The indignities of google

Is there anyone with an internet connection who has never been tempted to do a Google image search of their name, to see if they appear anywhere near the top?

A recent idle, perhaps vain moment delivered a most joltingly shocking result. Of the 1,900,000 images of Pete Rogers on Google, no. 9 is an image of me, topless, looking slightly unhinged, sporting a rather unattractive 12cm betadine-covered stapled-up wound on my belly.

Could i ever apply for a job again (without using a pseudonym):-) ?

Facebook fails can be avoided without a profile, but can anyone avoid this type of Google publicity? Its ironic that many companies spend stacks of cash trying to get close to the top of Google's 1st page.

With my current image ratings, i should be inclined to dig deep to try and worsen my score... if i wasn't such an exhibitionist!

Latest hospital appointment

On Thursday i saw the consultant again. This was a routine visit - another 6 month milestone on the way to the all-clear.

He was encouraged by my general progress. I had put on 5 kilos since the last clinic (shortly after the Mallorca trip) and he was quick to recognise the benefits of the surgery, despite its unfortunate timing.

Adhesions (eg semi-obstructed/tangled gut) can persist, undetected, causing niggles for years. Their location is often very difficult to identify, so the risks outweigh the benefits of going hunting for them (surgically) if they haven't become acute.

With mine kicking off as they did - the surgeons got rid of a number of adhesions, including the main culprit, which may well reduce my chances of suffering further complications in the future.
Having said that, by cutting me open again the surgeons will most likely have created new adhesions (the gut doesn't like being disturbed) but hopefully insignificant ones.

I'm continuing on 2 drugs at the moment. A proton pump inhibitor, to suppress stomach acid production and reflux - quite helpful with my new stomach being so near my mouth...!!
And an anti-depressant, which not only has levelled out the troughs, but also the emotional peaks. The balance, however, is truly welcome.

Max - 4 pushing 7

Max is great. Mostly enjoying school, he's a veritable vacuum cleaner of the classroom's most interesting words and slang, the latest super hero, computer games, consoles (DS-E?)- all of which gets regurgitated at the dinner time and needs translating or sifting by his hapless parents.

WE LOVE IT!!!

Likes: his brother, beano, his daily iPlayer fix, dominoes, Judy, Joel & Jeremy (among many others), thursday gymnastics, church (honestly :-)), the park, his bike and anything sweet.

Dislikes: cooked tomatoes, non-funky music, anyone watching while he's on the loo...

Louis at the Great Bath

Here's a photo I took of Louis aged 2-and-a-bit, early on a February morning at the Roman Baths. There was a chill in the air and a lot of steam was rising from the hot springs. The photo took itself...

He's a lovely boy - a chilled little thinker/feeler - his character is starting to assert itself on our homelife in some quite amusing ways.

We have a naughty step for such times when a little "time out" is needed.
It serves as a boundary, used when explanation/negotiation/warnings are no longer effective.
Louis is now subverting its purpose by sending each of us in turn to the step when he doesn't get his way. He'll indignantly say "nordy dep daddy!! - nordy dep mummy!! nordy dep Macthhhh!!".

A short while ago before dinner, I asked Louis if he wanted to say a prayer. Without blinking he prayed "nordy dep Desus"...