December 31st 2023

So after a year of Bladder complaints in 2023, recent CT and MRI Scans revealed early stage

but non-invasive Bladder Cancer. In other words traces of cancer cells are contained within

the Bladder wall even after my first TURBT Operation when a whole cluster of tumours were

removed. In fact just this very weekend I just had my second TURBT Operation, just returning home

on Saturday.

And the cure treatment for the Bladder starting in early 2024 will be BCG TREATMENT.  And it's not

something I've been looking forward to as it's personal and invasive. But it's the only way into the

Bladder while it spreads a type of chemotherapy into the Bladder in order for the cancer cells

to be killed off , but more importantly to stop the spread of cancer through the wall of the

Bladder and into the rest of the body.

The BCG Treatment can go on for quite a while...once every week for six weeks, three times a year.

And for some stubborn Bladder Cancers BCG Treatment can last for 3 years.

On top of all this, my Hospital Scans also revealed Stage 3 Kidney Disease. And I'm told that I'll

be having a Kidney Operation very soon when they will be removing a fairly large Kidney Stone,

a procedure called PERCUTANEOUS  NEPHROLITHOTOMY.

 

Colon Cancer 10 years ago was tough. But this is going to be even tougher. And having had my first

ever FLEXIBLE  CYSTOSCOPY last August was possibly the worst procedure I've ever had in a Hospital.

And they're now telling me that this will become a regular procedure for me during the BCG treatment.

So for now I take my leave and concentrate on my health and getting better.

 

A Crafty Lighthouse

Here's something I put together with my box of tools yesterday on Monday afternoon.

It's a wooden model lighthouse that I bought while down in Cornwall during that late Summer

visit.

There was a similar one in the cottage we stayed in, so I hunted one down in one of the local

tourist gift shops. And I was sure that I could make it into something else. And so I turned it into

a lamp, and it now sits by the fireplace.

That big late Summer Holiday in Cornwall follows this post, for any of our hardened visitors

that have bypassed it.

LATE SUMMER IN CORNWALL

So it was good to be back in West Cornwall for a second time this year. The weather was reasonable,

but being mid to late September there was definitely an Autumnal feel in the air with the nights

drawing in much earlier due to the change of seasons.

I suppose that by going in mid May would now seem to be the better option as you have the weather

on your side, the evenings are lighter and most of all you've got the whole of Summer ahead of you.

We weren't over thrilled with the holiday accommodation but it did serve it's purpose as it was

situated right next to the main Town Supermarket, which was it's only saving grace.

( pictures of the new holiday accommodation below).

Strangely enough we didn't venture out and about to the usual local tourist traps, only making

the one trip on a scenic open top bus to Penzance for a bit of shopping. No hill climbing or long walks,

perhaps due to this year's new health scare and the now current Hospital procedures.

So below are just a few images from our time down in West Cornwall during September. 

      

 

Above: St Ives Harbour and Smeaton's Pier.

Below:  Looking across St Ives Bay to the Dunes of Hayle Beach.

And below that a short video.

When looking for the best holiday accomodation in St Ives I always make a point of booking somewhere

that's close to the two main Supermarkets. This wasn't the case last May when we stayed on the far side

of Town and quite a distance from all the main conveniences.

And so this property's pulling power was that it was right next to the main Supermarket. But to be honest I

think our May cottage booking was actually more preferable, and I'd even consider booking it again for

a future holiday even though it's situated away from the main Convenience Stores.

Our May holiday cottage had a more homely living room with a big smart tv lowdown in the corner of the

room unlike this property's neck stretching mini set fixed high up on the wall. But the oddest thing was 

that there was absolutely no cutlery in the kitchen. So the next day I bought a full metal set from the

local Hardware Store and made sure I took them home when leaving, no doubt leaving a similar

dilemma for the next group of  holidaymakers. I also left the cutlery shop packaging on the front

room table on the morning we left.  I'm sure the Holiday Agency cleaners that come in on 

Saturday mornings see this regular pattern by disgruntled holidaymakers.

It may also be the reason why there was no customer feedback entries in the property

guestbook since 2022.

This property is on three floors with the living lounge area and kitchen on the ground floor.

The middle floor has a w/c bathroom/shower as well as a bedroom. And the top loft floor 

has a second bedroom.

  

 

Below: The holiday cottage from earlier this year in May.

I don't think I've seen so many lock boxes all in one place. Here we see six of them outside

a block of holiday flats in St Ives.

I'm guessing that they were born out of the Covid lockdowns so that holiday agency office staff

could adhere to social distancing, meaning that holidaymakers had no need to stop

by the office to pick up the keys to their holiday flats. The key is left in the lock box ready for the

holidaymaker to type in their four digit code to gain access to the key to the front door of their

designated holiday property.

And if you look all around the properties in St Ives you'll notice lock boxes outside many of the

houses and cottages, indicating that most of the seafront properties are clearly holiday lets.

And if they were born out of the 2020 lockdowns then the holiday companies seem happy to

keep it that way. 

Below:  Local students take part in an Art Class in the Harbour. 

Below:  A shot of St Michael's Mount from Penzance.

 

Below: A wonderful video vlog by youtuber CJ Explores.

Their channel can be found HERE.