13th May 2008

Today, Sue and I treated ourselves to lunch at the Shoulder of Mutton in Great Bowden, a quiet celebration of simply being well.

A couple of months ago, Sue had (gently but firmly) persuaded me to visit the doctor, as I was losing sleep from a persistent and painful ache in both arms. The GP sent me for a blood test and prescribed antibiotics. Once the results came back, he decided it was rheumatism in the upper arms and prescribed steroids instead.

However, the same blood test also revealed an excess of antigens, something that can be associated with prostate cancer. Cue another blood test, followed by a referral to Leicester hospital for a biopsy. The biopsy itself was, let’s say, not the most pleasant of experiences.

The two-week wait that followed felt endless. But in the end, the results brought immense relief, no prostate cancer. I’ve since been discharged, with a note to come back for another blood test in a couple of years. All in all, a rollercoaster I’m very glad to be stepping off.

To mark the occasion properly, I played a couple of sets of tennis against Jim Hankers in the afternoon. Despite the lingering aches in my arms, I managed to win both sets 6–0. Either I’m on the mend, or Jim needs to spend a bit more time on the court!