you 

you meet the nicest people 

Update: it’s been busy hence blog posting delay

Week beginning Monday 16/2/2013

 a.m: Train to Newmarket Community Mental Health Team.  It was great to see my colleagues and to hear their news, sit and share lunch as ‘normal’. Thank for all the support, lift to the station. Plus it’s good to hear that the patients I was treating are now handed over and receiving the treatments. I have some letters to write and work to complete to will be returning to finish off any lose ends and whilst getting the train takes its toll (exhausting) and I find I need to plan /organise

p.m: Oncology outpatients for Radiotherapy #5. Going to Addenbrookes (parking, tickets, outpatients usually some delay) then return is typically onerous, however things were made easier by the generous offer of a parking space near bye. Thanks to Linda for that.

Tuesday 19/2/13

Jan (spurs!) and Viv

Planned visit to my third work base in Mildenhall where I have been running  a CBT clinic for about ten years and prior to this as a CPN, therefore  I feel very attached to the place & and my colleagues who work there. There are no trains to Mildenhall therefore my Good friend (from school) Paul, kindly offered to give me a lift. With the driving ban & my prognosis, I suspect I will have limited opportunity to re establish a role at this base so I took the opportunity to empty my desk and say goodbye to the lovely people who work there. I hope to keep in touch. Had Lunch in Red Lion with Paul & Patrick

NCMHT

Wednesday 20/2/13

AM: Train to Bury St Edmunds. Cycled to hospital Road up Parkway (very long hill) managed. Good to see colleagues at Hospital Road in Psychology dept plus Sarah Lord (let me know when the retirement do is) & John Mallet .The three of us worked together in the NCMHT in the early nineties.

thank you

thank you

no thank you

family

Did not get to clinical supervision? CBT ‘Theory to Practice Group’ as I had the wrong date in my diary. Will catch up with Jan/Jill/Anne/Sara next time?

PM: Cycle to Blomfield BCMHT.   Great   to    see colleagues, to hear their news and that of the patients, plus wade through emails catch up with changes and many are    occurring. Lunch with Chris as normal at the Bowling  Green Abby   Gardens. It was freezing.  Therefore we complimented the salad with hot soup and sausage role. Thanks Chris. This of course attracted bold robins & Blackbird .Quick hike round the garden where we saw x4 Magpie (four for a boy?)

Train back to Cambridge; then back to Oncology for #6  Radiotherapy. This went smooth no delay and the mask was comfortable.

19:30 Wednesday evening is the open gathering at my local from 19:30 .Good turnout, good   conversation, beer

Ivan Top man

Ivan & Amy 

new hat!

A Team

Get dressed!

Thursday 21/2/13 Josephs 22^nd Birthday. Ivan and Amy return to Cambridge having visited Ivan’s extended family in the suburbs. Took  My USA guests on a tour of the many charity shops on Mill Road before succumbing to a pint in the Earl of Beaconsfield (Ivan seemed particularly keen and as he is due to fly back on Sunday I feel obliged ). Managed to persuade Anne to join us who managed to persuade Tom to come along, as he had just dropped off a homemade yogurt and lemon cake(many thanks this was  thoroughly  enjoyed by all ) This was an excellent outcome ,seeing and chatting to Tom .Steak dinner at Josephs behest though he was unable to attend being off to Ely .Still it made a nice treat for him the next evening. Girlings decide to stay the night with us rather than go out in the wintery/snowing conditions & the walk to my sisters

Friday 22/2/2013

Liz Scipio visits .We began working together in the NCMHT in 1998 where I began as the junior ‘F grade ‘CPN with Liz as the senior Rehabilitation CPN.  Those were happy   days. Liz happens to be one of the nicest people I have had the pleasure of working with. I hope we continue to remain friends and in contact. Made a candid video about my treatment/prognosis drawing on Ivan’s twenty plus years experience.  Very powerful and helpful.  Many   thank s to you Ivan & Amy. I love you to bits for all you have done for me and the family (support, honesty, sensitivity, stress, sweets, aroma therapy, German contacts etc

Spent the evening watching  DVD ‘Moon rise Kingdom’. This was my second attempt, I am still not sure what the heck it’s trying to convey?

interview with  Ivan

Saturday 23/2/2013

 Sad to see Ivan & Amy off in their little car to London then next day Santa Barbara,  is a long way away

Midday: occupy myself by joining the counter demonstration to the EDL. Good to see such a large Cambridge turnout and Rory/Felix in attendance. Generally   good natured mill Road  traders providing sustenance to the Marchers.

Saturday Night: Invited to dinner in Ely with Josephs in laws to be.Very enjoyable. We went by Train. I took some Marble beer in a carry out which seem to go down well. Thanks to everyone for a wonderful evening.

Sunday 24/2/12

Usually the steroids wake me for a pee at 04:00hrs (give or take) as well as causing my neck, ankles and face to swell. However I must have been so exhausted I managed my first lay in with Anne who is equally shattered by this whole experience .I managed to get to the Coop for a paper and a few basics otherwise I am off out to see Richard Thompson with my good friend Raymond’ normal stuff’ we have done this half a dozen times

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