS Charity.  When Steve found out I was living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, he immediately volunteered his services to help raise funds. Steve is a runner but when you are '50 something', running a marathon is no easy feat - not easy on your feet either :-) I had seen excerpts of marathons on television but this was my first time as a spectator at a live event.  One thing that…
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Met an old friend today; his name is Gym

I think I first met Gym at school in the sixties - we normally met on a weekly basis. We were reacquainted when I joined the army and hooked up more frequently! It was there I met some of Gym's friends, known as PTIs (Physical Training Instructors). Their opening line was normally "Ten times round my large bronze chest...... GO! " and then we would proceed with the 'beasting'.  I suspect I might now be prodded by the PTIs on my facebook page - there are one or two out there :-) I've always been a fairly fit guy but over time…
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Am I at fighting weight?

I recently blogged about my boxing experience in post: http://wp.me/p4AplF-r7  In those days I was just a wee skinny 16 year old guy! I think I was in the Bantamweight category, somewhere between 8 and 9 stone (50 - 57 kg). Although I gained some weight after years of service in the military, I didn't really 'bulk out' in the wrong places until I left the military aged 45. Even then it wasn't what you would call overweight or obese. I joined a gym, determined to maintain some form of fitness.  I sacked it due to pressures of work but then…
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“You’re from Dundee – you must like fighting”

Apparently all Scotsmen wear kilts, have ginger hair, eat nothing but deep fried Mars Bars and they like a good fight! Stereotyping is frequently used to wind people up and can on occasion be used in an irrational or insulting manner.  However, I believe one of those attributes is accurate.  I was once 'volunteered' for boxing because my home town was Dundee!   Read on... Dundee was put on the boxing map in the late fifties and in the early sixties due to the legendary Dick McTaggart who won a Gold and Bronze medal in two separate Olympic Games (for Great…
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Finding Hotspots

Just back from a nice relaxing holiday in Tenerife.  I don't know about you but when overseas I find myself looking for 'hotspots' everywhere I go....... I don't mean trendy entertainment venues, I'm talking about the modern phenomenon known as a WiFi signal! I also mean free and open connections.  Even recent price reductions within Europe did not tempt me to use 'data'  overseas and I didn't even want to take advantage of the £2 per day upgrade of my mobile phone account which would give me access to my minutes/MBs overseas on a temporary basis. I just look for free WiFi…
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A Highland Coup

One of my favourite memories from childhood is the vision of the finest looking cattle in the UK - the Highland 'Coo' (for those who are thinking I've made a mistake in my title spelling, read on!).   The memories are not confined to seeing them grazing in the fields but I also remember them as the iconic symbol of a famous Scottish toffee known as "Highland Toffee" made by McGowans in Stenhousemuir - also famous for its football team :-)  Having researched this toffee for my blog, I just found out the firm went bust in 2011.  However, the brand survived and…
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Up and atom!!

  I already explained Day 1 of this 3 day 'scanathon' in blog: http://wp.me/p4AplF-lY     Bit techy but added some humour to dilute some of that down. Just a quick post to elaborate on the remainder of the experience which was completed yesterday. I've had this scan twice previously with the last one in the summer of 2011 and both were done in Bournemouth Hospital. Due to a merging of the Bournemouth and Poole Nuclear Medicine Departments, these are now done at Poole. Interesting journey from/to Ringwood especially in the rush hour!  Also, the hospital parking was challenging to say…
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Forget the posturing, it’s results that matter

    You can tell there is a football competition on and they don't get bigger than the World Cup which I believe is one of the world's great sporting competitions second only to the Olympics?  Like it or not, this is a time when football fans suddenly become experts, apparently knowing even more about the game than the managers, players, pundits and commentators - particularly in hindsight after the match!  Is it just me or do you also wonder why these 'armchair pundits' aren't in the aforementioned jobs :-) Social media has increased the reach of the armchair pundits and…
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I’ve just been nuked!

When I was in the military, I was given basic training in how to deal with the threat of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare (known then as NBC).   However, there was a focus on the chemical side as that was classed as the most defendable of the 3 and probably the most likely scenario (but that's only my opinion!).  I think the training for nuclear attack consisted of the following advice: 'put your head between your legs and kiss your arse goodbye' :-)  Some 13 years after departing that wonderful organisation, I'm now allowing radioactivity to be injected into…
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Beyond the Wall

One of the first tasks on return from Hadrian's Wall was to catch up with my favourite TV show Game of Thrones (GOT).  The latest story concerns Tyrion Lannister, the dwarf son of Lord Tywin Lannister. Tyrion is technically the heir to House Lannister, thus why his father Tywin is plotting to get rid of him using the murder of King Joffrey as the reason. There was even talk of him being banished for eternity to be the Lord of the Sworn Brothers of the 'Night's Watch' on the Wall to face the 'blue painted' barbarians not to mention the mysterious 'White Walkers'.  Can't…
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Hadrian’s Wall Day 6 – Mission Complete!

Hadrian’s Wall Day 6 – Mission Complete!

The final leg of the our Hadrian's Wall walk took us from beautiful Carlisle to the remote coast of North Cumbria at Bowness-on-Solway.  We are staying there tonight before beginning our journey home tomorrow (via Newcastle). Amazingly our digs have a wicked view of the Scottish coastline and the setting sun - see picture above which was taken from our room.  It was pretty surreal to have finished 6 days of torturous walking but also to be able to look at such a wonderful view of the country in which I was born.Some people say final leg of the walk…
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Hadrian’s Wall Day 5 – Pass the morphine!

Hadrian’s Wall Day 5 – Pass the morphine!

When I was in hospital for major surgery, I remember being briefed by my excellent nursing staff about all the tubes and pipes intruding and protruding into/from my body. One of the most important ones in the early days was known as PCA - Patient Controlled Analgesia.  Basically, I could click a button whenever I felt the post-surgical pain was too much.  As this administered morphine, safeguards were built in - for example, the machine limited me to 2 clicks within 5 minutes and then it wouldn't accept a request for another 5 minutes.  That handheld push button device was…
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Hadrian’s Wall Day 4 – Welcome to Cumbria!

Hadrian’s Wall Day 4 – Welcome to Cumbria!

That was a long day and a hard walk!  Started at Steel Rigg and ended at Lanercost and we were accompanied by our friend and ex-Army colleague, Jim Waterson.  Jim and I served together in Germany 1977-79 and then again in Blandford Dorset 1983-84.  Usual banter all day brought back more memories and news about some old mutual friends.  Thanks to Jim for a great day. Thanks also to Jennifer for picking us up to take us to the start point on the wall and vice versa at the end.The route was a mixture of hilly crags and rolling fields…
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Hadrian’s Wall Day 3 – Spectacular but wet!

Hadrian’s Wall Day 3 – Spectacular but wet!

Chris and I adopted the famous military 'buddy buddy' system this morning by checking each other's feet and applying blister pads.  We then set off on a hilly section with some spectacular scenery.  But first we collected our friend Dave Taylor who was walking this tough section with us.The forecast rain didn't arrive until around an hour into the walk and then another hour after that it was time for waterproof trousers.   Pretty rough underfoot with plenty mud and damp grass.   Stonework was in some places dangerously slippy.  I fell once, fortunately I managed to miss landing on…
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Hadrian’s Wall Day 2 – The wall appears

Hadrian’s Wall Day 2 – The wall appears

This was the first real piece of the wall we say and it's the second day We must have been doing a blistering pace today!  Four of them – I claim 3 and Chris has one.  Nothing spectacular but a discomfort we could do without. Blister kit has been deployed and resupply to see us through the week will RV with us on Day 4 at Steel Rigg (cheers Jim W). In hindsight I should have deployed the blister kit last night as I had a feeling my tender feet would be even more tender by end of play today.…
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Hadrian’s Wall Day 1 – Sunny Newcastle

Hadrian’s Wall Day 1 – Sunny Newcastle

The first day under our belts but it wasn't easy.  We always knew it would be an odd walk with the first two thirds in urban environments. The first third of the route took us from Segedumun Fort, the official start/end of the wall walk in the east. There is evidence of Newcastle's previous and declining shipping industry all the way along the Tyne.  The second third took us through modern Newcastle including impressive views of the Sage and Baltic Arts Centres on the opposite bank and the iconic Tyne Bridge which we walked under.  Quite a lot of riverside…
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My blog goes International!

One of the most interesting statistics in my blog app is the total number of views recorded each day.  It even breaks the total down into which posts were most viewed and which countries the viewers were from (but please note it does not identify the name or any other details of viewers). I'm always very pleased to have readers from overseas locations - I hope they enjoy reading my blog and find it useful. To date, these include readers from USA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Barbados, Belize, France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Portugal, Austria, UAE, Bahrain, Philippines, Nigeria, Kenya, Croatia,…
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If it’s not raining, it’s not training

Only a week left until Chris and I set off on our 84 mile trek across Hadrian's Wall in the North of England.   We've been training for this since January 2014 and probably covered sufficient distance to have walked the wall 5 times over!   Didn't stop us going for a fast short walk this morning and despite the heat there was no sweat.   I think we're ready :-) For the last few days we've been thinking it might be tougher if this heat continues.  Only a month ago, we were saying it might be tougher with all the rain we were having!  We…
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“I may not be rich, but I do have priceless grandchildren”

Most of us will have experienced the ubiquitous quotations that somehow manage to go viral around Facebook and emails? Mother, Father, Son, Daughter, Grandson, Granddaughter etc.   I instinctively want to share those and like the post but something nearly always prevents me from doing so.  I suspect there is something in me that says "don't follow the crowd" or perhaps I'm just a shy private person at heart?  (I can hear some of you laughing .....).  However, today, I'm publishing the fact that grandchildren are indeed wonderful!  So what has brought on this sudden emotional outburst? I have 4…
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Is there life on other Planets?

When I was a young lad, I was fascinated by Astronomy.  Not only could I tell you the name of each Planet in order of distance from the sun, but also the actual distance!  In those days, space travel was really taking off culminating in the first manned moon landing in 1969.  I remember staying up all night with my dad so I could watch it on TV (in black and white of course).  The talk then was of where next, Mars? After all this time, we still haven't landed people on that Planet - just shows you the complexity…
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North of the wall is a dangerous place – you must never go there!

  There was a 60 minute silence last night as another episode of Game of Thrones was aired.  Not a Facebook post or tweet in sight.  This has to be 'up there' in a list of the best TV series ever?  Don't know about you but I'm sometimes confused about who is who and how they are related and/or connected!  (see useful chart at the bottom of this post) Chris and I love the introduction bit.  She likes the music, I like the geography.  There are some obvious correlations there, e.g. 'The Wall' is meant to relate to Hadrian's Wall with…
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Through the Keyhole?

  Through the Keyhole is a Panel Game Show on telly originally hosted by Lloyd Grossman (who?) and then Sir David Frost.  It was resurrected last year hosted by Keith Lemon.     Sorry to disappoint you but this blog is about a different type of keyhole.  Today I'm on 'K' words (I drew a blank on J). Keyhole Surgery After I had major surgery in Nov 2010, I left the hospital knowing that I'd be returning later for another but I needed to be fit enough first.  This took some time but in Apr 2011, I returned for further surgery, this…
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Queen Mother of the Isle of Wight

  Decided to do a one off today after reading a story published on 7 May on the PLANETS Charity Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/PLANETS-Charity/122088044556397?fref=ts The is a story about a lady who was faced with one of the most deadly cancers - Pancreatic Cancer, where the 5 year survival rate has not risen for the last 40 years (another story for another time).  Young and fit people can struggle with this cancer and its treatment so it must be ultra tough at 83.  Her attitude and strength of character in facing up to this terrible disease is very inspiring to me and an…
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What have the Romans ever done for us?

What have the Romans ever done for us?

"What have the Romans ever done for us?" Reviewed and updated 5th October 2021 .......... apart from better sanitation, and medicine, and education, and irrigation, and public health, and roads, and a freshwater system, and baths, and public order ....... 😊 (apologies to those not familiar with Monty Python stuff!) Well, they also left us the outstanding Hadrian's Wall which is the first topic of today's blog.  In January 2014, the oldest piece of paper in my 'in tray' was a newspaper article about the World Heritage Site of Hadrian's Wall - it was dated 28 Sep 2003 entitled 50…
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Bournemouth Marathon

  Hope you enjoyed the 'A' blog yesterday.  Some of you might also note I changed the previous blog titles to make them more catchy. Here's a few 'B's Bournemouth Marathon I once ran a marathon aged 28 in Verden West Germany 1984.  I was there defending the free world from Communism (ahem....). It was a tough gig even at that age and the training was even tougher.  I'm therefore delighted to announce that my old mate Steve Davis (pictured above), former Orienteering buddy and 'Quaff Club' member, has nominated my PLANETS Charity page as his chosen cause when he runs this…
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Army to the Rescue

  I promised you an A-Z so here are some 'A' headlines: Agenda.  The walk is 84 miles long - Chris and I will be walking from East to West over 6 days as follows: 25 May - Staying with friends near Newcastle 26 May - Wallsend to Heddon-on-the-Wall (with Nick Naylor) 27 May - Heddon-on-the-Wall to Chollerford  28 May - Chollerford to Once Brewed (with Dave Taylor) 29 May - Once Brewed to Lanercost (nr Brampton) (with Jim Waterson) 30 May - Lanercost to Carlisle 31 May - Carlisle to Bowness on-Solway 1 Jun - Lazy breakfast in our lodgings and then head south…
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What’s it all about?

What’s it all about?

Welcome to my blog!  My plan yesterday was to blog for 26 days using the alphabet A to Z as a guide for the content.  That would have taken me to 25th May, the day before my walk of Hadrian's Wall commences.   However, Chris and I were playing a game we used to play with our children on long car journeys "I can see something beginning with....."  On analysis, it appears I might struggle with certain letters!  Guess what....K, J, Q, U, X, Y and Z are not necessarily the problem!   I'm still intending to do this but…
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