Always a surprise around the corner

Hi all
Well, just to top off all the different symptoms I now have bronchitis....thankfully not pneumonia. Last week even before the checkup day on Monday I was aware that I was coughing up a milky phlegm from my chest. It is disappointing that the oncology doctors did not act straight away. Instead it was the local GP Dr Brown who weaved his magic and got me in for a chest X-ray straight away at NCDI Calvary Clinic. Bronchitis confirmed so onto a 1 week course of antibiotics 250mg Clarac in a lovely lemon yellow colour. I think that will knock it on the head.
Had long chat with best friend Reg on holiday in Edinburgh and Rebecca who leaves next week for her overseas long service leave.
A new factor has been the arrival of pain in a serious way; I get it round the small of my back and also deep in the stomach. I have now started taking Endone on an as needs basis and it really seems to hit the mark. Food intake is slow and careful; I am putting down a carton of Ensure full food liquid supplement each day, but I am battling to keep on weight; saw 62kg on the bathroom scales today!!
A grand measure of my overall condition is how far & quickly I can walk; it varies quite a lot. We have just enjoyed a sublime winter day here, calm, sunny, puffy white clouds and visits to or from the wonderful neighbours & friends we have...I simply cannot resist getting out & pottering in the garden, and lit up a campfire for Greg Worthington. I must say that with the pain under control I feel slightly euphoric!!! Tomorrow we get a visit from the community palliative care team so that we are on their books ready for future developments.
Given my circumstances all thought of travel out of town has been put on hold.
Lynne is a darling and persisent caring angel, and she has to tolerate some pretty nasty mood swings on my part. I am consciously trying to help a bit more...do the dishes, sweep the floor, bring in the washing.

On impulse I bought an Apple iPod last week and have got a lot of enjoyment from it already. I am especially attracted to to use of podcasts from ABC radio; however I did download my favorite walking song by the Proclaimers...I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more . That song stirs me up anyway, but with the cancer I played at full volume and let rip at the mother****** of the disease and cursed till I was blue in the face and shouted out to the world...your not going to get me. I felt really good after that!!! So, let it all hang out.
Canberra, Australia snusher@gmail.com