Chemistry Class

Hello Boys and Girls

Just a quick post today, as I go for my second blast of chemo tomorrow, so may be feeling like death for the next few days. I've been promised the extra-strength, super-duper anti-emetic, but who knows what reaction it'll have. Last time I was readmitted to hospital, which nobody wants, so fingers crossed.

I've now done 15 radiotherapy sessions, out of a total of 33, so nearly halfway. today's mantra at the radiotherapy clinic was "It'll only get worse from now on". For example, when I complained of a sore throat when swallowing, I was told, "it'll only get worse from now on"; similarly, the burning of the skin around my face, the nasty, nasty gloopy saliva, and all the other side-effects, which I won't bore you with now.

Today is Catherine's birthday, and normally we would mark it with a nice meal, washed down with some fine wine. Under the circumstances, I'm afraid that wasn't possible this year, and she's spent most of the day ferrying me around various medical appointments. To make matters worse, the bracelet I had ordered didn't arrive on time, so as a present from me she had to make do with a photo of said item of jewellery. In my defence, I'd like to claim that I've had a lot on my mind, but that's no excuse.

Actually, she did have a birthday meal at the weekend, cooked as a joint effort between Lucy and Emma. The menu was a starter of roast vegetable and mozarella stack; main course was fillet steak in a whiskey jus; and dessert of Iles Flotant. With such culinary delights from the girls, I shall soon be rendered completely obsolete.

Finally, and in lieu of the normal list of songs, let me tell you about the best CD I've bought for ages. It's a compilation called "Dark Was The Night", which is part of the "Red Hot" series of albums, the proceeds of which go towards AIDS charities. This particular one is a double CD, drawn together by the nice people at 4AD. It was released in 2009, but didn't come to my attention until browsing Amazon recently. It includes some great stuff, and my highlights are "Sleepless" by The Decemberists, "I Was Young When I Left Home" by Antony Hegarty and Bryce Dessner, "Lua" by Conor Oberst and Gillian Welch, and "Inspiration Information" by the peerless Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings. There are one or two duffers - notably The Kronos Quartet's attempt to recreate the delta blues of Robert Johnson, which is as bad as it sounds, but overall it's highly recommended, and only about nine quid. Buy this album.

End of music review. Wish me luck.

R