highway robbery | doctors need to listen to their patients | cannon fodder

I probably should apologize for change to blatant existentialism on my life rather than the stock market, that this blog has become, but I have an excuse, I have been having another battle with melanoma.

After recently having a couple of tumors reappear in my lungs I have been on radiation therapy.

All this had been going reasonably successfully for 6 weeks, with the main tumor shrinking, but I was noticing I wasn't feeling well in myself, in fact feeling quite ill, with flue like symptoms and back ache.

The unfortunate outcome was I had a car accident late that afternoon, lucky no one was hurt!

So I got my wife to take me to outpatients for a check
I had been trying to get into the GP doctor, or a specialist, but wasn’t being listened to by the medical profession.GP was too busy, oncologist couldn’t see me till after Christmas, and radiologist said he looked at my scan and said everything was OK.So off I went to work. I write this reluctantly because I feel after all the help I have had, I don't want to be labelled as ungrateful.But having led a very active life, with medical check-ups for a pilot’s licence, I’m not in the habit of going to a doctor unless I need one, and given that background, with melanoma, wouldn’t you think it sensible to see this patient?
k-up, luckily I did, within an hour I had had a seizure, and was on an air ambulance to Melbourne for scans and treatment.

The scan revealed 2 tumors on my brain with a couple of smaller ones on my spine.

I guess that explains the symptoms doctors?

Anyway probably no point going on about it, as the outcome would probably been the same, but it might have prevented a car accident, and why do doctors assume they know more than the patient?

But its important to put my thoughts down so people that im enjoying life with, have a bit of an understanding of why I am a bit melancholy at some stages, and maybe a doctor might listen.

Your life , my life all our lives are pretty similar, you work consistently and persistently to make your life better, for yourself and your family, and as you work hard, the fruits come!

I have have been lucky to have been born into the best family possible,  in the best country  possible at what is probably the best time possible, and meeting the best bride possible ( had to sneak that one in.)

So life so far has been fantastic with a rising living standard,  even having my own aeroplane to fly around in.

Of course I spent 40 year working bloody hard to have this all happen!

Then along came melanoma, at first it seemed a bit of an annoyance, had the mole removed, and move on.
But then it comes back in lymph nodes when it was diagnosed as malignant and I had to have a full auxiliary clearance, things start to gel in your mind that this is serious.
Then it comes back in your lungs, and you realize its bloody serious!

Then your life gets a bit harder, your at the doctor, being refereed to specialists and you start to get robbed of things.
You no longer have any hope of passing a medical for your pilots licence, your most treasured accomplishment is stripped from you without any ceremony!

Probably a bit dramatic, my most treasured accomplishment should be the birth of my children!

Yes well of course it is, sorry,  I was getting ahead of myself, whoops forgot about mentioning meeting a very special person that became my wife!!!.

But you get the drift, your dreams of achieving great things get crushed, there is a finality to things that stifles all your enthusiasm as i am in Melbourne having a couple of brain lesions removed, i am starting to wonder how long i have, and there goes my drivers licence

So this to me is the greatest challenge of cancer, reinventing yourself to survive the challenge, and remain a little bit sane.
so setting short term goals will be the priotity, more fishing and cricket with the grandchildren if im capable,

My son and his wife are expecting their first baby, in Feb 2017, so that has to be the immediate first goal, I can’t think of anything as special as that.

One thing that is of concern is I won’t make it.

My paternal grandfather died just shortly before I was born, so it would be bloody ironic if it happened for this generation as well.

Looking back at my grandfathers life I came across a world war 1 diary of his and his Brothers about their involvement in the war.

Reading it makes me feel like I need to harden up, and just get on with how lucky I am.

Jack I’Anson my grandfather managed to survive the war, but was badly gassed, so would have had a pretty ordinary life when he got home.

Poor Reg, was killed, only really a kid, killed in action as an ambulance man.

The diary talks of them meeting up for some leave whilst over there, then a few days later Jack receives the news that his Brother Reg had been killed.

Thinking about it, these boys would have been on an adventure of a lifetime that turned into absolute tragedy.

JACK I'ANSON'S  WORLD WAR 1. RECORD

BRIEF & ROUGH RECORD OF HIS WHEREABOUTS IN FRANCE/BELGIUM

(Guessed at some spelling)

16.12.1916   Sailed from Port Melbourne 

17.2.1917     Disembarked at Plymouth

                     Training at Windmill Camp

24.7.17         Reg arrived unexpectedly for 10 days furlough (must have been     

                     when their photos together were taken in London.)

24.8.1917     Left Windmill Camp England for France

26.8.1917     Arrived Havre

1.9.17           Travelled thro Boulong Etaple,Calais, Lumbra

3.9.17           Mielles-Les- Belguim

11.9.17         Monash inspected ranks

18.9.17         Trip to the seaside to bathe

25.9.17         Merk St. Lieven 27th Laitre St. Vestines

2.10.17         Ypres  Leaving for the front line

4.10.17         ZERO HOUR

6.10.17         Back to Ypres

Oct 8              Amiens - carrying shells etc up to the front line and met the

                     58th Battalion on their way home and  received the sad news    

                     that  Reg had been killed on their last go in on 24.9.17

9.10.17         Preparing to move up and hop over at Paschendale.

12.10.17       HELL  - Paschendale Ridge.

13.10.17       Armistace to collect wounded.

15.10.17       Marched to Ypres, returned to Belguim

19.10.17       Marched to Desvier for a hot bath

24.10.17       Gazette Lance Corporal

10.11.17       Left Belguim then to Desviers & then by bus to La Molle 30

                     miles

11.11.17       Bulleon to trenches  Dyse

13.11.17       Several narrow escapes

3.11.17         At Roman Camp

14.12.17       Then Roman line then Bailleul

22.12.17       Steinmarck

31.12.17       Off to Neuve

25.1.18         Off to trenches

10.2.18         Raids at Warmeton then La Basser. Relieved on 31,1,18

4.2.19           Quarters at Catacombes

12.2.18         Back to Lines

16.2.18         Relieved and at Lewshan Lodge

28.2.18         Holiday in England 14 days

11.3.18         Left Dover for Calais then St Omer-Neille, Le Belguin

                                                       2.

22.3.18       Marched to  Lumbres, train to Billinghem, marched to

                   Wardrecques.

25.3.18       Expect to go to the Somme, march to St. Omer then long train

                   ride -rations for 4 days - Travelled south to Somme. St. Pol,

                   Doulbens.  Detrain at Mendicourt- all in a panic- French civies       

                   all fleeing.  Kept moving.

29.3.18      4th Platoon going over with 46th to take a wood- moved to

                  Buires and rested.

2.4.18        Moved off to trenches - Hell for 4 days then to Ribermont

12.4.18      Heilly for a bath, then from Ribermont near Treux between Ancy         

                  and  Somme rivers.

20.4.18      Treux  Big  attack with a big win - took hundreds of machine   

                  guns and  2000 prisoners.

28.4.18      8 days rest at Tranveilers.

9.5.18        Allenville

22.5.18      Moved to S.E. Veiller-Bretonneux  - 3.6.18   Still there

FRIDAY  7th  Memories, Anniversary. (Didn't say of what but it was the first            

                   anniversary of their first night fighting at the front line)

10.6.18      Raid at Villers Bretonneux Tunneling  E. of V.B. - relieved and

                  went thro Amis and back to Querriea for a rest.

12.7.18      Hamel - many prisoners.  Much fighting.

2.8.18        Still at Hamel.

7.8.18        Stunt very successful

8 & 9 .18    Luscan Wood - a mad stunt - very fatal to them

10.8.18      Proyart

12.8.18      Moved to Susan Wood.

21.8.18      Rumours of another stunt Albert to Somme, moved to Bray

                  Croble road.

22.8.18      Stunt proceeded

          

                  Last entry as he was gassed and sent to England to recover in           

                  Beaufort War Hospital 30.8.18- 8.10.18.                     

                  War ended 11.11.1918                        

  

It was bloody pitiful really when you consider that they were only ever considered cannon fodder by the British elite.

so Christmas this year will be special, hopefully i will make it, and get on with some planning.