Going, going........

We have now got three beds set up in the new house. Of course the telephone did not arrive on time and after last weeks promises that they would definitely talk to us this week and get it done we are not surprised to have had no word and still to be unconnected.
The TV and internet were probably not as bad. We left it to the two grandchildren and their partners to set it up at Springfield but they had TV and internet facilities elsewhere so Oscar and Emma left to watch that.
Barnaby set up the old bookcase from the Glebe and unloaded tons of books. He also organised the chest of drawers and the bed in the spare bedroom. He then set up a table in our bedroom and he, Janet and I watched or sort of helped Becky, the nurse set up my hospital bed and inflatable matress. The two of them, bed and mattress are plugged into the wall and hum when I go to bed. They also have a slight steady movement to stop bed sores. I may be sleeping there in a couple of weeks.
I got the chance to get on the bed eventually but was not allowed to treat it as a trampoline. Becky thought I should have a second mattress because power cuts lead to gradual collapse of the mattress onto the bed. I thought she wanted to see what effect a pea would have if she put it underneath, but no.
I went to the consultant in Lerwick last week. I asked about the anaemia and he said they would monitor my blood. If figures show it is worsening I will get a blood transfusion. They do not recommend iron tablets as this could lead to a build up of iron and the body would have to deposit it somewhere. I thought of finding my kneecaps getting rusty and dropping off so agreed with him.
He cannot be definite about the effect of the hormone therapy but will probably know this week and let me know. The main thing is the lung cancer. If it does not respond we will suspect the it is driven by Malignant Melanoma rather than the prostate gland. They may then try other treatment, chemotherapy or radiotherapy but we will know this week. That may not be very effective against M.M. but the positive view is that it may not be necessary.
The medical people respond quickly to things at present. Janet had to take her sister to Lerwick the other day for a check. Following the checks they called her in suddenly yesterday. Today they are off to Aberdeen Hospital (ARI) for more tests, checks and possibly treatment before coming back.
While Janet is away the nurse will stay longer with me when she visits. She comes every other day now including week-ends. One of the ladies at SOLI will also check me out and the lady who looks after the old people here will also come in to check on me regularly. That is Frances. I expect she wants to see if I am aging.
Barbara, my sister-in-law will arrive on Thursday. She will be able to drive our car while she is here so will help move more bits and pieces from Stakkafletts.
The second astronomical telescope has now been removed from the loft here and taken to Springfield. The next thing will be the fishing rods and their supports. I'll get one of our neighbours to do this later.
Barbara will help me move the two telescopes to the garage for use in the near future and next year when we start sky watching again. I have tried to get all the interested parties here interested in setting the big telescope up. Some of them watched but I do not think they will try it alone.
I have received comments from readers of this blog. It is possible to add them using the facility at the bottom of each entry.
I expect to have constant internet access at both house until the final day here. So I will see and read the comments. I may then comment on the comments. Then people could comment on my comments on the comments. Then the whole blog thing will run itself. You will not know I'm not here until some time after I am gone. But my present estimate is that I will be here for at least a year. The medical profession may also be worried that this is true. I can remind consultants and such that I am a statistic. They will certainly concentrate then.
Those comments may be smart but in fact I have had a consultant in Lerwick go out of his way to help and it appears that he was not popular with Aberdeen consultants who had their hypodermics at the ready. My District nurses are very good. The MacMillan's nurse has gone out of her way to help and the OT has arranged so much we will have to throw furniture away to fit all the goodies into the new house.
No more sightings of the red kite since last week.We have had redshank in numbers on the field behind us at Stakkafletts and there seem to be tufted duck in Papil Water behind Springfield. All the geese seem to be in that area too. If we set up a telescope on the back porch at the new house we should catch the long-tailed ducks soon.
I can't write much more as I will have to read it before signing off.
Once Janet leaves today I will comb my hair and prepare for scrabble with senior citizens. They are very good and tolerate me. Of course they may not understand my accent.