Chrissy

January 22, 2004

Hi Chrissy,

You sound very low this evening, Chrissy. I am concerned. Please

don't give up hope. If you could go to the Hopkins, wouldn't

that give you confidence? I'm sure that, as a nurse, you chose a

really good specialist but the pancreas is such a specialism, isn't

it? Pancreatologists are pretty thin on the ground....at least

that's the impression I get. Is your specialist specifically a

pancreatologist? He is obviously an experienced surgeon. I only ask

because you sound a little unsure about your doc at the minute. I

think, whatever the prognosis, trusting the doc is so crucial.

Well....jumping the pond either way doesn't sound like a bad idea! I

think my husband's little pupil seriously thought the locals would

calmly organise everything so that foreigners (especially the

British ones, no doubt he hoped!!) would be moved out first. I don't

think my husband liked to point out that, once you're on the slopes

of Vesuvius, you'd be engulfed within moments of an eruption anyway.

He still has a laugh with that lad about it now....it's quite a long

time ago.

Yes, as I'm 58 in Feb. I could retire in July if I wanted to. The

school would probably agree to " enhance " my pension by one year (as

if I'd retired at 59) if not by two. Very few teachers go beyond 60

and most try to retire a few years early. Your full official pension

can't start till 60 but you may get enhancement, as I've said, or

some teachers save to be able to wait for their actual pension or to

be able to manage on a reduced pension. I'm thinking carefully. I

WOULD like to go out and about with my husband and travel at cheap

times instead of during school hols when the prices are high, BUT I

still love the job! I don't like it at 6.30 am when he stays in bed

and I get up!

Health problems are another thing, of course.

Chrissy, do think about a change of doc if you feel so hopeless

about this one. At least see how you feel after next week's

appointment and tell him exactly how you feel.

With love,

Fliss

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