Taking the piss (and blood)

So I'm typing this live from the chemo suite at The Christie in South Manchester. This is a world leading centre for cancer treatment and so, once again, I can count myself a very lucky man.

Before heading off to the hospital yesterday, I had been suckered in by a £10 eye test from Specsavers. Although being honest I do need a couple of pairs of reading glasses so it wasn't such a hard sell. While I was in there we discussed the possibility of being able to dispose of glasses (for short periods) by wearing a single contact lens for near distance, my long distance vision being pretty intact.

It has just occurred to me that I could get a coloured lens and affect a David Bowie fat white duke look......

Yesterday we came to The Christie in the late afternoon to provide some samples of my bodily fluids.

Here is the blood. Chemo is a well established treatment but a fairly blunt instrument. It not only kills off cancer cells, but any other active cells knocking about in your body at the time. It knocks you immune system, so one of the things they need to check is that you are fit enough to be poisoned.

Here is the wee. Infection is something you need to avoid when your immune system is compromised,  so they make sure you haven't got a urinary infection before you start. At least that's what they told me......hey, is that Bear Grylls over there.....oh NOOOOOO

This is an interim entry on the blog, and I'll do another this afternoon after we get home along with pictures of BIG needles just for Anne Cooke, AND pictures of some splendid scones that Gel made us before breakfast this morning. Nom nom nom

Thank you to everyone for your good wishes this morning. It really means a lot.