Hospital visiting week

 This is hospital week. Yesterday was Papworth for surgical follow-up - and happily the new X-ray is clear. My lung has re-expanded, with no fluid or partial collapse, and the surgeon confirmed he had removed it all. Yippee!! I told the surgeon I currently feel much better even than before the op, and he said, "make the most of it. The time between surgery and immunotherapy is usually your best time." Oh thanks, a real gloom-monger. I had left Ann at the Scotsdales Garden Centre, and Edwin was there when I went to meet her with tea and cake and an invite to go on to their apartment for dinner, so that was a good day.

Today I go to West Suffolk for my regular cystoscopy. This is the most painful and uncomfortable examination of them all, as any man may imagine. It is not pleasant having a tube and camera pushed up one's intimate bits, and poked around all corners of the bladder while a huge colour image is flashed up on the large monitor for all to see and comment on. I'm just thankful that thus far they have been clear for three years, which is good for bladder cancer. With that and the successful metastatic melanoma removal, I live in hope of a few more good years. Tomorrow I go to Addenbrookes for the oncology check and blood tests before my immuno, then on Saturday does the actual treatment begin.

Nick at the Swan, Clare

I continue to paint, though now somewhat sporadically. I am working on a large full-length joint portrait of Ann and me on our wedding day. We had little money when we married, so had no professional photography, relying instead on the cameras of guests and relatives, so we don't have many. Also, these old photos are hard to work from as they are small and contain little detail. I have however completed a portrait of Nick, the landlord at the Swan in Clare. He is always very friendly and welcoming, with a distinctive face and it was a pleasure to paint him.