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Post by EspadaIII on Feb 28, 2020 6:34:55 GMT
Discussed in passing previously but Dad now properly diagnosed with a tumour on the pancreas. Three options given of...
1. Do nothing other than palliative care when it becomes necessary; 2. Surgery; or 3. Chemo followed by radio therapy.
Three doctors all recommended surgery despite Dad being 85 years old (but generally fit and well) and having had previous major surgery which has rearranged his internal organs such that they simply might not be able to get to the tumour as easily as they would like.
So Espadrille and I are coming and going to Israel (on the way back now) with surgery scheduled for week after next.
So if I disappear I haven't gone off in a huff and presumably the virus won't stop me posting.
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Post by Alanović on Feb 28, 2020 8:47:28 GMT
Sorry to hear your news. Good luck to him, I'm sure the doctors' recommendation is the best course of action. If he's fit and well, give him the best shot of as much time as possible, I'd say. Take care.
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Post by Humph on Feb 28, 2020 10:03:58 GMT
Yes indeed, keep strong.
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Post by EspadaIII on Feb 28, 2020 13:57:46 GMT
Trying my best...
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Feb 28, 2020 20:24:41 GMT
Wishing you the best for a good outcome. I hope the surgery plus whatever treatment is successful. Do keep strong for your father.
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Post by EspadaIII on Feb 29, 2020 22:42:07 GMT
Staying strong is one thing, staying awake or simply functioning is another.
The Thursday evening easyJet from Tel Aviv to Manchester was full. So the best option to get home for the weekend was the 01:00 Air France Friday morning which with a change planes got me into Manchester at 08:00 (Israel being two hours ahead of the UK).
I was home for 9.30 and driving to the office by 10.30. Sensibly I left the office at 2.30 and snoozed on the couch for a couple of hours. We were out for dinner and when I came home my head hit the pillow and i was asleep.
Went for a swim tonight and i was so sluggish. To much sitting around during the week and not enough sleep. Need a long walk tomorrow.
Dad sounds ok. Nervous but reasonably confident. Just hope that they can complete the operation without complications.
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Post by EspadaIII on Mar 4, 2020 22:56:30 GMT
Dilemmas.....
Dad now going into hospital on Friday, with Espadrille flying tomorrow to take him in and visit him pending the operation on Monday. My plan was to fly out on Monday and to go straight to the hospital when I landed. However...
Israel has shut it borders to people coming from five European countries (other than Israelis coming home and straight into self-quarantine). I don't think that the UK will join the list just now but you never know. So luckily there is a direct Manchester to Tel Aviv flight on Sunday and I have moved my flight a day earlier so if a UK ban comes into force, I might just sneak in before it takes effect.
I need to stay in Manchester for a couple of days to look after the kids over the weekend and clear my desk a bit so I can at least give Dad my full attention when over there. Think it's a reasonable move..
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Mar 4, 2020 23:29:52 GMT
There are no good answers for the foreseeable future. Airports seem as likely as origins or destinations to be a focus for transmission of infection, so I’d be inclined to avoid them — especially if visiting someone of advanced years. In Esp’s situation it’s a genuine, damned-either-way dilemma. Is there perhaps someone who could help at the hospital end without needing to pass through two airports to get there?
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Post by EspadaIII on Mar 5, 2020 6:24:59 GMT
Its not so much the help as moral support. I'm an only child and unless i am barred from entry I should do everything I can to be there with him. It is simply the need to clear things in the UK that are stopping me going today (I have spent about 40% of the last four working weeks with him already).
At least I can say I've tried...
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Post by Alanović on Mar 5, 2020 8:31:15 GMT
Well if they close the airports you might have to give the E350 a bit of exercise...don't fancy the stretch through Syria mind you. Is there a Greece/Cyprus/Israel ferry?
On a more serious point, I'd strongly consider not visiting an elderly person in a weakened condition at the moment. You just can't know if you'll pick up this or disease on the way. Who do you have in Israel that can help out? Take an phone/tablet in for you to video call him on?
I've advised my Mum and step father to stay indoors and get groceries delivered. They've both had heart attacks recently, I'm not going anywhere near them until this outbreak is better understood or dying out.
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Post by EspadaIII on Mar 5, 2020 13:33:22 GMT
Probably wise advice. Luckily he is generally a very fit and healthy 85 year old. Would shrug off a cold without a problem but he has limited is exposure to people this week to the necessary (which has meant visiting doctors and hospitals...) so one more is probably not going to affect matters. He has his Moto G6 so can WhatsApp call us when he wants. We will be very limited to visiting him after the operation anyway due to general infection control. Probably no more than a few minutes twice a day for the first week.
I did look several years ago about driving into Israel. Before the Syria debacle one could drive all the way, entering Israel via Turkey, Syria then Jordan and over one of two border crossings, but clearly that is impossible now. These days it is probably a ship from Greece or Cyprus, but no ro-ro ferries which is a pity.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2020 15:32:42 GMT
You can do Salerno to Ashdod with Grimaldi - Cargo Cruise through the Med., just don't expect cross channel/North Sea ferries level of comfort.
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Post by EspadaIII on Mar 5, 2020 16:27:03 GMT
Oooh now that's interesting... I fancy a nice long distance drive rather than five hours by easyJet. Only one problem; I think Israel does not permit any RHD cars on its roads... Bloody Anti-Dextras....
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Post by Alanović on Mar 6, 2020 8:09:07 GMT
Having read an article on the Grauniad about that crossing, I don't think you can take a car on that cargo cruise anyway. Park up in Salerno, hire a car at the other end. What could possibly go wrong. And it takes 5 days.
My fantasy long distance drive is to drive to Singapore and get a crossing over to Australia. There aren't any ferries though, just passage on cargo ships again. Also, Ozzie customs are shit hot on cars coming in, it takes weeks to get them out the other end because of decontamination procedures etc. My plan is to sell the UK car in Malaysia (a RHD country), or Singapore itself if its possible (draconian legislation pervades the place) and buy an Ozzie heap the other side (Perth) and tour the country before selling it in Sydney and flying home.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2020 11:24:21 GMT
The Grauniad will only document Hemp shirt and Bromptonaut requirements. I read somewhere you can take a car up to 5m. They also do motorbikes and campervans so I expect it's possible.
5 days sounds like a long time until I looked on Google Maps Manchester to Tel Aviv is around 55 hours or 3,236 miles. Being sensible you'd limit yourself to 8 - 10hours/day driving that's still 6 or 7 days. You'd do Salerno in 2, possibly 3 more relaxed, days.
My long distance trip is not as grand as yours Al. I'd like to start small with a bike trip from Nordkapp Norway to Sagres in Portugal. Who knows if I get the bug for it I may head to Gib, pop over to Morocco and just keep going to Cape Town.
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