Update on oggbashan's health

[MagicaPractica]

Rest? What's that? I have just returned from giving three large boxes of books to a charity bookshop and visiting the local supermarket with my wife. The youngest daughter and our youngest grandchild will arrive in the next quarter of an hour for the weekend so the house will be busy and noisy.

This morning three local friends and one of my sons-in-law dropped in for a cup of coffee and a chat.

In between I have managed a few lines of writing.

I am up and down stairs at least thirty times a day and go for a walk with my four-wheeled walker several times as well. I will NOT use a wheelchair or a powered buggy because as long as I can I want to keep mobile.

 

[Javahead]

I am up and down stairs at least thirty times a day and go for a walk with my four-wheeled walker several times as well. I will NOT use a wheelchair or a powered buggy because as long as I can I want to keep mobile.

Good plan. The longer you keep active, the longer you *can* keep active.

My folks have always been sedentary - at my current age, they regarded once around the block as a long walk. And now, even if otherwise healthy for their ages, can barely move, and hate leaving their house. While some of the women M'lady volunteers with are older than either, but as spry as crickets because they've always kept moving.

M'lady and I love hiking - we walk every day, and try to get up to the hills at least once a week. I tell friends we do it for two reasons - because we can, and so we can.

Keep going as long as you can - being able to do for yourself is its own reward.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Good plan. The longer you keep active, the longer you *can* keep active

Keep going as long as you can - being able to do for yourself is its own reward.

Very true. My mum is a volunteer at their local fire brigade. She was hauling hoses on the fire ground until she was 75 and had a mini stroke. Hasn’t really slowed her down though. She still helps out with comms and logistic support.

That activity possibly saved her from worse issues or a larger stroke. She’s fitter than a lot of others much younger than her.

 

[oggbashan]

Very true. My mum is a volunteer at their local fire brigade. She was hauling hoses on the fire ground until she was 75 and had a mini stroke. Hasn’t really slowed her down though. She still helps out with comms and logistic support.

That activity possibly saved her from worse issues or a larger stroke. She’s fitter than a lot of others much younger than her.

My father was still walking twenty miles a day at 96. My mother-in-law was digging her garden at 80 with advanced cancer.

 

[Handley_Page]

My father was still walking twenty miles a day at 96. My mother-in-law was digging her garden at 80 with advanced cancer.

Is there a lesson there, perhaps ?

 

[oggbashan]

3 hospital appointments today - fortunately all at the same hospital - but no vacant disabled spaces so I had a long walk.

Signs still good. Blood oxygen level retested three times because they didn't believe the first two of 100%. Recorded as 99% which is still unusual for someone with lung cancer. The oncology consultant was very pleased that no side effects from chemotherapy, and my general fitness, but I now have a tooth abscess. That has delayed the next chemo session for a week while I have antibiotics and dental treatment.

Tomorrow? Dentist and speech therapist.

 

[RangerLee]

3 hospital appointments today - fortunately all at the same hospital - but no vacant disabled spaces so I had a long walk.

Signs still good. Blood oxygen level retested three times because they didn't believe the first two of 100%. Recorded as 99% which is still unusual for someone with lung cancer. The oncology consultant was very pleased that no side effects from chemotherapy, and my general fitness, but I now have a tooth abscess. That has delayed the next chemo session for a week while I have antibiotics and dental treatment.

Tomorrow? Dentist and speech therapist.

Great to hear such test results., but sorry about the tooth. Hang in there, Ogg, lots of us pulling for you; mire than you know. ;-)

 

[LoquiSordidaAdMe]

My father was still walking twenty miles a day at 96.

3 hospital appointments today - fortunately all at the same hospital - but no vacant disabled spaces so I had a long walk.

So... That's a good thing then? I can't tell. But that oxygen level test makes it sound like you'll outlive us all. Shame about the abscess, but isn't that one of those dental problems that gives you an excuse to eat all the ice cream you want? Silver lining. Or is that tonsils? It's been a long day. I should go to bed. Best wishes, Ogg.

 

[oggbashan]

I visited the dentist today and was prescribed penicillin as recommended by Oncology specialist. The tooth with an abscess will be extracted next Wednesday. No rude comments about British teeth please - mine were wrecked by Rugby, rock climbing, mountaineering, cross country motorcycle racing etc.

I have perfect teeth that I keep in a box in my bathroom. After Wednesday I will have one natural tooth left.

I also visited the speech therapist today. As my speech problems are caused by Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome she cannot help. Only chemotherapy might. But on the last visit in early August she had recorded all my tests on video and, with my permission, had shared it with her speech therapist colleagues and specialists. None of them had come across a case like me before. My speech centres are perfect, it is just that Lambert-Eaton interferes with the messages between my brain and the muscles producing speech. (As it does with my balance, my walking, my vision and sometimes my taste)

Now that Lambert-Eaton has been finally diagnosed she can share that too. A problem with speech might be a very early sign of Lambert-Eaton and therefore lung cancer long before anything might be visible on a scan or blood test. Now, if a speech therapist sees a patient with speech problems like mine they could suspect Lambert-Eaton and lung cancer enabling early referral to Oncology and an early intervention that might prevent spread and/or death. Lambert-Eaton is a very rare complication of a type of lung cancer that is itself rare but aggressive.

Unfortunately for me it is too late. All I can hope for is a slightly longer reasonable quality of life and perhaps a short delay in eventual death.

The doctors are reluctant to say how long I have got but the latest estimate is while I should reasonably expect to be around for Christmas 2019 I should assume that at best, even if chemotherapy works, I will not see Christmas 2020. I'd like to prove them wrong but not if I have to survive months in a hospital bed. I prefer to die with my boots on...

 

[JJonah]

“None of them had come across a case like me before.”

Truer words...

 

[Voboy]

Thanks for the update. Hang in there for the 2020 Christmas #1.

 

[whowrotethisshit]

I'd like to prove them wrong but not if I have to survive months in a hospital bed. I prefer to die with my boots on...

I wish you luck and tight laces.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

I prefer to die with my boots on...

Or off, sir, depending on the company...

Here's hoping that you will be around for a lot longer than those white-coated pessimists predict.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I also visited the speech therapist today. As my speech problems are caused by Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome she cannot help. Only chemotherapy might. But on the last visit in early August she had recorded all my tests on video and, with my permission, had shared it with her speech therapist colleagues and specialists. None of them had come across a case like me before. My speech centres are perfect, it is just that Lambert-Eaton interferes with the messages between my brain and the muscles producing speech. (As it does with my balance, my walking, my vision and sometimes my taste)

Doctors talk about rare diseases as "zebras", but perhaps that should be "puffins".

 

[Handley_Page]

I visited the dentist today and was prescribed penicillin as recommended by Oncology specialist. The tooth with an abscess will be extracted next Wednesday. No rude comments about British teeth please - mine were wrecked by Rugby, rock climbing, mountaineering, cross country motorcycle racing etc.

I have perfect teeth that I keep in a box in my bathroom. After Wednesday I will have one natural tooth left.

I also visited the speech therapist today. As my speech problems are caused by Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome she cannot help. Only chemotherapy might. But on the last visit in early August she had recorded all my tests on video and, with my permission, had shared it with her speech therapist colleagues and specialists. None of them had come across a case like me before. My speech centres are perfect, it is just that Lambert-Eaton interferes with the messages between my brain and the muscles producing speech. (As it does with my balance, my walking, my vision and sometimes my taste)

.
The doctors are reluctant to say how long I have got but the latest estimate is while I should reasonably expect to be around for Christmas 2019 I should assume that at best, even if chemotherapy works, I will not see Christmas 2020. I'd like to prove them wrong but not if I have to survive months in a hospital bed. I prefer to die with my boots on...

Ogg, We all KNOW you are unique. . . .

 

[jehoram]

Regarding you difficulties with speech:

The great American movie critic Roger Ebert had to have part of his jaw removed, resulting in a total inability to speak, although he continued to write his column of movie reviews up until his death many years later. In a blog, he made a passing reference to having "lost his voice." A reader responded. "No, Roger. Only speech is gone. Voice is loud and clear."

May it be so with you.

 

[oggbashan]

Tooth extracted yesterday and pre-assessment for next week's chemotherapy (on Monday) today. There was some doubt that I could go for chemo so soon after after a tooth extraction but a phone call from the oncology specialist confirmed it is OK to go ahead on Monday.

Next week I have appointments on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. My wife is getting fed up with being my driver.

 

[rutger5]

Next week I have appointments on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. My wife is getting fed up with being my driver.

Tell her it greatly beats the alternative.

 

[oggbashan]

Second course of chemotherapy tomorrow. I hope my reaction is the same as the first course - nothing except occassional tiredness.

 

[BelleCanzuto]

Second course of chemotherapy tomorrow. I hope my reaction is the same as the first course - nothing except occassional tiredness.

I hope so too!
You've got about twelve thousand more stories to write, sir

 

[ThisNameIsntTakenYet]

Second course of chemotherapy tomorrow. I hope my reaction is the same as the first course - nothing except occassional tiredness.

Good luck, and let's hope so indeed.

 

[oggbashan]

I hope so too!
You've got about twelve thousand more stories to write, sir

I don't think I will manage that many. It is much slower typing with an eyepatch because of double vision.

 

[Javahead]

I don't think I will manage that many. It is much slower typing with an eyepatch because of double vision.

Perhaps you should start a few pirate stories?

Hang in there, Ogg.

 

[oggbashan]

Perhaps you should start a few pirate stories?

Hang in there, Ogg.

Only after a liter of Rum...

 

[BelleCanzuto]

I don't think I will manage that many. It is much slower typing with an eyepatch because of double vision.

OK. Only nine thousand stories then...

However many stories, or none, I just hope that you feel well until the end.