Update 14
Three months into my diagnosis and although my physical limitations are increasing, my mental ability does not seem to have diminished, at least not from where I’m looking and listening. Dexamethasone dose has been reduced to just .5 mg per day, slow release Morphine at 5mg twice per day and Lorazepam to grant me a decent night’s sleep. The biggest change is the realisation that my taste buds are not functioning properly. Eating out on Tuesday, I ate a Lasagne which to be honest was like trying to digest a mouthful of polyfilla - no flavour at all - at least I could still taste the glass of wine that accompanied it. This is a blow to my historic enjoyment of good food, so perhaps my days of eating out must now be drawn to a close.
Today I had a hospital appointment with a physiotherapist - a new experience and an interesting one. She tested my leg muscles and proposed exercises that could extend their useful life and thereby the length of time that I might still be able to move around. I’ll let you know how I get on.
Some of you have asked me “how old are the photos” that I’ve been including? I’m guessing your question really is “how are you looking now?” The answer is that apart from the photo with HMQ, they’ve all been recent. Anyway here are a couple taken during supper last night, courtesy of my friend Igor
Like much of the nation, throughout this week I’ve been drawn back time and again to tv coverage of the pomp and ceremony leading up to Queen Elizabeth’s funeral. I have been moved by the dignity with which the whole process has been planned and executed. I have been more impressed than I expected to be by King Charles III’s speeches and by the way he’s conducted himself. I wish him well - he’s got a hard act to follow as well as some very tricky relationships to handle. Thanks in particular to Brexit, the unitedness of the United Kingdom is looking more fragile than it has in years and Charles’ role in its survival could be more crucial than perhaps he might ever have wished.
Our new Prime Minister’s first days in office have been eclipsed by the death of the Queen, but from next Thursday all that will change and in the words of the poet, her plans will at last be revealed and will have to “stand naked under unknowing eyes”. Very quickly we shall get to know just what the votes of those 170,000 Party members have let us in for. So far the Chancellor’s first stated priority is to remove the cap on bankers’ bonuses - god knows they need all the financial help we can give them ……
As well as the funeral itself, Monday will also see the delivery of my Blu-ray edition of the movie ‘Elvis’ - then I can watch it again, as many times as I want.
