The countdown begins today.
Before starting I suggest that scrolling through the right hand column will give those puzzled by my rambling some idea as to why I am wasting your time and mine by writing this drivel.
For the followers of my posts that aren’t aware; on the 17th April each year I celebrate the anniversary of my birth and this year is especial for it will be the 50th celebration. My Golden Jubilee :).
I know my dear friends Lisa in Kentucky and Cynthia in Pennsylvania will remember. But I don’t think the brace of my other readers will know or care. Then again why should you? So there no need for me forgiving you so I wont!
I had high hopes of one day celebrating my ‘Diamond Jubilee‘ and thereby being the longest lived male member of the family; but now I fear that I will not make it. And on that cheerful note I’ll tell you why.
Back in 2005, just before Christmas I went to see Doctor Mac to get the results of some tests and he greeted me cheerfully with “You’ve got prostate cancer” I said something stupid like “Really?” and he said yes as he was typing out a referral to an oncologist; Doc. Mac told me to get around to this other blokes rooms and get a appointment to see him as soon as possible. So I did as I was told.
After doing a big heap of tests which weren’t very comfortable he advised me that my cancer was too big, too aggressive and he couldn’t operate and that I had 12 months to 2 years before it killed me;( cheerful bugger).
He then offered me an option; he told me of a new procedure that was proving quite effective in the fight and that a colleague of his in an adjoining room was the man to see if I wanted to give it a go. Not having the War Office with me I agreed straight away and went immediately into this other doctors rooms.
What a difference. Greeted with a happy smiling face and a big cheerful g’day he got straight to the nitty gritty.
Dr. Gerald Fogarty, the best doc I’ve ever come across, explained to me that there was this new procedure called ‘Brachytherapy‘ and that if I underwent it he would guarantee me another 6 to 8 years.
Told me all the possible and probable side effects and his only regret was that as it was such a new procedure in Australia the Government (John Howard’s consevative government) had not as yet evaluated the procedure so therefore it was not covered by our Medibank system and that I’d have to pay the cost myself; but I would get something back.
I am pleased to report that this procedure is now available on Medibank and is available to all men.
Anyway the upshot was I told him to go ahead and get the show on the road; at which invitation he took out the biggest damned syringe I have ever seen and am likely to see and he told me to lift my shirt and plunged this syringe into my stomach and with a big broad grin announced the treatment is started.
I wont bore you anymore with the details needless to say the operation was a resounding success and I’ve had the six years promised and have nearly completed the eighth so I have no complaints whatsoever. There is no sign of the cancer rearing it’s ugly head and my GP tells me that the odds of it coming back are now remote.
Forgetting the cancer for now; about 18 months ago I had a small stroke; I didn’t know, but the War Office picked up on it and I had two successful carotid artery operations over a period of 6 – 8 weeks; The vascular surgeon who attended me is quite delighted with the recovery I’ve made, so much so that he says he needs to see me only once a year for a check up.
So with all this good news you’d think I’d be feeling tip top ready to go. Well sorry to say I’m not, I think the end of the road is well within sight and the ‘Diamond Jubilee’ is now beyond me.
I’m getting very tired very easily now. I’m getting bored too easily which is the worse thing for someone like me. I have several posts started and in the draft form but never finished or likely to be. My mind feels as sharp as a tack but my energy deserts me and at times I despair that it will return.
Typical case of “the spirits willing but the flesh is week”.
Anyway the count is on for my ‘Golden’, whether there will be anymore is anybodies guess. 🙂
LordBeariOfBow 
Well Brian,,,I have to say for the 1st time that i can remember you have pissed me off!!!! I just turned 53 a few weeks ago, if you remember about 2 yrs ago i had major heart surgery, 5 vessel bypass with so many complications including dying twice and being resuscitated, I still wake up every morning and breathe and i am tired all the time, I do get a little air headed sometimes but i can live with that,,,So at your age don’t you think you might be tired,,,that does not mean your going to die, my 3 yr old grandson says everyday,,,,Never give up,,,,,well you old fart don’t you either, you of all people are to stubborn to give up, so get up off your “ARSE” and keep going, remember I love you
Lisa
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Thank you for the kind words and wake up call Lisa, I sure they won’t do much good 🙂 but I shall give it a go and see what happens, I might also send you an e-mail with more useless information, something of which I am full.
Brian
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Happy 29th Birthday to you, my friend!
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Thank you Anonymous who I think is my old chum from North Carolina, Tim also known as Goof 🙂
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Brian,
what is the Golden Jubilee you are about to celebrate? Is it your arrival in Australia from the “Old Dart”? [ http://www.worldwidewords.org/technicalfaq.htm ] Is it your marriage to the war office? I know it isn’t your fiftieth birthday. Is it one of these? Silver Jubilee (25 years)
Golden Jubilee (50 years)
Diamond Jubilee (60 years in Britain, 75 years in the United States, 100 years in South Asia)
Platinum Jubilee (70 years in Britain, 75 years in South Asia)
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Of being 29, Ive been 29 these past 50 years and the 17th is the day of celebration here and in the “old Dart”.THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY AND CELEBRATION OF MY 29TH BIRTHDAY.
🙂
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Brian,
how did you get stuck in a time warp at 29? That might be an interesting story.
Neill.
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Whether or not it is interesting Neill a lot did happen in my 29th year but I wont be going into details. And anyway I think that 29 is a perfectly good prime number and one I became quite attached to 😉
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I pay a visit every day a few sites and websites to read articles or reviews, but this website provides feature based writing.
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Thank you Susanne; I not sure what you mean by feature based writing I just ramble away for my own amusement and I have a few friends who humour me and comment sometimes on a post
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Brian,
you haven’t written a blog about our trip to Wollongong University and the wonderful reception we got from the academic staff and students, not to mention the delicious lunch they laid on for us. It may be an encouragement for others, certainly it would make interesting reading for your readers. I didn’t take any photos on the day and I don’t remember you taking any. I was very impressed with the students’ enthusiasm and their great appreciation of the programme and their gratitude to the participants.
Neill.
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I did a blog back in November I think it was (it’s in the archives section somewhere),after receiving the annual invite to the reception. Might be an idea if you wrote a guest blog/post 🙂
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