Sunday 31 December 2023

December 31st 2023



So after a year of Bladder complaints in 2023, recent CT and MRI Scans revealed early stage
but non-invasive Bladder Cancer. In other words traces of cancer cells are contained within
the Bladder wall even after my first TURBT Operation when a whole cluster of tumours were
removed. In fact just this very weekend I just had my second TURBT Operation, just returning home
on Saturday.
And the cure treatment for the Bladder starting in early 2024 will be BCG TREATMENT.  And it's not
something I've been looking forward to as it's personal and invasive. But it's the only way into the
Bladder while it spreads a type of chemotherapy into the Bladder in order for the cancer cells
to be killed off , but more importantly to stop the spread of cancer through the wall of the
Bladder and into the rest of the body.
The BCG Treatment can go on for quite a while...once every week for six weeks, three times a year.
And for some stubborn Bladder Cancers BCG Treatment can last for 3 years.
On top of all this, my Hospital Scans also revealed Stage 3 Kidney Disease. And I'm told that I'll
be having a Kidney Operation very soon when they will be removing a fairly large Kidney Stone,
a procedure called PERCUTANEOUS  NEPHROLITHOTOMY.

 
Colon Cancer 10 years ago was tough. But this is going to be even tougher. And having had my first
ever FLEXIBLE  CYSTOSCOPY last August was possibly the worst procedure I've ever had in a Hospital.
And they're now telling me that this will become a regular procedure for me during the BCG treatment.

So for now I take my leave and concentrate on my health and getting better.

 

Tuesday 12 December 2023

A Crafty Lighthouse

Here's something I put together with my box of tools yesterday on Monday afternoon.
It's a wooden model lighthouse that I bought while down in Cornwall during that late Summer
visit.
There was a similar one in the cottage we stayed in, so I hunted one down in one of the local
tourist gift shops. And I was sure that I could make it into something else. And so I turned it into
a lamp, and it now sits by the fireplace.

That big late Summer Holiday in Cornwall follows this post, for any of our hardened visitors
that have bypassed it.




Sunday 3 December 2023

LATE SUMMER IN CORNWALL

So it was good to be back in West Cornwall for a second time this year. The weather was reasonable,
but being mid to late September there was definitely an Autumnal feel in the air with the nights
drawing in much earlier due to the change of seasons.

I suppose that by going in mid May would now seem to be the better option as you have the weather
on your side, the evenings are lighter and most of all you've got the whole of Summer ahead of you.

We weren't over thrilled with the holiday accommodation but it did serve it's purpose as it was
situated right next to the main Town Supermarket, which was it's only saving grace.
( pictures of the new holiday accommodation below).

Strangely enough we didn't venture out and about to the usual local tourist traps, only making
the one trip on a scenic open top bus to Penzance for a bit of shopping. No hill climbing or long walks,
perhaps due to this year's new health scare and the now current Hospital procedures.

So below are just a few images from our time down in West Cornwall during September. 

      
 
Above: St Ives Harbour and Smeaton's Pier.

Below:  Looking across St Ives Bay to the Dunes of Hayle Beach.
And below that a short video.










When looking for the best holiday accomodation in St Ives I always make a point of booking somewhere
that's close to the two main Supermarkets. This wasn't the case last May when we stayed on the far side
of Town and quite a distance from all the main conveniences.

And so this property's pulling power was that it was right next to the main Supermarket. But to be honest I
think our May cottage booking was actually more preferable, and I'd even consider booking it again for
a future holiday even though it's situated away from the main Convenience Stores.

Our May holiday cottage had a more homely living room with a big smart tv lowdown in the corner of the
room unlike this property's neck stretching mini set fixed high up on the wall. But the oddest thing was 
that there was absolutely no cutlery in the kitchen. So the next day I bought a full metal set from the
local Hardware Store and made sure I took them home when leaving, no doubt leaving a similar
dilemma for the next group of  holidaymakers. I also left the cutlery shop packaging on the front
room table on the morning we left.  I'm sure the Holiday Agency cleaners that come in on 
Saturday mornings see this regular pattern by disgruntled holidaymakers.
It may also be the reason why there was no customer feedback entries in the property
guestbook since 2022.


This property is on three floors with the living lounge area and kitchen on the ground floor.
The middle floor has a w/c bathroom/shower as well as a bedroom. And the top loft floor 
has a second bedroom.
  


 
Below: The holiday cottage from earlier this year in May.





I don't think I've seen so many lock boxes all in one place. Here we see six of them outside
a block of holiday flats in St Ives.
I'm guessing that they were born out of the Covid lockdowns so that holiday agency office staff
could adhere to social distancing, meaning that holidaymakers had no need to stop
by the office to pick up the keys to their holiday flats. The key is left in the lock box ready for the
holidaymaker to type in their four digit code to gain access to the key to the front door of their
designated holiday property.

And if you look all around the properties in St Ives you'll notice lock boxes outside many of the
houses and cottages, indicating that most of the seafront properties are clearly holiday lets.
And if they were born out of the 2020 lockdowns then the holiday companies seem happy to
keep it that way. 












Below:  Local students take part in an Art Class in the Harbour. 










Below:  A shot of St Michael's Mount from Penzance.




 












Below: A wonderful video vlog by youtuber CJ Explores.
Their channel can be found HERE.