OneGuyFromBarlick

I slept for well over two hours and am sat here now with a pot of tea thinking about Bob......

All plans changed with a message from Susan. Mick has been struck down with what she thinks might be Norovirus so she won't come anywhere near me.
Thinking about deciding what I could do to improve the shining hour I decided to go and do my Friday shop and at the same time get Rapeseed Oil because my current charge is smoky, it's reached it's sell by date. Susan caught up with me in the Co-op and wheeled my trolley home for me. I shall see her on Saturday....
So I am in the middle of deep cleaning my fryer and when it's reloaded I shall fry my sweet potato chips.

Chips fried, and the new rapeseed oil is not smoking. All nice and tidy and I am knocking off....

I shall be in the shed as usual from 06:00 chasing my valve train. To be more specific, finishing machining the casting that will be the eccentric strap....
I had no other pressing matters until I shut my phone down last night. See medical matters for the stone that was thrown in my pond..... (Must try not to go off piste!)

Morning

Up and out, need to be on the road by 7.30 am to get to Christies for 9.00am.

Good luck Sue....



I started by finishing the link rod. I milled it down to 5/16" wide and then rounded the ends and countersunk one end for the screw that attaches the link to the eccentric. Clean up and break the edges. Then I did some careful measuring and marking of the tab on the strap to which the rod fixes and then milled out the recess for the rod. I am ready to split the strap ready for boring and then I will drill and tap it for the link rod. I deserve breakfast now after an hour of careful measuring marking and cutting.

As usual an hour in the shed with my valve train and then second sleep. I have no medical 'emergencies', social engagements or other pressing matters so a quiet day of rest.....

This morning I started by measuring and marking the strap to find the centre and then slitting with a saw in the mill. Far more accurate than doing it by hand with a hacksaw. Then finishing the cut surfaces and refitting the securing bolts. Next I marked, drilled and tapped for the small countersunk screw that secures the arm in the strap. Once that was fitted I am ready to bore the strap out 1" diameter to fit on the eccentric. That's for tomorrow, I am satisfied with progress today. Now for breakfast!

Morning

We were down there within an hour, and Christies has a free multifloor carpark. We were seen early and had a good hours consultation discussing all possible treatments. We were reassured that the issue is not whether the cancer can be treated but what is the right way to do it. As far as the medics are concerned the decision is ours. Possible side effects are much the same whatever route we take. We have an appointment next Thursday to finalise our decision and treatment will start when we come back from our annual trip to the Lakes(14 th -21st) . It will probably be 5 weeks of a new trial radiotherapy.

Today is u3 a art and being Friday lunch out with Wendy, Keith, Barbara and Bill. Our usual lunchtime haunts are closed for a post Christmas holiday so we are going somewhere else in Tod.

Have a good day all

That sounds like a result Sue. How does Bob feel about it?

Stanley wrote: ↑05 Jan 2024, 07:33 That sounds like a result Sue. How does Bob feel about it?

Still undecided about the course to take. Just wish the surgeon would answer oir question

Sue wrote: ↑05 Jan 2024, 08:29

Stanley wrote: ↑05 Jan 2024, 07:33 That sounds like a result Sue. How does Bob feel about it?

Still undecided about the course to take. Just wish the surgeon would answer oir question

Hi Sue, we have been down this path a few times, and the question to ask is “ if it was them, what would they do”, they will then give you their opinion.

Gloria wrote: ↑05 Jan 2024, 08:48

Sue wrote: ↑05 Jan 2024, 08:29

Stanley wrote: ↑05 Jan 2024, 07:33 That sounds like a result Sue. How does Bob feel about it?

Still undecided about the course to take. Just wish the surgeon would answer oir question

Hi Sue, we have been down this path a few times, and the question to ask is “ if it was them, what would they do”, they will then give you their opinion.

Surgeons are possibly unwilling to commit until they get in and see what needs doing!

Yes several people have said we should ask that question Wendy. Sadly that is the one question we forgot , Unfortunately we do not have another appointment with him. Thursday is a crucial day because after Jan 23 rd all the tests will need to be repeated.

I assume Bobs case will have been discussed at an MDT meeting? The whole purpose of those is to get a best approach decision which the consultant would then almost certainly lean towards. I am with Gloria on the question that needs to be asked.

Just seen your latest post Sue and would ask if you have the consultants secretaries details. I had all that information after my first meeting with my consultant surgeon as he appreciated that there may be further things you need answers to that get forgotten on the day. If you have those details I would suggest you use that as a potential avenue to get a more information.

PanBiker wrote: ↑05 Jan 2024, 09:37 I assume Bobs case will have been discussed at an MDT meeting? The whole purpose of those is to get a best approach decision which the consultant would then almost certainly lean towards. I am with Gloria on the question that needs to be asked.

Just seen your latest post Sue and would ask if you have the consultants secretaries details. I had all that information after my first meeting with my consultant surgeon as he appreciated that there may be further things you need answers to that get forgotten on the day. If you have those details I would suggest you use that as a potential avenue to get a more information.

Bobs cancer is so small that any treatment is viable. We have asked questions of the surgeon at the time and via our Macmillan nurse contact, we have done that agin today. They have promised to try and find the answers by Monday. The surgeon himself was negative, very unhelpful and has continued to be so . The cancer was discussed in the meeting, the outcome was that surgery would likely be successful and that Bob is an excellent candidate for a trial radiotherapy course. Which is fine but both treatments have issues. The radiotherapy route is clear the surgery route is not.we need some figures, any figures, any positive feed back would be good. The Dr at Christies was brilliant but the info we want must come from the surgeon himself.

The surgeons attitude is understandable. It may be that there is no answer to the questions you are asking. If there is a choice and they recommend something that goes wrong they get it in the neck. I think I would be going for the least intrusive option but beyond that I know as little as anyone else.
On a different subject, it's early days but I thing increasing the amount of salt in my food is what is causing the complete cessation of swollen ankles and strange pains in my legs. Also as a bonus, I slept for seven hours straight last night. Can't remember when I last experienced that!
Eating half a tin of prunes didn't cause an earthquake David....
Sorry for that I got confused with medical matters!
I shall be in the shed at 06:00 working on my valve train. Good forecast today so I shall wrap up well and go for a walk and a sit on traffic duty!
I might be getting a visit from the kids.......

I started the day by setting the mill up for boring. Then boring the eccentric strap out to 1" which I know will be a good running fit, not too tight. (That's the mistake I usually make in my fitting....) Then a trial fit on the eccentric with the bolts done up tight and double nutted. Its a good fit. Next I took the boring head off and restored the cutter in the mill. Then I took the rough castings for the governor stand and the steam valve and did the initial rough fettling on the big grinding wheel. I am ready now for the accurate measuring and milling that will prepare both these items for fitting.

Stanley wrote: ↑06 Jan 2024, 03:10 The surgeons attitude is understandable. It may be that there is no answer to the questions you are asking. If there is a choice and they recommend something that goes wrong they get it in the neck. I think I would be going for the least intrusive option but beyond that I know as little as anyone else.

Morning
There is an answer to the question. I can find the answer online but that is a generalisation which covers critically ill people too at a national level. We have been offered a discussion with another surgeon which we shall ask for on Monday if the Macmillan nurses can’t obtain an answer from the present surgeon . They completely understand why we are asking the question we are asking. The least intrusive option can have far worse side effects and many other problems than in the intrusive ones and not necessarily a good success rate. We just want the answer to one question , the answer being available in some form. The Dr at Christies is surprised it was never discussed with us. We don’t want specific facts and figures but a reassuring noise of ANY description would be good. Apparently the outcome very much depends on the approach of the individual surgeon . We don’t know what his approach is as he has never told us. We have studied the literature we have been given in depth and done a fair bit of research too from valid and reliable resources . Any decision will be made after being as fully informed as possible

Today is Bacup market , then as it promises to be a dry, windless cold day we are planning a long walk. The dawn is looking very promising.

Have a good day all

Yes, just for once it looks like a decent dry day! I shall be walking and sitting and perhaps playing out with the kids.....
Have a nice market and walk....

Sorry but I feel it needs to be said -

Is Bob fully comfortable with his medical problems in detail, being posted on a public website, available to the whole world ?

He is readily identifiable, and though he could - he is not doing the posting himself. I certainly would not be happy about it.

Gloria wrote: ↑06 Jan 2024, 11:27 Sue, a friend of ours had rectal cancer, he had radio therapy for a few weeks at Preston. He has now recovered.

Thank you

Tripps wrote: ↑06 Jan 2024, 11:43 Sorry but I feel it needs to be said -

Is Bob fully comfortable with his medical problems in detail, being posted on a public website, available to the whole world ?

He is readily identifiable, and though he could - he is not doing the posting himself. I certainly would not be happy about it.

He know what has been said and I had tried to avoid the specific details, being deliberately ambiguous. Just checked back and my last post is the only place it is mentioned specifically. I normally read every post out to him and say is that ok. Only Stanley knows the actual details, by private message and yes perhaps my last specific post should be deleted, if possible please someone..

Deleted as requested Sue.

Wendy, can you please delete the last two of mine. Thankyou.