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We didn’t go to Aqua Fit because I was waiting for the phonecall.

It was almost 10.30 am before the landline phone rang. That was a surprise because we hardly ever use it. My appointment was for 3.30 this afternoon.

We decided to park in the hospital car park.  After negotiating our way around we found and crossed the footbridge and entered the hospital. I was thankful for my constant chauffeur, John, as I was in no state to remember where we parked. I was given three pages of forms to fill in and was still working on them when the Registrar appeared.  He was very friendly and talked me through everything, asking lots of questions.  He didn’t think I had Multiple Myeloma so I’m not sure whether to be pleased or not.  He still thinks there is a primary cancer that hasn’t been found yet.  In the next couple of days I will have a PET scan, a breast scan and another blood test.

With the PET scan they inject me with a radioactive glucose and then I have to lie down for an hour , after which I will have a half hour scan, rest fifteen minutes and go home.  It will be November 3 before I get any results.

I only spoke to the Medical Oncologist for a short time at the end of the visit. I can expect to hear from the Private Hospital in the next day or so regarding the PET scan.  I will have to order the breast and blood test myself, both being at the Public Hospital.

Next day we squeezed in a day out in the Southern Highlands to attend a book launch but it was not free of drama.

As we drove up the mountain I was on the phone, booking appointments. They are as follows.

Wednesday 22

PET Scan 11 pm. Fast 6 hours. Wollongong Private Hospital Level 7 Suite 705. Time 2 hours.

Thursday 23

Blood test Wollongong Hospital. Any time.

Friday 24

Ultrasound of one of the enlarged lymph nodes 11.30 am Wollongong Private Hospital, Dr Glenn and Partners Medical Imaging.

Tuesday 28

ISMI Medical Imaging breast USD and MMG Wollongong Hospital 9 o’clock.

A day in the Highlands was just what I needed.  The trees were covered in pale new leaves heralding the spring and the sun shone brightly on the grassy paddocks. We sat in the courtyard of an old sandstone building in Berrima, drank coffee and ate cake. I savoured the moment with renewed appreciation.

I had bought tickets previously for a talk by Greg Haddrick on his new book, “Mushroom Murders”.  It was to be held at The Stables, a reception centre on the Bendooley Estate near Berrima.

If you missed the court case—which was covered internationally—here’s a brief summary.   In July 2023, Erin Patterson, a 48-year-old mother of two, served Beef Wellington containing deadly death cap mushrooms to guests, including her ex-husband’s parents, killing three and injuring a fourth. In September 2025 she was sentenced to life in prison with a 33 year non-parole period.

The talk by the author (Greg Haddrick) gave us just enough information to want to buy  the book.  John took it over to be signed and we have now both read the first three chapters and are keen to get started on the court case.  I will take it with me tomorrow as I will be lying on a recliner for an hour before the scan. The question we are all asking is, why did she do it?

Anything to take my mind off the more pressing issue, what is the matter with me?

I may live a bit longer than I thought.  When we walked into my doctor’s office at 4 o’clock she was smiling.  The CT scans had shown no cancer in my body (apart from the lesions on the spine).  The lymph glands are enlarged and the spine has holes in the bone from metastases but it may be coming from an ill-defined mass wrapped around the spine.  To my uninformed mind it seems more manageable if it’s all in one place.

John is so relieved he thinks the cancer is curable and I may not even need an operation.  I am not that optimistic but have renewed hope.

I rang my son and daughter and told them my news but said it was not too serious, requiring a simple operation, maybe radiation.

This morning we walked to Aqua Fit but didn’t stay for coffee as we had so much to do.

I spent the morning preparing a lunch for visitors.  Our friends go way back to when they lived in our street for a year on a sabbatical from an English University. They have now settled in Australia permanently and have adult children and grandchildren here. Their granddaughter attends Wollongong University so they were visiting her in her new digs.

Our friends arrived late as they had become lost in the university campus. It has grown tremendously since they lived here nearly forty years ago.  They cooled off in the air conditioning, aided by a beer or two.  John and I drank zeros as I had become very conscious of what I was putting into my body. We discussed medical problems like old people do, and enjoyed the food.

After dropping them at the train station we drove on to see the Neurosurgeon at 4.45 pm.  I made it to the desk just in time while John parked the car at the back.  After I filled in some forms the doctor came out to greet us. I had given the copy of the CT scan and the blood test report to the office, so he had time to check through them. He also asked me walk on tip toe and on my heels which I could do easily.

I had to lie on the bench while he pressed in various places.  He seemed surprised that I had not had more pain.  He also said he was going to talk to some other specialists and ring me in an hour.  When I asked him what he thought it might be he said he couldn’t be sure but there were some signs it could be Multiple Myeloma. Of course, I googled once home and found it is:

A cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow that causes abnormal, cancerous cells to multiply, crowd out healthy blood cells, and damage bones and kidneys.  While generally incurable treatment can induce long-term remissions.

Finally, the much-anticipated phone call arrived.  The Neurosurgeon said he felt he was not the best person to deal with my case as operating on the back would not get to the source of the problem.  I will get a call from a Medical Oncologist (a specialist who diagnoses and treats cancer using chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapies) on Monday so that he/she can arrange an appointment for later the same day.

We have mild winters on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia, compared to much of the populated world.  In fact, many would say we have the perfect climate.  But we still snuggle into our puffer jackets on the coldest days of June, July and August.  We look forward to the summer months with outdoor barbecues, trips to the beach, social gatherings by the sea, surfing, swimming and lots of messing about in boats.

Our summer has just ended.  Looking back, I realise I missed it completely. This A to Z is about what happened instead.  An unexpected diagnosis, a surprisingly efficient medical system and hope for a positive outcome.

Join me on a journey that I never expected to have. I’m pleased to say I’m still here with many more A to Z’s to write.  At this point I still don’t know for sure if the treatment has worked but in April all will be revealed.