We definitely want to go down and see him before the wedding but with Trina having the flu and being a teacher she normally gets everything that’s going around it’s not safe for George at the moment.
for the first time in ages i was listening to Womens Hour on
radio 4
they did a bit with sue Townsend the Adrian Mole writer
they mentioned Prostate cancer and symptoms
i keep getting caught short so am booking doctors appointment now
hadnt seen this thread until today
George you are a total insparation i have just been sat here reading this whole thread im only 44 but because of problems ive had of my own, nowhere near as bad as what you are going through but i found that “THE DOCTORS FINGER IS YOUR FRIEND” I had to have him use his finger on me and he told me he was checking my prostate while he was there (not quiet sure why he told me that lol) but George you have made me laugh and cry while reading this so all i will say is my thoughts are with you and keep fighting mate
Spardo:
Fraid we’re past offering him a christening.
In that case we’ll have to keep trying 
I spoke to George as usual this morning and he gave me permission to update his thread. In fact he thinks it a good idea, still thinking of persuading others to not fall into the trap encapsulated in the title of this thread.
Since we saw him back in September he has deteriorated a great deal. Then, although too poorly to see us for a few days we did have 2 visits, one at his place and the other at ours, and he was able to tell a tale, have a good laugh, drive himself and shop and walk about a bit on his 2 sticks. He and his great friend Sheila were forced apart so many times by one or the other having a potentially fatal infection but still when together able to revel in each other’s company.
Since then it hasn’t been so good. Sheila has gone through a bad period with her own illness and the pain that is George’s constant companion is requiring more and more in the way of drug relief. We have missed several of our Sunday rendezvous for various reasons; he was due to speak at a Macmillan presentation one week (don’t know if he made it or not as our conversations are too short now), then he had a heart attack which landed him in hospital for a week or so. Back at home where he insists he wants to be as long as possible, he was fitted first with a breathing tube in his throat (since removed) then a pump in his spine to deliver a constant flow of morphine. At first the tube made speaking almost impossible and now the pain is impeding his speech too. This morning he told me, in between gasps, that he accidentally knocked out the spine pump during the night and it won’t be refitted till next Friday in hospital, where he will stay till after Christmas. In the meantime the nurses from Macmillan come in every day at 10am to give him his injections. These last only till during the night when the pain then kicks in again to wake him up. It is then obvious agony till the next injection at 10.
I could say I can’t imagine the pain he is going through at the moment but it wouldn’t be true. I don’t need to imagine it. I hear it in his voice, unable to complete even a word without pause to steel himself for the next syllable. What I can’t imagine is how the hell one man can put up with this day after day and still have courage and spirit to think of others.
He has said he wants to be in his own home for as long as possible but you might think that this visit to hospital next week and his stay over the holiday period will thwart his will. I think so too but I wouldn’t bank on it given this man’s courage and determination. That said he has given instructions not to be resuscitated, and who can blame him? Certainly not me.
Despite this rather downbeat report Fran and I take nothing for granted where George is concerned and are making plans for a visit in the new year when funds permit. I wouldn’t bet against making that trip.
It is just over a year since my own prostate operation and the time will soon be due to take the consultant’s prescription to my doctor. Not for medicine though. It is for him to perform the simplest of checks and involves no hi-tech equipment, just a rubber glove and his middle finger. It takes only a couple of seconds and could save your life.
If you want to do anything for George and you have any of the classic symptoms, frequent peeing, going in the night, getting there and doing nothing, or even if you haven’t and you are a man over 50 (I had none of those), get along and get it done.
Remember:
THE DOCTOR’S FINGER IS YOUR FRIEND 
Thanks David 
It must be quite difficult to write these posts but thanks for doing so 
It is Malc, you’re right, but George genuinely wants people to get the message.
There is little enough I can do to help him now, we used to talk for an hour on Sunday mornings but now it is too much for him beyond 5 minutes.
Goerge was sorely missed at our wedding on the 5th,as much as he wanted to be there (even if it was only to see me in a skirt )and us wanting him there, he was just too ill to travel.The wedding was at least half an hour each way travelling and that is on a good day.
I am however glad that he made it to another target day and I am getting togther some of the wedding snaps to take down to him before Christmas and a bit of cake for him and Sheila.I want to go there before he goes into hospital and I also want him top meet Trina but she is a teacher and on the senior managment team so she has meetings after work all this week so I may end up going on my own before then.
Here’s hoping for a (relativly) pain free Christmas for him.
Thank you very much Spardo on keeping us all up to date
please give George our best regards and that we are all
thinking of him.
brit pete:
Thank you very much Spardo on keeping us all up to date
please give George our best regards and that we are all
thinking of him.
I’ll do that Pete, but for the forseeable future it will be by email, he says he can receive them while in hospital.
I’ve just spoken to George on the phone and as David says it is quite an effort for him to hold a conversation, having said that he is still lucid, he has told me he will be going into hospital on Friday where he will be fitted with an intravenous pain killer.
He cannot have visitors because of the risk of infection but says he can still ring out and so has promised a call on Christmas day.
I emailed him some photos of the wedding and I’m gonna try emailing some video footage today.
Had an email from George to say that he is being transferred from the hospital to St. Catherine’s Hospice as ‘they can do no more for me’.
Sadly, that is now where he will remain. He is disappointed as he loved his small flat and was looking forward to returning in the new year.
He says I will be able to phone him there as soon as he updates me with the number. I think I still have it from when he was there before so I’ll give him a try tomorrow.
I have passed on the good wishes from everyone here as expressed by Brit Pete and he is well aware and appreciative of that.
As soon as I have more news I will post back in here.
Merry Christmas to everyone.
i dont really know what to say apart from i wish george a comfortable christmas,
jessicas dad:
i dont really know what to say apart from i wish george a comfortable christmas,
The best present he could have JD.
have a comfortable christmas george take care
Merry Christmas George,
Regards Wayne.
Merry Christmas George may you have a comfortable one
Brit-Pete
I spoke to George this morning. He sounded really good, just like the old George. Trouble is, the news isn’t good, the reason he could talk is because they have banished all his pain, but he won’t be out of bed again. His legs and pelvis are so fractured that he can’t even be lifted out to be in his chair. I told him about all the messages and good wishes but he can’t see them because there is no internet connection at the hospice. We spoke for a short time and we will speak again but for the moment despite his cheerful attitude it is a low point.
I thought I might print out all the messages together with my last email which he couldn’t receive and some photos and catch the post on Monday.
Sorry to dampen your Christmas but I promised to keep you all up to date. But enjoy it for George, and repay his warning by acting on it.
Thanks very much Spardo our thoughts and best
wishes go to george you and all those who are
looking after george from all of us here i would
just like to say God Bless all of you,
Spardo:
I spoke to George this morning. He sounded really good, just like the old George. Trouble is, the news isn’t good, the reason he could talk is because they have banished all his pain, but he won’t be out of bed again. His legs and pelvis are so fractured that he can’t even be lifted out to be in his chair. I told him about all the messages and good wishes but he can’t see them because there is no internet connection at the hospice. We spoke for a short time and we will speak again but for the moment despite his cheerful attitude it is a low point.
I thought I might print out all the messages together with my last email which he couldn’t receive and some photos and catch the post on Monday.
Sorry to dampen your Christmas but I promised to keep you all up to date. But enjoy it for George, and repay his warning by acting on it.
David, is it too late to sort out an internet connection? say a quid each from all of us through Paypal. If it doesn’t go to George, than let us send it to some Charity that deals with Prostate problems.