The Anonymous Widower

Ultrasound And Light Therapy For Cancer

The Sunday Times has a big attack on clinics that offer this treatment for cancer.

I always have one question for remedies like this. Can I see the results of proper published and correctly reviewed research? In most cases it doesn’t exist. And if it doesn’t, then I wouldn’t go near it.

All clinics who offer these cures are doing is praying on the sick and the dying. They should be charged with fraud?

 

December 23, 2012 Posted by | Health, News | , , | 1 Comment

This Policeman Isn’t Fat!

This policeman, who the Mail claims is at the heart of the Plebgate affair, was virtually told he was fat on Radio 5 this morning in the Double Take program.

If I were to be his size, I’d consider myself obese.  No wonder he has to carry a gun in his job. He wouldn’t be able to run after the average criminal. Even in my state, I might even be able to outrun him over a hundred metres.

December 23, 2012 Posted by | Health, News | , , | Leave a comment

Canning Town Has A Flying Rat Problem

I photographed this mess at Canning Town station.

Canning Town Has A Flying Rat Problem

Canning Town Has A Flying Rat Problem

They need to get the eagle out to deal with the flying rats. A wash and brush-up would be helpful too!

December 23, 2012 Posted by | Health, Transport/Travel | , , | Leave a comment

Fighting Cancer With A Trojan Horse

I like this report on the BBC web site. In brief the new therapy can be described like this.

The team hid cancer killing viruses inside the immune system in order to sneak them into a tumour.

Once inside, tens of thousands of viruses were released to kill the cancerous cells.

It certainly gives hope to cancer sufferers. Obviously, it has to be proven in humans, although as the study showed, it worked well in mice with prostate cancer.

I do think though, that we underestimate the value of the immune system in fighting cancer. Research has shown for instance, that those who eat their five portions of fruit and veg each day, have a better record against cancer, as do coeliacs, who stick to the gluten-free diet.

I also know of two people, one of whom was my son, who perhaps were not too sensible with their habits, who were thought by their respective families to be coeliacs. Both died of aggressive cancers.

I know two cases  doesn’t prove a theory, but I do feel that as we learn more about the immune system and treatments such as this Trojan horse method, we will start to win the fight against cancer.

On the other hand, I totally despair as I pass the pub next door and see the smokers up to six deep on the pavement.

December 23, 2012 Posted by | Food, Health | , , | Leave a comment

My Gammy Left Hand

I took this picture of my hand, as I rode to the airport.

My Gammy Left Hand

My Gammy Left Hand

It doesn’t look too bad although it’s often rather cold.

I must remember to use it more, as I do neglect it a bit.  But then the doctor told me that I was suffering from neglect syndrome.

December 20, 2012 Posted by | Health | | Leave a comment

Reach For A Lawyer

One thing that has always puzzled me about mass killings in the United States, is that no-one has used a lawyer to sue someone, who was loosely connected to the crime.  The people, who made the guns and the bullets for a start. And what about his mother’s estate or his father, who moved out? They could also sue the school for not having a US Marine in every class room. The list could be endless to a creative lawyer.

After all McDonalds were successfully sued by someone who spilt a cup of hot coffee. I once did that to myself, so should I claim against the airline for serving me in error, when I have a gammy hand? As I spilt it all over that hand, perhaps the damage to the nerves caused my stroke. On the other hand, I would have lost the case, as I said sorry to the stewardess.

December 17, 2012 Posted by | Health, News | , , , | 2 Comments

Boots Off Driving

I’ve often had strange problems wiuth the feeling in my feet throughout my life.

I can remember that years ago, I used to slip my shoes off and drive in bare feet. This would probably have been in the mid-1960s.

It’s strange but walking around Palma tonight, they felt exactly the same.

So I suppose I shouldn’t worry!

It does strike me though that my health is regressing to what it was like when I was in my late teens and early twenties.

How weird!

December 17, 2012 Posted by | Health | | Leave a comment

Is My Eyesight Getting Better?

Yesterday, I watched most of the football match at Leeds without my glasses.

Surely, my eyesight can’t be improving that much?

December 16, 2012 Posted by | Health | | 1 Comment

Getting The Temperature Right

It does seem, that the temperature affects me tremendously. My little meter from Maplin is showing a temperature of 18.6°C and a humidity of 47%. I have a few pains in my groin, left arm and where I had the tooth out, but compared to how I felt two months ago, it’s a lot better.

The weird thing last night was that my left arm and leg were very cold, despite being in a warm bed.  I woke up to find that the humidity had increased by a few percentage points overnight

My gut is probably scoring 8/10, although my nose is running like a drain at times. If I go out with a couple of clean tissues, they are reduced to soggy lumps after a couple of hours.

It does strike me, that all this is so similar to my childhood, where I had long periods off school and constantly my mother was boiling cotton handkerchiefs on the gas stove in the kitchen. She also used to rip up old cotton sheets, so that I had enough to cope.

December 14, 2012 Posted by | Health | 1 Comment

DNA Sequencing On The NHS

This is due to be announced soon and it’s already here on the Downing Street web-site.

Sadly, it’s too late for my wife and son, who died of cancer in 2007 2010 respectively.

My wife had a squamous cell carcinoma of the heart, which is so rare and deadly, that I don’t think any new technique would have helped. The doctors at Papworth Hospital, where she was treated had never seen such a vicious cancer. Short of a transplant or an unexpected miracle nothing could have saved her.

In my son’s case of pancreatic cancer, his lifestyle hadn’t helped and he  might have stood a chance, if Trafford General Hospital where he was first treated in Manchester had picked it up earlier. As it is, they didn’t and Addenbrooke’s took their time too, as it was unexpected. Knowing what I know now, I would have got him to Cambridge earlier or taken him to Liverpool, where treatment of pancreatic cancer is a specialty.

So although the sequencing of cancer sufferers DNA will help in many cases, it wouldn’t have helped in their two cases, which were so tragic for my family.

What would have helped my son, would have been better diagnosis of his problem at an earlier date.

My wife went to the hospital fairly soon after she started running out of puff. She also led an exemplary life with regard to food, drink, not smoking and keeping very fit. Although that couldn’t be said for my son, who smoked heavily. And not just tobacco!

As an aside here, I am a coeliac.

This disease can be picked up by looking at the DNA.  So if DNA sequencing becomes commonplace, looking for hereditary diseases like this  may be a sensible and worthwhile use of the technique.

December 10, 2012 Posted by | Health, News | , , , , , | Leave a comment