Why Do I Do It??

Why Do I Do It??

How come I always let people convince me of things?  All through school I remember things from my School reports saying things like John is easily led and stuff.

My veins are shot due to the treatments I have been on and the amount of abuse they get each time I have to come in.  Because of the anti-biotics they need to give me I have to have what’s called a Venflon in.  The idea is that they usually last for 3 days before needing changing but me being me they only ever last around a day or so. Well I’ve had 4 put in as many days so I asked yesterday if I could have what is called a Pic Line put in which is a much more robust version that goes into a much bigger vein up near your heart so the risk of it needing changing are a lot less and in fact I once had one of these in for around 2 months.  There are a lot more risks involved such as infection and clotting etc but for me it’s a calculated gamble really.  Well when I found out yesterday that I was only going to have to have 2 more days of iv anti-biotics I let the nurse who was going to do the Pic line talk me into letting her put another Venflon in in a much juicier vein.  Her words were “I Will Guarantee That It Will Last The Weekend” so like a mug I fell for it, hook line and sinker.  Not even 24 later here I am having it taken out and yet another 2 attempts to try and replace it with another one which will no doubt only last another 24 hours. You wait till I see her next week she’s in for a good arse kicking Grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well another fascinating day in store at Heath Towers.  I’m in training for the coughing Olympics at the moment.  I’m taking part in the marathon and to be honest I think I broke my own world record last night, it must have been at least 6 hours with no refreshment breaks too.  I don’t know if its just me but there seems to be loads of staff on this morning not that it makes any difference to me as I’m stuck in this blinking Goldfish Bowl and they don’t come in here just wave through the window and occasionally throw in the bread and water. In fact they only seem to come in when they want to inflict some more pain on me ha ha ha!! I’m like an exhibit in a freak show it feels like!!

Just put myself through the usual 80 minute torture that is Wales Rugby team trying to see how many different ways they can humiliate themselves by playing others who can actually play the game.  How come a team can win the Grand Slam (that is to those who don’t know what that means is they beat all other 5 countries) one year then the next get beaten by them all with an almost identical team???? I think they must have been abducted by aliens during the off season and replaced by robots or something or maybe last year was a dream, Well Was It???

Right enough of this rubbish I’m off to catch up on some sleep

See Ya!!

An Interesting Day A

An Interesting Day All Told

Been quite an interesting day today.  Didn’t start off too well though as the canula they put in started to hurt meaning more stabbings to put another one in which happened a bit later on In the day twice cos the first one only lasted a couple of hours till it started to hurt.  My veins used to be so good before this entire blinking thing started now it’s like the proverbial trying to get blood from a stone.  Tried allsorts to get them to pop up and say hi like even plunging my hand and arm in hot water to make the veins to stand up but between you and me I recon they no what’s coming and are sitting there thinking “You must be daft if you think I’m gonna stick my head out of this bunker. Remember the Zulu’s??”  

Managed to convince one of the nurses to have a look at my blog yesterday and without having to inflict any physical violence too, makes a change.  I’d better watch what I say from now on NOT!!  For those of you that know me already will know that I tend to speak first then think later and hey is there any other way to be????

SO EVERYONE SAY A BIG HI TO BETHAN !!!!!   Welcome to my sane world ha ha ha.

Saw The Wizard today Dr Wilson.   He Said I got some news which I’m not sure is good or bad so I’m not sure what you will think, well that makes two of us then!!  He said that it is not the Pseudomonas that has caused this bout of coughing etc, at least not on its own cos I have gone and picked up the Influenza B Virus too which would explain why the Anti-Biotic they put me on didn’t work.  Typical me really if its there to be had I want it!!  The funny thing is that I have had 2 Flu Jabs and a Pneumonia Jab this year already but apparently it only covers Influenza A and not B.  Just my blinking luck.  But hell at least I won’t catch the Bird Flu because the treatment is a course of Tami flu ha ha ha!!   I could be a rich man if I flogged this stuff along with the steroids I’m on too !!  Had a good long chat to the doc and Judith was here too which really helped as she wanted to ask a few things too and the way my memory is I never remember to ask them.  The upshot really is that he fully expect these visits back and fore the hospital for infections etc will be a permanent thing in the future and the thing is to try and reduce the frequency through some drug intervention along with some physio when I’m well enough for it to make a difference.  This is quite a big thing to take on board I recon its like time to really have to let go of the dream of running the London Marathon once and for all ha ha, No, But Seriously,  the future prospect of this becoming my way of life and not being able to walk more than a few hundred yards on an very VERY good day is quite hard to come to terms with.  Another slice of independence gone.  But it needs to be dealt with either way as this is not going to go away.  The good news is that as far as the Leukaemia is concerned there is only slightly more of a chance of it coming back than any other normal person if there is such a being I ain’t met any yet, maybe I ought to get out more.  Judith I think got a lot from it although I haven’t spoken to her about it much as she had to get back to work straight afterwards.

Right I’m off to formulate a Life Plan  : )

See Ya !!

Bored Bored Bored

Bored Bored Bored,

The problem with being in here is really how to pass the time of day apart from sleeping that is.  I know I got the Freeview and the laptop full of Music to play around with nut I’m not a great TV Lover at home and in fact spend little time playing with the computer and most of my time on the internet.  It seems to be all or nothing in here too.  First thing in the morning and I mean first thing, bout 6.30 till 9 am is all go with nurses in and out every couple of minutes for various things then there’s a break then till the doctors come around lunchtime.  Then its sort of just quiet the rest of the day with a bit of a flurry around tea time what with food and drugs then nothing till around midnight for the last IV of the day.  It always annoys me why the rush first thing in the morning.  Especially seeing as they start at 6.30 and breakfast usually arrives around 8.30 they still can’t manage to get the tablets that you need to take before food or on an empty stomach to you before breakfast.  Thankfully I sort out my own medication that way I know what I’m getting and I get it at the right time. Well on past experience it is very wise as I lost count of the times I have been given wrong medication, probably by accident rushing etc etc…

I must stop eating these damn crisps especially as the steroids I’m on cause you to retain fat around your middle and believe me my middle is growing pretty rapidly.  I’m addicted to blinking Walkers Sensations they’re absolutely gorgeous but are in large packets so you just have to eat them all or else they will go off.  At least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it Ha Ha Ha !!!

Jude managed to bring in my own pillow from home yesterday which helps as these here are like sleeping on stone slabs.  She managed to bring in my bestest favourite pillow cases today too.  Winnie The Poo and a Spacemen one and Bob The Builder always makes people laugh and smile.

I’m having Steak Withdrawal Symptoms too since coming in here.  I sort of got into the habit of searching for the elusive T-Bone Steak and after not being able to find one anywhere in the supermarkets or butchers ending up buying another cut maybe 3 or 4 times a week, Well it is a good source of iron and other essentials I need to stay healthy.  Besides from that I need the practise of cooking them to try and get the timing exactly right because when I do manage to find the T-Bone I don’t want to over cook it do I??   Saying that I still like it dripping with blood so I guess that might be hard to do as it’s only in the pan for about 3 minutes in total ha ha ha!!  I’m thinking of writing a book called 100 Ways To Cook Steak.  A recent sort of adapted concoction from a Jamie Oliver book is an accompaniment of Shallots and Chestnut Mushrooms cooked in a little Butter with Chilli, Garlic and Ginger, Fry till they soften and the mushrooms absorb back all the juices then add some Marmalade and cook for a further 2 or 3 minutes to sort of caramelise Mmmmmmmmm  Scrumptious !!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah well back to my over done Lamb Roast dinner I guess no blinking substitute  although I suppose it is food at least in the broadest meaning of the word.

See Ya !!

TV Charges.

Hi only me again.  

I thought I would rant on today about a subject that’s close to my heart and happens to be in the news a bit at the moment too.  That is one of the NHS or more specifically of the services such as Parking and Television & Phone charges.

I’m sure I probably mentioned it before in a previous blog about the extortionate Parking Charges at the Hospital.  They charge a Minimum of £2.10 for 4 hours rising to around £6 I believe for up to 24 hours.  As a rule it annoys me to pay each time I have to come back and fore the day unit and dentist and stuff, but at least then I can claim it back the same day as expenses due to the benefits I am on so it’s a sort of false payment really.  When I’m an in patient though which you might have worked out by yourselves now is fairly often and usually quite lengthy it’s a different matter as the same service is not offered to Judith so she has to pay £2.10 each day she comes in to see me which is usually 6 days a week.  It doesn’t make much sense that to me??  Surely if it is decided that due to our joint Low Income I am allowed to claim expenses such as parking and fuel costs etc, my wife who is on the same joint income as me OBVIOUSLY!!! Should be able too??????  The main problem at this particular hospital is that like a lot of others I guess they’ve sort of handed it over to a private company to manage and as a result they are obviously after a big profit margin.  Across town in the same city the other Main Hospital currently has FREE PARKING for Disabled Badge Holders and all others pay just 80p although in saying that the last time I went up there they were in the process of handing that one over to same company as here so the prices won’t stay that way for long although I read in the news today the government are to announce that they will be advising hospitals to not make a profit from running car parking so things may change although I doubt it very much!!

This next one is just as big a scam too and that is the TV/Radio/Phone charges in here and around the country too as I’ve been reading.  The service hear is being run by the dreaded Patientline and are coming in for some real stick in the press at the moment and bloody rightly so if you ask me.  The TV is charged at £3.50 A DAY and the phone is charged as following, to make out going calls its   10p a minute  but people ringing you are charged a whopping 49 a minute, daylight robbery.  When I was first diagnosed, for a short spell I think of only a couple of weeks, Judith was unable to come in and see me due to her having a nasty cold she was ringing every day and the phone bill was something like £200 !!!!!  How can they justify charging such a huge amount that’s like mobile  rates, in fact it’s probably worse than them!!  As far as the TV is concerned I did for a long time used to pay for the TV as to be honest there was no alternative to the boredom of having nothing to watch and the day room TV is as good as useless.  A 3 inch screen is pretty hard to see though and you can see by the channel line up that its really aimed at the children and teenager with quite a few children’s channels which to be honest don’t really do a lot for me.  Despite what some reports have said there is pressure put on the ward staff/management to not allow people to bring in TV’s etc and the only ones really allowed are for those patients undergoing Transplants as they are guaranteed a lengthy stay more often than not.  They have however never said anything about bringing a Laptop in and as mine is now fitted with the super duper Freeview thingy I can give them my 2 finger salute usually reserved for those idiots who insist on parking in Disabled Parking Bays with no badge Grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Scum Of The Earth!!!!!  The thing that makes me laugh is that it was only about a fortnight ago I was hearing that Patientline were actually running at a loss ha ha ha so prices may have to rise Mmmmmmmm  Good move I think not!!

God, I’m out of puff now after that little rant I better let you guys get back to reality and remember that a jab in the back of the ankles from a madly driven wheelchair hurts like hell, SO GET OUT MY BLINKING WAY!!!!!

See Ya!

Just popped out for a bit.

Just popped out for a bit!!

Hiya all I’ve managed to get myself back into hospital due to my chest for a change NOT!!!  It appears that the Pseudomonas has become resistant to all the usual Oral Medications they usually put me on so I’ve had to come in to have some stronger IV Antibiotics.  I’ve hopefully explained to Judith how to upload this when she gets home and I guess if you’re reading it then its worked fine. I have every faith in her in fact she is getting a bit of a whiz kid on the putes now I’m well impressed.

I was thinking the other day whilst listening to the latest Album offering from Andre Boccelli the Italian Opera singer if you don’t know who I mean, that, I wonder how he gets his inspiration whilst singing the various arias and operatic tunes etc…  He has such a soft and yet powerfully distinctive voice unlike a lot of other tenors who have quite harsh voices and always with such passion and feeling too.  I hear you say “well I guess you’re trained etc etc”, well yes but I find myself that in order to get like the real emotional juices flowing it helps to be able to visualise what you’re singing about. For example take say the great Elgar piece Jerusalem, I always envision rolling hills and valleys of bright green lush English countryside, and also like all the colours in something like The Toreador with the bull fighters bright red cape etc.  You catch my drift??  Well bearing in mind the fact that Andre is in fact Blind although I’m not sure whether from birth or not it must be difficult to have the same passionate inspiration.  We seem to live in a very visual environment I think, what with all the adverts pumped at us alone from every conceivable angle with all there catchy graphics all designed to make you part with your money in some shape or form.  I can’t for one moment even start to think what it must be like to live in complete darkness and to have never known light!!!

Well that’s all for today folks hopefully I’ll managed to write some more garbage in the next couple of days to attempt to entertain you.

Toodle Pip!!

You What??

Hiya peeps, now no comments on the fact I have managed to actually write this thing more than once in a month but I been baddy and had a genuine letter from my mother excusing me too.

Picture this scenario if you will??

You come home from a hard day at the office and thankfully as you were running late you find your beloved partner has cooked dinner for you and its there waiting on the table all nice and hot. Mmmmmm. You start eating and chatting about your day etc and your partner turns around and says “ By the way dear I paid off the £350,000 Mortgage today with some money I just managed to find well in fact was given by a friend”. You just carry on munching away and don’t even think of questioning, HELL, DEMANDING WHERE THE HELL DID HE GET THAT SORT OF MONEY FROM????? I ask you?? I for certain would want to know the ins and outs just in case I had to tell the police that she was with me all night and not as they are trying to say she was robbing some bank somewhere ha ha ha!! If you are completely lost as to what the hell I’m on about check this out HERE

Been a bit busy yesterday and today finishing off the Computers and I think there all finally done. Its time to sit down and relax. No blinking chance hospital john springs into action tomorrow doh! I need a day with the shredder too as I seem to have this enormous pile of documents and stuff to render useless, well you never know these days you cant be too careful Harry Hill fell foul of the buggers and for a princely sum too look HERE

Right off to cook my Steak now see ya later dudes.

Well contrary to popular belief i am still alive, well in spirit more than body i guess!!! although there are those that might strongly argue the case for the opposite ha ha. I been so busy the last few weeks what with having another trip to the slaughter house for a few harrowing days then really not feeling up to even turning this thing on which is not like me at all. Then all of a sudden things started to pick up a bit and i was thrust into Computer Man Mode as in building and repairing which is more like it although when you get to installing Windows XP and all the bits and bobs for the umpteenth time it does start to get you down a bit but hey it's all experience so they say. Isn't it weird you can build a computer from scratch in about an hour all together abd then it takes almost twice as long install all the Minimum required software so bloody frustrating. Bill Gates got a lot to answer for in my opinion!!! Well if anyone else want to add to my woes and purchase a £300 computer hand built with my fine shaky hands then feel free to ask.

Ah yes my health whats been happening there lately then?? let me see?? well i went back in for a chest infection which goes without sayibg for me really although it really took it out of me this time as i never got chance to recover from being in the last time . I had the most terrifying experience in some time whilst in there too which did not help. Another friend of mine was brought in the night before i was due to come home complaing of pains in his neck and shoulder and shortness of breath etc. He came in about 8pm and was quite chatty although he was in some obvious pain. He is as deaf as a post without his aids and he only had one in which didn't help as they had to shout at him to get any answers etc. Anyhow, as the evening went on it was obvious that he was having more and more pain by the screams that were coming from behind the now closed curtains the doctors and nurses were in and out to him giving him more and more morphine then around 12 he took a turn for the worse and the nurse that came in to see to hime pushed the alarm button and all of a sudden there doctors and nurses running from all directions. he had gone into cardiac arrest as the blood clot that they had suspected that he had, had in fact moved from his upper chest to his brain or his heart i guess cutting off the blood flow. They were pumping on his chest and using the breathing machine thingy for around an hour trying to resusitate him. All the while i'm laying in the bed next to all this only i guess about 6ft away praying for him and absolutely terrified. He finally died at 1.30am and the most horrific thing is i could actually hear his last breath as he was very wheezy and heard the doctors calling an end too and stating the time of death etc etc. It reallt shook me up for days i couldn't sleep and kept having these flashbacks and stuff really scary.

Okay i better get on with finishing off this last Computer then and then i can relax a bit before the next load desends on me and all the visits to the hospital and stuff next week too.

See all ya later and i do promise to not stay away for long either ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!

Guess Where I Been??

Well guess were I’ve been???? Well its pretty obvious to those of you nutters who follow this,   You guessed it I been back into the big meat market, I mean the Hospital.
They’ve had there claws in me for a week now at least and I eventually they’ve found out the problem.  I was having Some pretty major chest pain which is what brought me in.  I f you can imagine a 20 stone person sitting on your chest then that would explain how it felt.  Unable to breathe properly which unfortunately if a pretty vital function that’s required to , well, stay alive I guess.  

As per usual the Haematologist were all standing around scratching their heads as to what is was.  They hid themselves as usual between the wall of Antibiotics that they always check at you no matter what you come in with, Whilst almost convincing themselves from day one that the pains are due to some fluid around my heart that had shown up on the CT scan they did.  It was only a matter of time before they came up with the usual tripe,” We need to get the Cardiologist to see you to advise us as to what treatment is required”.  I wouldn’t mind a pound for every time I’ve heard that!!!!   They had the results back this morning at last from the Echo Cardiogram they did 2 days ago and their interpretation of them was that my Left Ventricle of my Heart is only working to 20% of its potential but they need to Cardiologist to confirm this.

This came out of the blue really as through all this the one Organ that has managed to stay relatively healthy or at least I thought so was my heart.   They actual y used and earlier Echo result from a scan just before my transplant to compare this one too and apparently the result back then was saying that I only had 49% efficiency in the left ventricle then which is yet another thing they haven’t told me about.  The difference in just over a year or so they say is quite mark able and seeing as I’m not on any Chemo then there is not much of an explanation either.  The Cardiology Registrar came to see me this afternoon thankfully at the same time as my Transplant Consultant so they were having a discussion about it then.  They’ve decided that it is probably due to the effect of chemo along with GVHD along with Smoking etc etc etc…and the plan of action is to treat me with some more pills  to try and stabilise my blood pressure and thus help my heart to try and function correctly.  Ahhhh I just love taking pills so much so that I asked if they could prescribe me a couple of extra ones just for the hell of it…

So I suppose that just another thing to add to the list of possible causes of future mishaps along with my chest and love for picking up rare and unusual infections, so I got more fun in store yet I think!!!!

See Ya soon hopefully

Sad Times

Ah!! There you are!!! I thought I’d lost you all forever as I couldn't find you for the last few days.

If truth be told my Uneventful start to week seemed to pick up pace as the week went on, a bit like a Snowball growing as it went down the hill.

I have you pass onto you though some sad, upsetting news!!
Well for those of you that have read my ramblings for a while, you will know that one of the Loves of my life is a certain Doctor at the Haematology named UNA, who is sort of in control of my treatment on a day to day basis.  Well this week I’m afraid that she has not been my best friend at all.  It started off on Monday when I rang to get an update as to what they were going to do regarding the GVHD and also more importantly to get her to have a word with her friend the dermatologist to get me something for the Constant Itching which is unbearable at times.  Well she was busy, Fair Enough and she will call me back. Well she didn’t call!!!  So Tuesday I rang again and the receptionist went to look for her and came back saying that she will ring me back when she gets a minute and guess what??? That’s right she didn’t ring back.   Grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!  Wednesday she does Private Clinics etc at BUPA and the like so is not contactable, leaving me to wait till Thursday to try again.  When I rang I actually got to speak to her and not just a message passed on from the receptionist and she assured me that she had left 2 messages for the dermatologist to ring her back today and that she will ring him this afternoon if she hasn’t heard and definitely ring me back.  WELL SHE BLINKING NEVER AGAIN !!!!!  So as you may well imagine Friday morning I was furious she was not around when I rang but the receptionist will pass on the message that I really need to get this sorted or else I will probably end up as an In-Patient this week end if not because I cant take this severe itching anymore.  Well got a phone call at 4.30  from the receptionist saying that she had just put a prescription into Pharmacy at the hospital and I can just go pick it up.  AT LAST!!!, I thought so I made my way to the hospital and got there around 5.30 not long before they close only to find out what she had prescribed was a Anti Histamine pill which I could get over the counter anywhere and indecently I have already tried along with a cream that I have already tried too both with no success as she already knows so I was FUMING to say the least.  So you will see what I mean when I say that she’s no longer held in high esteem in my book and in fact I’m thinking very seriously of crossing her off my Christmas card list too.  

I was curious to know as well whether any one else has become as paranoid about strayRocks  outside their houses too. Well you never know with the latest plans on Benefit Reform who knows what lengths they will go to meet their targets do you??  

Check this out too which I find quite extraordinary too. Click Here

UK gives  £75 Million

Bill Gates gives  £337 Million

How’ this possible. Well in the case of Bill I guess its you and I buying his extortionate products I guess!!!!

Right I’m off see you all soon

John

Excuses Excuses!!

For those of you who have been eagerly awaiting today’s episode of this insignificant Nutters life I apologise for being so late in writing it.  But for once I have a valid reason for it and no its not a written note from my mother saying Jonny cant play games today that I got my mate to forge for me, but in fact the phone hasn’t stopped ringing with offers of employment since my last blog.  I just haven’t had a spare 2 seconds to write this twoddle!!  I am particularly interested in one of the jobs that have been offered.  I get to work from home too!!  Flexi Time although early morning starts may be more likely.. I can work at my own pace.. It’s actually for a Pheasant Plucker. They will fly in the Pheasants, well tell them where to go anyway, I just need to de fuzz them and send them back from where they come.   Sounds like a good job although I have one pretty major stumbling block to overcome first in that I’m too busy to get to an interview, so I think sadly my one and only chance of future employment happiness is slowly becoming a dim and distant memory.  I still think that the Disabled Bay cop at Tesco’s would probably be my ideal employment.  

Well then, after that little interlude I guess you’re all dying to know what sort of day I had yesterday so here goes you ready for it???    Right then Got up, Ate a couple of times, Went to bed!!!! That’s it then see ya tomorrow.

Jonny
















Well really that is it!! Probably the most uneventful, Uninspiring Day I’ve had for a while.  Never mind the Outlaws are coming up today so that’ll probably inspire me to write a bit tomorrow or maybe just fall asleep  and I guess you’ll all be hoping for the latter..

Okay I really am going now Honest.  See ya tomorrow

Jonny

Benefit Changes

Having heard John Hutton MP reading his statement on the government reforms on benefit I felt urged to write to you.  as I feel all inspired to go out now and get a job and no longer have to claim my Incapacity Benefit, so I thought I know, where better to start looking for work than passing on my needs to you lot to see if you can keep your eye out for me so here goes:

I have very few skills as I have manly been a Delivery driver most of my working life although I am an expert in Bacon Butties.  I need an employer who will be prepared to accept that most weeks I need to have at least 3 days off but more often than not 5 days off due to hospital appointments and clinics.  They also need to allow me to have maybe around 30 weeks a year off due to being in hospital for various reasons.. infections, lungs, etc etc…  Then obviously there is the recovery period following these Hospital stays say around 20 weeks of the year.  If all this is acceptable then they will also need to allow me to park immediately outside the front door of wherever I will be working and not need me to walk more than about 50 yards…also they must allow me to bring my own Oxygen Cylinders to work with me to allow me to breathe occasionally,  It most definitely needs to be a Flexi Time type of job as sometimes some of my medication makes me quite drowsy and lethargic in the morning and can take hours before I would be capable of work.  There must be no lifting except that of a coffee cup and maybe the odd light weight pen or pencil provided they were very light, there must be no good looking women within my vision at any time during working hours as it is causes my Heart beat to fluctuate to dangerous levels therefore causing me to have breathing difficulties, that’s without even going into the financial package that I would require.

Please Please Please people of you know of such an employer then let me know as I really do want to take this chance to get back to work!!

I’m sadly torn between 2 thought. On the one hand I agree to a certain extent that something needs to be done about all those people that are on such benefits that are just playing the system as that to me is unfair in the same way that you may have read on my thoughts regarding my Badge you know the Blue one that used to be Orange!!  But on the other hand why waste taxpayers money by requiring me to attend Job Assessment interviews etc???  Is there a point???   I think the part about your money going up if you are genuine is a laugh too do they really think that people will fall for that one ha ha ha.

It’ll turn into another Poll Tax fiasco you watch.

Well I guess what I’m saying is that Tony Blair and his mates will get the same reaction from me that the Van Driver at Tesco’s earlier on today.

See ya

Jonny

The Delivery Man

Well what a start to my week.  I was just on my way out the door to go to the doctors for a natter as I said when I suddenly remembered that Judith was expecting a parcel today, one which had been attempted on Friday and unfortunately I wasn’t in.   So coat off and feet up back on the Computer and watching all those bargains on Bid-TV,   how do they do it so cheap then???  About 2.30 I rang the courier City Link to find out where my delivery was so I gave her my details etc and waited while she checked.  She finally came back on the phone and said “Oh sorry but its still here in the depot, the driver must have forgotten it,  I will get the driver to drop it off on his way home which will be between 5 and 7pm”.  Well as you can guess I was not too amused to say the least because by now it was 3pm and the doctors surgery was closed and I was being deprived of my natter with Flo, which in my eyes would be about the only reason that I would agree to the re introduction of capital punishment.  

I had a few things I needed to get from the old supermarket chain that you all know I love, the one with ample disabled parking bays that are well policed and loads of electric chairs to get you around the store and also the most wonderful helpful staff who are happy to slave away all day and night for £5.28 hr. For some reason there are 2 Extra’s, One Large store and One Medium store all within a stones throw from here, they must be by far the biggest employer round these parts.  Well having turned up my luck had changed because as I was arriving in the car park a very nice young man in a very Large White Builders Van had just run back to it and vacated the disabled space it was occupying so I drove straight in after the customary thank you salute of 2 fingers pointing in an upwardly direction of course, well I do have a reputation to keep up after all.  I don’t know what it is about this particular store but they keep moving things about so when you’re like me and you haven’t got much energy to keep walking around you sort of plan your route mentally around the store a bit like a GPS thingy, “at the next aisle turn right”!!!  Well not only do they move things but they move them to further away aisles and like hide them where you will never find them. I swear it’s the Club card, they can keep track of what you buy and how often and then work out when you will be back for more then they strike with precision!!  

Do you know I have a feeling this is going to be a long blog today so if you want to go get yourself a Coffee and make yourself comfortable that might be wise.

Okay then back home by 4.15 after circumnavigating the store about 5 times absolutely shattered.  After unloading the FEW items I did manage to find which just happen to be the most expensive ones too, I settled back down to the waiting game again.  Tick Tock, I hate waiting for anything too which makes it that much harder.  Well 6 O’clock came and went. Then 7O’clock came and went. Then 8’oclock came and I thought right that’s it I’m gonna ring them to find out what’s happening.  So gets through on the phone eventually and after explaining all the details yet again,(do these people not have computers that they can keep track of things like this???) she informed that the Driver could not find the parcel as it wasn’t where it should be and therefore he would not be coming this evening.  WELL IF SHE DID!!!! I EXPLODED with a torrent of obscenities that I would not dare repeat on here because of fear of loosing my one and only reader that’s left, but why why why didn’t you ring me I said you had my number there because you’ve rung me back twice already, her reply was well I don’t know really, so I explained to her that not only had I given up my whole day waiting for the parcel that wasn’t ever going to turn up but I gave up my whole night waiting for it too, DO I LOOK LIKE AN IDIOT TO YOU?????     Quiet at the back, no chopsing!!!!   Well the best I can do sir is get it delivered to you by 12am tomorrow.  Well I left her with a very clear picture of my thoughts about the service, the company she works for, the name they call her children who have no father, the price of petrol nowadays, the lack of disabled bays where you need them, the latest score in the tennis etc etc etc. I think she got the picture anyway.  

I managed to console my anger with a little tipple of the Harvey’s Variety and settled down to night of well the usual really Computers and telly, just for a change : )   I have to take this opportunity to apologise to all those Computeach students who may have stumbled onto this site out of complete boredom and hey I don’t blame you,  who I might have upset last night in the Chat rooms as unfortunately they bore the brunt of my anger well at least till the refreshments started having an effect!!  

“URGENT UPDATE”

The eagle has landed I repeat the eagle has landed, Hey the parcel is here compete with stickers telling me where its been and on what shelf blah blah and actually whenthy said it would be too eventually, but if they think they can buy me off that easily they got another thing coming, I starting the letter of complaint as we speak.

See I did warn you it was going to be a long one today and I was not wrong!!

Right consider your ears well and truly Bashed today.

See ya tomorrow if you’re mad enough for some more and I promise not a mention of parcels in sight,         well maybe just a little one!!!!

Jonny

A Fun Time!!

Well dare I say it? Oh I don’t know , I’m scared to, Oh I’ll be alright if I just whisper it so what the heck here goes, I got no appointments anywhere this week at all !!. Phew I seemed to get away with it!! I even double and triple checked my Diary and my new toy The Mobile which has sadly taken away another job from my poor old Diary and Address Book in that well basically it does it all and quite frankly a whole lot better too. Have you ever known a Diary that could remind you by playing the Hallelujah Chorus on the morning of any appointments etc, I think not!! And also remind me a week in advance of any important dates like Birthdays and Anniversaries the only problem is I haven’t got a clue when they all are so I suppose I will have to rely on the old method for now which is pure guess work and some manipulation around the right time to get the answers you want ha ha ha!!

Right then I got the whole week to myself what fun I’m going to have. Okay what shall I do first then? Ummmmm Lets see, now I’m lost as I appear to have lost my life somewhere along the way, well in fact the hospital circuit has become my life for some time now I don’t do much else. I got a great idea I’ll check through my drugs to see if I need a repeat script then if I do I can at least go down the doctors and chat to the lovely Receptionist for 10 mins, well at least it gets me out the house… Ah thank heavens I do yippee. Well that’s a good start to the week at least, only another 4 more days to fill, right, lets check my address book and see who I haven’t visited in a while, Well visited in a broad sense of the word really as I tend to Invade rather than Visit :) Look out all you unsuspecting relatives and long lost friends I could be knocking on your door this week, don’t worry if your not there as I’ll wait I’m in no rush…

Okay I’m off to see Flo down the doc’s, love to stay and chat but I got a busy busy week this week and you know what they say???? Let me know if you do : ) !!

Cheers

Jonny Quack Quack!!

yep you guessed i t i'm still arond against the will of the mediacal profession who have and are trying to see the back of me in whatever way they can..: )

Well i hjope you are all doing okay , i sure have missed you all and feel really guilty for not keeping this thing going but i will try in the future to do so/ The prob i got is that i spend so much time at the hospital and stuff that i haven't got the time to spend writing about it when i come home although i really must try. Well a general update i guess is cxalled for for all those of you sad enough to want to know lol,

i suppose i better strat off with the chest, AH THE CHEST THING!! Well to tell the truth it ain't too bad at the moment although i'm still out of puff etc at just the slightest movement though my breathing must be a little better as i cant remember the last time i needed oxygen which can only be a good thing.

From a Haematology angle i guess all is about normal although my main problem at the moment is that i am again suffering from Graft Versus Host disease of the skin which is not too pleasant . It has made me come out in a very very itchy rash on my upper legs and lower back. This is when the Stem Cells that i recieved which are now what is producing my Bone Marrow actually attempts to reject my body not the way you would think. Sadly it will probably involve me having to take some high doses of nasty toxic drugs again to treat it but thankfully it is treatable though. I just gonna wait for the haematology dept to liase with the dermatolgist to decide the best form of action. My hope is that they will decide to go ahead with a realatively new treatment using UVB light which has had some good results with GVHD.

Okay then i better run as i gotta go to a naming ceremony for all the recent quacky things that have apeared on my doorstep over the last couple of monthsl, a very patriotic event it is too.

Hope to see you all soon if i can manage to stay away from hospital that is.

John

Hey Guess Who????
Well you thought you'd seen the back of me did you? you're not that lucky!!! just come out of Hospital after another mamoth visit a few days ago but still feel quite tired and stuff. They did there usual thing and kindly gave me an infection that i did not have when i went in , this time it was a mouth and throat infection for a change. thanks for all your kind thoughts and best wishes and for those that asked about the poor little duckies, they're all fine and only time will tell if they are going to be permanantly scarred byt the lack of attention. Since i went in we've had another 2 visitors still in their camoflage outfits after spending time out in Iraq deffending the local ponds from further invasions. They seem to have settled down to retirement here quite well and are constantly being harrassed by the others for stories of their travel's. Right i'm off now hopefully i'll be able to resume a normal service soon when i feel up to it a bit more and let you know all about the usual dismal service i recieved at the hands of the Local Health Authority yet again and especially of the Nightmare come true of the Nurse From Hell!!!! See Ya !!!

BOO!!!

BOO!!!!! I’m still here waiting on the ring a ding of the phone to jump into action, well more like a stagger really, and head off to get my Lungs fixed. I just thought that I would come and annoy you all a little while I wait as I know you will all miss my wit and charm when I’m not around. Rang the Fat Controller, sorry, I mean the Bed Manager at Llandough this morning as instructed by my Consultant’s Secretary the other day and surprise, surprise for one, she’s never heard of me, and for two there are no beds available for today. I need to ring back after 1pm just to make sure and in the meantime she will make enquiries with the secretary as to what is happening. Fingers crossed I should be in Tomorrow at the latest, well put it this way I WILL BE IN BY THE END OF THE WEEK, because I will get my friendly GP to send me in as an Emergency if need be because I can’t go on like this for any longer.

I read with interest the other day about the Archaeologists that had found this Neolithic Settlement in Northumberland and more so the buildings on there. It’s amazing that up till now most Archaeologists have been adamant that Mr & Mrs Neolithic persons were Roamers and did not settle anywhere let alone Build Villages. It started me thinking, which as most of you know is not always a good idea, but really what do they actually know about History as such?? Is it not a case of get as many so called specialist to believe what you are saying and the masses will start to believe you often without question, with the attitude of “well they ought to know, they’re the experts”. It makes me wonder how much of our history is actually just made up and how much is factually accurate so to speak. A prime example is the Beginning of Time so to speak. There are many Opinions depending which camp you’re in as to whether there was this Big Bang or Neatly Created Planet etc etc… Did we in fact Develop from Apes??? If so why are there still apes around today?? It’s quite a frightening thought really how much of History can be accurately proven.

Jeeeez my head hurts after that burst of seriousness which as you all know is not a bit like me at all in fact that’s completely out of character, prob down to the lack of oxygen or maybe I’ve been taken over by some alien who mistakenly took me for someone of a higher inteligence. He’s sadly mistaken poor thing!!!!!

Right I’m off to start my own Archealogical Dig out the garden to see if I can find any Neolithic Breeze Blocks to prove they were here…

WARNING WARNING
Please Be Aware That The Opinions Stated On Here Are Not A Representation Of Anyone’s Opinions Other Than That Of A Deranged Madman With Far Too Much Time On His Hands. Read At You Own Risk !!!

Quack Quack!!

Still Here!!

Hi guys i'm still waiting to go in and to be honest with you i just want to get on with it now. Not like me wanting to go in i know, but it's got to the stage that my breathing and coughing are getting a lot worse and it's getting harder to stay at home. I went out for the first time today only to the day unit at the Hospital. It was the first time that i've needed to use the portable oxygen in the car since i got it a few weeks back, which to me is a sign that things are getting worse. I needed it most of the way to the hospital and back, it seems to help to settle the coughing a fair bit which is good as well as make me concentrate on my breathing too. I'm expecting a phone call tomorrow to go in which will be just right because in some ways i was hoping it would be after Weds as i get to pick up my new teeth in the morning which i doubt would have been possible if i had gone in earlier as they are are in different hospitals. Anyway i'm all packed and ready to go really just waiting on the phone call. I decided that the boys will have to take it in turns to come in and visit and they have all promised that they will behave whilst i'm gone and be on their best behaviour in the hospital or else i will never take them anywhere ever again. Bud's a bit concerned that the others might take this opportunity to gang up on him, seeing that he's the only foriegner but i assured him that he will be just fine and besides he's bigger than the rest of them so they should be scared of him anyhow.

Right i'd better get to sleep as i don't want a repeat of last weeks oversleep do i ???

He's Been Nobbled!!!

Went for my appointment to see the Chest Consultant today. It was up to the usual organised chaotic standard. Go here, wait for 30 mins then go there, wait a further 30 mins then go wait to see the Main Man. Well my 3pm appointment turned out to be 4.30 by the time i got in to see him. We exchanged the usual pleasantry's then i set about trying to make my point that we seem to be getting nowhere with sorting out my chest. I could sense there was something different about him and his attitude to all this, this time and it suddenly dawned on me that when i went to see my Transplant Consultant a month or so back, he was fuming at the lack of treatment i was receiving from the chest people and said that he would write to them and say so and to demand they pull their finger out. Well it looks like he was true to his word and had in fact nobbled the chest consultant. He was in agreement with me that we are not getting to the bottom of this at all and the only way to progress in his opinion is for me to come into hospital and to stay till they find out what it is that's causing me all these problems. He wanted me to come in straight away really but i managed to convince him to let me come in next week so i've got time to get ready and stuff. So i will be waiting for a phone call from his secretary next week to say to go in as there is a bed available, lets hope it's not before weds as i need to get my new gnashers!!! I'm in two minds whether its a good or bad thing really although i'm trying to look at it as a possitive thing, but i do have some feelings that it's a step back after being out for quite a while now and judging on past experience all the tests they've done have not been conclusive, but as he says i need to be in because they simply can't conduct a lot of the tests as an outpatient as quickly and they cant monitor me either. So i guess i'd better start packing up my stuff this weekend in readiness. I'll try and keep you posted whilst i'm gone somehow maybe i'll be able to tap into the mainframe at the hospital who knows, i like a good challenge. Oh No i just had a horrible thought...I haven't told the boys yet and there won't be room for them all to come, maybe i could work out some sort of rota so they each have a bit of a holiday...Yeah that sounds good I'll let them know tomorrow i'm sure they'll be excited. Right i better get some sleep because my nose is hurting now from banging the keyboard all the time when i nod off, so see ya tomorrow hopefully.

I'm Still Here!!!

Hiya peeps yes i'm still around although probably more in mind than body. I think i'm in for a winter of discontent with my chest because it's already giving me loads of grief and the bad weather's only just started. Still at least i got me pals to keep me company. "Well whats been happening then i hear you all shout", maybe not shout more like a whisper really with my hearing the way it is. I guess not a lot in the grand scheme of things along with world poverty and mass warfare etc etc but in Duckland little things tend to occupy my life like, do i really have to get up and walk out the kitchen to make a cuppa why can't i employ a maid to bring it to me and also why can't i have a lift installed to save me from having to make the daily treck upstairs to exercise the boys?? I guess they're the sorts of things that concern the people in power on a daily basis i don't know how they can cope with such serious decision making responsibilities.

I've come to the conclusion this week also that my recent ISP move over to PlusNet was a right royal disaster too. The speeds are horrific and try and download a file well, absolutely rubbish. 2 Hours later still waiting. I finally had enough after only 10 day and am on the move again this time to F2S which appears to be okay, but then again so did CrapNet. A very expensive lesson learnt i hope.

From a medical prospective things are very much ticking over quite normally, although i'm a bit p'd off today. All my own fault too i could kick myself but i ain't got the energy lol. Today was the day that the partner to my Bottom set of teeth was to make an appearance. I didn't have a very good night really and ended up completely sleeping through the alarm and woke up eventually 15 mins before my appointment time. Prob is i live about an hour away from the hospital so even if i were to go hijack a plane over the Raf Base i was not going to make it. Grrrrrrrrrr!!!!!! I'd set my heart on having them today as well. Gotta wait till next week now, back to the soup i suppose. Up to see the Chest Consultant tommorrow not that he will do much but it might be interesting to see what he makes of that killer Lung Function Test they did last week you know the one where they tried to kill me. I don't hold out much hope of him actually doing anything though he never does.

Right i better make a move upstairs to exercise the boys while i still got some energy left, that's a joke!!!!

See You Next Year????????

Stop Messing Around!!!

Hiya Pop Pickers. What a stressfull day i've had today, phew!! and all my own doing too. we've recently changed over ISP to Plusnet which seemed like a good deal at the time. Way cheaper than BT and a free Domain Name and some Web Space too. Well up till the last few days all's been well but when i started to try to download a few tunes from one of them nice friendly Share and Share alike Progs it was taking a lifetime to download just one tiny file. So no fear, Computer Wizard Here to the rescue!!! I started to investigate by playing around with the Firewalls on the pute's with no success then i tried re-installing the Share Prog and that didn't make a difference so the next port of call was the Router/Modem settings. So i set about changing just the odd setting here and there and then coming out and trying the prog again. No difference at all so i was begining to get really annoyed by now so i just pulled out all the stops and changed just about every setting on there. So i came out of the program and re started the router and lo and behold i had completely lost the internet connection all together, good move i thought. Well nothing to loose i thought so i had to totally reset the Modem/Router again. All seemed to well till i tried to get on the internet on the Laptop, it was having none of it although i could access the router from it but not the internet which left me scratching my bald head. After about 2 hours of further twiddling around i ended up restarting the Router again this time after disconecting all the other putes from it and Hey Presto it worked we have lift off as Bud would say ha ha ha!!! Once i had set up the other putes to be able to connect i went and tried to download some tunes again and the problem was still there. Damn, Damn, Damn!!!! After venturing on to Plusnet's web site more so the Forums it appears that the service we signed up to is not designed for downloading via these P2P type progs and as a result our best option is to Upgrade. OH NO YOU BLINKING DON'T!!! thankfully we are only on a Monthly Contract so should be able to move fairly swiftly although there may be a prob as I've promised Bud, Blue and Green their own new home which was part of the deal when we moved to Plusnet so I'm waiting to see what they have to say before i have to break the Good or Bad news to the boys. So please keep your fingers and toes and whatever crossed for me and Mum make sure that includes Jemma too!!!

By the way did i ever mention the fact that i take on Computer Repairs if anyone's interested? Anyone? Maybe? Well Guess Not Then.....

See Ya....

Muted Pleasure!!

It's been a day of Muted pleasure really today. I set off to the Dentist full of intrepedation about picking up my new Gnashers this morning. On the way i stopped at Tesco's to pick up some Fixadent to keep the things from ratling around. Got there in plenty of time in fact i made sure that i was there early as i had to make a mad dash afterwards to the other side of the city for my Lung Function test. Well things didn't start off too well. The dentist came out to the waiting room to let me know that they hadn't brought them down from the lab yet and that they should be there soon. Well 15 mins later they turned up. She called me in to see her and started to explain what the problem had been. Apparently the Head of the lab brought them down to explain to her that they had managed to somehow break the original mould for the top set when they were making them and they were not going to be ready till next week but the bottom set are ready and are in place as we speak. It's just my Luck or lack of it more like it, although i guess it gives me a chance to get used to the bottom set first which apparently are the ones most likely to cause problems.. Right back in the car and the mad dash over to Llandough Hospital some 6 or 7 miles away i guess accross town. Nigel Mansell eat your heart out!!! I arrived bang on 10am my appointment time and the buggers made me wait till 20 past till they called me in. They proceeded to connect me up to all this machinery and made me do various exercises and some walking up different gradients on the treadmill which nigh on killed me. I'm not too bad on the flat although i often get passed by Snails and Slugs but make me go up a ramp or any slight incline and i get in a right mess, puffing and panting not a pretty sight. I finally put up my hand to say thats enough torture and it all stoppped thank god. I need to wait till i see the doc next week for the results as such although they did say that as usual i was only using about 40% of my Lung Capacity. I was actually having a Good Chest Day Today so i wonder what the result would have been if they did it last week when i was strugling in fact it's quite scary to think that i might be only using 1/2 that again.....

On a brighter note i been exercising the boys tonight. they had a good old swim around, in fact i struggled to get them out and ended up pulling the plug out and they stayed in till the very last drop had gone. Making up for the other day i guess with the shower. I been trying to build them a new home the last few days and will hopefully be finishing it soon then you'll be able to have a rare look into their lives a sort of "Birds Eye View" so to speak.

Right back To It see ya later !!!!!

Taking It Easy!!

Well as they say Sunday is the day of rest i didn't want to dissapoint them so that's exactly what i've done all day is Rest. Well it's been a hard week after all, well okay just checking that you have been keeping up. It's almost like it's back to normal this week after a week off so to speak from Hospital Visits i've got 3 due this week. Tuesday Day Unit and Wednesday well i've got a Dental appointment in the Heath at 9am to hopefully pick up my new set of teeth yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!! then a 10am appointment the other side of Cardiff at Llandough Hospital for a Lung Function Test which i ain't looking forward to at all as it involves a Treadmill which i just know is going to be hard work and also involve lots of Coughing and Oxygen. I still haven't quite decided on what to do for my Anniversary so to speak next week-end either and am still open to suggestions.

Bud and the guys have been sulking this evening as i decided to have a shower instead of a bath and they just had to sit there and watch. If looks could kill!! I did fill the sink basin with water and let them paddle in there when i was in the shower but that wasn't good enough oh no.... I think it's the bath tomorrow because i can't take another night of this sulking. Not a quack to be heard.

Chest's a lot better today too which has helped a lot. I'm still coughing a bit but nowhere near as much as earlier in the week thankfully. I could Gaurantee that it would be better by the time i had to go for the Lung Function test as it always is. No matter how bad it can be every time i go to Hospital for anything to do with my chest whether it be a test or to see the consultant it always gets better the day i go. Ah that's given me a great idea, what if i arrange a Chest Hospital appointment for every day, that way it will always be a good day????? I'M JUST A GENIUS REALLY!!!

Right back to playing with the Badger, no before you think i've gone crazy not That type of Badger, This type of Badger. Nite!!!

Life On The Sofa!!

For about the last week now i've been living quite literally on the sofa downstairs in the Lounge. The reason being that my Chest has been so bad that the movement involved in getting up the stairs to bed etc has been out of the question as on the odd occation of doing so resulted in me strugling for breath by the time i got up there. It's quite a strange feeling not being able to get up there sometimes a feeling of Defeat and Dispair and also feelings that this Blinking Illness keeps reminding me that it's still here, like i need a constant reminder that this thing has invaded my life without invitation. It quite strange that at other times for example if you meet someone new, a friend say, you sub-consiously allow this person into certain parts of your life depending on what you want to share. But with an Illness such as Leukaemia it sort of invades every part of you no matter what you do to try and prevent it. I must admit it has got easier over the last few months compared to what it has been in the past and if anything it's passed over the responsibility of doing this to my Chest now. It seems to dictate to my body what it will or will not let it do although probably not to the extreme's that the Leukaemia did.

That's enough of all them negative thoughts for now as it does become quite depressing and also it's not really me as you might have guessed if you've been mad enough to read my rantings to date. By the way i can recommend a good shrink to anyone in this position. I am still wearing my Badge with pride though.

My hair is starting to grow back strangely as well. Since i started shaving it a while back due to it growing to about a centimeter then falling out, my heads obviously been nice and Bald and Shiny. I decided that as the weather was changing and the cold winds were arriving i would start to let it grow. It appears to be growing in the style of a Steriotypical Monk. Just like a ring around the edge and perfectly Bald and Shiny on top. The problem is i know that before, the sides were growing back curly which my dear hard working student (yeah right) Sister had kindly donated to me through her Stem Cells and i hated it. So i guess i'll probably end up shaving it again.

Quite a serious Blog today for a change and i do appologise to all those expecting my usual drivel, i promise a normal service will return tommorow.

Quack, Quack from the boys too!!

5 Gas Bottles Standing On The Wall!!!!

My Chest has been dreadfull this last week mainly due to the change in weather. I've needed a fair bit of Oxygen for a change and in fact i panicked a bit this morning when i discovered that i was down to my last 1 1/2 bottles. So rang the Doc's to arrange for them to let the Chemist know to order me some for Monday. The Main prob is they only have them delivered on a Monday so i didn't want to miss it or there would be problems. Not done a great deal today really as it seems even simple things like getting from the sofa starts my chest off and is really quite hard work. Sounds weird don't it just standing up makes me need oxygen but at least as the week's gone on it's got slightly easier. Looks like Bud's settling in quite well and thanks to my sister i've managed to order him some Space Food that he's used to like This so at least he won't feel so home sick. Blue & Green been showing him around today all the places of interest and they all seem to be getting on really well which suprise's me a bit as the boy's, Blue & Green have sort of had the run of the place for a while and i thought that maybe now Bud's turned up they might gang up on him, but they been great and besides i think Bud could give as good as he gets. Righty oh i better try get some sleep if i can. See you guys tommorow. Be Good!!

Free Is Just Not Enough!!

The last few day's i've been attempting to look locally for a Computer shop or Repairer's where i can get some work experience to compliment the Course that i'm trying to study. I've called at a number of places to enquire about maybe spending 1 day a week sitting next to someone doing the work and helping where i can and all for no payment just to gain the experience. You would think that at least one of them would be interested as they all said they were quite busy and stuff but no, not one of them wanted to know. They were varied excuses from not covered on insurance to not enough time Huh that's where i would help ??? I guess then that to offer your services for Free is just maybe too cheap. Well on a brighter note the Space Duck who i've named Bud is settling into his new home and had a bit of a getting to know you session with the other 2 Green and Blue ( I know not very original) last night. they seemed to get on okay although Bud's got a real strong American sqweak which can be quite difficult to understand at times but i guess they'll learn to understand each other. He seemed to have settled into life in the Big Tub fairly quickly and was soon laughing at Blue's impression of a Submarine and was rolling around Quacking and Quacking. He must have been so worn out from his Travel's and the swim last night because he's been asleep most of the day. By the way does anyone know where i can get hold of Space rations as it seems that's what he likes to eat??. Right, back to my old mate Linux for some more fun, just downloaded an Emulator which will allow me to run lots of Windros Programs like Office and Messenger and Notepad and stuff so i gotta set that up yipeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

Thanks A Million!!

Hi Peeps and what a wonderful day it is too although try telling my chest that. Its been 2 days of being awaken by the dullset sound of the Postie banging hell out the door, not that i'm complaining mind you. Then the scratching of the head to wonder what it is as i'm not expecting anything. Well you all know about the book that dear old mum sent me which i've now read from cover to cover and found it to be very educational indeed and the sound it makes when you push the button are cool. Thanks A Million Mum!!. Todays post was a much smaller parcel. what could it be i wondered as i was ripping the box to shreads. I was gobsmacked when inside i found another box all wrapped up neatly with some very fancy paper and a card which said "I thought you would like a fancy one not a boring yellow one", could it be what i've been longing for all this time. Should i wait and open it later ah what the hell i went at it like a bull in a china shop there were bits of paper flying in all directions. Eventually i came accross this wonderous site IT WAS A RUBBER DUCKY!!!!!!! but hey this was no ordinary rubber ducky this was an American Spaceman Rubber Ducky complete with Plastic Helmet and USA Badges. Its a beauty in the realms of Rubber ducks and it even quacks too i shall have hours of fun with this. It suddenly dawned on me i don't know who had sent it so i started rumaging through the shards of paper and cardboard spread out all over the floor and finally came accross the Tag that had been attached and it wasn't signed at all so i thought i know there's bound to be something on the invoice attached to the box so i ripped it off only to find that there was only my name Jonny and My address. So to the Mystery Sender of my new unfeathered friend thanks a million and rest assured he will love his new home and be very happy here. Right I'm off to play see ya later!!!!

Early Wake Up Call!!

I didn't have a very good night's sleep last night which seems to be the norm at the moment the way my chest is, anyhow about 7.30 the door bell rings. Who the heck calls at 7.30 in the morning around here the only one it could possibly be is the postie and she doesn't get here till around 10am so shes probably still tucked up in bed. Off I went and answered it and it was the postie but not just the usual one he was from the parcelforse division with a package for me. I haven't ordered anything i thought to myself well i couldn't wait to rip off the packaging to see what it was. You'll never gues what it was in a million years. It was a book entitled 10 Rubber Duckies complete with it's own sound effects too. My Mum sent it to brighten up my day which it surely did although it goes a bit soggy when you take it in the bath and the sound don't work then but you can still look at the pictures. It's loosely based on an event that happened a few years ago when a container of Bath Toys fell overboard from a ship that was carrying them. It spured me on to go find out what i could about this and come up with a few places here's one of them http://www.msnbc.com/news/940859.asp and there still offering a reward for anyone that sends them one they found so you better all go down the beach and start looking you never know. It's been a day of ducks today as i eventually managed to find a small Rubber Duck in Tesco's, maybe they did listen to me the other week when i complained that i couldn't find any of them. Only prob is got well and trully stuck into Linux this evening that didn't manage to have a bath and sort of try them out so it'll have to wait. linux has this sort of effect on people so it seems. Well all this excitement is making me race for the oxygen so i better go and leave you to it. But before i go there's just one thing "THANK YOU MOTHER"!!!!!! your an angel Nite Nite!!!

Jonny's Got A Brand New Toy!!

Sadly before you all breathe a sigh of relief, I haven't managed to find a Rubber Ducky YET!!! although I haven't totally given up hope either but if any of you mad people reading this and feeling sorry for me and want to brighten up my day you can always go try and find one for me and send it to me at Jonny5. 27,Livingstone Way, Eastvale, St Athan, South Wales United Kingdom. CF62 4JG I promise to give it a good home. Right back to the point my New Toy is actually Linux. Whats Linux I hear you ask well let me try and explain it too you. Linux is an Operating System the same as say Windows XP or Apples Mac. The main difference between them is the fact that Linux is actually Free to Download and play around with unlike Microsoft Windows which sells for around £80 and is tighter than a nun's knickers to get into. My only play around with Linux up till now was a few years back and then it was all having to type in commands to make it do anything, now however it is very much on a par with Windows very Grafically based and do everything with a mouse and not have to type in anything unless you want too. There are also Lots of different versions or Flavors as there known of linux so there will always be one to suit everybody from Buisness Person to School Children. They're soo much fun to play with which explains my New Toy Heading. Would you believe that the thing come with like 30 Games and no Sollitaire in sight and you get about 6 Web Browsers(Thats 6 Internet Explorer Type Programs) and heaps of other stuff and it's all free. there is also no such thing as a virus on Linux too which is pretty cool too. I been playing for hours and hours and still ain't had enough which is unlike me as my attention usually wanes quite quickly. Well thats the sales pitch over with try searching it out on Google if your interested and see what you think you might be suprised and decide to change over as well oh and one other thing you can actually have both Linux and Windows installed on the same computer which is super cool for those just wanting to try it out. Okay for those expecting the usual drivel i assure you that a normal service will resume again tomorrow once i've played myself out. I'm off to have my Duckless Bath see ya !!!

Wear It With Pride!!
Hello there peeps i am gonna let you know whats going through my mind today for a change. Before you all shout at me no i am not going to go on about Rubber Duckies although if you manage to find any be sure and pass them on. No this I think is much more deeper. I don't know why i'm thinking of this today of all days but there we go since when did I ever pretend to know whats going on in my head. It's all about the Disabled Badge, you know the Blue one which used to be the Orange one which most people will remember. I guess it can be seen by different people as maybe being another way of sort of pigeonholing you as some people do or maybe it could be seen by others as a sort of badge stating that "Hey I am Disabled and Proud of It". Most of the time i guess i tend to fall in the later group as you might have guessed although I have been known to be partial to a bit of pigeon in the past. I guess it could be seen as drawing attention to yourself which is not neccessasarily a bad thing is it?? Some people like to colour their hair strange colours and wear strange clothes maybe and what about the men who have the combover hair syle you know the one , that involves combing the one strand of hair over from one side to the other to hide up the bald patch unsussesfully most of the time. They always make me laugh though so maybe thats why they do it. I'll have to ask one of them one day just to see. Back to the point about Disability Badges I wouldn't say i'm particularly proud of being Disabled, and not quite sure if that is actually possible, but I am cetainly not ashamed of it either so I guess what i'm saying is "Wear your badge with pride people" but also never forget that because you got a magic badge that will let you park nearer the store than others doesn't mean you can abuse that privelage and park in the Mother & Baby spaces if there are no Disabled spaces available, unless of course you happen to have children with you of course and however much you hope that a Teenager constitutes a Baby you are not entitled to park there. Right i'm off to see if there are any Mother & Baby campaigners out there banging the same drum as me.

Enough's Enough!!
Well it's begining to wind me up now , the fact that i can't find a Rubber Ducky anywhere. I can't believe that they dont sell these anymore, do people not bath their kids anymore or what. Maybe they just take them in the shower i suppose not a good place for a duck to hang out as he might get stepped on and hurt. I may end up having to resort to Ebay at this rate however much i'm trying to stay away from that highly addictive place. I will get one somewhere somehow, i know maybe thats a good way to celebrate my BMT Birthday my lovely Donor who i know has soo much spare time on her hands now, can spend some of it trawling round the shops to find and present me with one as like a present, yeah that sound like a great idea. I will suggest it when i speak to her next i'm sure she'll be amused. Talking about my BMT Birthday I got a confession to make. You know i said that it was on the 23rd Oct, well i was talking about it to Judith and she is always great at remembering dates and she was convinced it was the 22nd Oct, so when i went up the Day Unit i asked the lovely Una to have a look in the notes for me and to my Horror we were both wrong it is in fact the 21st Oct. You'd think such a momentous date like that we would remember but obviously not, so all you people from all over the world planning to come and celebrate with us on the 23rd i hope you can get a refund on your air tickets and stuff and do accept my sincere appologies for the confusion. Well not much else to report then apart from the fact that i do believe that i am becoming addicted to Linux oh yes and i should be having my new set of teeth in 2 weeks after going for a final fitting yesterday, sounds like i'm going for a wedding dress fitting doesn't it. ha ha ha. Right time for some more Linux Fun see ya later!!!!

Hiya Peeps!!
I seem to owe you lot another appology for not writing in sooner but in all honesty i haven't been too well. Nothing Serious just a bit of a sore throat and tight chest and generally felling under the weather not that i'm complaining. It beats Leukaemia any day !! A couple of visits up the Hospital over already this week. Monday as I said was the Lung Function Tests, sort of blow in this tube at different times and strenths and so on really exciting stuff. It always makes me cough my heart out which i think they get some sort of Sadistic pleasure out of as they keep asking me to do just one more. So I couldn't wait to get back home for a rest and an early night as i really felt yuk!!! Up bright and early on Tuesday morning, well early anyway I don't know about bright and up for the usual waiting session at the Day Unit. They were actually quite quick taking my Blood for a change and i thought that it might be a quick in and out today for a change. No such luck, about 45 mins after they had taken my Blood the doctor still had no results so she rang to find out where they were and she was told that where they'de sent them up in a pod( through like this little air tunnel device between depatments) mine went up with a few others and apparently my blood samples smashed on the way up, It could only happen to me. So i had to have another set of bloods done and wait another hour for the results. Anyhow it gave me chance to catch up with a pal who I haven't seen in about a year it must be. I remember him coming in just as he'd been diagnosed and we seemed to hit it off right away. He's doing really well and unlike me has managed to stay out of hospital for nearly a year now apart from the usual check ups. He was in to donate his stem cells ready for a stem cell transplant, he'll do well he's a good man and a fighter too which you need to be really to get through the bad times. Right i'm supprised i lasted this long on here today, i'm gonna go have a lay down for a while. Been up the Dentist today new teeth in Fortnight hopefully but i'll let you know all about maybe later of tommorow. See ya !!!

I'm Still Here Honest!!

Let me appologise for not updating this over the last few days but I been soo busy since the New stuff arrived that I just didn't have to time. Let me fill you in on all thats been happening then in case your interested that is well if your not now's the time to go pluck your eyebrows or sit on the loo for an hour contemplating lifes great mysteries. For those of you still here, hello...HELLO.... well what the hell someone might come browsing past and read this tripe so i better carry on. Since I last posted I have managed to wipe and re-install 3 Computers compete with programs etc etc and even managed to turn my Laptop into a Dual Boot System which means that I can now choose between loading Windows XP or Linux which is quite cool although its a bit hard to say the least to set up it's all good fun and experience. I quite like the idea of Linux in that your not tied down to what one person thinks (Namely Mr Bill Gates ) you should have on your Computer as you can play around with it to your hearts content, which I plan to do. One of the best things about it is "THERE'S NO WINDOWS MESSENGER ON HERE" Yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God I hate that program with avengence. Looking forward to my week of Hospital visits of course as usual and expect to be a changed man by friday with all this attention.

One final note, for those of you that know and I guess thats all of about 3 of you dear listeners I suppose, it will be exactly 1 Year on the 23rd of this month since I had my Bone Marrow Transplant and I am looking for suggestions as to how to celebrate this momentous day. Any idea's would be appreciated as long as they don't involve Bungee jumping or such like!! And also bear in mind i ain't got Bill Gates Diposable Income either.

See Ya Later!!!