Could Be Worse

Yesterdays P&L: GBP -420.00

Yesterdays Booze: 2 pints of Kronenbourg 1664

Yesterdays Soundtrack: More R&B

Well, despite the depressing news the other day, I actually get to find out more soon. I am going for an ultrasound and possibly CT scan tomorrow. It should be clearer as most of the excess fluid in my body has gone now. I will then see a Gastric consultant who will refer me to a liver specialist who will then put me on a transplant list. The doctor I spoke to before confirmed I have pancreatic cancer but the liver situation is more confusing. Due to the indistinct scans, they haven't been able to identify the scarring they normally associate with cirrhosis, but my blood results are so deranged that cancer is the only other likely option as leukaemia has been ruled out. It is frustrating that these things take so long as time could be short. Having said that the last time I was told I could die was the first time I was hospitalised when the doctor there said "you look healthy, but your the sickest person here and could die any second" - that was two years ago!

Still, the news isn't good or likely to get better, apparently the pancreas is quite important as well, I thought it was an easy organ to do without - but I must have been thinking of the spleen. So the bucket list is on. The problem is thinking about things I haven't done. I haven't been up Corcovado Mountain in Rio to see the statue of The Saviour. Even leaving my faith aside, from the pictures I have seen it is an incredible sight. Only thing is I don't know if the Stalker would go. She hasn't been to Brazil, (I have really only been to Sao Paulo and Santos), and even though she was born a Catholic she has lost her faith. I want to go down with a Great White Shark and I am sure she would be up for that. I haven't been to the Great Wall of China either, although I don't know if she has. As you can see these things have a tendency to be expensive, but a rough plan for when we found out more about our relative health situations seems to be heading from the UK, through Europe towards Asia, through Fiji, (which I know she wants to visit), and around to the Americas.

Anyway, I have cheered up a great deal. Thanks for all the kind words from my readers - it really helped.I am looking on the bright side more now, only two things are bothering me, one I will need to make some serious coin as I would expect the Stalker to leave whatever she has left to her children and two, despite the relatively low likelihood of the doctors finding a donor liver, I really don't think I deserve it. If it is hard for me to get one, there must be other people with my blood group that it is equally difficult to find a match. If it happens, this is something I shall have to give some serious thought.


Listened to more R&B music Yesterday. The top five tracks:

Georgia On My Mind - Etta Jones is another one of my favourite artists, she also had some voice. But was almost always mistaken for the far more successful Etta James. Ok, she is more of a jazz singer than anything else but this is a great track reminds me of missing places and people.

Don't Leave Me This Way - Harold Melvin is in top form here. "Don't Leave me this way, a broken man with empty hands, oh baby please, please don't leave me this way". Considering the allegedly misogynistic nature of most of the big R&B/soul artists. They sure know how to turn on the sweet talk.

Village Ghetto Land - "Families buying dog food now, starvation roams the street. Babies die before they are born, infected by the grief. Now some folks say that we should be glad for what we have, tell me would you be happy in Village Ghetto Land".
Little Stevie Wonder apart from being a genius had such a strong social conscience.

Money - The Gladys Knight and The Pips version, Gladys is obviously a gospel singer. it is funny when you compare her "money is the root of all evil" song, compared to the sardonic, but also celebratory songs about cash like Money from Pink Floyd. Someone I spoke to in Memphis told me once that black people didn't really understand money before, people like Gladys, Arethra and Marvyn had never encountered real wealth so even small things seemed impressive to some of them. That is why the record companies could exploit them. I guess it's true even now. Chris Rock in his live show said "there is a difference between rich and wealthy, Shaq is rich - the white guy who signs his check is wealthy". I guess that is true all over the world.

Ain't No Sunshine - Al Jarreau, but seems everyone has done a version of this song. Does a broken hearted song get anymore plaintive than this?

In case I don't see 'ya...good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight!