No Allotment For A Couple Of Weeks

A total lack of post on manvslug.uk as I have been ill, and have had had a number of hospital appointment related to my cancer and autoimmune disease, in the last couple of weeks and basically we have had rain every day. 

Restorative Dentistry & Maxi Facial Surgery visits and x-rays a year apart show bone growth and thickening of the area where the cancer had attacked my jaw and eaten the roots of two of my teeth, that were removed in order to get biopsies of the cancer in order to name the cancer. Which I named George as they could not after two teeth removals and a number of biopsies. 

This was huge news as it shows the cancer is currently stable and not eating me away at the moment. 

Rheumatology wanted to get me off the steroids rapidly, which I was not happy with, but on review with my main consultant he overwrote has PA's instruction into a longer and slower decline in the steroids because of the type of cancer I have, which I'm more comfortable with. 

Only time will tell how much pain I will experience as the steroids are reduced.

Blood tests & six monthly PET Scan in February and a consultation with my oncologist in March 

All I need now is a few dry days to get back to my allotment and get ready for the 2026 growing season, as I'm on the green side of the grass for 2026.               

Follow Up Appointment With Hematologist

 

Another visit to St Georges Hospital today to get the result of the PET/ CT scan I had on the 19th August. 

Great news from the Haematologist, that my cancer is stable enough that they will only need to check me every six months as they don't want to keep fill me with radiation every 3 months, like they have been doing since I finished my radiotherapy in November 2023.

It's a little concerning that my Rheumatologist asked me to ask the Haematologist if they have any objection to the two medications that he is proposing Methotrexate or Hydroxychloroquine and they have not responded to his first request on the 29th July and he made a further request at my last appointment with him at the end of August. Looking at my records, they could not find that they had answered his two requests, but told me that they don't have a problem with either medications, and would send him a note to that effect.

From the Autoimmune point of view my after two years I can make a fist again thanks to the steroids' which are controlling the pain and helping with the rheumatism in all my joints. My mobility and general fitness levels have improved.

My next appointment with my Rheumatologist is at the end of this month and my Autoimmune medication starts In October and the steroids will be reduced as the new medication hopefully starts working, I have another appointment booked for November so tweaks can be made to the balance of steriods to Methotrexate. Hydroxychloroquine has side effects that can affect the eyes and at my last diabetic eye exam it transpired that I have the start of cataracts that could be because of the steroids, and I now need to have my eyes checked with at a special (Optical Coherence Tomography) OCT Digital surveillance clinic every 3 months to monitor what's happening with my eyesight.

PET / CT Scan at St Georges Hospital

Now that I have been on steroids for a while and my mobility has improved, I had this 3 monthly PET Scan at St Georges rather than the Royal Marsden. The reason why, well I can now get half way up a staircase and the St Georges unit is out in a car park, in two connected container units on stilts.

It was a little worrying when not being able to find a vein to fill me with the radiation that the nurse said they had none of the smallest cannula's and he also moaned that the gloves they have been provided were sub standards, and could see that as they were split and falling apart and looked well past their sell by date.

They did however have a robot that would administer the radioactive material rather than a nurse doing it manually, this saves the nurses from being exposed to the radioactive material too much. Never seen this for the last two years I have been having the Pet Scans every 3 months at the Royal Marsden

Yep that little robot that was a little too big to get into the broom cupboard with me, did all the work via the small tube linking me to it via the cannular, it was nicer feeling than being injected manually. 

I sat in a Captains Chair straight out of Star Trek, in a broom cupboard sized room with images of forests on the walls in an attempt to make it feel bigger, with a flat screen TV that only had BBC iplayer. I was left to marinate in the radiation for an hour before going in the PET Scan machine. It's 23 minutes for a full body PET Scan in one of these boys a few minutes faster than the Royal Marsden's machine. 

I get the results in about 3 weeks and hopefully I will still be stable from a cancer and a rheumatism point of view, and they will not find any other nasties.  

PET Scan At The Royal Marsden This Afternoon

  

This afternoon I went for my fifth PET scan. I had one at St Georges when I was more mobile and before having the Radiation treatment last year and this was be my forth at the Royal Marsden in Sutton they have been spaced every 3 months.

The last Scan showed that the hot spot showing where "George" the tumour AKA a Solitary bony plasmacytoma of the left mandible had been busy eating bone and teeth roots away, was no longer hot and I was informed I was stable.

It appears that terms of various stages of Remission which is the term for the decrease in or disappearance of signs and symptoms of cancer, of Partial Remission & Complete Remission are not being used these days. 

But I'm happy with stable, and dormant, I'm on the greenside of the grass and I now have a grandson to love and care for, and a great reason to want to be alive, and enjoy every day. 

I have multiple sites of polyarthropathy which literally means "disease in many joints" for which I have been referred to the Rheumatology department and have had additional X-Rays of all my joints, specialist blood tests and specialist CT scans of my hands and wrist. It's not gout its an autoimmune disease of some kind but as with George the tumour they are having difficulty giving it a name.  

The latest PET Scan Report will be available in 3 working days. However because I'm not currently receiving Radiotherapy Treatment from the Royal Marsden and effectively my consultant at the Haematology Department at St Georges has requested the test, they will not upload the report to the My Marsden app which holds my medical information.

I find this completely insane, I have to request a copy of the report about me from my haematology consultant or request it under some kind of freedom of information protocol from the Subject Access Request (SAR) Team at the Royal Marsden. 

My appointment with the Haematology consultant is in another month, and for my mental well being I want to know what the report says as soon as possible. If George (my Tumour)

I know the cancer will still be in my body and having had the Solitary Bony Plasmacytoma that if and when the cancer next presents itself it's likely to be in a form of Myeloma.  

From my point of view I just want to know which way my path is going. I would like sight of the report so I can inspect it and have logical sensible questions to ask when I see all three of my consultants.

Hematologist Oncologist Appointment

 

I had a 4pm appointment with the Hematologist Oncologist today at St Georges Hospital, due to doctor shortages they were running a hour late when I arrived and by time I got seen my appointment was an hour and forty five minutes late. It did give me chance to flick through the Kings Seed catalogue for 2025 which had arrived in the morning.

The photo is of the computer screen when we were looking at the PET Scan and the Rheumatism I now have in all my joints, which is why they are showing white. 

The white in my head is showing as I have an active brain function I was told my the consultant, which surprised me as I was laying tied up in the scanner for half an hour whilst they scanned me, and trying to relax as much as I could.   

The good news is that "George" the tumour is dormant and stable, as they are no longer using the terms  partial and full remission as a description for your cancer state of play. 

No additional medication and another PET Scan in December at the Royal Marsden and then another appointment with the Hematologist Oncologist at St Georges in January 2025. 

Maxi-Facial Appointment

Maxi-Facial Appointment at St Georges today, I was able to find a disabled bay near to the building they occupy on the perimeter road.  

Thankfully there have been no additional bone needles that have grown through my gum and poking into my tongue and my consultant informed me that my last Pet Scan shows that my jaws stable. Apparently they are no longer using partial and full remission as a description for your cancer state of play. 

I still can't chew any hard things and need to be careful as the jaw being previously cracked is weak but for the moment no surgery or reconstruction needed, they will be keeping an eye on me and will see me again in March 2025     

PET Scan At The Royal Marsden This Morning

 

So today I went for my forth PET scan. I had one at St Georges when I was more mobile and before having the Radiation treatment last year and this will be my third at the Royal Marsden in Sutton, the others taking place in February & May this year.

The last Scan showed that I still had a hot spot showing where "George" the tumour AKA a Solitary bony plasmacytoma of the left mandible had been busy eating bone and teeth roots away. 

That could have been because of a side effect of the radiation. New bone needles were growing through my gums and digging into my tongue causing inflammation and a lot pain when I swallowed or tried to go to sleep. 

The facial reconstruction team broke these off, so I'm hoping now that the inflammation from that has gone that the tumour is cold, and the last hotspot was just the side effect of the healing process.

The last two PET Scans have also shown that I have multiple sites of polyarthropathy which literally means "disease in many joints" for which I have been referred to the Rheumatology department and have had additional X-Rays of all my joints, specialist blood tests and specialist CT scans of my hands and wrist. 

I have an appointment in September with the Rheumatology consultant although the specialist CT scan at Queen Marys in Roehampton was in early July some nine weeks before my next appointment.   

The latest PET Scan Report will be available in 3 working days. However because I'm not currently receiving Radiotherapy Treatment from the Royal Marsden and effectively my consultant at the Haematology Department at St Georges has requested the test, they will not upload the report to the My Marsden app which holds my medical information.

I find this completely insane, I have to request a copy of the report about me from my haematology consultant or request it under some kind of freedom of information protocol from the Subject Access Request (SAR) Team at the Royal Marsden. 

My appointment with the Haematology consultant is in another month, and for my mental well being I want to know what the report says as soon as possible. If George (my Tumour) has gone and my jaw is no longer hot, that means I'm in Complete remission which means all signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared. 

I know the cancer will still be in my body and having had the Solitary Bony Plasmacytoma that if and when the cancer next presents itself it's likely to be in a form of Myeloma.  

There are various stages of Remission which is the term for the decrease in or disappearance of signs and symptoms of cancer.

Partial Remission is where, some, but not all, signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared. 

In Complete Remission, all signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared, although cancer still may be in the body. This is what all cancer sufferers want to hear. 

From my point of view I just want to know which way my path is going. I would like sight of the report so I can inspect it and have logical sensible questions to ask when I see all three of my consultants, and there is a reason for that.

I have had a tooth removed and biopsies taken twice, they then also took two biopsies via my neck into my mandible and a number into my lymph glands in my neck and they still could not determine if George's (The tumour) was cancerous or not. 

So being at the limit of what they could do using local anaesthetic, finally they had no option but to operate on me under a general anaesthetic and take a much larger section of jaw for sampling and testing.

I was referred by the Maxi-facial department to the Haematology department for further testing at St Georges and my sister and I sat there and the consultant opened with "Well you know you have a form of Blood Cancer" and both of our heads physically shot back as if we had both been sucker punched. 

The Consultant looked shocked and she asked "has no one told you this?", which we confirmed. The results of the 4th lot of biopsies was still outstanding, when I saw the Maxi-facial consultant last, and nobody had informed me. She looked extremely distressed and tried to recover from it, in fact both my sister and I felt quite sorry for her.   

So I don't want to go into a consultation blind again and the Royal Marsden Guidance leaflets talk about looking at your results so you can ask questions, well how is one supposed to do that if they will not provide you with a copy so you can prep yourself?    

Follow Up Appointment With Hematologist

 

Another visit to St Georges Hospital today to get the result of the PET scan. 

The scan shows that there is still inflammation in the cancer & radiation zone of my jaw, however  this could also be from when the jaw was mending and the needles of new bone was coming through my gum and digging into my tongue as that would show as inflammation

At the moment no additional treatment for the cancer, but another PET scan at the Royal Marsden will be taken in 3 months time, so next PET Scan will be late August and the appointment will hematology will be early September. 

They will also requests bloods about the time I have the PET Scan so they will have all the information they need for that early September appointment. 

The hot spot might never get cold but they will keep testing and as long as it doesn't get hotter again then they are happy... Just need it to stay the same, or get colder.

Hopefully after a few 3 monthly checks it will turn into annual checks.

If the Rheumatologist department wants me to go on steroids for the arthritis the Haematology department don't have a problem with that. But before they make any sweeping changes to my medication all departments talk about it anyway.

As off the 16th May my Kidney function stable so the naproxen isn't doing any damage at the moment.  

As they took 9 little bottles of blood on Friday for the Rheumatologist they only took one bottle of blood today and yet another water sample. 

Arthritis & Cancer

So today there was yet another visit to St Georges Hospital this time with my eldest daughter to see the Rheumatologist to further investigate the problems that started with my hips and knees during the investigations into my cancer last May/ June which has developed into polyarthropathy which is a diagnosis that means five or more of your joints have arthritis at the same time. It can be caused by lots of conditions, including autoimmune diseases and infections.

The PET scan back in February 2024 showed evidence of inflammation of many joints including the shoulders, sternoclavicular joint, elbows, wrists, small joints of the hands, hips, knees and ankles. This was not present in the PET Scan and number of MRI's I had in 2023 before the radiotherapy for the cancer.  

A lot of blood samples were taken and a lot of specialist tests requested in order to try and find out just what is causing the problems I'm having and how best to treat the problem. 

Regular readers will know that I looked after my wife for many years working from home before she passed away in January 2023 who had an autoimmune diseases called Lupus which is one they will be checking me for. 

Because of my wife's condition I do know about treatments for autoimmune disorders and how they can flair up and down, and the medications that may be prescribed and their side effects.    

I can no longer make a fist in both hands and have very weak wrist, and mobility issues which mean I can no longer climb into and out of my greenhouses as I raised them up on timber frames. I have three options:- 

1. Make steps into and out of the greenhouses 
2. Modify the greenhouses and the door as above 
3. Replace the two greenhouse with one larger greenhouse with a level entry. 

Being blunt, the last option really depends on the results of the various tests and what my prognosis is for the next few years. My current level of mobility also means I can't get down on my knees to weed my plots, and my answer to that is to gradually raise the beds up.

In addition to all the blood test, I also had x-rays taken of all my joints and I have been referred for Ultrasound scans of my joints and have a follow up appointment booked with the Rheumatologist in late June.  

I have an appointment with the Hematologist next week to review the last PET Scan from a couple of weeks ago at the Royal Marsden to see how effective the radiotherapy has been on the cancer, because it was still showing as a hot spot, on the February PET Scan, and to discuss the way forward regarding ongoing surveillance and or further treatment.

All I can say is god bless the NHS, and thank god I don't live in the USA.

I really don't want to consider giving up even half of my plot, as it is my happy place. Getting back down to my plot is what has been keeping me going throughout last year and the first half of this year. 

PET Scan At The Royal Marsden This Morning

The results of the PET scan that I had back on the 8th February, 3 month after I finished my Radiotherapy treatment at the Royal Marsden in Sutton, showed that I still had a hot spot showing where "George" the tumour AKA a Solitary bony plasmacytoma of the left mandible had been busy eating bone and teeth roots away. 

It also showed what I knew was happening that I have multiple sites of polyarthropathy which literally means "disease in many joints" which first started to present itself when they were half way through taking multiple biopsies and countless scans and tests trying to establish what form of tumour George was and how far he may have travelled in his universe that is my body!

In the next couple of weeks I have an appointment with the Maxi-facial department, the Rheumatology department and the Haematology department at St Georges in order to review the results of this new PET Scan and to see what can be done about my mobility issues and if "George" is still a hot spot or if the radiotherapy had continued its work and has finally eliminated him, and how we move forward.

Position Emission Tomography (PET) is a non-invasive nuclear medicine technique that allows the evaluation of metabolic processes and the disturbance of these processes by disease. 

It allows the identification of metabolically active cancer cells and provides excellent information on the staging of the disease and the impact of treatment. So fundamentally they will be able to see how effective my radiotherapy has or has not been after a further 2 months following my last PET Scan when George was still a hot spot. 

The Royal Marsden has two state-of-the-art Siemens Biograph mCT PET/CT scanners on the Sutton site and one Siemens Biograph Horizon PET/CT in Chelsea. Access to a variety of PET tracers is available for both clinical and research studies. These tracers are produced in-house by their radiopharmacy, and also supplied by third party companies.

For FDG PET/CT scans one is not be able to eat anything six hours before your appointment. During this time you can drink as much still/tap water as you like - you do not need to have a full bladder for your scan.

The scan isn’t painful. However, you will have to lie still for up to one hour on a table which is quite hard. I let the radiographers/technologists about the pain and the discomfort that I had during my PET scan at St Georges as it could lead to difficulties with the scan, and they ensured they packed me and positioned and restrained my feet and arms such as to minimise stress and pain in my joints.

I had removed my chain and wedding rings before attending and had ensured that I was wearing clothes without any metal so that I didn't have to change into a hospital gown. 

I was taken to a preparation room where a cannular was inserted into my arm, my blood sugars were taken and they gave me a small injection of radioactive tracer into a vein and ask me to remain lying down for about one hour. My mobility problems would not allow this so I was allowed to sit for the hour. 

After an hour, I was asked to empty my bladder as its not as if you can jump off for a pee halfway through, and then we went into the scanning room. Because of my shoulder problems I was scanned with my arms by my  sides. Sometimes they scan with your arms raised above your head. 

During the scan, the radiographer/technologist is able to see you from the control room and you can talk to each other through an intercom. They keep you informed about what scans they are doing and how long each section is going to be. 

My particular scans, whole body and head and neck were 25 minutes and 8 minutes respectively. 

Although the radiographer/technologist can see parts of your body on the screen, the images must be carefully interpreted by a Radiologist/Nuclear Medicine physician who is an expert in this field. 

The injected radioactive chemicals have a very short lifespan and are removed from the body fairly quickly. I was advised to avoid close contact with babies or pregnant women for eight hours after your scan.

Kerraped All Purpose Boot

These are an absolute game changer for me, they are exactly what I have been thinking about and didn't know they existed until one of my nurses ordered two of them for me. It's opened up my world and means I can get out of the house and perhaps even down to my allotment. 

They go over the compression dressings I have on both legs. 

Description

KERRAPED ALL PURPOSE BOOT (SINGLE SHOE)

DESCRIPTION

Kerraped offers a safe and dignified solution for those whose feet are bandaged due to accident or illness. An all-purpose boot that takes the pressure off your foot without affecting the way you walk, it is a comfortable and light shoes, enabling you to get back on your feet in no time.

BENEFITS

• Keeps dressings dry
• Breathable upper with a black EVA insole
• Velcro straps allow for adjustability for a comfortable and secure fit
• Reduces plantar pressure by up to 30% and does not need to be customised to achieve results
• Will off-load pressure whilst allowing you to walk normally
• Can be wiped clean
• Available in a variety of sizes to accommodate bulky dressings, bandages and swelling (refer to size guide)
• Easy to put on and take off

Kerraped comes as a SINGLE shoe and can be worn on either foot. 

PET Scan At The Royal Marsden This Morning

The last PET scan I had before treatment was undertaken at St Georges hospital, but as its now in excess of 3 month after I finished my Radiotherapy treatment at the Royal Marsden in Sutton, I'm back there this morning for my CT/PET Scan.

Position Emission Tomography (PET) is a non-invasive nuclear medicine technique that allows the evaluation of metabolic processes and the disturbance of these processes by disease. 

It allows the identification of metabolically active cancer cells and provides excellent information on the staging of the disease and the impact of treatment. So fundamentally they will be able to see how effective my radiotherapy has or has not been. 

The Royal Marsden has two state-of-the-art Siemens Biograph mCT PET/CT scanners on the Sutton site and one Siemens Biograph Horizon PET/CT in Chelsea. Access to a variety of PET tracers is available for both clinical and research studies. These tracers are produced in-house by their radiopharmacy, and also supplied by third party companies.

For FDG PET/CT scans one is not be able to eat anything six hours before your appointment. During this time you can drink as much still/tap water as you like - you do not need to have a full bladder for your scan.

The scan isn’t painful. However, you will have to lie still for up to one hour on a table which is quite hard. I let the radiographers/technologists about the pain and the discomfort that I had during my PET scan at St Georges as it could lead to difficulties with the scan, and they ensured they packed me and positioned and restrained my feet and arms such as to minimise stress and pain in my joints.

I had removed my chain and wedding rings before attending and had ensured that I was wearing clothes without any metal so that I didn't have to change into a hospital gown. 

I was taken to a preparation room where a cannular was inserted into my arm, my blood sugars were taken and they gave me a small injection of radioactive tracer into a vein and ask me to remain lying down for about one hour. My mobility problems would not allow this so I was allowed to sit for the hour. 

After an hour, I was asked to empty my bladder as its not as if you can jump off for a pee halfway through, and then we went into the scanning room. Because of my shoulder problems I was scanned with my arms by my  sides. Sometimes they scan with your arms raised above your head. 

During the scan, the radiographer/technologist is able to see you from the control room and you can talk to each other through an intercom. They keep you informed about what scans they are doing and how long each section is going to be. 

My particular scans, whole body and head and neck were 25 minutes and 8 minutes respectively. 

Although the radiographer/technologist can see parts of your body on the screen, the images must be carefully interpreted by a Radiologist/Nuclear Medicine physician who is an expert in this field. 

In my case I have an appointment next week to go and get my results from the team that have been looking after me at the Royal Marsden, and then it's back to the haematology department at St Georges and then the Maxi-Facial Department at St Georges the following week. 

The injected radioactive chemicals have a very short lifespan and are removed from the body fairly quickly. I was advised to avoid close contact with babies or pregnant women for eight hours after your scan.  Kelly thought it would be fun to send my other daughter this image when she came home 

Half Way Through My Radiation Treatment

Emma informed me that she likes Broad Beans so with space free on the plot it was a no brainer to get some sown. Emma took me to the allotment for a short visit.

I need to get another root trainer kit for next year as they are easier to get the small plants out when potting on.

I have the right sized trowel for every task.

I found my two frames of root trainers in the Plot 1 Greenhouse and the filling and sowing took place in the potting shed.

The three water melons now yellow came home with me today.

A few spuds from a bucket

With my mobility issues at the moment everything takes longer to do than it used too, plus being half way through my radiation treatment I've only got impulse power and no warp capability.

I loved sitting in the direct sunlight with the sun warming my body in addition to the fleece I was wearing and having a natter and a rest from standing with Wally (my plot neighbour) He is a good lad and arranged to leave when I was ready so I didn't have to get out of the car twice to lock the gate behind me.

#respectradiography

This week Radiography staff from the Royal Marsden Sutton went on strike for a day. They would rather not interrupt our care, but the government are not listening to them!.

The Society of Radiographers (SoR) is the trade union and professional body supporting those working within radiography.

If you had an x-ray, MRI or CT Scan, ultrasound, or radiation therapy as a patient going into hospital, 9 out of 10 of you will be seen by a member of the radiography workforce.

Please support the radiography workforce by writing to your MP and ask why the backbone of the NHS is underpaid and undervalued.

I have also been informed by Radiographers at the Royal Marsden that many of the staff there are also being hit by Sadistic Khan's ULEZ as they can't afford to buy compliant cars.

Radiotherapy Treatments

Today I start 5 weeks of Radiation treatment from Monday to Friday at the Royal Marsden in Sutton 

George The Tumour

Good News today, "George" the Tumour has not helped himself to any more roots of my teeth and I will not have to lose any more teeth before the Radiation Treatment starts at the Royal Marsden.

Now question for you. What Superhero will I turn into as a result of the exposure to Radiation? The Hulk, Spiderman, Mr Fantastic, The Thing? There are so many in both the Marvel & DC Comics universes .

Making My Mask or Shell

Today I went to the Royal Marsden in Sutton to have my shell made for my Radiotherapy Treatments these are also known as masks or moulds 

The process of making a mask can vary slightly between hospitals. Most often they use a special kind of plastic heated in warm water or an oven so that it becomes soft and pliable.

The technicians puts the plastic mesh on to your face so that it moulds to fit your face exactly. It feels a little like having a warm flannel put onto your face. You can still breathe easily, as the plastic has lots of holes in it and they form a hole for your mouth as well.

The technicians use their hands to stretch and form the plastic mesh, and they work it until they can snap it into the sockets formed in the table such that it will hold you in place each time you have a treatment. 

 

Once the mask is sufficiently hard they will remove it from your face.  

The technicians told me about the procedure of a mask being fitted and how it would be moulded to the shape of my face. These lovely ladies put my mind at ease and talked me through the whole process of heating the mask blank and then moulding it around my face, It's not an uncomfortable thing at all to go through.

These lovely ladies are very skilled at what they do and are very caring and talk you through the whole process to keep you informed and calm.  

In the photo above you can see the locating clips by my shoulder and neck and at the top of my head. The locating clips repeat at the neck and shoulders on the other side of my face. You do have to stay like that for a little while as the mask hardens enough so they can remove it and it retains your form 

They bring you back a day or two later do a CT scan and place marks on the mask to line up the machine each time you have treatment. 

The mask keeps you head still and makes sure that your treatment is directed at the cancer. They put your name on the mask and keep it in a sack in the radiotherapy department ready for your treatment.

At the end of my 5 weeks and 25 sessions of treatment, I was asked if I would like to have the shell / mask. I'm going to mount it on the wall at the allotment and hope that a bird takes up residence via the mouth and builds a nest in it. 

I tried the glasses on the mask to see if it really looked like me.   

Watch Your Back - Protective Clothing

Protective clothing

1

Clothing should always be the first line of defence when it comes to sun protection.

2

Always wear a protective hat; your forehead, scalp and ears are high risk areas for skin cancers, and even more so if you are bald or have thinning hair, so wear something with a legionnaire flap at the back.

3

Wear clothing that protects arms and legs; ideally choose garments with a tight weave as these offer the best protection.

4

When the day heats up, it is a natural impulse to remove clothing, which can mean you are exposing skin that has not been sun protected. Keep a light top on and protected exposed areas.

5

There has been an increase in the early formation of cataracts linked to prolonged sun exposure over recent years. Wear wraparound sunglasses which offer all round protection.