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Hi all, I want to post this just to get it off my chest really as I am going through a bit of a hard time at the moment. I went to the docs recently with pains in my leg and hip, being not my usual doc she wanted to explore all avenues and took blood and urine samples. When I was called in to discuss the results I got a bit worried and my wife came with me. The doc said in her opinion it was a high possibility I had prostate cancer. ,she then referred me to hospital for further tests, a bone scan, biopsy,,etc. I went on Thursday to discuss the results and the tests showed I have it.,an operation to remove the prostate is out of the question as it is outside the shell of the prostate, My wife is being fantastic and very positive which is a huge help.I start on hormone therapy today and radiotherapy in the new year,I have an urgent m.r.i. scan in the next couple of weeks to see if it is in my lymph nodes, fingers crossed for then.
I play poker for fun and it has helped distract me from this, just recently I have had some good results which is a bonus , I have also ..ahem.. played in the wsop main event for free which not a lot of folk can say that, so in essence poker has been good to me in many ways, I have recently been playing PL08 which that wonderful ambassador for the game Sir Tikay of Concretia has been banging the drum about and its a splendid game which I enjoy.
I read a lot of posts and chat to folk who want to and in the main the people on this site are a nice friendly bunch of chaps and chappesses, long may that continue, my message is let the small things go as before you know it the big ones come along and bite you in the bum.
Finally, thanks for the messages of support from those who know me and who have commented on my potential tests .good luck to all of you in poker and life.
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Wishing you a speedy recovery from all in TPT.
Best Wishes and hugs xx
Dave and Sian
All the best with the treatment.
It's always a pleasure seeing you at the tables / having a chat.
Will join you in the 7:15/ or 7:45 deepstacks at some point this week if you are playing:)
Enjoy The Up-coming Cruise with MrsT, am glad you are Staying Positive!
Pls keep us Updated..
Great Stories!!
I have my MRI appointment next Tuesday.
Pit story Part 2
I finished my training stint without too much incident and was offered a job at Parsonage Colliery, Leigh which I gratefully accepted. On the first day I was given all the necessary clothing and p.p.e (My wife provided that acronym which apparently means personal protective equipment ) consisting of an orange boiler suit, steel toe capped boots, a belt which you clip the battery which had a lead to the light/lamp which attached to the pit helmet and a gas mask which was in a tin on the belt. I made my way to the cage lift which was quite an experience, the lift was on two levels, hard to describe, but if you imagine an open ended lift with one on top of the other, you get the drift. Each part of the lift held about 25 men ( 50 total, I am good at this maths malarkey ) When I had originally gone to the "changing room " which was a big open room with all the batteries and helmets hanging up I had a numbered token which is relevant to the persons belongings, I had to give this to the chap who lets you in the cage/lift, that is to check who is down t'pit at any time in case of any accidents. Mondays in particular were fairly brutal in the cage, bear in mind that you had between 40 and 50 sweaty blokes who had been on the booze pretty much all weekend and their diet consisted of Guinness, Bitter, Mild, and Chips n gravy. The stench was putrid even before the constant far ting and belching , welcome to the world of t'pit mon. The lift was worked by a bloke with a handle marked stop and go, with 2 speeds, fast and omfg who had been on the same diet , so your life was pretty much in his hands even before you got to the mine below.
The drop was about a mile deep and you could tell what kind of mood the cage operator was in by the speed of the drop and the cackle of the chap with the lever.
End of part 2. Post if you would like any more as I don't wish to bore you all
Oh my, not seen this before, but Matt237 alerted me to it. You are always so cheerful & polite when we share Tables.
I hope you stay positive Tom, & all works out well. It must be terribly scary.
And I hope you go on that Cruise. Do you good &, I suspect, your good lady, who must be suffering (by worrying) as much as you are right now.
Fingers crossed for you on Tuesday.
I do hope you continue with the "mining tales".
I won't derail your thread, but I did CE work in Miners for years, mostly in South Yorkshire, & in most cases in "deep mines".
Whilst the seams were being developed, we had to descend & ascend in a sort of giant metal bucket, (a kibble/kebble/kettle or somesuch?) big enough to hold 2 or 3 men standing, & this bucket was attached to a rope & a mechanical winch. Used to scare the life out of me.....
I bid for the Contract which was worth about £80,000 as I recall, we lost about £200,000!
The problem I had not anticipated was the effect of the weather.
When the barometric pressure was high (as in good weather) it was fine, but when it was low (as in, usually bad weather) we could not work down those deep-mines, as the methane gas seeped out. Apparently, high barometric pressure stops methane escaping, but low pressure means we had to evacuate, as it was unsafe to work.
I worked in two limestone mines in Derbyshire, too. It was actually a "mine" inside a mountain. Most incredible place I've ever visited. It had 25 miles of internal underground roads, all of them big enough for two "tonker trucks" to pass going in opposite directions.
http://www.hoptonwoodstone.co.uk/middleton_mine.htm
Also, type "Middleton mine" into google images to get an idea of the scale of the place.
It held a constant temparature, & no daylight ever penetrated, so no organic matter of animal/insect life could survive in there. To access the mine, we had to use cars & vans with "exhaust scrubbers" fitted.
Parts of the mine are now "exhausted", but incredibly, due to the peculiar atmospheric conditions, they are used to this day to store.........aircraft components, such as wings & fuselages. Don't even ask.....
Thanks for jogging my memory, & sorry for the derail.
Incidentaslly, I did RC CE work in the Mine, & this (now disused) crusher was one of my jobs.
I wish you all the very best in your fight against this horrible disease. I do think having a positive mental attitude will help.
If you feel able I think the cruise would be a shot in the arm for you and your good lady.
Nick
I'm sure that I'm not alone in finding it very endearing that you chose to share your story here. A place which I'd guess you have some 'real life' friends, but mostly populated by strangers. Strangers maybe, yet still people who you are willing to extend the most intimate details of your current situation. It's a strange little bond we have, we being poker players, something that brings us together. Many see a stranger here, as being a pal we have yet to meet. I hope you see that you have lots of pals here, thinking of you. Please keep us updated Tom, it may well help you to get things off your chest as time passes, somewhat cathartic possibly, but equally as important to let your pals know how things are going.
Hope you enjoy the cruise, you jammy sod!
Take care
Karen AKA Mac
xx
sorry to hear the news Tom. Mac's said it better than I possibly could so I will leave it at that.
do keep up the stories - most appreciated.