Thumbs Up

Negativity is not good for the soul and after all my whining this week, I am glad to be able to end the week on a positive note. Phil went to get the results of his blood tests on Tuesday after work and it was really good news. His PSA level has dropped from 7.5 to 5.2. It's true that I was really hoping that his level had dropped as a direct result of the cancer diet but I wasn't expecting it drop so significantly, so I was really pleased. Of course his level is still high because his cancer is moderately aggressive but without having had treatment and without changing his diet, his PSA levels would most certainly have continued to rise. The results of his blood sugar levels were also encouraging, he's gone from 7.2 down to 6.7. Not a drastic decline and they are still high I know, but nonetheless a drop in the right direction especially with all the fruit that he has been eating which is full of sugar. A very good result indeed and we shall be continuing with this prostrate cancer diet because it obviously making a difference.

 

The diet; I won't lie, is hard work and an awful lot of effort. But I am so thrilled with Phil's blood result tests that I am committed to making it work and improve upon it. Actually this week, I have had it quite it easy with the cooking. Perhaps I am getting used to it or I am getting better but it hasn't seemed too laborious this week. The whole wheat noodles with the chilli sauce did us a couple of days. We had baked potatoes on Tuesday with sugar free beans for me and tuna, sweetcorn, red pepper and home-made mayonnaise for Phil and he quite enjoyed it. Yesterday I did Thai Green curry but substituted the chicken for one breast of Turkey which I grilled instead of frying. For soups, we had vegetable at the beginning of the week and yesterday I made a saucepan of sweetcorn soup which Phil really liked. I am not big on corn, its not my bag but its one of Phil's favourites. Today I have nothing prepared which is most unusual. As a Friday treat we had planned to share a portion of fish and chips with a side of mushy peas but I'm not certain this is going to pan out. I hope so because Phil has been fantasising about this meal all week long.

 

Phil's done so well on the 'cancer' diet but he needs to make more effort in the exercise department. He hasn't been on it once this week, well not since Sunday, he says the saddle is too hard so yours truly went out to Joe Pinks in Newport yesterday and bought a new saddle for twenty quid; I wasn't happy forking out but then I guess its worth it if encourages Phil to exercise during the week. Harriet tried the bike out on Monday evening for a 20 minute session and afterwards said her bum was sore and she felt faint. Perhaps she will use it more when the new saddle is fitted.

 

I had to laugh at Phil when he went to the doctors surgery because he went armed with a long list of things to ask for. Phil has spent the last 10 years avoiding going to see the GP but now he is demanding prescriptions for every single one of his ailments. He came away with a years supply of metformin, statins and ear drops to mention only a few. He was disappointed that the doctor couldn't give him a blood sugar tester; this has to be issued from his diabetes nurse whom he can't get in to see until March at the earliest. I don't know what the issue is but he has got a real bee in his bonnet about getting a tester on the NHS. If it were me, I'd pop into Boots and buy one over the counter and save myself all the stress.

The other good thing that happened yesterday is that the Dishwasher is not broken. When we pulled the unit out, we saw that the fitting to the water pipe was loose. Phil tightened it up, I put the dishwasher cycle on while the unit was still away from the wall and it was absolutely fine, no leaks so problem solved. I don't know why it is these days but when something goes wrong, I always assume the worst. Another example of glass half empty syndrome I guess. We've still got to sort the kitchen units in the garage but that's a big job and a job for the weekend or another time.

 

The hospital called yesterday and they have had a cancellation and asked if Phil could come along to see the radiologist today. He said “yes” and so we're off to the hospital for an 11am appointment. I am a little apprehensive because I don't like the thought of Phil being zapped but hopefully we will ask the right questions that will enable us to make the decision about which treatment is best for Phil. Either that, or we will come away even more confused that we were before we went in.