End of week 6 , Tues 2-1-23 , Day 30 Treatment 30

 So END OF WEEK 6 , Day 30 ,Treatment 30 !! THE END 

 Forgive me if I write rubbish tonight I am a bit  of an Emotional wreck.

First of all thank you to all those who read and commented on my Last Blog in 2023 , wow another Year gone, its much appreciated  I assure you .

So today Bev Heath very kindly drove me to Christies for my last treatment , so no waiting or wondering if my Taxi would arrive or not . Bev arrived at mu house and after a quick chat we were away in awful weather conditions , but Bev is an excellent driver and drove to the conditions  and we arrived in Plenty of Time and found a parking spot on the street very close to Christies so just a short walk around the corner to Christies .

So on arrival I am due to have Bloods taken again so round we go to Dept 1 to check in , no problem , then over to check in at Bloods and they tell me they have no papers for me and someone is bringing them down from the Office !! so Bev and I take a seat and chat which is nice for a change , after about 15 minutes I try ringing the Doctor in charge of the Earad project , goes to Mail Box , so I go to the window to enquire whats happening ?  Oh its o.k you can go we dont need your Bloods today !! , so why did you not tell when I checked in ? shoulder shrug reply .

So away we go to dept 39 to check in ,Fiona back on desk so checks me into Suite 4 , and Bev  and I take a seat and start a to chat , then Rhianne comes past and I aks if its o.k for Bev to come in with me to take some some pics and she says of Course , eventually called in by Lydia and Colene as we go in I deliver a Tub of Chocolates and a Thank you Card for the Team and it very soon becomes obvious that the Last day is an emotional day for us all , Bev takes some pics and then leaves the room and its undress for the Last time , more Cling film applied to my neck for protection then its on to Ray for the last time .Time for the Mask to go on for 1 more time , even I am feeling emotion. Then its quickly over and Lydia and Colene ask if I would like to take the Mask home and I obviously say yes please , so they take the retaining clips of and give me my Mask Thomas 2 back .

BELL RINGING TIME  , tradition on Completion of treatment I get to ring the Bell 3 times , I ask the team if they can join me and the agree to do so , Bev joins us at the Bell to take pics and then I find my Mate Graham Barrington and his wife Sandra have travelled in to see the ceremony lovely surprise , so a few more pics , tears start, I make a small short speech then ring that  Bloody Bell that I have walked past every day for the last 6 weeks , now its my Turn 3 times  , and I believe I am the first to ring it 2024 !! , everyone claps and thats it Done a final Hug from Lydia , Rhianne and Colene and they go back to Suite 4     and life returns to normal , I have to wait to see the Doc ,and Dietitian    one more time and Graham and Sandra head off home . 

Bev and I are chatting and then my name called out to go and get weighed before I see Doc and Dietitian for one last time , then put in an Interview room , Emliana the Dietitian is first to appear and we have a chat about how things   are going and if I need anything , overall she is very pleased with how I have coped over the 6 weeks apparently losing just over a Stone in weight !! not a Diet I would have chosen but probably better for it . She supplies me with some more protein drinks wishes me well and departs .

Next in is the Doctor , lovely Chinese Lady , asks  a few questions about treatment and where I am with it , she is surprised I have not taken Morphine for over 3 weeks now , I tell her I have it if I need it !! then she had a look at my neck and asks about how I am looking after it then thats it she is really happy at how things have gone and wishes me well .

So off I go back to Bev we pack our stuff and Leave , still peeing down outside so Bev offers to go and get the car while I wait with the stuff including Thomas 2 Mask 

Conclusion , I feel drained now , emotionally and Physically , and its been very difficult writing this BLOG tonight but I needed to do it as promised .The Last 6 weeks have been so tough and not all has gone smoothly for me , Liquid Paracetamol and big no !! The Zeroveen Cream  that was meant to treat the skin on outbreaks actually made them worse  , thanks to Lydia for coming to the rescue with the Medicated Collars and Flaminal ointment making things better pretty quickly .Transport Issues , constant uncertainty ,hours of waiting around , the daily travel was wearing and tiring without knowing what time I would get home everyday  , but under the circumstances of Christmas and New Year it was the best option for me and my choice .

I cant praise the staff Highly enough especially Suite 4 ,the A team , I was so lucky to be under their care .

My friend Bev Heath will add the photos to the Blog shortly and that will be it done , over the next 3 weeks my systems should start to recover as the Radiotherapy fades , I will update a Blog and let you know the changes as they happen , right now I just want to get back to a routine of my own as before and recover from the last 6 weeks .

Thanks for being their and supporting me , you will never know just how much you all helped , massive thank yous to everyone and special to Bev for driving me today.

God bless and much love 

Tom x 

The famous Bell

Suite 4

Ray in Background

The team Mal, Rihanne, Lydia, Colene

And Thomas 2 sneaks in

Me Bev ,Graham and Sandra