Post 424. 5 RADIOTHERAPY SESSIONS LATER

THANKS TO STRONG SUPPORT:

FROM  OUR SON, NEIL (above) AND THE ENTIRE FAMILY: plus the ability to remember my date of birth and home address, I am happily back from a land of underpaid hospital staff, overworked hospital equipment, and comfortless hotel pillows. An interesting experience to say the least of it.
We set out, Red Funnel ferry from East Cowes, on Wednesday 6th April in good time for my first radiotherapy appointment. Neil took me straight to the hospital, waited until the session was over, then transported me to Jurys Inn (don't ask me why they fought shy of the apostrophe) where I would spend two nights. He saw me settled and went home. Dinner and breakfast the following day were both acceptable and well-managed at the inn and I took a taxi to and from the hospital for my 2pm Thursday appointment. Both taxi drivers were British Asian, as are a great many Southampton taxi drivers: the one who drove me back from the hospital was observing Ramadan. It's all a long way from John. G. Brandon's Big Bill Withers, but they were pleasant company and really knew their city. I hope that doesn't sound patronizing. It isn't meant to be.
On Friday Neil caught the ferry from the IoW in time to pick me up at Jurys and transport me to the hospital for my 2.30pm appointment, from whence he took me back to the boat and home for the weekend. All this in his vintage Porsche saloon car, Russian oligarchs? Huh!

A weekend back home with Mo was bliss.
My Monday appointment was at 5.35 pm (Southampton Hospital: always arrive an hour early) so Neil booked us on the 2.30 ferry from East Cowes and we made it to the hospital with time to spare. He had also booked himself a room at the inn for the night because my Tuesday appointment, the final one, was at 8.50 am. We made that with time to spare, too. I had the last bladder balking radiotherapy session at around 9.15am and we were safely back on the 10.00 am ferry home. Yes, it was an interesting (and, I hope, not too often to be repeated) experience.

AS FOR MY LAST POST.

INITIALLY THE EDITING WENT AWRY.

And my first sub-editor, Mo, had not then - and has not now - seen the reverberating President Joe Biden/Duchess of Cornwall meeting. My second sub-editor, Daughter Jac. who had seen it, put me right straight away. 

I now qualify for one of the coveted Jackie B. T shirts (XL please) inscribed on the front:

I HAVE BEEN

CORRECTED
And on the back:

   BY MS

BARNDEN

It had to happen sometime.

Jacqueline is a Special Educational Needs Coordinator.

Hope you had a pleasant, sunny, Easter