Yay, it's cheery Friday.

[fatbikephil]

Cheery Thursday as off tomorrow, not because it's Good Friday but because I'm going to Arran to count Adders

[voodoo_simon]

Cheery Thursday as off tomorrow, not because it's Good Friday but because I'm going to Arran to count Adders

Adding adders?

[whitestone]

Cheery Thursday as off tomorrow, not because it's Good Friday but because I'm going to Arran to count Adders

We'll have to wave at you across the water - we are on Bute for the weekend

[fatbikephil]

Cheery Thursday as off tomorrow, not because it's Good Friday but because I'm going to Arran to count Adders

Adding adders?

Correct, shortly before the adders multiply!

[fatbikephil]

Cheery Thursday as off tomorrow, not because it's Good Friday but because I'm going to Arran to count Adders

We'll have to wave at you across the water - we are on Bute for the weekend

Ha nice one, should be a few adders there too

[thenorthwind]

Off up to Inversnaid on Loch Lomond for a week to help with some native woodland restoration. And maybe nip up a few hills and do a bit of paddling

[Boab]

Rode my bike yesterday, rode my bike again today. Can't remember the last time I rode my bike two days on the trot, my legs are in shreds...

Maybe if I say it here, I'll pull my finger out and actually book it all in. Going to take the last week of May off, visit all of the family over the course of the week, but also get the train to Aviemore, and cycle back to Dalgety Bay over four days.

[Johnallan]

Good to see the above cheeryness

Not quite so here...

I've spent all day in hospital with back pain, following an issue yesterday that came on suddenly while riding, and stopped me dead until I was kindly rescued by Herself.

MRI scan showed a severely herniated disk ,narrowed spinal canal and bulging, pressing on some nerves

So that's the end of my cycling plans for the foreseeable.

Hospital staff were ace, despite being run off their feet. How they stay so cheery amongst that chaos is quite incredible

[Bearbonesnorm]

Sorry to hear that John, that sounds especially painful.

[faustus]

Get well soon John, sounds horrible.

Second week of school holidays here and I'm a bit frazzled, but a nice easy little ride to hungerford to meet the family, and after some fun and pootling, the train home and kids on their bikes too. Nice

[whitestone]

Ooooh! Hope you get it sorted John.

[Bearlegged]

Best wishes for a full recovery, John.

[macinblack]

Ouch.

[Johnallan]

Thanks folks, I'm sure it'll be fine with a bit of patience and self care. Neither of which I'm very good at.

On the plus side, forced rest should be an opportunity to pursue some less strenuous hobbies. Thankfully, the TV went a few years ago so that's the lazy option taken care of

[MuddyPete]

Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery, John.

Longer opening hours for VE day, giving us the opportunity to spend more time in "...the nation's second home."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg24x5l404o

[fatbikephil]

Sounds not too dissimilar to what I did in 2016 except I didn't get a scan and just got left with NSAID's.... A lot of physio sorted it, although it's never been fully right since, but bike riding was part of the recovery. Just get your bars higher than the seat, or do what I did, and buy a Jones

[Johnallan]

Glad to hear you have mostly recovered Phil.

My bars are set relatively high on most bikes, but even on my 'proper' road bike, I (did) find it comfortable to spend long periods down low in the drops.

If I'm totally honest with myself though, I've probably just been doing too much recently, without enough recovery and self care.

The rest will be welcome and I'll look forward to returning to shorter, slower rides on the Stooge.

In the meantime though, I'll enjoy other peoples ride reports. I've also ordered a paint-by-numbers kit

[RIP]

We seem pretty open here about sharing health problems, which can be a good thing. Unlike poor John I had a somewhat cheerier Friday after a hospital visit....

Had my yearly MOT in February. This time, for no specific reason and on the spur of the moment, I asked them to add a prostate antigen test to the blood test. Maybe in the very back of my mind I had Chris Hoy - who had no prior symptoms - and one of my mates who had actual treatment a short while ago. Anyway, I was surprised and a little perturbed when it came back showing a raised PSA. The nice lady doc had a chat about it, said she was concerned, and also performed a, er, certain test procedure, which some people in other circumstances might pay good money for.. apparently . She said come back for another test in 4 weeks. Did that and it was still raised. Oops. Booked me in immediately for an MRI at a hospital of my choice (I like that - how do I judge it? Beer handpumps next to the beds? ). At least an MRI is considerably less invasive than a biopsy which is the alternative, or following, option. I was impressed and appreciative how quickly it was all arranged - within 3 days. Then had a two week wait, which was somewhat anxiety-inducing. Yesterday the consultant explained that I was fine but had a prostate gland twice normal size which skews the test result. I guess mine needs to be double-sized to be able to fully supply the associated organ. Aw come on, allow me a bit of black humour.

So the reason I've bored you with it is because some of the high risk factors are one's age, ie about that of most of us old codgers here, and - being a cyclist apparently. It's the second-most common cancer in blokes (after skin cancer) and often shows no symptoms until it's too late, such as for poor Chris Hoy. So, don't forget to ask for the extra test at your next MOT gents!

[Boab]

So, don't forget to ask for the extra test at your next MOT gents!

Glad to hear nothing was amiss Reg! I had a surprise prostate exam last year, thankfully it seemed normal. "Surprise", as I was there to discuss low iron levels, but it turns out to be a requirement in order to be referred for cameras in both ends. Which reminds me, must book the next blood test...

[Johnallan]

Good to hear you're OK Reg! It must be tough lugging those hefty organs around

The NHS has been wonderful for me this week also, long may it continue

[Dave Barter]

We seem pretty open here about sharing health problems, which can be a good thing. Unlike poor John I had a somewhat cheerier Friday after a hospital visit....

Had my yearly MOT in February. This time, for no specific reason and on the spur of the moment, I asked them to add a prostate antigen test to the blood test. Maybe in the very back of my mind I had Chris Hoy - who had no prior symptoms - and one of my mates who had actual treatment a short while ago. Anyway, I was surprised and a little perturbed when it came back showing a raised PSA. The nice lady doc had a chat about it, said she was concerned, and also performed a, er, certain test procedure, which some people in other circumstances might pay good money for.. apparently . She said come back for another test in 4 weeks. Did that and it was still raised. Oops. Booked me in immediately for an MRI at a hospital of my choice (I like that - how do I judge it? Beer handpumps next to the beds? ). At least an MRI is considerably less invasive than a biopsy which is the alternative, or following, option. I was impressed and appreciative how quickly it was all arranged - within 3 days. Then had a two week wait, which was somewhat anxiety-inducing. Yesterday the consultant explained that I was fine but had a prostate gland twice normal size which skews the test result. I guess mine needs to be double-sized to be able to fully supply the associated organ. Aw come on, allow me a bit of black humour.

So the reason I've bored you with it is because some of the high risk factors are your age, ie about that of most of us old codgers here, and - being a cyclist apparently. It's the second-most common cancer in blokes (after skin cancer) and often shows no symptoms until it's too late, such as for poor Chris Hoy. So, don't forget to ask for the extra test at your next MOT gents!

Reg glad you've come out of this well. My PSA is up and I'm being monitored over the next 6 weeks. I've now had that procedure too many times with 1 being too many. I've had some other symptoms which we won't go into and the GP thinks it may be down to cycling. He's a mad keen cyclist and had similar. My Grandpa died of prostate cancer so I have to be ultra-careful

[PaulB2]

In the interests of TMI, I’ve been waiting for a prostate op for 15 months and counting since mine is ginormous for the youthful age of 54. I had about 9 months of various tests as well before they ruled out the big C so it’s been an interesting journey.

[fatbikephil]

Glad to hear there is a reaosnably good outcome to that Reg.
Memo to self, get checked for prostrate cancer!

[Verena]

Glad to hear you're ok Reg - phew.

[Raggedstone]

Its cheered me up no end to find that Peter and myself have made it into the Wildlife thread