Tomorrow is a long time

It will be four weeks tomorrow since Dr Sami at the Western General Hospital told me that my colon was misbehaving and had grown some cancerous cells just for the hell of it. It's been a long four weeks and I'm glad it's behind me now, though I would be lying if I were to say that I was not a little apprehensive about my trip to see the expert tomorrow. Been hard keeping positive and optimistic and I can't say that I've not been a little bit worried at times, but got through with a few dodgy moments and here we are at last.

I'm back at the Western General Hospital tomorrow to see the (my) consultant, Douglas Speake. I've resisted looking him up on the old interweb thing, so I'm picturing what he looks like and how he speaks. I hope he realises that he's been on my mind these past few days and hoping that he has a good night's sleep, followed by a good day tomorrow and that he delivers me some good news, that the cancer is confined to my colon. I'm quietly confident but prepared for difficulties.

Meantime I've kept myself entertained with lots of trips to Edinburgh cafes, going to see a few plays, some cinema, reading good books, and talking to friends. I've finished reading the second Cromwell book from Hilary Mantel, Bring up the Bodies, which was a terrific read, better even than Wolf Hall. Looking forward to final volume, even though we all know what becomes of him. Also read Colm Toibin's book The Master, which is a novel/portrait of Henry James, and a splendid read, which gives me the urge to read some James. I read The Untouchable, by John Banville, a novel loosely based on the lives of some of the Cambridge spy ring, but definitely a novel and not a history, and worth reading. Banville is one of my favourite authors, for now anyway, but this is not his best piece of work. Read a few other things too, and a few poems.

Had lunch with Keiran in new cafe down Fountainbridge, called Loudons. Keiran is being very supportive, as I knew he would. Thanks K. I stopped of in Costa Coffee on my way home and young guy behind the counter said good luck and I'll be thinking of you tomorrow, which was kind of unexpected and all the better for that.

That's all for now, I'm going for a drive, seeing as I can't walk very far.