Its oot...........

Admitted into Crosshouse last night at 14:30, they missed me out of the tea time run at 17:30 (forgot I was there!!) The nurse said if I'm quick I might just make the shop before it closes - surely enough, it was shut when I arrived. The cafe had only carrot cake and prawn cocktail crisps, so that was my last meal before fasting for the op - bummer!!!
Surprisingly had a good nights sleep, showered then dressed up in the op gown which was too small, my bare arse was clearly on view as the gown fastened at the rear. Feeling like a helpless invalid, I was wheeled to the lift then down 5 floors to the operating theatres where I was 'stacked' for about 30 minutes. Soon enough I was wheeled into the theatre where I donned a large white hair net - that took me most by surprise, I don't suit hats!!!
Surrounded by what seemed a dozen medical staff (just for me!), they commenced the task in hand. A canular type device was introduced into my right hand (which bloody hurt -soft shite!) then the anesthetic was injected - I remember the anaesthetist saying ' you might feel a little woozy now' and me thinking 'nope, nothing yet................................still nothing' then waking up back in my room, lump removed, job done!
Bandaged stiff and sore I was allowed out this afternoon, just in time to catch the last ferry home. The surgeon said I would get a result sometime in the next 10 days.

Bricking it..............

Spent the last couple of days bricking up my old back door - ooer!!
Still feeling a bit shitty but worst of all are the night sweats, waking up absolutely soaking, thought I'd pissed the bed the first time it happened, had to put the dehumidifier in the bedroom to try and dry the mattress out!
Got a call from the hospital, the biopsy did not produce enough material to get a meaningful result so I'm to be admitted on the 27th to have the largest lump removed for analysis. Said I might be there for a couple of nights as its a general anaesthetic.

Its been a wee while.............

After an un-eventful few days, Marie, the dogs and I went back to the North East (South Shields) for a few days - mainly for Marie see her folks and to start the Christmas shopping, me to see Iron Maiden on the 17th - great gig but not enough old stuff!
Had a jolly boys -all day piss up on Saturday followed by a realy weird luminous green curry from a new curry hoose on Ocean Road.
The following day (gig day) I woke up in my brothers house feeling a bit dodgy, was it the piss or the curry from outer space or something else!!!
Kenny and I went up the toon the see Bruce and the boys bootin' arse, supported by Trivium (superb), still feeling delicate I decided not to 'mosh' with the big boys, opting to stand about half way up the floor still with a good view, sound was superb.
Back at Kennys house with a chicken fried rice which went mainly untouched as I totally lost my appetite between the chinkees and Kenny's. Woke up the next day feeling pretty much as I did the previous day. Drove down to Shields to have my teeth checked and cleaned then back up the road to catch the last ferry to Arran, leaving Marie and the dogs behind.

Took the first ferry to the mainland this morning - weather is absolutely shite again, proper cats n' dogs and blowin' a hooligan. Not looking good for getting back!
Got to hospital for 09:55, they saw me straight away even though my appointment wasn't until 11:30. Specialist had a good feel of me neck lumps then stuck a camera up me nose and down to my throat - a weird and very uncomfortable experience - felt like it was about a yard wide and ribbed!!! Everything on the camera appeared normal. Next my blood test results were reviewed, again everything OK, except for higher than normal cholesterol - nowt new there!
Next, he sent me off to see another doctor who performed a needle biopsy on the largest lump, another uncomfortable experience, nee local anaesthetic like!!! If the biopsy results are inconclusive I will have to go back to have the node removed for testing next week.
Back in the van for 10:25, the weather turning even worse I headed off towards the ferry terminal. Stopping at Frank's house for a chinwag to kill a bit of time before the un-hopeful 12:30 ferry. Frank dropped me off in time, I hung around the terminal a while expecting to bus it up to Gourock but the ferry emerged from the mist and rolled into its berth about 20 minutes late. An absolutely nightmare sailing back across to Arran saw me in the house for 14:00.

Went around to Marv & Marion's house to finish off some electrical refurb work.
Feeling OK, although the 'curry gland' feeling has returned and my neck feels more swollen than ever, apart from that, alreet!!

Another shite day though, seems to have pissed down for the last 4 weeks without let-up. Ferry went to Gourock again, might be OK tomorrow for the hospital as the wind is due to die down for a bit.

Keeping off the rowing machine this week until I'm sorted at the hospital, still feel pretty fit though, only 45k to go to reach my 2006 target of 2 million metres!!

'Its one of those 70's neck lumps???'

That's me on the right, my boy Lewis on the left, taken last year somewhere in California.

About 10 weeks ago I discovered a painful lump on the side of my neck - about the size of a pea. Nothing remarkable there, I'm always finding lumps here and there as I'm prone to sebaceous cysts and have many around my body. The lump which has caused most hassle during the last 15 or so years is right on my right kneecap - it's like kneeling on a marble so I try to keep off it. Although it has been removed on two separate occasions it still remains, coming back like a Rocky sequel!
Back to the lump on my neck. I've ignored it for a couple of months but though it was time to let the Doc know as I found a few smaller lumps just below the collar bone. Reading the Internet about lumps just opened a huge can of possibilities - none of them good.
So it was off to Corrie surgery on Tuesday 5th December to see the doc. The Doc had a good feel of the original lump and also confirmed the existence of additional lumps below the collar bone. His initial diagnosis being swollen lymph nodes. He would make a further appointment for me to have blood taken for testing and a chest x-ray before the end of the week and would also try to squeeze me in to see the surgeon on Friday - he day-trips from the mainland on Fridays only.

Surely enough, I was called to Lamlash hospital on Thursday to spend an uneventful 10 minutes in the X-ray theatre.

Friday came and I was summoned to Brodick surgery to surrender blood, the doc took 5 or 6 samples before sending me on my way to Lamlash hospital for the first appointment with the surgeon - Dr Diament. Bang on time the surgeon turned and wasted no time in stripping my shirt off and had me sitting there with my tits oot for all to see, my ample gut hanging over my overly-tight jeans. Soon after I was on my back, trousers around my ankles and family jewels on full display as the doc kneaded my groin area.
The upshot of all this was swollen lymph nodes between my ear and collar bone down my left side and further swollen lymph nodes down the left side of my groin.
The doc didn't beat around the bush, he said there was every chance that there may be something seriously wrong with me - meaning tumors, leukemia, Hodgkin's etc. Although on the bright side chest x-ray showed no swollen nodes around my heart - whatever that means! Plus I looked fine to him and showed no signs of illness. The only real way to diagnose the problem would be to remove the neck lump for analysis which would be done under general anaesthetic, but even worse, would have to be carried out on the mainland................bollox!!!! The doc said I might not be at work for a while, at least until the diagnosis is complete. Rang Neil from work to put him in the picture - very supportive, cheers mate. Feel a bit guilty though, should be offshore for Christmas and New Year, feels like I'm 'pulling a flanker'.

Got a call from the surgeon today, I have to attend Crosshouse hospital on Wednesday at 11:30 to see Mr Dempster - there is a chance the lump can be biopsied without a general anaesthetic. Living on Arran is not without its problems and getting to the hospital may prove difficult, with Calmac just looking for excuses to cancel the ferry and the forecast for Wednesday not looking too healthy, we shall see.

The swelling in my neck seems more prominent today and I found a small lump on the right side now and have a constant feeling of salivating - a bit like when your 'curry' gland goes when your hungry and you get a whiff of onion badgie!! Haven't told Marie about my latest lump, no point in worrying everyone else.

Anyway, this is the reason for this blog, to document any potential illness. Hopefully the problem will turn out to be nowt and the blog will only run to a page or two and be the shortest, most boring blog on the net or is a long winded doom and gloom affair where potential sufferers can can visit and hopefully read in real time what will become of them. I quite fancy the short boring version!!