Roger

As I was undergoing my CoVID-19 test around midday last Saturday my mate and former work colleague, Roger, was taking his last breath in Clare Holland House, Canberra's hospice.

Roger was a quiet bloke with a keen mind. A lover of a good red or a beer. He had a sense of humour that fitted well with mine. A fan of Monty Python, Red Dwarf, Terry Pratchett and Steeleye Span. He was a long time divorcé with no family in Australia. 

He was within a few weeks of his 70th birthday. He came to Australia over 40 years ago. I met him while we both worked the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Roger was the operations manager of the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) the huge complex set of computer databases used to store information on therapeutic goods imported for sale in, made and sold in, or exported from Australia. 

While Roger was a private guy, he made many friends through work and over the years we were friends I gleaned a few facts: he'd played cricket for the Kent 2nd XI (that always impressed me because at that time Kent were one of the best First Class cricket teams in England); he'd been a BBC sound engineer and had worked on many radio and TV programs I listened to or watched when I lived in Engkand.

He was a Chelsea supporter and football was what brought us together as part of a football community at work.

I didn't work with Roger but occasionally our jobs intersected and there were always the social get-togethers.

During the time I was convalescing after my last major surgery over 15 years ago Roger kindly recorded English Premier league games, dumped them on to a DVD and brought it round to my place. Something he ended doing on a weekly basis for months. He made friends with my family.

He retired not long after his 60th birthday, sold his local house and relocated to the warmer region around Newcastle in NSW. We caught up a couple of times a year for lunch with other mutual friends when Roger travelled south to the Canberra region often going into Victoria to keep his widespread friends network up to date.

About three years ago he made his first trip back to his homeland, catching up with family he had not seen in decades. His brother and sister-in-law came out soon after Roger returned and during their visit Roger suffered a fall. Follow up testing revealed advanced prostate cancer.

Living alone likely contributed to the over-late diagnosis about 18 months ago. At the time of diagnosis the cancer had already metastasised and was in his bones. The prognosis was "could be there months or three years".

Roger made the difficult but also easy decision to return to Canberra where he had a support network already in place and easier access to medical specialists. Some friends brought his goods and chattels down from Newcastle and another close friend generously gave Roger a place to live in her house.

My only contribution to helping Roger was to recommend one of my General Practioners. Fortunately Roger was accepted by the GP and even better they established a friendly bond. 

So for the last few months until the serious lockdown started one of our shared friends, Aaron, once a week would pick me up from my place and we'd drive to where Roger was living and for a couple of hours we would watch and discuss football - mostly EPL but occasionally the second tier Championship, Serie A from Italy or German Bundesliga.

The last time I saw Roger he did not look as good as he had been in earlier weejs. His medications were making him feel unwell but he also looked grey. He did mention that he was considering stopping the medication most responsible for making him feel unwell. I did not ask which medication. By this stage he was on multiple medications including some powerful analgesia. I did wonder if this could be the start of the last lap but we parted with the usual banal "See you later" and "Take care".

He died, peacefully after a period of excellent care in the company of the close friend with whom he lived and her daughter. I am so grateful for their act of generosity. He went quietly and as he wanted there was no public funeral or memorial.

At a later date we will collect and celebrate knowing Roger, a gentleman and a gentle man and a steadfast friend to many. 

Vale Roger

CoVID19 test

Yesterday, Saturday, I awoke with a sore throat.

Following the current advice I booked into the local fever clinic at Queanbeyan hospital.

Other than the very minor sore throat and a drippy nose I felt fine.

We (my wife was with me as my eyes, driver and controller) followed the signs to the clinic entrance and were met by a guy who had us disinfect ourhands with an alcohol solution and don a surgical mask. Following corridor signs we ended up outside but in an internal courtyard where multiple small marquees and shades were assembled with well spaced chairs.

The weather was cold and raining. Some of the tents were equipped with electric heaters so we made for one of them and plugged in the heater. 

After booking in using my mibile phone we then waited for around 30 minutes until called by a gowned and masked nurse.

We followed her into a testing area inside the building but the rooms were  not much warmer than the tents outside.  One nurse did the admin, checking personal details and also took my temperature. She also placed a pulsemeter on my finger which probably also measured blood oxygen content. Then moving further inside the same area to another chair the real stuff happened.

Removed my mask, opened my mouth. In went a tongue depressor and the swab stick tickled my tonsils. Well to the back of the tongue. I managed to control the gag reflex but only just. Then each nostril. That was very uncomfortable. It felt as if swab was hitting my spine. 10 seconds in each nostril and twiddled while it was in. Withdrawal of the swab seemed to take a long time. Jacqui the nurse did say the swab was inserted around 60mm. This was required to ensure the right areas were adequately swabbed in order to reduce the chance of getting a false negative result. I was glad I'd been listening to Norman Swan on CoronaCast.

Once back home I registered with NSW Health to receive a negative result by SMS. The sore throat had gone by this time.

Hanging out some washing today, no sore throat, an SMS arrived aroundc13:00 and as expected it was a negative result. 

Still a relief though. 

I did the right thing and contributed to the data which is valuable.

Very grateful to the staff at Queanbeyan Hospital.

Nurses are wonderful!

Who knows if I'll need to be tested again. 

We'll see

Restrictions relaxed #1

For the first time in about six weeks I socialised today. 

Went to see my son and daughter-in-law and their three kids; one 2.5 year old girl plus nine month old twin boys. 

Other than medical appointments I've stayed at home during the pandemic lockdown. I cannot say I've been bothered by this quarantine. When not working I've always liked being at home. However, I have missed seeing my son and his family. 

When children are this young six weeks is a long time and their progress and development over that time can be huge.

The last time I physically saw the twins they had just started movement other than in the prone position. Now they're like a couple of scuttling cockroaches and within a short time of standing. The vocalisations too are more pronounced. And they're eating solid food now although still having mum's milk. Watching them sitting side-by-side in their high-chairs straining and shouting for their dinner was hilarious. My granddaughter was much the same physically, although more co-ordinated in her movement, but her obvious changes were increased vocabulary, more coherent speech and many more copying of her mum's phrases and postures. It's endearingly amusing seeing a not-quite three year old walk into the room, put her little hands on her hips and announce or query. You can here her mum so clearly.

Children are a source of huge amusement at times and while it lasts you have to love it.

A touch of ?

48 hours.

That's how long that bug lasted.

Thursday evening I was feeling iffy. Febrile, rigors, fatigued.

The temperature increase was only marginal at 37°C which some medicos would say is normal but elevated for me. Took a couple of paracétamol tablets and was in bed by 21:30, zonked by 22:00. I woke up around 01:30 and had a drink of water then woke again at 06:30 feeling a fair bit better. While feeling tired all day and unable to do my walk around the backyard apart from only a quarter of the usual dustance by evening I was feeling better than in the morning.

I think in total it took eight paracetamol tablets over 48 hours and by Saturday I was almost back to the usual base slob level.

Today did 20 laps: 3646 steps, 2.8Km in 39 minutes. Average speed 4.3Km/He. Hardly Olympic standard but OK.

Will try to do better tomorrow

A touch of the Covids

This is ridiculous.

I've basically been quarantined since the pandemic started; living with my wife, my daughter and her Dachshund. 

I've seen a physio for three or four sessions over the last three months and by necessity he's been physically close when working on my left shoulder.

I've seen my GP twice including last week for the annual flu vaccination but that visit was a quickie: only 45 seconds from walking in to walking into the car.

I was chuffed with my walk this morning. I managed 20 laps of the backyard: 34 minutes, 2.6Km, 3 430 steps. I felt good.

Then after about 45 minutes started to feel cold but just kept listening to podcasts. Had lunch then started to feel a bit "achy" especially my back and fingers. In more normal times I'd think a cold was coming on and in all likelihood this is the most probable diagnosis. By this evening I started to get the shivers and my temperature was marginally elevated at 36.8°C.

Took two Paracetamol tablets and 60 minutes later felt slightly better.

Will have an early night and see if the Covids are still kicking around tomorrow morning.