Sunday, May 10, 2009

Princess Carys is 5 part one.


The birthday girl in her new spangly roller skates and spangly pink pads!
She likes pink does Carys.

The time just before a Princess' birthday is stressful for any parent, let alone parents who are thinking what's this lump then.

I'm at work and I've changed the way my phone works now, instead of the school setting where the phone is on but makes no noise nor does it vibrate, I now have it on vibrate only. It's ok but half way through a discussion about 3d CAD is not the best place for my leg to start vibrating. It vibrates 3 short times for a text and several times for a call (just accept I know and don't ask yourself how or why), so that's two texts and one call i've missed in the past three minutes something is up. Now the receptionist is at the door, "can you phone your wife urgently?", excellent blood pressure goes up even more than this group of year 9's send it. Fortunately for me cousin Debbie is in with the class as it has a couple of characters in it. Yes she's my real cousin and i'll tell you that story later on. She's a heart of gold and offers to look after the class but I can't leave her with them on her own, I'm sure she'd be fine but from an insurance point of view, oh I'm turning into such a teacher. I ask her to get my head of department which she does so I can phone home. Ian has been brilliant about this and more supportive than I'd hoped for and he agrees to watch my lesson while I make the call.

"You've got a CT scan this afternoon" Wend sounds factural but excited in a worried kind of way. Heart rate goes up, they're pushing me through the system then, good they don't see me as a lost cause. Bring it on.

School were and have been fantastic about this all. I have kept them up to date with all the information I know and they have been supportive and never questioned things like this short notice. I inform the school what's happening and they organise cover for my lessons, I feel so weird walking out of there before the final bell goes. It feels surreal (this word will pop up time and again) as I go and get in the car, one of my favourite year 10's shouts over "Where you going then sir?" "home". He accepts the answer but he's intelligent enough to know when not to ask anymore.

Now when you're a little stressed, as I may have been that afternoon, and you're walking round one of the biggest hospitals this little Island of ours has you need the signage to be good enough to take you to the place you want to go. Well.......NGH needs some better sign placement or the receptionist needs some training. "I'm looking for the CT scanner please" "Certainly sir, down the corridor up one floor in the lift then follow the signs" excellent follow the signs. Why i have to go up one floor using the lift I have no idea, especially as the stairs are next to the lifts. Up we go, through the doors, now for a sign (I'm not talking fire and brimstone here just plastic with lettering on). There we go PET/CT Centre, looks like the only sign with CT on it, yep lets go. 

Now I think everyone has that feeling every now and again when they're not going the right way that something is wrong. I got that feeling when I'd climbed another flight of stairs and was two minutes away from my appointment time. "Excuse me am I in the right place for the CT scanner?" "No love you need to be in x-ray for that, here i'll show you". Obviously the my face had given away the exasperation I was feeling. The one thing about people in Sheffield is if you ask for help 99 percent of the time you'll get it. The cleaner took me right to the corridor for x-ray, there sure enough was the CT scanner reception desk. "I'm sorry I'm late i went following the signs for the PET/CT Centre." "Well that's where you take you cats and dogs" came the reply, followed by hearty laughter from all parties and a hastily added apology. The signs have been up two weeks and were causing all sorts of trouble.

Having never had a CT scan before I had no idea what to expect. I had no idea that the radioactive dye was going to feel cold as it went into my veins, then feel hot as it coursed it's way through my body, then make my whole body feel like a freshly stubbed toe (you know the sharp pain then the dull ache) and then make me feel like i was weeing myself. All that while i had to control my breathing and I was being pushed in and out of a giant polo mint!

"How was that?" Wendy had stayed at home to get stuff sorted for Carys' birthday party the next day. She does an amazing job of food and party bags and baking the cake, which after a couple of pints of Newcastle Brown, I fill and then ice. Didn't look too bad either, even if I do say so myself. "Not bad, just the dye that was painful but other than that fine." More tea ensued and after icign the cake and wrapping the present we got off to bed early-ish in preparation for the party the next day.

1 comment:

  1. Nick, great to read your blog and follow how you are feeling. Charlie and I are thinking about you and your family lots.

    We look forward to seeing you in July. I'll bring some quality Marmite (NZ version of course..totally different) and some Almond Gold (our favourite choccie) for a 100% kiwi experience :-)
    Take care,

    V + C

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