trail run

seeing the doc after my last scan she said, are you still running?

well yes, when Deb goes out i tag along :-)

today we go to Walyunga NP.

follow the river, down from its flood level but still plenty of water.

we do 5.5 km -- with more climb than we get near home.

i've been looking for aerobic exercise, this is it, phew.

we end with a picnic lunch, very pleasant. very peaceful.

we enjoy trail running. particularly when it's just us.

--

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
...

===


Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/ :-)

The word "boobs" is so scary until you get to the second "b". (Alfred E. Neumann

phew! again :-)

We start the day with a gentle jog by the lake. Not "round" -- that would be a bit further. We do an hour and a quarter. Deb in one direction, me in the other. Slow jogging but... not easy :-)

Then we go shopping at Herdies, for fruit & veg.

Lunch, an hour's rest, then -- off to the oncologist.

Where, once again, the verdict is -- no change.

Well... a little change. The shadow is a bit larger. But:

There's no sign of blood rushing to the area, I have no odd symptoms... so it is probably *not* a growing tumour. The smart money says, it's more "necrosis".

Oh... and no sign of brain bleed, so put aside that nervous worry.

It's interesting, really, when a slowly dying patch of brain is *good* news :-)

So it's relief! for both Deb and me.

I'm still at the edge of the bell curve for survival and pushing it out. Again.

I'll have a next MRI in three months. Till then, "watch for symptoms". And wear the shirt, "Enjoy life -- three months at a time".

Phew :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

lost!

I'm jogging round a circular lake and I'm lost...

Not exactly lost but uncertain. It's a very familiar area. I look round and I'm not immediately aware of where round the lake I am. Like faces, familiar places are no longer familiar.

Logic tells me exactly where I am -- but I miss the ability to quickly look and recognise. Not to worry, I'm slowly re-learning.

Friday is different:

We go to Karrinyup shopping centre. Nothing is familiar, it's all re-built since earlier visits. All I can do is follow Deb.

We go into David Jones and it is worse.

The shop was never familiar. Today there is nothing to tell me where I am. Rows of flimsy shelves. Too flimsy to lean on, too flimsy to get a visual fix. Surprising how much my balance depends on sight... I feel unsteady.

I want to get out but have no idea where there is a door. Just acres of shelves all, to me, looking the same.

Best I can describe it is, it's like being in a small boat in a stormy ocean, nothing to tell me where I am, no guide to where I could go.

Deb finds a chair, sits me down. All I want to do is get out.

Deb looks after me. Finishes the shopping. We get out of the shop.

It's a bit better. The halls have walls, still vague with hidden corners, rows of look-alike shops, no clear way out. But more solid -- visually solid -- than inside the shop.

I'm glad when we finally get out.

Later: I walk across a carpark, cross a road, meet a friend in a cafe, all no problem -- there are clear boundaries, solid walls, I have the comfort of fixed surroundings.

Deb doesn't trust me to go to Karrinyup by myself. I wonder why :-?

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

Deb's birthday

Deb has a birthday. once more she is as old as me. So nice to be married to a sensible mature woman:-)

on her birthday we go out for lunch. to our favourite cafe. Floreat Kiosk. where people walk straight off the beach for a meal. but not today... rain and wind...

we sit in the inside area, with a great view of crashing waves and pelting rain. just outside our picture window a few hardy people try the outdoor dining but not for long, the rain reaches in and encourages them to look for shelter.

we sit indoors, warm and cosy, watching the winter weather. very enjoyable.

happy birthday Deb :-)

Next day is fine and mild. We rogaine with debs sister.

deb navigates and sets the pace. its round midland  its good fun to walk round an area that we otherwise drive past.

we cover 12.7 km in 3.5 hours. exhausting but fun.

--

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
...

===


Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/ :-)

The word "boobs" is so scary until you get to the second "b". (Alfred E. Neumann

scan then wait

this week is MRI week. tomorrow my head will be scanned.

it will be another week till we know the results.

we already know, from previous scans, that there is something unwanted on my brain. cancer or dead brain? we can't tell without opening my skull, not something to rush into :-)

so this scan will show something potentially nasty. we still won't know what it is. but...

If it is unchanged then we continue the three monthly watch and wait.

if the something has grown, well... then we consider treatment.

even with treatment... The best result will be more watch and wait.

of course i still worry that i may have more bleeding on the brain, from that nasty knock a few weeks back.

But that, i believe, would show clearly on a scan. and is treatable . though the treatment does involve opening my skull. which at least would allow the surgeon to have a look inside, to check for tumours... which would be very convenient :-)

anyway... I'm a bit tense. with a scan then a week of waiting.

but... There has been progress on my app! Signs that it may eventually work! and that's something to be glad about :-)

.

--

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
...

===


Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/ :-)

The word "boobs" is so scary until you get to the second "b". (Alfred E. Neumann

second run

today's run is another 5km, this time in Jurien Bay.

a 15 minute drive then we gather on the foreshore.

the run is on a path parallel to the beach. its a flat and pleasant run. ocean glimpses but mostly the view is of scrub to either side.

2.5km, turn, return. deb says its a bit boring, i just switch off my mind and enjoy jogging.

at one point deb chats to a marshall, says, if i dont appear then im lost. we follow red arrows which are on the left, my blind side.

i reach the same marshall, im slower than deb, the marshall says,

your missus is tied up behind a tree so you can beat her :-) only way i could beat deb!

its a nice event. far fewer people than our usual trail runs. it feels friendlier more intimate, personal, less commercial. a pleasant friendly feel. Allbarnone organise it.

after the run we chat to the organiser, rather, he chats at us :-)

and thats it, runs done. we drive back to the motel. plenty of time to shower, relax, wait to check out. then a two hour drive to get home... unless we stop for caches :-)

a good weekend.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

round cervantes

the run is finished, we're back at our motel room. ready for a lot of relaxing.

first, morning tea.

we go to seashells cafe, it's in the rac caravan park.

we have iced lattes anda very nice vanilla slice. an unusual vanilla slice. a slight lemon tang, a slightly cakey consistency, delicious.

the cafe has a beautiful view across a small park and the large bay.

the park is called Catalonia. Later Deb finds out about naming.

cervantes was named after a ship that was wrecked. since cervantes is also a spanish author, the town liked to use other spanish names.

we relax over our coffee then, a bit later, go to the lobster shack for lunch.

the shack is large. we share crayfish in a bun. we're still not mad about cray, it's nice but the best part is the mayonnaise based sauce.

we walk along the jetty. the water goes from clear and calm enough to make boating seem interesting, to deep and dark and too scary to consider boating :-) and the wind is blowing strong and cold.

deb has a hankering to visit kangaroo point. all we know is, there's a sign.

turns out the beach is beautiful. calm clear water, clean sand, noone else in sight. we stroll a bit then sit on deep piles of dry seaweed.

we go again to the pinnacles. this time we drive round, much easier though perhaps not as involving.

driving back we go in to hangover bay. it's yet another beautiful peaceful beach but we go there to look for a geocache, which we fail to find.

i get the idea that some cache owners stand on a track and throw the cache into the bush... nice locations but it's hard to find a cache that is just... in the bush.

we visit lake thetis, to see the stromatolites. i think that if only we had some bread we could feed them ... lmao

we walk round the lake. we walk up to hanson bay lookout. we walk and walk... it seems like a lot of walking.

back to the motel.

we walk to the very nearby islands cafe, have breakfast for dinner, no urge to have more seafood...

then back to the motel.

set the alarm for 4:30am. there's another run tomorrow morning.

it's been a beaut day. tiring but very pleasant.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

Pinnacles trail run

the alarm goes off at 5am.

by 6am we are at the Pinnacles Discovery Centre. it's 12 degrees, fine and sunny with a cool breeze blowing.

at 6:30 the run begins. 5km following the tourist drive amongst the pinnacles themselves.

we've been here before. just once, years ago. that time we drove, this time we jog. along with a hundred or more other people.

it's a one way loop. we loop once and are lapped by several people doing two laps, the 10km run.

for half the loop i keep in sight of deb, then she pulls ahead. and finishes 5 or 10 minutes ahead of me.

there's some of the usual encouragement from other runners. well done mate, good work. near the end one cheerful chap says, nearly there now, you could run to the finish :-) i reply... i'm already going full speed...

on the run... i'm really impressed by the pinnacles. they are lumps of limestone, hundreds of them, standing on the hard sand.

really, it's an amazing sight. i enjoy the run and the scenery.

I'm not quite the last to finish. 46 minutes for 5km. and tomorrow is another run... phew!

now we rest.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

north to cervantes

we stay slowly. lace home about 11. we're driving to cervantes to stay a couple of days. two hours driving so no hurry.

We stop at lancelin for lunch. nothing great but it's food, good enough :-)

we walk round a bit, checking out the artwork, occasional almost-sculptures up on walls.

we walk up the boardwalk. views over the sea, it it a large shallow bay. some kite surfers... there's enough wind to make it easy.

the view is beautiful. some fancy houses round the bay, on the dowside they are facing into a strong wind.

====

As we drive what we notice most is the horizons. it's so nice to have broad, distant horizons. miles of scrub and sand dunes, not blocked in by buildings or trees. so nice and open, beautiful.

the gps tells us to continue for 149km. that is a sensible size for a state. and we are not even in a remote area. distant views across low scrub with occasional areas of low trees, often near the road, probably benefitting from road run off.

it's a bit harsh, would not want to walk through it but it's beautiful.

mid afternoon, we get to cervantes.

now our big decision is, where do we eat.

we walk round town, suburbia really, checking the sculptures. deb has a map, we find half a dozen, eg zebras crossing... to cut out metal zebras

we're looking for a meal of crayfish, they are caught here off the coast. thing is, neither of us really like crayfish.

we end up back at the motel, Pinnacles Motel, at its ploughman restaurant, we have rather nice barramundi. called crispy skin barra but the crisping failed.

dessert is no choice, coles mud cake with ice cream. very nice but an enormous serve, we share but still leave half. $102 all up with drinks. expensive but a good meal.

now we are relaxing in our room, a standard motel self contained room.

alarm set for 5am, tomorrow we have a trail run.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper

Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

spot the brain fade

i have a complete brain fade. see if you can spot it.

once i have bought a present, i just cannot keep it a secret. i get so excited. i just must mention it.

not so bad with presents for Deb. the presents are always the same, hand cream. same brand, same inoffensive smell. i don't like smelly things. not on me, not on Deb. so for each birthday and Christmas, it's the same hand cream.

this year it's different. i decide to surprise Deb. i think, hankies.

but i want it to be a surprise.

for months, i have kept quiet. i claim that i will get to the shops all by myself. but not a word about my true purpose. which is to buy hankies.

an absolute secret. for months.

today, finally... we are shopping. i need paper, i go to the newsagent, an excuse to shop alone.

into a dress shop. do you have ladies hankies, i ask. no... but try the shop at the end of the centre...

no worries. i leave Deb drinking coffee. i say, I'm going shopping...i maintain an air of mystery.

Deb must guess that I'm after something... but has no idea what. can you find the shop, she asks. no worries, i say, and tap off with my white stick.

Success! I'm so pleased.  On her birthday I'll be able to surprise Deb :-)

i return to Deb. carrying hankies. hidden inn a bag. I'm absolutely full of myself.

any problems asks Deb.

no, i say happily.

i found the shop, i continue. went in, i brag. looked round, i tell deb. asked, i say, do you have ladies hankies.

oh damn.

did you spot the brain fade :-(

no more secret :-(

actually, I'm really pissed off. absolutely mad at myself. months of preparing for a surprise. blown. bugger.

tomorrow I'll laugh. today, I'm pissed.

--

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
...

===


Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/ :-)

The word "boobs" is so scary until you get to the second "b". (Alfred E. Neumann

easily worried

I've done it again. Taken a minor symptom and worried that is a sign of something serious.

I have a minor headache. Less than an ache, more a twinge. Is it, I wonder, a symptom of a fresh tumour? Or, closer to possible, is it a symptom of more blood on the brain? I have no idea. Neither of those came with a headache. But I worry.

The twinge continues. All night and into next morning.

I worry enough that I let Deb know. After all, a worry shared is a worry ... doubled.

All day I twinge. It gets no worse. I think, how long till my next scan. Can I wait that long? Eventually I do nothing.

Almost nothing.

I go for a run. I eat, drink, sleep. Ignore the twinge.

It's now even less than a twinge. Perhaps an area of tension. Definitely not an ache.

I'm now happy to ignore the whole thing. Because, well, what can I do anyway?

I could panic. Scare Deb even more. Give myself a *real* headache :-)

So I continue to eat and drink and, soon, sleep. And feel pretty much as well as ever.

I have better things to do than worry.

I'm still a bit worried. But not enough -- I hope -- to keep me awake. Ans that's something to be glad about :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

weekend running

Saturday: We go on a Metro orienteering event. Deb navigates, I follow Deb. 3.5km of suburbia. I can't see to follow a map but I see well enough to run, slowly and carefully.

I carry my stick. I think it's worth a chuckle to wave my blind man's white stick while taking part in a map-based sporting event :-)

Sunday: Deb and I go jogging in Bold Park. We go our own ways.

Deb covers 7km, I do 9km in the same time. No, I'm not faster -- I'm lost. I have a broad idea where I am but miss turns that would lead me back to the car.

Not a great worry, the park is surrounded by roads, I can't accidentally leave the park. And Deb can track me with our shared location on GMaps. Not that it's great, it's often ten minutes behind.

Eventually I phone Deb, tell her where I am, she picks me up. Well, okay, where I told her -- I was wrong. It all sorts itself out eventually :-)

My best navigational technique is, keep going till I find somewhere that I recognise (correctly). I do prefer to run in an area that has clear boundaries :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

PET scan

I wake up from a dream:

carrying a tray full of food up stairs past a lot of schoolchildren.

I get to the top, reach for some food -- and the other kids have taken most of it, all that's left is a crumb of cake.

Interpretation:

The kids, well... I've been reading Harry Potter with lots of kids at a school. The food and loss of... I'm on a pre-PET-scan fast. I'm hungry.

Amazing how hard it is to go through the usual morning processes without eating anything. The house seems to be full of scraps and snacks. I move food out of sight.

Getting ready to go, I start to tidy up after yesterday's visit by grandchildren... they dropped scraps of biscuits on the floor... I pick up crumbs... food... resist eating them... sigh :-)

I take uber to the hospital, no worries. Spend an hour with radioactive sugar dripping into a vein. The sugar high is not enough to keep me awake, I snooze. Then into the scan room.

I'm wearing shorts. In winter I wear track pants, no zips. I have to shuffle my shorts down to my knees to get the zips clear of the scan. If I'd planned ahead I would have worn undies that were less bright red :-)

It's all very easy. One hour dripping, 30 minutes scanning, ten minutes for the post-scan sandwich, the "free" bonus from the PET scan.

I start walking towards home. It's too far really but it's a beautiful day for walking. The walk is a wind-down to relax. I get 2km then call an uber.

The PET is the scan that covers the body. Looking for traces that the testicular cancer may have spread. That cancer is said to be curable, it's not been seen for a while, the doc claims that this could be my last PET scan.

Later... Deep-ENT reports that the scan report says: Nothing to worry about :-)

So, indeed, that cancer seems to have gone.

Another couple of weeks till the head MRI, a week after that till I get the results for that. Till then -- it's all good :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)