In Surrey - today


acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:5161...0c-91eb-e8a34d0fe762

And my other prediction that Wes Streeting is a ghastly fool who is in the pocket of NHS privateers will soon become very apparent.

His absolute ludicrous notion that doctors and nurses should be penalized for criticizing the Gaza slaughter or who support Palestine is the stuff of Nazism.

I was thinking of the NHS just 2 days ago as I was hooked up to Chemo, and how it saved my life 30 years ago.

And then I read an email from my dear USA friend on how his son is also receiving Chemo and the bill each time..paid at present by medical insurance which is rapidly running out, is $15,000 a time.

Mine, only once a month, costs me not a penny except taxi fares with a free lunch thrown in and nice people making endless cups of tea.

On a system modeled on the NHS 40 years ago when it was at it's peak performance before hideous Labour and the Tories began to tear it down.

Hedda, I wish you well in your treatment.

I currently have a family member who is undergoing experimental chemo style cancer treatment and receives the drugs by special courier once a month in a plain white box for the next month of treatment. The contents of each box are £12,000, and that has been each month for the past 4 years, on the NHS. That's £144,000 per year, or since the start 4 years ago more than half a million, £576,000. What price a life I suppose, I am somewhat surprised at the cost and continuation on the NHS. But it's having positive effects so far. More and more people are now living with the "c" word rather than succumbing to it.

I am going to be very honest now and tell you all that I lost my darling wife in late October of this year to a cancer that first arose in lockdown, 2020.

Her extensive and hugely expensive NHS treatment was always delivered in a timely and hugely compassionate way, including very costly cutting edge drugs at the end, which meant a reasonable quality of life (and two holidays!) this year.

The NHS staff were unfailingly kind and dignified. I could not have more admiration for them.

I do think though to address the point Hedda that NHS funding does have to be looked at in 2025. The principal should always be that anyone who needs treatment gets it, but I think that revenue needs to be generated, and lower end costs introduced.

But of course the media would scream and lemmings march in London. So Starmer won't risk doing it any obvious way...

Sad to hear that WYOT. Our thoughts are with you especially this season which must be very hard.

JK2006 wrote:
Sad to hear that WYOT. Our thoughts are with you especially this season which must be very hard.

It's rough JK but every kind word helps just a little, so thank you.

It's like a lottery Wyot on what sort of healthcare you get from the NHS.

When they looked after my partner they went above and beyond, when they looked after a couple of my sick relatives they gave one a procedure that was not needed. Another they misdiagnosed my sister's appendicitis as a stomach ulcer which almost cost her, her life.

Best wishes to you, your wife and children.

Sad news WYOT..I wish you well.

It's a scourge this cancer business. I survive courtesy of some wonderful new pills developed in Israel..The type of Leukemia I have is weirdly prevalent amongst Russians Jewish immigrants.

It's oddly the least deadly one but cannot be cured. Secondary illnesses carry you off.

What upsets me is that for some reason children et the worst leukemias.

It was sad to read Musk & Co tried to take multi $$ millions out of childhood cancer research.

I split my opinion of the NHS hospitals and GP practice. I have total contempt for GP practice.

Get this one, my mother who is a cancer patient already doing all kinds of treatment and under good care, received a text message from our local GP pratcice yesterday to tell her, quite out of the blue and unexpectedly, that she has chronic kidney disease. Sent two days before Christmas by text message. When I found this out I hit the roof. How f**king dare they do that like that to somebody already dealing with major health issues. Not even the courtesy of a short call from anyone, you know, like an actual GP, that's too difficult nowadays isn't it. So they are firing off these texts with that kind of news right on Christmas and causing untold anxiety, it's unforgiveable. Should I complain vigorously, I really want to. This is not how you deal with people.

My thoughts are with you Wyot on your very recent loss. Christmas always magnifies our family losses, recent ones and even the less recent ones.

My best wishes to Wyot - at this very sad time for him, and his family. Cancer has affected so many of us.

Perhaps, living in Surrey was a small blessing, with one of the UK's leading cancer hospitals in Sutton.

Many thanks to you all for the kind wishes and I hope you all have a peaceful Christmas x

Wyot wrote:
Many thanks to you all for the kind wishes and I hope you all have a peaceful Christmas x

I know it's not the right time to say this but be wary of women once they know you are a widower they want to be the next mother hen. I know a neighbour who moved on after his wife died and his new partner is a horror and they are not well suited, I think he is with her because she is the first woman to pay him some genuine attention, but I think it is because he has a nice house. She dominates him and he takes it.

It's a pathetic sight to see at times.


Men are not good on their own which does not help, men are primitive. Do you want to think is good for your children, many children don't take well to a new woman in the family home.

Green Man wrote:
Wyot wrote:
Many thanks to you all for the kind wishes and I hope you all have a peaceful Christmas x

I know it's not the right time to say this but be wary of women once they know you are a widower they want to be the next mother hen. I know a neighbour who moved on after his wife died and his new partner is a horror and they are not well suited, I think he is with her because she is the first woman to pay him some genuine attention, but I think it is because he has a nice house. She dominates him and he takes it.

It's a pathetic sight to see at times.


Men are not good on their own which does not help, men are primitive. Do you want to think is good for your children, many children don't take well to a new woman in the family home.

I appreciate the sentiment GM even if yes you are correct - this is not the right time!

I am okay on my "own"; indeed can thrive. And have my children, family and wonderful friends.

I will be making the remainder of my journey as a widower/single man. As the only person I want in my life in that way sadly can no longer be.

In time, I will make it work.