Soop's Kindly Kitcheners

Bit of a downer this morning, just learnt that a fried has terminal lung cancer and has been given just 6 months. He has never smoked. We are not close, but he is one of the nicest people I know, never an unkind word, always cheerful and upbeat and always supportive. He has decided not to have chemo as he would rather have 6 months of quality of life than the extra 3 months chem is forecast to give him.

Sorry to hear that Pompa, it makes you feel so helpless doesn't it?

pompa so sorry to hear that. He is probably of an age when he would have been a passive smoker as was I. My parents smoked like chimneys as did all of my friends and colleagues. Thankfully times have changed. It does sound as though he wants to make the most of the time that he has got, rather than spending it waiting for hospital appointments and chemo. It is so sad.

It has come at a time when I am worried about my own health, I am waiting for the results of a chest x-ray, the results I had from lung function tests were those of a heavy smoker, I have never smoked. But as you say my father and work mates were all smokers, so passive smoking was a problem for many of us.

Sorry to hear that, Pompa. I hope you have some good new soon.

I mean NEWS!

How timely, or not perhaps. I have just received news that my best male friend, in his mid 50s and for whom my DS was named, has died of lung cancer. His sister, also my very good friend, has always been a heavy smoker as was her father, but R was not. I was just thinking how very guilty she must be feeling. When I had the news that he was ill I thought it then. I went down to Kent to see them both last year, and hoped that while he was living with her she would give up, but I suppose it's a case of, the stable door was bolted too late. I'm just calming myself down before phoning her back.

Don't want to spread my problems all over, but things are getting very complicated over my daughter's death and today I feel absolutely useless to help me or anyone.
Trying to get local help as local friends are away and need someone to talk to, waiting for doctor to phone

I wish there was a way we could help you Alie.

Alie and (((hugs)))

thanks for thoughts
Seeing doctor at 4pm.

Alie, what an sad and difficult time you are having.

There must be days when you wish the world would go away, Alie.

My BF was just back on the phone, distraught because although she now has the death certificate, she can't get an appointment to see the registrar until a week on Friday, so can't theoretically arrange a funeral. Just awful.

When you have just had such a terrible shock, the last thing you need is complications, when your brain must be in such a tizzy Alie.

Having dealt with a mini-mountain of ironing, here I be. Ryveta and oily fish together with a well-polished Cox's apple and large mug of coffee, all provided by dear MacSporran

Again, what can I say other than cor...what a heck of a lot of happenings since I was last with you.

Alie It would be wonderful if us lot could do something useful to support you through this terribly difficult time. I'm pleased that you have turned to your GP. Please keep us updated.

Hello dear Bella and welcome NotTooOld

Pompa and janer our dear friend is also dying with lung cancer. She has never been a smoker. She has always lived an active and healthy life. It seems so unfair.

number If the doctors wish to keep Mr number then I'm sure you'll appreciate that they have his best interests at heart.

Charleygirl Before I head for my granddaughter's wedding, I shall have opened the new extension to our kitchen...no way would I go anywhere, without first making sure that my Granspal kitcheners have a cosy venue in which to relax.

Alie so sorry you are having such a difficult time. ((Huggs))

Pompa hope your results are fine. Sorry about your friend and yours too janerowena

number my DH hates being in hospital and can't wait to escape as he puts it. Hope yours is home soon. What a frightening experience you had

Agus you don't like marmite it's lovely

Crafting
I am a committed Marmite fan. MacSporran isn't.

Pompa I also hope that your results leave you with a big on your face.

It has started to rain...not hard, but it's the type that can soak you in the blink of an eye. Windy too.

Time to do what I always do at this hour...prepare the cat suppers and catch up with the newspaper.

Bye for now.

Dear Alie. I can't possibly imagine what you are going through. My heart goes out to you and the fact that this is what you are having to deal with

It's one thing to keep ourselves busy but we also need time to sit quietly with our thoughts. I do hope your GP has been able to help you today (((hugs))).

Hi Bella. (((Hugs))) for you too.

Crafting, marmite is just a taste I have never liked, doubt it's going to change now. Any type of cheese however. I never refuse!

Hope your DH gets a 'release' date soon.

Sorry to hear of those who have friends dealing with cancer.

I was back on the phone to my friend, and lost the call. My computer went down at the same time. I looked outside and there was a man up the telegraph pole... I went outside and shouted at him, with tears streaming down my face, convinced that she would think I had slammed the phone down on her. Poor man!

He was there to fix next door's phone. No wonder theirs hasn't been working well, he said they were wired up all wrongly and not put back together properly, with the ends open and not finished off. None of which made any sense to me but I got an image of wires just left sticking out.

pompa I really hope you are ok, of the five friends I have lost over the past three years, three have been from lung cancer and only one of them smoked, the other two from heavily smoking families. My mother used to smoke like a chimney when I was young, I do worry as I get dreadful coughs every winter.

I hardly know where to start -poor Alie with the bottom dropping out of her world, pompa with a worrying wait for results, number with the stress and strains of a DH in hospital, Bellasnana too? Soop and janerowena seeing friends seeing friends slipping away. . . .
So, how do we get through these times?
The support of family and friends is invaluable, you are not necessarily alone plus the fact that there is no alternative to putting one foot in front of the other. As my dad used to say "KBO" aka " Keep Buggering On"

Quite prominent in my thinking at the moment as I had to take DH to A&E at crack of dawn yesterday as his haemoglobin is down again plus now they think he has a chest infection too, so I too am driving to and fro, dealing with the phone calls, the requests, (new pyjamas among others) and just about to sleepwalkie poor Gracie round the village, she is very neglected this week and letting me know it!

I've not been in the kitchen much lately as DH and I have both been suffering from yet something else spread by the DGC - they are so generous. We are better now but we keep going hot and cold at odd times.

Nothing compared with the worries some of you have (((hugs))) for those of you who need them.

Hugs to all you who are stressed, anxious and have recently
Lost loved ones.

Hugs and to all Kitcheners who need them at the moment, keep strong

I've not been in here much for a while either, but I do lurk.. So many of you have problems and sadness to deal with and I send you all my best wishes and (((hugs))).


My family is still a car crash.

I haven't been into the kitchen much recently, what tough times so many of us are facing. Here's hoping things get a bit easier and that the loving support here continues.

Oh, so many with problems.....we really need this quiet place to retreat to and let things out a bit. Hopefully we have real people at home too.
Two of my local friends who have been away have now come back, so I can get some face-to-face as well.
Things are not right but I may be beginning to cope.

I made shortbread to take to Oxford and didn't really get any myself, so I made another lot yesterday for me.
So there is plenty for everybody and may I have a ?

to all, and someone put some in a vase here?